Thursday 12-28-17 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 10:30 PM ET, Thursday, December 28, 2017
Where: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Matchup Edge
PHI Edge in: POR
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turn Overs
Bench

Preview: 76ers at Trail Blazers
Gracenote
Dec 27, 2017

The Portland Trail Blazers did not want to go into a long break with a four-game losing streak, so they pulled out a 95-92 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday to snap the slide. Finally back in action on Thursday, the Trail Blazers will host another team hoping one win can change its fortunes in the Philadelphia 76ers.

Portland failed to reach 100 points for the fifth time in the last six games on Saturday but did enough on the defensive end to thwart the Lakers and move back above .500 heading into their lengthy break. The Trail Blazers played their last two games without star point guard Damian Lillard (hamstring), who remains day-to-day, but got 21 points out of point guard Shabazz Napier in the spot start and held Los Angeles to 43 points in the second half. The 76ers dropped five straight and nine of 10 before stepping up on a national stage and earning a 105-98 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. "We were on a losing streak," Philadelphia shooting guard JJ Redick told reporters. "We realized we are at a breaking point in the season. We had to play with more urgency. Today, our energy was at a different level."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE 76ERS (15-18): Philadelphia center Joel Embiid missed three games with a back injury and looked rusty in a loss at Toronto on Saturday before collecting 25 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in the win over the Knicks. Redick, who is no stranger to the Christmas Day showcase after spending the previous four seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, added 24 points in the win after taking the previous two games off to rest a sore hamstring. "I love our guys, they fight," 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters. "But you bring in (Embiid) and JJ, and the fight goes to a higher level, and gives us more of a chance. Fans see it, and our team sees it."

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (17-16): Portland forward Maurice Harkless was battling a quad injury and found himself out of the rotation while missing six of seven games, but he earned back his spot Saturday. The 24-year-old posted a season-high 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting in 25 minutes off the bench. "When it's time to win I've got to do whatever I've got to do to win and (Saturday) it was score," Harkless told reporters. "We just had to figure out how to get something going and I had an advantage a lot of times in the post and I just knocked down a couple shots. My teammates did a great job finding me when I had an advantage or when I was open. All I had to do what knock down shots."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Trail Blazers SG CJ McCollum is 3-of-18 from 3-point range over his last three games.

2. 76ers PG T.J. McConnell matched a season high with 15 points on Monday.

3. Embiid scored 28 points in a 101-81 home win over Portland on Nov. 22.

PREDICTION: 76ers 103, Trail Blazers 95

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Trends - Philadelphia at Portland

ATS Trends
Philadelphia

76ers are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
76ers are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games following a ATS win.
76ers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 2 days rest.
76ers are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 vs. NBA Northwest.
76ers are 42-18-1 ATS in their last 61 vs. Western Conference.
76ers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
76ers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
76ers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
76ers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
76ers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

Portland

Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Trail Blazers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
Trail Blazers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
Trail Blazers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
Trail Blazers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Trail Blazers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
Trail Blazers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Atlantic.
Trail Blazers are 1-5-2 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Trail Blazers are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

OU Trends
Philadelphia

Over is 5-1 in 76ers last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
Over is 5-1 in 76ers last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Under is 20-7 in 76ers last 27 vs. NBA Northwest.
Under is 7-3 in 76ers last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

Portland

Under is 6-0 in Trail Blazers last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Under is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 Thursday games.
Under is 10-2 in Trail Blazers last 12 home games.
Under is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 vs. NBA Atlantic.
Under is 13-3 in Trail Blazers last 16 vs. Eastern Conference.
Under is 20-6-1 in Trail Blazers last 27 games following a ATS win.
Under is 20-7 in Trail Blazers last 27 overall.
Under is 19-7-1 in Trail Blazers last 27 games following a straight up win.

Head to Head

76ers are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Thursday, December 28

Trend Report

DETROIT @ ORLANDO
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Detroit's last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games at home
Orlando is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Detroit

HOUSTON @ BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Houston's last 10 games when playing Boston
Houston is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Boston's last 10 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing at home against Houston

MINNESOTA @ MILWAUKEE
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games at home

NEW YORK @ SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing at home against New York
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

PHILADELPHIA @ PORTLAND
Philadelphia is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 8 games
Portland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 28

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DETROIT (19 - 14) at ORLANDO (11 - 24) - 12/28/2017, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 4-4 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 5-3 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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HOUSTON (25 - 7) at BOSTON (28 - 10) - 12/28/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 3-1 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 2-2 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (22 - 13) at MILWAUKEE (17 - 15) - 12/28/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
MINNESOTA is 49-78 ATS (-36.8 Units) after scoring 115 points or more since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 394-459 ATS (-110.9 Units) in home games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 261-315 ATS (-85.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 3-1 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 3-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (17 - 17) at SAN ANTONIO (24 - 11) - 12/28/2017, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 1022-894 ATS (+38.6 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 818-696 ATS (+52.4 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 522-435 ATS (+43.5 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 30-14 ATS (+14.6 Units) in December games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 61-38 ATS (+19.2 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 343-270 ATS (+46.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 341-279 ATS (+34.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 210-160 ATS (+34.0 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 3-1 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 3-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (15 - 18) at PORTLAND (17 - 16) - 12/28/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in December games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 66-48 ATS (+13.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 57-37 ATS (+16.3 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 5-0 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, December 28

Detroit @ Orlando

Game 501-502
December 28, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
115.223
Orlando
118.762
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Orlando
by 3 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Orlando
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Orlando
N/A

Houston @ Boston

Game 503-504
December 28, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
124.312
Boston
121.445
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 3
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
N/A

Minnesota @ Milwaukee

Game 505-506
December 28, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
116.512
Milwaukee
121.987
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 5 1/2
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 2 1/2
212 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-2 1/2); Over

New York @ San Antonio

Game 507-508
December 28, 2017 @ 8:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
111.398
San Antonio
126.784
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 15 1/2
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 10 1/2
201
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(-10 1/2); Under

Philadelphia @ Portland

Game 509-510
December 28, 2017 @ 10:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
119.842
Portland
118.716
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 1
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 3 1/2
208
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+3 1/2); Under

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Thursday, December 28

Pistons lost three of last four games with Orlando; they’re 2-2 vs spread in last four visits here. Seven of last ten series games went over the total. Detroit won five of its last six games; they’re 2-1 vs spread as road underdogs. Three of their last four games went over total. Orlando lost its last nine games; they’re 3-5 as home underdogs. Five of last seven Magic games stayed under total.

Houston won six of last eight games with Boston; they’re 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Beantown. Last ten series games stayed under the total. Rockets lost their last three games after a 14-game win streak; Houston is 9-5 vs spread on road, 1-1 as an underdog. Eight of their last ten games went over total. Boston lost three of its last five games; they’re 10-7-2 vs spread at home, 2-0 as underdogs. Over is 8-2 in their last ten home games.

Bucks won five of their last six games with Minnesota; under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Wolves are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Wisconsin. Minnesota won its last five games; they’re 5-4 as road underdogs. Seven of Wolves’ last eight games went over total. Milwaukee lost five of its last seven games; they’re 6-7-2 as home favorites. Bucks’ last nine games went over the total.

Knicks lost three of last four games with San Antonio; they covered four of last five visits to the Alamo. Over is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. Knicks lost four of last five games; they’re 3-8 vs spread as road underdogs. Four of their last five games stayed under total. San Antonio won five of its last six games; they’re 10-6 as home favorites. Six of their last nine games stayed under the total.

Home side won last six Philly-Portland games. 76ers covered three of last four visits to Oregon. Four of last five series games stayed under. Philadelphia lost nine of its last 11 games; they’re 2-5 vs spread in last seven games as a road underdog. Three of their last four games stayed under the total. Portland lost there of its last four games; they’re 2-10-1 vs spread as home favorites. Seven of last eight Blazer games went under the total.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 5:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 28, 2017
Where: Reynolds Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Matchup Edge
ECU Edge in: TLSA
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: East Carolina at Tulsa
Gracenote
Dec 27, 2017

Tulsa and East Carolina look to get off on the right foot in American Athletic Conference play when they face off in their conference opener Thursday in Oklahoma. The Pirates enter the matchup having won four of five contests, including a victory over Grambling last Thursday, while the Golden Hurricane had their three-game winning streak snapped with a loss at Oklahoma State on Dec. 19.

East Carolina interim coach Michael Perry relies on a trio of players for much of the team's offensive production, with guards B.J. Tyson (15.5 points) and Isaac Fleming (14.6) and forward Kentrell Barkley (13) accounting for 60.7 percent of the points. The Pirates prefer to play the game close to the rim, connecting on just 27.1 percent of their 3-point attempts, though they are holding opponents to 29.1 percent from beyond the arc. Senior forward Junior Etou leads Tulsa in scoring, averaging 18.1 points, while junior guard Sterling Taplin contributes 12 points and 4.1 assists per contest. The Golden Hurricane do not possess a lot of height - the team starts three guards and two 6-8 forwards - but they've been beasts on the glass, outrebounding their opponents in five of their last six contests for a plus-8.5 margin.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (6-5): Though East Carolina has hired a consulting firm and formed an advisory board to search for a full-time replacement for former coach Jeff Lebo, Perry has been building his resume with the team's recent success. The Pirates are 4-1 since Perry took over after Lebo's sudden resignation, moving over .500 for the first time since their season-opening win over Coppin State. What has been the biggest difference for the team is its never-give-up attitude thus far, rallying from deficits of 17 (Campbell), 12 (Grambling) and 10 (UNC Wilmington) points for victories, a trait that certainly will win Perry some favor with the administration as he tries to claim the job on a full-time basis.

ABOUT TULSA (7-5): It shouldn't come as a surprise for a Frank Haith-coached team, but the Golden Hurricane have been aggressive with the ball, ranking first in the AAC and 36th in the nation with 307 free throws attempted. Etou has been a big part of that, leading the conference and ranking ninth in the country with 102 attempts, but others are getting to the foul line as well, with three players - Curran Scott, Martins Igbanu and Taplin - receiving at least 33 opportunities in the first 12 contests. The Golden Hurricane have attempted 93 more free throws than their opponents, which has led to 68 more points from the line - a significant advantage for a team that is outscoring its foes by just 2.6 points overall.

TIP-INS

1. Barkley is one of three players in the AAC averaging at least 13 points and 6.5 rebounds (6.9).

2. Tulsa is shooting 46.3 percent on the season, including five games of at least 50 percent shooting.

3. The Golden Hurricane have dominated the all-time series 16-3, including an 8-1 record in games played in Tulsa.

PREDICTION: Tulsa 74, East Carolina 68

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
East Carolina

Pirates are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Pirates are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Pirates are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 Thursday games.
Pirates are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.

Tulsa

Golden Hurricane are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Golden Hurricane are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Golden Hurricane are 23-7 ATS in their last 30 Thursday games.
Golden Hurricane are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Golden Hurricane are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Golden Hurricane are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

OU Trends
East Carolina

Under is 6-0 in Pirates last 6 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Over is 5-1 in Pirates last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 8-2 in Pirates last 10 games following a straight up win.

Tulsa

Over is 5-0 in Golden Hurricane last 5 home games.
Over is 6-1 in Golden Hurricane last 7 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Over is 6-1 in Golden Hurricane last 7 games following a ATS win.
Over is 5-1 in Golden Hurricane last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Over is 5-1 in Golden Hurricane last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Over is 12-4 in Golden Hurricane last 16 overall.
Over is 5-2 in Golden Hurricane last 7 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 5-2 in Golden Hurricane last 7 Thursday games.

Head to Head

Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Home team is 4-1-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in Tulsa.
Pirates are 4-11-2 ATS in the last 17 meetings.
Pirates are 0-2-2 ATS in the last 4 meetings in Tulsa.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 6:30 PM ET, Thursday, December 28, 2017
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Matchup Edge
CRE Edge in: HALL
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Creighton at Seton Hall
Gracenote
Dec 27, 2017

Michael Nzei may be forced to handle a bigger workload for the second straight game when No. 24 Seton Hall hosts No. 23 Creighton on Thursday in the Big East opener for both teams. Nezi played 29 minutes in place of the suspended Ismael Sanogo in last week's victory over Manhattan and the junior could be in line for a similar role against the Bluejays.

Nzei isn't the same defensive presence as Sanogo, whose status is questionable after being suspended for a violation of team and university rules, but he is a capable scorer who works well with fellow big man Angel Delgado. "The great thing about Mike is that he is going to score, but you don't have to run plays for him," coach Kevin Willard told the media. "And he really helps Angel on post-ups because he's really sneaky on the baseline." Nzei and the rest of the Pirates will need to be at their best to account for Creighton's Marcus Foster, who is the nation's active leader in career field goals and is sixth in career points. Foster has taken his game to next level in terms of shooting, particularly from the 3-point line, where his has improved his percentage by 101 points from last season to 44.2 percent for the Bluejays, who have won five straight games.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT CREIGHTON (10-2): In addition to having one of the nation's top scorers in Foster, the Bluejays also have the reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year in Khyri Thomas, who has become more of a force on the offensive end. Thomas has scored in double figures in all but one game while increasing his production to 15.3 points per game. Freshmen Mitch Ballock and Ty-Shon Alexander, who have combined to average 16.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists, will be making their Big East debuts for coach Greg McDermott, who is 11-22 with Creighton when facing a ranked opponent, including wins this season over Northwestern and UCLA.

ABOUT SETON HALL (11-2): By averaging 14.3 rebounds over the past six games, Delgado passed Ken House (1969-72) for third place on Seton Hall's all-time rebounding list with 1,200. The 6-10 senior center from the Dominican Republic, needs 64 rebounds to overtake Glenn Mosley (1973-77) for the No. 2 spot, but has no chance to reach the 1,697 rebounds recorded by Walter Dukes (1950-53). Delgado had 15 points and 18 rebounds in the victory over Manhattan as the Pirates improved to 46-13 when he records a double-double.

TIP-INS

1. The 19 points scored by Doug McDermott in 2013 is the most for a Creighton player in their Big East debut, although McDermott was a senior when the Bluejays joined the conference.

2. Led by junior Kaleb Joseph, the Bluejays have seven players who average between 2.4 and 3.2 assists.

3. Seton Hall owns a 5-4 edge over Creighton in Big East games and an 11-5 lead in the series.

PREDICTION: Creighton 77, Seton Hall 73

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Creighton

Bluejays are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Thursday games.
Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
Bluejays are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up win.
Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games.
Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. Big East.
Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Bluejays are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bluejays are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Bluejays are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
Bluejays are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Bluejays are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.

Seton Hall

Pirates are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Pirates are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 Thursday games.
Pirates are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

OU Trends
Creighton

Under is 6-1 in Bluejays last 7 vs. Big East.
Over is 4-1 in Bluejays last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
Over is 9-3 in Bluejays last 12 overall.
Under is 6-2 in Bluejays last 8 Thursday games.
Over is 5-2 in Bluejays last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 5-2 in Bluejays last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 9-4 in Bluejays last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Seton Hall

Over is 4-1 in Pirates last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 6-2 in Pirates last 8 games following a straight up win.
Over is 5-2 in Pirates last 7 overall.
Over is 5-2 in Pirates last 7 home games.
Over is 27-11 in Pirates last 38 Thursday games.

Head to Head

Bluejays are 2-5-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 28, 2017
Where: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Matchup Edge
TULN Edge in: TEM
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Tulane at Temple
Gracenote
Dec 27, 2017

Temple can sometimes survive when one of its top three scorers is off, but rarely when two of the "big three" are out of rhythm. The Owls aim to bounce back from a tough defeat Thursday when they welcome Tulane to town for both teams' American Athletic Conference opener.

Obi Enechionyia scored a career-high 27 points against Georgia on Friday, but Shizz Alston Jr. and Quinton Rose combined for 15 points on 6-of-25 shooting in an 18-point defeat. “We need those two guys,” coach Fran Dunphy told reporters after the game. “Those are two of our bigger threats. When they struggled like they did, that hurt us.” Rose is 7-for-26 from the field over the last two games and Alston is 9-of-33 over the last three contests. The trio hopes to put it all together Thursday against a Tulane team that squeaked past South Alabama its last time out for a second straight win.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT TULANE (9-3, 0-0 AAC): The Green Wave placed four starters in double figures - plus a fifth in reserve guard Caleb Daniels - in their win over South Alabama. Melvin Frazier led the way with 18 points and is averaging a team-high 16.8, while Cameron Reynolds (16.5) contributed 14 points and nine boards. Daniels, a freshman, set his season high for points after totaling nine points on 3-of-10 shooting over the previous three outings.

ABOUT TEMPLE (7-4, 0-0): Enechionyia had been 4-of-25 over the previous three games before his breakout performance against Georgia, which included zero turnovers for the third time in his last four outings. Despite his overall shooting struggles, Rose has been connecting from 3-point range (10-of-18 over the last four games), although Alston is 2-of-14 from behind the arc over a three-game stretch. Enechionyia leads the team in rebounding (6.4) and blocks (2.0) and has 20 3-pointers, tied with Rose and trailing only Alston's team-high mark of 25.

TIP-INS

1. Tulane G Jordan Cornish has 14 turnovers over the last two games.

2. Rose has registered multiple steals in six consecutive games.

3. Temple won both meetings last season, including a double-overtime affair when the teams met in Philadelphia.

PREDICTION: Temple 69, Tulane 66

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Tulane

Green Wave are 16-33-2 ATS in their last 51 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Green Wave are 6-17-2 ATS in their last 25 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Green Wave are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games.
Green Wave are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Green Wave are 4-17 ATS in their last 21 Thursday games.
Green Wave are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Green Wave are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Green Wave are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
Green Wave are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.

Temple

Owls are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 Thursday games.
Owls are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Owls are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Owls are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss.
Owls are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 home games.
Owls are 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

OU Trends
Tulane

Over is 5-0 in Green Wave last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 5-1 in Green Wave last 6 road games.
Under is 4-1 in Green Wave last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 4-1 in Green Wave last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 22-7 in Green Wave last 29 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Under is 6-2 in Green Wave last 8 overall.
Under is 6-2 in Green Wave last 8 games following a straight up win.
Under is 20-8 in Green Wave last 28 Thursday games.

Temple

Over is 13-5 in Owls last 18 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Over is 15-6 in Owls last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 5-2 in Owls last 7 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 7-3 in Owls last 10 home games.
Over is 20-9 in Owls last 29 overall.

Head to Head

Favorite is 4-0-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Green Wave are 0-4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 28, 2017
Where: Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC), Piscataway, New Jersey
Matchup Edge
HART Edge in: RUTG
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Hartford at Rutgers
Gracenote
Dec 27, 2017

Rutgers looks to bounce back from its most disappointing loss of the season when it concludes non-conference play against Hartford on Thursday. The Scarlet Knights had won their previous four games, including a 71-65 victory against 24th-ranked Seton Hall, before dropping a 75-73 overtime decision to Stony Brook on Friday and hope to get back on track by beating Hartford for the third consecutive time.

"Basketball is a cruel sport sometimes, but you get what you deserve," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell told reporters. "Basketball is a cruel life teacher too as some days you're up and some days you're down, so we'll see how these guys bounce off the mat." The Scarlet Knights have won 17 of their last 18 non-conference home games, including a 77-75 victory over the Hawks last season. Rutgers has won four of their last five meetings with America East Conference opponents since the start of the 2014-15 season and hopes to earn 11 non-conference victories for the second straight year under Pikiell. Hartford has won three of its last four games following a 79-72 victory against Florida International and can move back to .500 by posting back-to-back road victories for the first time since January 2016.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network Plus

ABOUT HARTFORD (6-7): John Carroll led the way with 17 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in the win against FIU to notch his second double-double of the season. Jason Dunne and Travis Weatherington combined to make six 3-pointers en route to 15 points each as the Hawks shot a sizzling 62 percent from the floor against the Panthers. J.R. Lynch scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and George Blagojevic added a season-high 10 as five Hartford players finished in double figures.

ABOUT RUTGERS (10-4): Deshawn Freeman scored a season-high 20 points to finish in double figures for the 12th time this season, but the Scarlet Knights were doomed by an 8-of-19 performance from the free-throw line. Geo Baker contributed 15 points and six assists while Issa Thiam tallied 12 points in the loss to Stony Brook. Mike Williams added 10 points to become the 43rd player in Rutgers history to reach 1,000 for his career while Corey Sanders was limited to eight points after averaging 17.7 over his previous four games.

TIP-INS

1. Rutgers leads the nation in rebounds per game (45.4).

2. Freeman has scored 20 or more points 36 times in his career.

3. Hartford has lost 10 of its last 13 non-conference road games.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 83, Hartford 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Hartford

Hawks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win.
Hawks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
Hawks are 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
Hawks are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Hawks are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Hawks are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 road games.
Hawks are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Hawks are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Rutgers

Scarlet Knights are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Scarlet Knights are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.
Scarlet Knights are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Scarlet Knights are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
Scarlet Knights are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
Scarlet Knights are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
Scarlet Knights are 16-36 ATS in their last 52 games following a straight up loss.

OU Trends
Hartford

Under is 8-1 in Hawks last 9 non-conference games.
Over is 8-2 in Hawks last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 8-2 in Hawks last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 8-3 in Hawks last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 5-2 in Hawks last 7 road games.

Rutgers

Under is 9-3-1 in Scarlet Knights last 13 Thursday games.
Under is 5-2 in Scarlet Knights last 7 non-conference games.
Under is 5-2 in Scarlet Knights last 7 home games.
Over is 7-3 in Scarlet Knights last 10 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 19-9 in Scarlet Knights last 28 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 28, 2017
Where: USF Sun Dome, Tampa, Florida
Matchup Edge
HOU Edge in: USF
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Houston at South Florida
Gracenote
Dec 27, 2017

Houston and host South Florida both enter the start of American Athletic Conference play riding high on Thursday. Houston has won nine of the past 10 while USF is on the longest winning streak in more than three years.

Houston enters play as one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country, ranked 10th in percentage at 41.8 per game and is third in the conference at 8.7 3-point conversions per game. Armoni Brooks (50 percent), Corey Davis Jr. (43.8 percent) and Rob Gray (41.7 percent) are all over 40 percent on the season for the Cougars. But USF, winners of three consecutive games for the first time since the start of the 2014-15 season, is one of the top teams in the nation in defending the 3-point line, holding teams to 30.1 percent from beyond the arc - ranked tied for 37th in the country and second in the conference. The Bulls have held 10 of their 13 opponents this season to below 40 percent from behind the 3-point line with only one opponent reaching double digits in made 3-pointers while Houston has been above 40 percent six times in 12 games and have hit double digits in 3-point field goals made six times.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT HOUSTON (10-2, 0-0 AAC): Gray, a senior guard, has maintained his spot among the elite players in the AAC this season. Gray leads the conference in scoring at 20.7 points per game and is in the top 15 in assists, free-throw percentage, 3-point field goals per game, 3-point field goal percentage and assist-turnover ratio. Gray has scored at least 20 points in seven of the 11 games he has played this season and needs 16 points to move into 22nd on the school's all-time scoring list.

ABOUT USF (7-6, 0-0): The Bulls already matched last year's win total as they enter the first year of conference play under coach Brian Gregory. The team's play this season has been different with 10 new players on the roster including three key graduate transfers in Payton Banks, Terrence Samuel and Stephan Jiggetts, but the early part of the season has been about building blocks as Gregory starts to see improvements from the underclassmen. "We win seven games in the non-conference, that's the first time in four years with the most wins in the non-conference, that's important,'' Gregory told reporters after last week's victory against Charlotte. "Three straight home wins, that's the first time in four years we've done that against Division I teams. Those are little things that four, five years down the road, you'll look back and say that was really important in what you're trying to build.''

TIP-INS

1. USF freshman G Justin Brown set career highs with 12 points and four 3-pointers in 18 minutes of play in the Bulls' victory against Charlotte last time out.

2. Houston has won 10 of the past 11 conference openers and three straight. The Cougars are opening conference play on the road for the fourth consecutive season, posting a 2-1 record in the first three.

3. USF freshman G David Collins returned to the Bulls on Dec. 21 against Charlotte after missing five games with a knee injury and scored six points in eight minutes.

PREDICTION: Houston 81, USF 65