Tuesday 1-2-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Jets vs. Avalanche Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

The Winnipeg Jets have won three in a row since the holiday break entering Tuesday's road game against Colorado Avalanche, and Connor Hellebuyck's play in goal is a big reason why his team is among the leaders in the Western Conference. Hellebuyck was named NHL first star of the week Monday after winning his third consecutive start in Sunday's 5-0 victory over Edmonton, finishing the seven-day period with a .952 save percentage and a 1.67 goals against average.

"I thought we were pretty darn consistent right through," Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters after Sunday's victory, in which five different Winnipeg players scored and Hellebuyck made 35 saves. The Avalanche are 7-3-1 in their past 11 games after Sunday's 6-1 victory over the New York Islanders, breaking open the game with four second-period goals. Captain Gabriel Landeskog scored twice in a two-minute span during the middle-period outburst, and Nathan MacKinnon finished with three assists. "We know there's a lot of work to do still, but the first three months have been fun," Landeskog told the media afterward. "I still think we have another couple of gears."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), Altitude TV (Denver)

ABOUT THE JETS (23-11-6): Forward Kyle Connor scored in his third consecutive game Sunday and has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past four contests. Hellebuyck is 21-4-5 on the season and ranks third in the NHL in wins while sitting in the top 10 in both goals against average (2.37) and save percentage (.923). Center Blake Wheeler has four points in his past three games with goals in two straight contests.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (19-16-3): Colorado has killed off 33 consecutive power plays and ranks third in the NHL in penalty kill percentage (84 percent). MacKinnon is tied for fifth in the league in points (46) and has five goals and eight assists in his past eight games. Center Carl Soderberg scored for the seventh time this season Sunday, and has three goals and two assists in his past four contests.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado F J.T. Compher will miss the next two weeks with an upper-body injury suffered in Friday's victory over Toronto.

2. Hellebuyck recorded his third shutout of the season Sunday.

3. Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov has a .922 save percentage with 12 goals allowed in his past five games.

PREDICTION: Jets 3, Avalanche 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Kings vs. Oilers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

The Edmonton Oilers are going backward again after an embarrassing New Year's Eve loss and hope to begin 2018 with something positive when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. The Oilers had won four in a row - and seven of 10 to start December - before losing the last three contests at home, including Sunday's demoralizing 5-0 setback against Winnipeg.

"It's concerning. Especially playing at home at this time of the year when we had something good going," Edmonton coach Todd McLellan told reporters. "Pre-Christmas we were on a roll and felt good about ourselves. But that doesn't happen automatically, you have to show up and at least attempt to outwork the other team." It won't be easy for the Oilers to turn things around against Los Angeles, which rallied for a 4-3 victory at Vancouver on Saturday to earn a point for the fourth time in five games (3-1-1). "We just don't give up," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who notched his 99th career goal for the winner Saturday, told reporters. "It doesn't matter if we're down, if we're up, we push forward." Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick is 9-3-1 with a .928 save percentage in his last 13 starts this season and 20-3-5 lifetime against Edmonton with a 1.83 goals-against average.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, FS West (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE KINGS (23-11-5): While Doughty registered four points in his last four games, the top two scorers for Los Angeles have cooled off a bit as Dustin Brown has been kept off the scoresheet in three straight games and captain Anze Kopitar managed two points in the last eight. Kopitar still leads the way with 40 points and Tyler Toffoli is fourth on the team with 28 after posting a goal and two assists at Vancouver. Veteran right wing Marian Gaborik owns 11 points - three in the past two contests - and a plus-8 rating in 17 games this season after returning from injured reserve.

ABOUT THE OILERS (17-19-3): McDavid (team-best 45 points) was kept off the scoresheet in the last two games, but fellow forward Leon Draisaitl has continued to produce with two goals and eight assists in his last seven outings. Center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who leads the team with 15 goals, was limited to one shot Sunday and left wing Milan Lucic has not earned a point in his last three contests. Goaltender Cam Talbot (14-12-2), who shared the league lead with 42 wins last season, gave up 16 goals during a solid eight-game stretch before surrendering 13 in his last three appearances.

OVERTIME

1. Doughty is tied for third among defensemen in the league with 29 points and second in plus-minus rating at plus-20.

2. Edmonton is 2-for-22 with the man advantage in the past eight outings and allowed four power-play tallies in the last two.

3. The Oilers triumphed in three of five meetings with Los Angeles last season with all three wins coming at home.

PREDICTION: Oilers 4, Kings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Predators vs. Golden Knights Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

The Vegas Golden Knights continue to rewrite the expansion team record books as they host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday in what could remarkably wind up being a Western Conference finals preview. Vegas is riding expansion team records of a seven-game winning streak and a 12-game point streak (11-0-1) after defeating Toronto 6-3 on Sunday to complete an 11-1-1 December.

The Golden Knights, who are an eye-popping 16-2-1 at home, lead the Pacific Division by three points over Los Angeles with two games in hand. "I don't even know what's happening right now. We're just finding ways to win every night," Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault, who has a club-best 36 points, told reporters after recording a goal and an assist Sunday. "... It's so fun playing hockey right now. We don't overwork, we just do the right thing." Nashville sits second in the Central, one point behind Winnipeg with two games in hand, and is coming off a 3-0 victory versus Minnesota on Saturday for its second win in three games. Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis, a key cog in the Predators' run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, was a full participant in practice Monday and could make his 2017-18 debut Tuesday after recovering from offseason knee surgery.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Las Vegas)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (23-10-5): Defenseman P.K. Subban has recorded a goal and an assist in each of his last two games and is second on the team with 29 points, including a club-most 20 assists. Kevin Fiala (10 goals, 26 points) has been kept off the scoresheet in the last four contests after recording eight goals and four assists during a nine-game point streak to begin December. Filip Forsberg (team bests of 15 goals and 34 points) will not play because of an upper-body injury and will also miss at least Thursday's game in Arizona.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (26-9-2): William Karlsson (33 points) recorded the first hat trick in team history Sunday and boasts a team-leading 20 goals after scoring 15 in 162 games with Columbus over the previous two seasons. "Change in environment can be good for a player," Karlsson told reporters. "I've gotten a lot of chances here in Vegas. I think I've done pretty well. I have two good linemates (Reilly Smith and Marchessault) I play with every night. They make it easy on me." Defenseman Luca Sbisa (plus-6, 20:18 of ice time in 23 games) could be activated off injured reserve after missing seven games with a lower-body injury.

OVERTIME

1. Golden Knights LW David Perron and RW Smith are tied for third on the team in points with 30 and each have nine goals.

2. The Predators have won eight straight games when their opponent scores five or more goals in its previous contest.

3. Vegas won the first meeting 4-3 in a shootout Dec. 8 in Nashville.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Predators 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ducks vs. Canucks Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

The Anaheim Ducks are feeling pretty good about themselves as they embark on a three-game swing through Western Canada beginning with a contest against the struggling Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Anaheim has won four of its last five games after Sunday's 5-2 victory over NHL-worst Arizona moved it into a tie for third in the Pacific Division with San Jose, although the Sharks have four games in hand.

"We're a team that once we start doing things the right way and we see some of the results happening, we feel like we can compete with anybody,'' Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler told reporters after recording a goal and an assist Sunday. "These last two games at home were very important for us before going out on a tough western road trip. So hopefully we can carry some of that momentum along with us." Red-hot Rickard Rakell packed a five-game goal streak in his suitcase after scoring twice Sunday, giving him a team-high 14 in 35 games and six in the last five contests. Vancouver lost 4-3 to Los Angeles on Saturday and is 2-8-1 in its last 11 games since Bo Horvat (10 goals, 20 points, plus-5 in 28 games) fractured his right foot. "If we're not playing our best game, we're not winning hockey games," Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom told reporters. "We don't have that team where we can go half speed or 70 or 80 percent. We are so close to winning hockey games, but it's not enough."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet East, Ontario, Pacific (Vancouver), FS West (Anaheim)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (18-14-8): Antoine Vermette (seven goals, 15 assists) was promoted to play on the top line with captain Ryan Getzlaf and Rakell, and responded with a goal and two assists Sunday for his first points in nine games. "We were just trying to find balance in our lineup and trying to put people in places they could be comfortable with and give them an opportunity to have success,'' coach Randy Carlyle told reporters. "We're a work in progress. We haven't had our team together for more than four or five games now." Getzlaf, who is four assists shy of 600 for his career, had two assists versus Arizona and recorded a goal and 12 assists in 10 December games after missing November because of a facial fracture.

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (16-18-5): Calder Trophy candidate Brock Boeser (team highs of 21 goals, 38 points) was held off the scoresheet Saturday after scoring in four straight games and recording eight points during that span. Daniel and Henrik Sedin (two goals this season) haven't recorded a point in the last three contests with Henrik on pace to record the fewest goals in his 17-year career. Defenseman Troy Stecher (minus-3, average of ice time of 16:03 in 25 games) left Saturday's contest with an undisclosed injury and is questionable to play Tuesday while fellow blue-liner Chris Tanev (plus-9, 20:51, 25 games) could return after missing seven contests with a groin injury.

OVERTIME

1. Ducks D Josh Manson is a team-high plus-14 after going plus-7 in 15 December games, and his 17 points are tied for sixth on the club.

2. Vancouver is 0-for-10 on the power play in its last four games after going 6-for-15 in its previous four contests.

3. Anaheim won the first of four meetings this season 4-1 on Nov. 9 with Jakob Silfverberg scoring twice and Rakell recording three assists. It was Silfverberg's first two-goal game since Jan. 31.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Canucks 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Indiana vs. Wisconsin Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Wisconsin's offense has been extremely consistent over the last four games - all non-conference victories - but it remains to be seen if that trend will carry over into Tuesday's home tilt with Indiana. The Badgers have scored 81, 81, 82 and 82 points over the last four contests and will aim for a fifth straight victory behind standout forward Ethan Happ.

Happ, a 6-10 junior, is averaging 16.4 points and 8.2 rebounds this season and has shot at least 50 percent from the field in six straight games. He had 18 points in 20 minutes the last time out in a convincing win over UMass Lowell and could be a handful for an Indiana team that has hardly been consistent this season. The Hoosiers upset Notre Dame last month before getting destroyed by IPFW in their ensuing contest, although they have stabilized somewhat with two straight wins by 28 points apiece. Juwan Morgan led the way with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting in Friday's win over Youngstown State and will try to help Indiana get some revenge after losing three times to Wisconsin last season.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT INDIANA (8-6, 1-1 Big Ten): The Hoosiers have given up fewer than 60 points in each of their last two victories, and that's critical because they are not one of the better shooting teams in the Big Ten. Only two of their top seven scorers shoot above 44 percent from the field - Morgan (59.1), who averages a team-high 15.3 points, and De'Ron Davis (63.2), who chips in 10.1 points. Morgan and Davis are tied for the team lead with 21 blocks, although neither is a threat from 3-point range, as Morgan is 2-of-17 from the arc and Davis has yet to attempt a shot from long distance.

ABOUT WISCONSIN (8-7, 1-1): The Badgers only have two double-digit scorers on the season - Happ, who actually leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists, and Brad Davison (11.7 points), who has knocked down a team-high 27 3-pointers on the year. Davison has been a pleasant surprise as a freshman but has been in a mini-slump from 3-point range, going 4-of-16 over the last three games. Aleem Ford is shooting 47.7 percent from the arc and has drained 11-of-15 over the last four contests, plus he matched his season best with seven rebounds against UMass Lowell.

TIP-INS

1. Wisconsin G Brevin Pritzl set a career high with 18 points against UMass Lowell.

2. Since committing three turnovers in the season opener, Davis has nine total turnovers in the last 13 games.

3. Indiana G Robert Johnson made 5-of-10 3-pointers against Notre Dame but since is just 5-for-18 over the last three contests.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 66, Indiana 62

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Auburn vs. Tennessee Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Auburn aims to stretch its winning streak to 11 games when it opens SEC play at Tennessee on Tuesday. The Tigers won 12 games before the calendar year for only the third time in school history, while the No. 20 Volunteers are looking to bounce back from a loss to Arkansas in their league opener.

Auburn hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2003 and is hoping the strong start will lead to the end of the drought. "The league is the best it's been and the deepest it's been," Tigers coach Bruce Pearl told reporters. "It's going to be a grind night in and night out. Physically, it's going to be a challenge, but I think we are also prepared." Tennessee, which is looking for its 11th consecutive home win over Auburn, blew a nine-point lead with four minutes left in regulation on Saturday en route to a 95-93 overtime loss to the Razorbacks. "We had control of the game for 36 or 37 minutes, but just like (a Dec. 17 loss to) North Carolina, we lost the game in the last two or three minutes," Volunteers sophomore guard Jordan Bone said afterward. "We didn't execute the way we wanted to down the stretch, and they made us pay."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT AUBURN (12-1, 0-0 SEC): Sophomore guard Jared Harper made five 3-pointers while scoring 21 points in a loss to Tennessee last season. Harper is averaging 15.4 points over the past five games and is averaging 12.2 points and a team-best 5.5 assists overall. Junior guard Bryce Brown and sophomore guard Mustapha Heron share the team scoring lead at 15.8 points per game, while junior forward Desean Murray (10.8) also averages in double digits while contributing a team-best 7.4 rebounds.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (9-3, 0-1): Bone (8.6) scored a season-best 21 points in the loss to Arkansas and is averaging 16.5 points over the past two games. Sophomore forward Grant Williams leads the squad with averages of 15.1 points and 6.6 rebounds, while junior forward Admiral Schofield (12.3) and sophomore guard Jordan Bowden (11.6) are also averaging in double digits. Bowden has been lava-hot from 3-point range by making 26-of-42 attempts for an SEC-leading 61.9 percent.

TIP-INS

1. Tennessee is 48-7 all-time against Auburn in games played in Knoxville.

2. The Tigers have made at least 10 3-pointers on seven occasions this season.

3. Williams has scored in double digits in 10 consecutive games.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 77, Auburn 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Penn State vs. Maryland Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Maryland will be searching for contributors along the front line and trying to avoid looking too far ahead when it returns to Big Ten play against visiting Penn State on Tuesday. The Terrapins, who visit No. 2 Michigan State on Thursday, have lost two power forwards for the season in recent days, first seeing top rebounder Justin Jackson go out with a torn labrum and then watching his replacement - junior Ivan Bender - suffer a torn meniscus in his right knee.

"Ivan has been playing some of his best basketball over the past month," coach Mark Turgeon said in a news release Sunday. "He has developed into a strong contributor for our team and we are going to miss his leadership and presence on the court." Maryland recovered from a poor first half to defeat UMBC 66-45 on Friday as sophomore Kevin Huerter scored 20 points to lift his team to its sixth consecutive win. The Nittany Lions were stunned by Rider on a buzzer-beater at home before Christmas and took out their frustrations on Coppin State on Saturday. Tony Carr scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half in the 88-43 win for Penn State, which knocked off Maryland 70-64 at home in the previous meeting on Feb. 7.

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

ABOUT PENN STATE (11-4, 1-1 Big Ten): Carr rebounded from a rocky shooting effort in the loss to Rider to hit 7-of-9 shots in Saturday's win, including a 3-for-4 effort from beyond the arc that left him at 52.8 percent on 3-pointers. "It felt great," he told reporters. "Just to get that bad taste out of our mouth and get a win and go on the road and hopefully get a big road win." Lamar Stevens, who ranks second behind Carr (18.9) in scoring at 14.1, scored 25 points in last season's win over the Terrapins.

ABOUT MARYLAND (12-3, 1-1): Sophomore Anthony Cowan leads the Terrapins in scoring (15.5) but is shooting 17-for-53 from the floor over his last five games, including 4-for-13 against UMBC. Huerter is trending in the other direction and has shot better than 50 percent in seven of his last eight games, during which he is at 53.7 percent from beyond the arc. Redshirt freshman Joshua Tomaic, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds in 33 minutes over two games earlier this month, could fill the void left behind by Jackson and Bender's injuries.

TIP-INS

1. Cowan missed all five of his shot attempts in 23 minutes of the loss to Penn State last season.

2. Nittany Lions F Mike Watkins entered the New Year ranked second in the Big Ten in blocks (3.5) and field-goal percentage (67.0)

3. Terrapins freshman G Darryl Morsell is averaging 8.8 points on the season but 13 over his last four games.

PREDICTION: Maryland 77, Penn State 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Alabama vs. Vanderbilt Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Alabama travels to Vanderbilt on Tuesday for its first SEC road contest of the season after beginning conference play with a dominant performance against the fifth-ranked team in the nation. The Crimson Tide blasted Texas A&M 79-57 on Saturday as freshman John Perry hit five 3-pointers in scoring 18 points, and on the heels of a lackluster loss to Texas in the final non-conference game, four Alabama players combined for 67 points.


"We came out and had one of our better games this season, and that's what you can look forward to the rest of the season," Perry told reporters after the game, citing Alabama's preparation following the Texas loss. Vanderbilt dropped its conference opener at Florida, 81-74, rallying from a 20-point halftime deficit to pull within four points inside the final two minutes. The Commodores shot 12-of-31 from 3-point range, an encouraging sign after Vanderbilt struggled from long range throughout its non-conference schedule. "It was a big hill, but we had a shot there to cut it to one with a minute left," Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew told the media afterward.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT ALABAMA (9-4, 1-0 SEC): Freshman Collin Sexton, the SEC's leading scorer at 20.1 points per game, scored 16 points against Texas A&M despite shooting just 3-of-12 from the field. Petty, who earned his second SEC freshman of the week award, is averaging 13.3 points per game while shooting 38.8 percent from 3-point range. The Crimson Tide play three of their next four games on the road.

ABOUT VANDERBILT (5-8, 0-1): Jeff Roberson led five Commodores in double figures against Florida with 18 points and is averaging 14.7 points and 8.2 rebounds (third in the SEC). Riley LaChance added 13 points against the Gators and moved into 10th place on Vanderbilt's all-time assists list. Vanderbilt is shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point range in its past three games.

TIP-INS

1. Alabama senior G Riley Norris will miss the rest of the season with a hip injury.

2. Vanderbilt's Matthew Fisher-Davis and LaChance each have scored 1,177 career points, tied for second among current SEC players.

3. The Crimson Tide are 13th nationally in blocked shots per game (6.2).

PREDICTION: Alabama 78, Vanderbilt 69

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Michigan vs. Iowa Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Michigan looks to stay on the winning track when it resumes Big Ten play on the road against Iowa on Tuesday. The Wolverines dropped a 71-62 decision to Ohio State on Dec. 4 before reeling off five straight wins in nonconference action, including a 76-51 victory against Jacksonville on Saturday, and hope to continue their winning ways by beating Iowa for the first time since Jan. 22, 2014.

"We'll take the win," Michigan coach John Beilein told reporters. "At 12-3 with this nonconference schedule is about as good as we can ask for." The Hawkeyes are feeling good about themselves after toppling Northern Illinois 98-75 to extend their winning streak to a season-best five games. Iowa lost its first three games in December, including back-to-back defeats to Penn State (77-73) and Indiana (77-64) in conference play, but is averaging 90.2 points during its current streak and hopes to pick up its first Big Ten win by downing the Wolverines for the sixth consecutive time. "This us what we're capable of when working together, working for good shots and making good passes," Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon told reporters. "It's definitely something to build off of."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT MICHIGAN (12-3, 1-1 Big Ten): Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman led the way with a season-high 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the floor in the comfortable win against Jacksonville. Charles Matthews added 18 points and seven rebounds while Duncan Robinson has snapped out of his shooting slump by scoring 12 points to finish in double figures for the fourth consecutive game. Moritz Wagner tallied seven points and pulled down six rebounds after missing the previous two games with a bone bruise in his right foot.

ABOUT IOWA (9-6, 0-2): Luka Garza poured in a career-high 25 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the field to go along with seven rebounds in the win against Northern Illinois. Tyler Cook scored 17 points while Isaiah Moss added 11 points and five assists as seven different Hawkeye players made at least one three-pointer against the Huskies. Bohannon dished out a team-high seven assists and finished without a turnover as Iowa matched a program record for most assists in a single game with 34.

TIP-INS

1. Iowa has won the last four meetings with Michigan at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

2. The Wolverines have held four straight opponents to fewer than 60 points.

3. The Hawkeyes are ranked fourth nationally in assists per game (19.7).

PREDICTION: Michigan 74, Iowa 73

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Butler vs. Xavier Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Less than a week into Big East Conference play, there only are three undefeated teams in the league. Two of them clash Tuesday night in Cincinnati as No. 5 Xavier hosts Butler.


The Musketeers enter the contest with the top-five national ranking and a nine-game win streak, but it's the Bulldogs who are garnering the pre-game hype and headlines following their 101-93 win Saturday over previously undefeated and top-ranked Villanova. The Wildcats were allowing only 65.8 points and 6.6 3-pointers per game entering the contest, but host Butler caught fire early and never let up, scoring 101 points on the strength of a 15-of-22 performance from 3-point range. Forward Kelan Martin scored a team-high 24 points and guard Paul Jorgensen added a career-high 23 as the Bulldogs shot 60 percent from the field and became the first team to top 100 points against the Wildcats since Creighton on Feb. 16, 2014. "Villanova is a team I grew up watching in (Madison Square) Garden," said New York-native Jorgensen in a post-game news conference. "So to take them down at Hinkle (Fieldhouse) is really amazing. But like Coach (LaVall Jordan) said, we don't want this to be the highlight of our season."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS1


ABOUT BUTLER (12-3, 2-0 Big East): With Saturday's win, the Bulldogs improved to 3-5 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams, but the schedule offers no break as they're in the midst of four straight vs. top-25 foes with contests against No. 24 Seton Hall and No. 23 Creighton following the game against Xavier. The 6-foot-7 Martin is averaging a team-leading 18.9 points and 7.1 rebounds and has scored at least 20 in each of his last four outings. Guard Kamar Baldwin (14.5 points), Jorgensen (12.3) and forward Tyler Wideman (10.1) also are averaging double figures for the Bulldogs, who are still ranked seventh in the 10-team conference in scoring (80.1 points) despite putting up at least 85 in each contest of their current four-game win streak.

ABOUT XAVIER (14-1, 2-0): The Musketeers, meanwhile, haven't lost since a 102-86 defeat against current No. 4-ranked Arizona State on Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas but needed to overcome a 16-point second-half deficit Saturday against visiting DePaul to win 77-72 and keep their current roll intact. Guards J.P. Macura and Trevon Blueitt scored 19 and 16 points, respectively, to pace Xavier in the game and are the only two Musketeers averaging double digits on the season with Blueitt leading the way with 19.7 points and Macura scoring 12.9. With 5.7 rebounds per game, 6-foot-9 forward Tyrique Jones leads four players averaging at least 4.2 boards on a team which owns the Big East's second-best average rebound margin at plus-8.0.


TIP-INS

1. Xavier has won seven of the 10 matchups since the teams joined the Big East together in 2013, including a 62-57 victory in the Big East Tournament last March.

2. The Musketeers are a Big East-best 10-0 at home this season while Butler is 1-1 in true road games.

3. Blueitt, a senior, didn't start Saturday for the first time since his freshman season as punishment for showing up late to a team shoot-around and struggled through a 4-of-13 shooting performance in 31 minutes en route to his 16 points.


PREDICTION: Xavier 79, Butler 72

[Can'tPickAWinner]

TCU vs. Baylor Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Seventeenth-ranked Baylor will try to rediscover its offense when its hosts No. 8 TCU on Tuesday in a Big 12 game. The banged-up Bears looked lost without starting forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. in Friday's league opener against Texas Tech, and could drop out of the coaches poll when the new one is released Tuesday.

The Bears had one assist and were held to a season-low 53 points without Lual-Acuil, who is a game-time decision after missing Friday's contest with a non-contact foot injury. Lual-Acuil's rebounding will also be needed against TCU, which is ranked 14th nationally at plus-9.2 boards while averaging 87.6 points. The Horned Frogs' perfect start was snapped in a shootout, which they led by 13 with 10 minutes left, against No. 12 Oklahoma. Baylor has won 11 straight meetings with TCU - covering all the games since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12 - by an average of 18.1 points.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT TCU (12-1, 0-1 Big 12): Senior Kenrich Williams leads five TCU starters in double figures with 15.1 points and a team-best 9.4 rebounds. Senior Vladimir Brodziansky adds 13.4 points on 64 percent shooting while sophomore Desmond Bane, who averaged 7.1 points last year, adds 12.8 points. Sophomore Jaylen Fisher averages 11.0 points and 5.7 assists for TCU, which ranks third nationally with 19.9 assists.

ABOUT BAYLOR (10-3, 0-1): Manu Lecomte leads the Bears with 17.5 points and is ranked second in the league with 3.6 made 3-pointers. Lual-Acuil accounts for 15.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while Nuni Omot adds 11.6 points. Senior forward Terry Maston (10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds off the bench) was scoreless in his return after missing six games with a broken hand.

TIP-INS

1. Williams, who has scored in double figures in nine straight games, has six double-doubles.

2. Baylor freshman Mark Vital is averaging 11.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in his past three games, including 12 points in his first career start Friday.

3. TCU is looking for first win against a major conference opponent this season.

PREDICTION: TCU 73, Baylor 65

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh vs. Louisville Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Playing in its first rivalry game without former coach Rick Pitino in 16 years, Louisville got humiliated on national television 90-61 on Friday by Kentucky. Interim coach David Padgett will try to get his Cardinals refocused when an offensively challenged Pittsburgh team visits Tuesday in Louisville's ACC opener.


"Well, look, we've got 18 ACC games starting on Tuesday, so we have got to bounce back. If we don't learn from this then that's when it gets really bad," Padgett said after the game. "You have to learn from this, but you just have to move on and get ready for Tuesday because that's going to come up." The Wildcats used a 20-6 run to close the first half and their 24-11 surge built a 67-38 lead that eventually reached 32, as the Cardinals were limited to just 35 percent shooting for the game and had their six-game winning streak stopped. Pittsburgh, which has just two active letter winners from last season's squad, opened conference play with a 67-53 loss to Miami on Saturday as the Panthers shot 40.4 percent and committed 17 turnovers. "We are not a team that's built right now to break a guy off on a dribble and just take a guy one-on-one," coach Kevin Stallings said. "We are not built right now to be able to throw it inside and either get a bucket or a foul or draw a double team and kick it out."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU


ABOUT PITTSBURGH (8-6, 0-1 ACC): Shamiel Stevenson (10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds) came off the bench to lead Pitt with 16 points against the Hurricanes, Jared Wilson-Frame (12.9 points) added 13 and Parker Stewart (6.8 points) registered 12. With senior forward Ryan Luther (12.7 points, 10.1 rebounds) out for a fourth straight game, the Panthers started four freshmen for the fourth consecutive game and none of the five starters against Miami was with the program last season. Freshman point guard Marcus Carr (10.9 points, 4.1 assists) found the going a bit tougher in his first conference tilt, going scoreless on five shots in 22 minutes.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (10-3, 0-0): Deng Adel scored 13 points and Ray Spalding and V.J. King added 12 apiece against the Wildcats. Adel, a 6-7 junior, leads three players in double figures at 15.4 points per game with point guard Quentin Snider chipping in 11.8 points and Spalding adding 10.8 with team highs of 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals to go with 2.2 blocks per game. Despite Saturday's debacle, Louisville still makes it name on defense, holding opponents to 66.5 points per game, 38.4 percent shooting (21st in Division I) and 8.2 blocks (second).


TIP-INS

1. Louisville leads the all-time series 14-5 and is 6-0 against Pitt at the KFC Yum! Center.

2. Luther is one of four players in the ACC (along with Duke's Marvin Bagley III, North Carolina's Luke Maye and Notre Dame's Bonzie Colson) averaging a double-double.

3. The Cardinals swept the series in 2016-17, getting 22 points from Qentin Snider in the home triumph and a career-high 29 from Donovan Mitchell in the road win.


PREDICTION: Louisville 86, Pittsburgh 59

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nebraska vs. Northwestern Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

Northwestern has rebounded from a disappointing start to the season and will try to keep the positive momentum going when it hosts Nebraska in Big Ten action Tuesday. The Wildcats have won four straight meetings with the Cornhuskers, including two wins last season.


The Wildcats had three missteps in November, including a blowout loss to Texas Tech and bad one-point loss at Georgia Tech, but they played much better in December. Northwestern has won five of its last six and is coming off a 95-73 rout of Brown on Saturday. The Huskers are in search of a season-best fourth straight win after enduring a tough shooting night to hold on for a 71-62 win over Stetson on Friday. Nebraska is 0-3 on the road and has dropped all three games by double digits.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network


ABOUT NEBRASKA (10-5, 1-1 Big Ten): The Cornhuskers like to let it fly from 3-point range, averaging 21.5 attempts per game as guards James Palmer Jr. (15.1 points) and Glynn Watson Jr. (12 points) lead the offense. Forward Isaac Copeland (12.1 points, 6.7 rebounds) is the most effective big man in a frontcourt that is a bit undersized. Reserve guard Anton Gill (10.6 points) is the Huskers' top 3-point shooter and leads a bench that has averaged 24.4 points per game overall and 33.6 over the past three games.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (10-5, 1-1): Guards Scottie Lindsey (14.7 points) and Bryant McIntosh (13.3 points, 5.5 assists) and swingman Vic Law (13.5 points) are the Wildcats' offensive leaders. Big man Dererk Pardon (12.1 points, 6.3 rebounds) has had the hot hand lately, though, going 23-of-31 from the field over his last four games, and he has quite a track record against the Huskers. Pardon has enjoyed two of his best performances against Nebraska, racking up a career-high 28 points and 12 rebounds at Nebraska in December 2015 and collecting 19 points and a career-best 22 boards last January.


TIP-INS

1. A fifth straight win over Nebraska would match Northwestern's five-game streak against Rutgers as its longest against a Big Ten foe since topping Minnesota six straight times from 2003-07.

2. The Huskers are averaging 75.8 points - their highest average through 15 games since 1995-96 - and are 10-1 when scoring at least 70 points.

3. Watson and Northwestern G Jordan Ash were backcourt mates on the 2015 Illinois Class 3A state championship team at St. Joseph High School near Chicago.


PREDICTION: Northwestern 74, Nebraska 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida vs. Texas A&M Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/01/2018

A shorthanded Texas A&M team hopes to avoid an 0-2 start to SEC play when the sixth-ranked Aggies host Florida on Tuesday. The Aggies are 7-0 at home and have won 10 of their last 13 conference home openers, while the Gators are playing their first true road game of the season.


The Aggies were hammered 79-57 at Alabama in Saturday's SEC opener, as Texas A&M was a dismal 2-for-21 from 3-point range and shot a season-low 30 percent overall. Texas A&M could be in for more offensive struggles against the Gators with leading scorer D.J. Hogg (14.6 points, 6.8 rebounds) serving the last of a three-game suspension for violation of school policy and No. 3 scorer Admon Gilder (12.7, 5.3) dealing with a knee injury. The Gators have won three straight following a stretch of four losses in five games that included an ugly 65-59 loss to Loyola Chicago, and they opened SEC play with an 81-74 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. Florida also has a pair of wins over ranked opponents, though, defeating Gonzaga and Cincinnati on neutral courts.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2


ABOUT FLORIDA (9-4, 1-0 SEC): The Gators have found themselves in a bit of an offensive slump of late, but they have a talented group of guards who can score in a number of ways. Leading scorer Jalen Hudson (17.4 points) is coming off the bench now to back up a three-guard lineup led by Rice transfer Egor Koulechov (14.7 points, 6.8 rebounds). Point guard Chris Chiozza (13.2 points, 5.5 assists) is having a solid season, but the Gators need KeVaughn Allen (12.2 points) to find his stroke after shooting a paltry 35.9 percent overall and 30.6 percent from 3-point range thus far.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (11-2, 0-1): The Aggies' approach changes dramatically without Gilder and Hogg, two of their best ball-handlers. Two freshmen are now starting in the backcourt alongside Marquette transfer Duane Wilson (12.1 points, 4.5 assists), but big men Tyler Davis (13.9 points, 8.2 rebounds) and Robert Williams (eight points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks) will have to do more to fuel the offense. The Aggies also miss Gilder and Hogg on the defensive end, where they rank sixth in the nation in field-goal defense (36.9 percent) and third in 3-point defense (27.1 percent) but had a tough time against Alabama.


TIP-INS

1. After scoring in triple-digits in four of their first five games, the Gators have topped 80 points only twice in their last eight contests.

2. Williams has blocked a shot in 40 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation.

3. Koulechov has made 31 consecutive free throws and is shooting an SEC-best 97.6 percent from the line.


PREDICTION: Florida 77, Texas A&M 75

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Texas Tech vs. Kansas Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/02/2018

Texas Tech is a perfect 3-0 against top-25 opponents this year including a 77-53 smack-down of No. 17 Baylor on Friday night in its Big 12 opener. The Red Raiders will try to make it four in a row over ranked foes this season on Tuesday night when they travel to 11th-ranked Kansas.

The Jayhawks, who opened conference play with a 92-86 win at Texas, have won 13 Big 12 titles in a row so a road win would be huge for Texas Tech. Second-year Red raiders head coach Chris Beard will be trying to make history Tuesday night because the Red Raiders, who lost by just one point to then-No. 3 Kansas (80-79) at home last season, are 0-17 all-time at Allen Fieldhouse. Toss in the fact that Kansas has 11 straight home conference openers dating back to a 59-55 loss to Kansas State on Jan. 14, 2006 and the Red Raiders definitely are trying to buck some pretty big trends. "The word around our camp today and yesterday and, eventually, tomorrow is opportunity," Beard said. "You get into this to play against the best and coach against the best. This is a great early conference game for us to see where we stack up against one of the best teams in the country."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (12-1, 1-0 Big 12): The Red Raiders jumped out to a 40-19 halftime lead against Baylor en route to their largest margin of victory in the Big 12 since 2010-11. Senior guard Keenan Evans leads the team in scoring with 16.6 points per game, which is tied for sixth in the Big 12 and also leads the team with 22 3-pointers, 47 assists and 20 steals. Freshmen guards Zhaire Smith (10.7 points) and Jarrett Culver (10.4) also are averaging in double figures on a team that has 10 players averaging 13 or more minutes per game.

ABOUT KANSAS (11-2, 1-0): The Jayhawks, who are averaging 87.8 points per game and shooting 51.7 percent from the floor, are one of six teams inDivision I that have five players averaging 10.6 points or better. Junior guard Lagerald Vick leads the team in scoring (17.4) and is second in rebounding (6.4) and had 21 points in the win at Texas, his sixth 20-point game of the season. Senior guards Devonte' Graham (17.2 points) and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (16.6) also are off to hot starts while 7-foot sophomore center Udoka Azubuike (15.3) and sophomore guard Malik Newman (10.6), a highly touted transfer from Mississippi State, also are averaging in double figures.

TIP-INS

1. Kansas, which finished 17-of-35 from 3-point range in the win over Texas, ranks ninth in the nation in both 3-point shooting percentage (42.2) and 3-pointers made per game (11.2).

2. Azubuike ranks second in the nation in field goal percentage (75.8) and is also fourth in the Big 12 in rebounding (8.4).

3. Texas Tech ranks second in the nation in both scoring defense (58.2 points) and field goal percentage defense (36.0).

PREDICTION: Kansas 70, Texas Tech 66