Wednesday 1-3-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pacers vs. Bucks Preview and Predictions

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

The Milwaukee Bucks came so close to a statement road win before falling short at Toronto on New Year's Day. They will try to rebound at home against an Indiana Pacers team that might once again be playing without leading scorer Victor Oladipo.

After a comeback home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and a two-point triumph at Oklahoma City, the Bucks were on the verge of ending the Raptors' 11-game home winning streak but dropped a 131-127 overtime decision. "This is definitely a missed opportunity," Milwaukee's Khris Middleton told reporters. "It's definitely one we thought we were capable of winning." The Bucks should be capable of getting past a Pacers squad that has lost four straight - the last three without Oladipo, who is bothered by a knee issue. Indiana is averaging just 93.5 points during its four-game slide.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Indiana, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

ABOUT THE PACERS (19-18): Indiana's starting five combined for 32 points on 12-of-37 shooting in an ugly 107-90 loss to Minnesota at home on New Year's Eve, digging a 17-0 hole out of the gate and getting all 13 of its points in the first quarter from the reserves. Guard Joe Young was among those off the bench that took advantage of an opportunity and he finished with a career-high 20 points in 24 minutes. "It's about being ready, and when your time comes, you have to be ready," Young told reporters. "Like (teammate) Al Jefferson told me, you just have to be ready at all times. Your name could be called any second. I took that motivation and just stayed ready and my time has come."

ABOUT THE BUCKS (19-16): Milwaukee also got a boost from its usually low-scoring bench in the overtime loss to Toronto, as Thon Maker contributed a season high-tying 16 points, Malcolm Brogdon had 15 and Matthew Dellavedova handed out a season-high 10 assists. Eric Bledsoe led the way for the starters with 29 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 26 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and zero turnovers in 42 minutes. Antetokounmpo averaged 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists as Milwaukee took three of four meetings with the Pacers last season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Middleton missed all four of his long-range tries in the loss to Toronto to finish without a 3-pointer for the first time in 19 games.

2. Pacers C Myles Turner averages 14.1 points but has gone without a basket in two of his last seven games.

3. Bledsoe scored at least 22 points in five of his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Bucks 113, Pacers 102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Raptors vs. Bulls Preview and Predictions

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

The Chicago Bulls are dealing with expectations for the first time this season and are starting to have some trouble closing out tight games. The Bulls will try to avoid a three-game losing streak for the first time since Nikola Mirotic returned when they host DeMar DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

Chicago won 10 of 12 games following Mirotic's return from facial fractures but dropped the next two at Washington and home against Portland by a total of eight points after squandering leads late in each of the setbacks. "It's tough, it hurts," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. "When you do have some success closing out close games, the last two nights we haven't done it. We have not gotten the job done. It hurts, it stings. Especially after having seven in a row where we did close out a lot of those close games. We've got to learn throughout the season, throughout these close games." Chicago will have to find a way on Wednesday to close out against DeRozan, who set a Toronto franchise record with 52 points in an overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. "He was playing with a lot of juice, oomph," Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters of DeRozan. "You could see the bounce in his step in the first quarter, the force he was playing with coming off pick-and-rolls, bouncing up, and he maintained that throughout the whole game, which was huge for him."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (25-10): DeRozan broke the previous team record of 51 points shared by Vince Carter and Terrence Ross while going 17-of-29 from the floor and 13-of-13 from the line, and he also handed out a team-high eight assists in the 131-127 win over the Bucks. "You really can't tell because you don't pay attention to it," DeRozan told reporters. "You look up, going to halftime, you may glance at it and say 'Damn, I got X amount of points.' You just feed off of that and understand it's nothing but aggressiveness and going out there and wanting to win." DeRozan is 27-of-47 from the floor in back-to-back wins after going 7-of-32, including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc, in road losses at Dallas and Oklahoma City last week.

ABOUT THE BULLS (13-24): Mirotic's return was the spark that led to Chicago's recent run of strong play, but it wasn't the only factor. Second-year point guard Kris Dunn is averaging 15.8 points and 8.1 assists over his last 13 games and scored 22 points in Monday's 124-120 overtime loss to the Trail Blazers. "We're clicking right now," Dunn told reporters. "We're playing good basketball. These two losses, they definitely hurt. When they're down the stretch, and you feel like you can win the games, it's hard to swallow. But we're playing good basketball, and I like what we're doing so far."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Raptors PF Serge Ibaka is 2-of-16 from 3-point range over his last five games.

2. Bulls PG Zach LaVine (knee) is practicing with the team and could make his season debut sometime next week.

3. Toronto took each of the first two meetings this season -- both at home -- but lost in each of its two trips to Chicago last season.

PREDICTION: Bulls 115, Raptors 112

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Warriors vs. Mavericks Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats08:30 PM
by Gracenote on 01/02/2018

The Golden State Warriors made sure to wait until Stephen Curry was 100 percent before bringing him back from an ankle injury, and he certainly appeared healthy in his first game back. Curry will try to follow up a 38-point outburst when the Warriors open a three-game road trip by visiting the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

Curry sat out 11 straight games recovering from an ankle injury and wowed the home crowd in his return by going 12-of-17 from the floor in 26 minutes, including 10-of-13 from 3-point range, in Saturday's 141-128 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. "I was just happy to be back out there with my guys," Curry told reporters. "You sit and watch for 11 games, you just wonder what it's going to be like to get back out there, and I finally got that opportunity. I really didn't know what to expect. I just wanted to get some good reps, get up and down, see how my wind was and, surprisingly, I think my body felt way better than I expected." The Mavericks are winners of four in a row and are coming home after an impressive three-game trip in which they topped the Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder. "We're playing better, and we're doing better in these situations," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after his team held off the Thunder 116-113. "Guys just hung together and found a way to close it out, and it's not easy with those three superstars that they've got. But we did it as a team with stops, made some big plays, and it will be a happy new year."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State), FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (29-8): Curry was on a minutes restriction Saturday but will be eased back into a heavier load and is expected to play both ends of a back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday, when Golden State heads to Houston. His presence seemed to have a positive impact on the rest of the lineup as well, with the Warriors shooting 58.8 percent from the floor and handing out 37 assists on 50 field goals against Memphis. The one negative was All-Star power forward Draymond Green, who picked up two quick technical fouls in the second quarter and was ejected, bringing his total number of technical fouls to an NBA-high 10 on the season.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (13-25): Dallas' last four wins have come by an average of five points, and the continued maturation of rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is one reason the team is beginning to pull out close games. Smith recorded his first career triple-double in Friday's win at New Orleans and followed that up with 19 points and six assists in the victory over the Thunder. "(Smith) was great tonight," Carlisle told reporters after beating Oklahoma City. "He finished the game with a couple of big baskets and some big free throws. ... He went through some situations, but he kept his energy up, he kept his head up and he kept attacking. He kept encouraging everybody in the huddles during timeouts, too, so it was just so much growth. I'm really happy for him."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Curry's younger brother, Mavericks SG Seth Curry, has yet to play this season due to a stress reaction in his left tibia and is not close to a return.

2. Warriors C Zaza Pachulia was perfect on Saturday, going 6-of-6 from the floor, 5-of-5 from the line and handing out six assists without a turnover.

3. Golden State took the last eight in the series, including a 112-97 home win on Dec. 14.

PREDICTION: Warriors 123, Mavericks 110

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Suns vs. Nuggets Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/03/2018

The Denver Nuggets look to break out of a mini-funk when they attempt to defeat the visiting Phoenix Suns on Wednesday for the seventh straight time. Denver allowed an average of 117.5 points while losing its last two games and aims to figure out a way to slow down Suns star guard Devin Booker.

Booker scored 34 points as Phoenix finished strong to post a 104-103 home win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. The Suns trailed by 10 points with less than 2 1/2 minutes to play before using a resounding 15-4 run to claim their sixth victory in the past nine games. Denver's recent defensive breakdowns were surprising as it followed a stretch in which the club gave up an average of 83 points during a three-game winning streak that included holding the Golden State Warriors to 81 points. "I'm sure fatigue has played a factor and we'll be smart as to how we prepare for our next game against Phoenix," Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE SUNS (15-24): Booker and small forward TJ Warren (31 points on 15-of-21 shooting) combined for 65 points against the Hawks and both player are riding hot streaks. Booker is averaging 31 points in four games since returning from a groin injury while Warren is averaging 28.3 points on 38-of-59 shooting over the past three contests. "We played bad (Tuesday), but that (comeback) says a lot about a young team," Booker said after the win over Atlanta. "To be able to play bad like that, come back and get a win down late, that's big."

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (19-17): Malone detected that too many of his players were tired during Saturday's 107-102 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in a contest in which his team blew a 13-point lead. So Malone believes the ensuing rest was good for his team and he also said he will extend the rotation to get more minutes for the bench players. "I have to find ways to trust our bench, play more guys, so I don't run our players into the ground," Malone told reporters. "It's a long year, there's a lot of basketball left. And I don't want seven or eight guys in that locker room saying, 'Man, those guys are so tired but he doesn't trust any of us.' That's bad for morale."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Nuggets were 4-0 against the Suns last season, including victories by 16 and 11 points.

2. Phoenix PF Marquese Chriss recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds against Atlanta for his first double-double of the season.

3. Denver SG Jamal Murray scored 31 points against Philadelphia and is averaging 24.7 points over the past three games.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 118, Suns 111

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pelicans vs. Jazz Preview and Predictions

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

The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the more inconsistent teams in the NBA and just followed up a three-game winning streak with back-to-back home losses to teams without winning records. The Pelicans will try to turn their streaky nature positive when they begin a stretch with six of eight on the road by visiting the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

New Orleans had a chance to move four games above .500 with a back-to-back at home against the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks but instead dropped the two by an average of five points while failing to execute down the stretch. "We play 82 of these things," Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo told reporters after practice on Monday. "They're not going to all be perfect. We're going to win some we're not supposed to win, we're going to lose some we're not supposed to lose. It's part of the game, it's part of the process in the NBA and we've got to move forward and try to get better next game." The Jazz dropped 10 of their last 13 games but are coming off the most impressive win in that span -- a 104-101 home triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. "Hopefully, you know, we can build on this win and hopefully go on another winning streak after this," Utah forward Derrick Favors told the Salt Lake Tribune. "We went through a lot in December. We played a lot of tough teams, and it tested us mentally and physically. So hopefully, we have learned a lot from what we've been through. The goal is for us to improve in January and get back on a winning streak."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE PELICANS (18-18): New Orleans star Anthony Davis averaged 32 points in the last two losses and shared the same sentiments as Rondo. "I'm not frustrated. We're fine," Davis told reporters. "We're fine. We've just got to go take care of business on the road. We've got to get back to playing how we were playing before, coming out with a lot of energy, but I'm not frustrated, disappointed that we dropped these two, but I'm not frustrated." Davis isn't the only one in the frontcourt playing well of late, and center DeMarcus Cousins totaled 61 points and 39 rebounds in the last two contests.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (16-21): If Utah is going to make a run back up the standings and challenge for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, rookie Donovan Mitchell could be the one to lead the way. The Louisville product averaged 23.1 points on 50.7 percent shooting in December and finished off the month by scoring 29 points in the win over the Cavaliers, earning the respect of Cleveland superstar LeBron James in the process. "He's a player," James told reporters of Mitchell. "Kid's got a lot of game. They've been riding that wave all season. He's not afraid of the moment, he just goes out there and plays ball. They put him in situations where he can succeed, and he's taking advantage of that."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Jazz C Rudy Gobert (left knee) is expected to miss at least another two weeks.

2. Pelicans SG E'Twaun Moore is 26-of-40 from the floor over the last four games.

3. Mitchell scored 41 points in a 114-108 home win over New Orleans on Dec. 1.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 111, Jazz 107

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Thunder vs. Lakers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats10:30 PM
by Gracenote on 01/02/2018

The Oklahoma City Thunder ended 2017 in a bit of a funk on the defensive end and dropped their last two contests after a six-game winning streak. The Los Angeles Lakers, who host the Thunder on Wednesday, know all about struggles on the defensive end and are allowing an average of 117.3 points during a seven-game slide.

Oklahoma City allowed the Dallas Mavericks to shoot 51.7 percent from the floor on Sunday and surrendered 32 fourth-quarter points in a 116-113 loss. "(The Mavericks) ran the same thing, made us make adjustments," forward Carmelo Anthony told reporters. "(They) challenged our communication level tonight and they won the game." The Lakers allowed the Minnesota Timberwolves to shoot 49.4 percent from the field in a 114-96 road loss on Monday, but it was some sloppy play at the offensive end that often put the defense in a bind. "We turned the ball over 24 times," Los Angeles coach Luke Walton told reporters. "When you try to win on the road, if you're going to turn the ball over and foul the home team, you're going to make it pretty impossible for yourself."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Oklahoma

ABOUT THE THUNDER (20-17): While Oklahoma City waits for its defense to catch up to its offense, reigning MVP Russell Westbrook continues to put up outstanding numbers. Westbrook collected 38 points on 17-of-28 shooting, 15 rebounds and 11 assists in the loss to the Mavericks and averaged a triple-double in December at 27.8 points, 10.6 assists and 10.2 rebounds. "Just read and react. See how teams are guarding," Westbrook told reporters. "Sometimes it's different every night, you just have to read it."

ABOUT THE LAKERS (11-25): Los Angeles sits in last place in the Western Conference and is 29th in the NBA in scoring defense while allowing opponents an average of 111.3 points. Rookie Kyle Kuzma leads the team in scoring (17.5 points) but is fighting through a quad bruise and was limited to six points on 2-of-7 shooting in the loss at Minnesota. Kuzma, who is day-to-day, logged at least 40 minutes in five of the Lakers' previous eight games, including 43 minutes in a double-overtime loss at Houston on Sunday that left the whole team fatigued at Minnesota.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lakers PG Lonzo Ball (shoulder) sat out the last five games and remains day-to-day.

2. Thunder SF Paul George (knee) returned from a one-game absence and scored 25 points in 35 minutes on Sunday.

3. Westbrook averaged 28 points, 15.3 assists and 12.3 rebounds as the Oklahoma City took two of three from Los Angeles last season.

PREDICTION: Thunder 119, Lakers 106

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Marquette vs. Providence Preview and Predictions

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

Winning ugly at times is a necessity in the rough and rugged Big East. Marquette, riding the hot hand of Andrew Rowsey, did just that against Georgetown on Saturday and will try for a second straight conference win when it visits Providence on Wednesday.


The Golden Eagles were outrebounded by nine and overcame a poor shooting performance - going the entire second half without a two-point field goal - but Rowsey scored 26 of his 35 points after the break to pull out a 74-65 victory over the Hoyas. "One thing I was proud of is that we were able to win a game where we shot 38 percent. That obviously was a step forward," Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I thought we were physical on defense; forcing 25 turnovers was a positive development. I thought our guys were connected defensively." The Friars, who opened league play with a 94-72 triumph at St. John's on Thursday, couldn't overcome a subpar performance of their own in an 83-64 loss at then-No. 23 Creighton on Sunday. Providence shot 3-of-23 from beyond the arc and lost steady point guard Kyron Cartwright after he re-aggravated an ankle injury that forced him to miss the Dec. 22 game against Sacred Heart.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network


ABOUT MARQUETTE (10-4, 1-1 Big East): The Golden Eagles were saved Saturday by connecting on half of their 26 3-point attempts with Rowsey leading the way with six 3-pointers and finishing 11-of-11 from the line. Rowsey (22.4 points, first in Big East), Markus Howard (20.5 points, second) and Sam Hauser (14.4 points) account for 69.4 percent of the team's offense with Rowsey totaling 66 points and 12 3-pointers in the first two Big East games. After a five-game stretch in which he averaged 29 points on 28-of-59 shooting beyond the arc, Howard has scored only 36 points on 6-of-22 shooting from 3-point range in his last three games.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (10-5, 1-1): Prior to the Creighton loss, the Friars were ranked 18th in the nation in 3-point shooting at 41.1 percent. "I want us to shoot 3s. I think we're a decent shooting team and the guys that shoot it normally shoot it at a decent percentage," Providence coach Ed Cooley told the Providence Journal. "We just missed some open shots. I thought there were like six or seven that were wide open that we just missed. If you just make half your open ones, maybe the game plays out differently." Cartwright (9.0 points, 6.3 assists), who had 21 points, 15 assists and four steals in the Friars' win at St. John's, is questionable Wednesday after playing only seven minutes in the second half and 22 for the game Sunday.


TIP-INS

1. Marquette leads the series 16-8, but Providence swept last season's two meetings by a total of five points. Cartwright averaged 17 points and seven assists.

2. Rowsey's 35 points versus the Hoyas was the most for a Marquette player since Matt Carlino scored 38 against Georgia Tech on Nov. 27, 2014.

3. Howard, who is 38-of-38 from the free-throw line in 2017-18, has made 47 straight charity tosses dating to last season's home finale against Creighton on March 4.


PREDICTION: Marquette 75, Providence 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ole Miss vs. Georgia Preview and Predictions

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

Ole Miss found a way to win its SEC opener against South Carolina, and next head to Georgia for Wednesday's matchup with evidence that effort and execution can pay off - even if it does not look pretty. The Rebels grinded out a 74-69 victory over the Gamecocks at home in their SEC opener, shooting 87 percent from the free-throw line in the second half and closing the contest with eight consecutive makes in the final 90 seconds.

"We're a blue collar team and I think our players are figuring that out," Mississippi coach Andy Kennedy told reporters after the Rebels won for the fourth time in five games after a three-game losing streak. "Our effort has been tremendous and (Saturday), we made SEC plays." The Bulldogs played well most of the way Sunday in their conference opener at No. 14 Kentucky, but the inability to get key stops down the stretch spoiled Georgia's upset chances in a 66-61 defeat. "We just made a few mistakes defensively in the last few minutes," Georgia coach Mark Fox told the media afterward. "It was costly and it cost us the win."

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT OLE MISS (8-5, 1-0 SEC): Senior Deandre Burnett scored 18 points in the victory over South Carolina and ranks second in the SEC and 25th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0). Junior Terence Davis leads the Rebels in scoring at 15.2 points per game, reaching double figures scoring in 25 of his 28 games dating to last season. Ole Miss is third in the SEC in turnovers per game (12), ranking 60th in the nation.

ABOUT GEORGIA (9-3, 0-1): Senior Yante Maten led the Bulldogs with 19 points and 12 rebounds against Kentucky, and is first in the SEC in rebounding (9.5 per game) and second in scoring (19.9 points per contest). The Bulldogs held Kentucky to 31.5 percent shooting from the field and have limited opponents to 39.1 percent on the season (third in the SEC; 39th nationally). Junior Derek Ogbeide scored 13 points against Kentucky and is 14-of-21 from the field in his past three games.

TIP-INS

1. Ten Georgia players are averaging double-digit minutes per game, while nine Rebels are averaging 10-plus minutes per contest.

2. Burnett ranks fourth in the SEC in assists per game (4.9) and is shooting 82.5 percent from the free-throw line.

3. Georgia has won six of the past seven meetings with Ole Miss since February 2014, including a 69-47 victory last January in Oxford.

PREDICTION: Georgia 74, Ole Miss 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

East Carolina vs. South Florida Preview and Predictions

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

A pair of struggling offenses look to get back on track Wednesday when East Carolina travels to South Florida for an American Athletic Conference contest. Both teams were held to 39 points in their previous game.

East Carolina has opened up conference play with many issues on offense, averaging just 46 points in the first two games. The Pirates have converted 36-of-113 shot attempts from the floor (31.9 percent) and just 8-of-42 from 3-point range (19 percent) in losses to Central Florida and Tulsa. USF has shot equally as poor to start conference play while hitting on just 32-of-107 field goal attempts (29.9 percent) and 10-of-35 from behind the 3-point line (28.6 percent) in consecutive conference losses to Houston and SMU. The respective teams might not find the going much easier, as the Bulls enter the game fifth in scoring defense (68.2 percent) in the conference overall and East Carolina is sixth at 69.6.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (6-7, 0-2 AAC): The Pirates come into the game leading the AAC in defending the 3-point line, holding opponents to 30.1 percent. East Carolina has held eight of 13 opponents this season to 32.0 percent or lower from behind the arc while four of the six victories for the Pirates this season have come when holding their opponent to under 30 percent from the 3-point line. Senior guard B.J. Tyson leads the team in scoring (15.5) and junior backcourt mate Isaac Fleming contributes 13.3 per contest.

ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (7-8, 0-2): As the season has progressed for the Bulls, coach Brian Gregory has tried to rely less on the team's three graduate transfers and give more minutes to the underclassmen. Freshman guards Justin Brown and David Collins are at the forefront of that after both reached the 15-point mark on Dec. 28 to become the first pair of true freshman to accomplish the feat in the same game for USF since at least 2002-03. Brown has hit on 20-of-54 shots from 3-point range and needs just four more made 3-pointers to break into the top 10 for most by a freshman in a single season for the Bulls.

TIP-INS

1. East Carolina looks to avoid a third 0-3 start to conference play in the four years since joining the AAC.

2. USF F Isaiah Manderson is averaging 12 points and 5.5 rebounds off the bench through the first two games of conference play.

3. Bulls leading scorer F Payton Banks (13.7) missed the past two games due to illness.

PREDICTION: South Florida 62, East Carolina 60

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Memphis vs. Central Florida Preview and Predictions

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

Central Florida looks to build on a dominating defensive performance when it plays its American Athletic Conference home opener against Memphis on Wednesday. The Knights held East Carolina to 39 points in a 20-point victory Sunday, while the Tigers are coming off an embarrassing 34-point setback to Cincinnati in their league opener.

Junior guard Jeremiah Martin leads the way offensively for coach Tubby Smith, averaging 17.4 points, while junior forward Kyvon Davenport added 12.8 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds. Martin, Davenport and guard Jamal Johnson have taken a combined 181 3-pointers this season even though they combine to shoot just 32.6 percent from beyond the arc, but they'll need to look for the perimeter shot against a tall UCF front line. The Knights are led on both ends of the floor by 7-6 junior center Tacko Fall, who paces the team with 12.2 points along with 7.5 rebounds and an AAC-leading 2.1 blocks. He's joined up front by 6-9 senior forward A.J. Davis, who leads the AAC in rebounding at 9.1 per game to go with his 11.2 points.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3

ABOUT MEMPHIS (9-5, 0-1 AAC): The loss to Cincinnati could take the Tigers one of two ways: Either they'll start to listen to Smith and play the way he wants, or Smith could lose the team and it could be a long season for Memphis fans. Players admitted after the 82-48 loss that they weren't running the plays Smith was calling, and it certainly showed, as the team managed just 16 points in the first half and shot a season-worst 32.1 percent from the field for the game. Granted, the Bearcats are one of the top defensive teams in the country again this season, but the Tigers weren't working together at all offensively, and Smith is hoping that the embarrassment of the loss will start the team's turnaround into a more cohesive unit.

ABOUT UCF (10-4, 1-1): A player that could have a huge impact on UCF's chances the rest of the season is Dayon Griffin, a junior guard that has been the Knights' most prolific 3-point shooter. With junior guard B.J. Taylor -- last season's leading scorer -- out since the season opener with a foot injury, Griffin has become the main perimeter threat, attempting 72 of the team's 218 3-pointers. With teams packing it in to combat Fall and Davis on the interior, Griffin will have many more opportunities to shoot from the 3-point line, but he needs to get better on his percentages, as he's connected on just 20-of-72 from beyond the arc (27.8 percent).

TIP-INS

1. Memphis ranks last in the AAC in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.

2. UCF ranks seventh in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 60.5 points per game.

3. Fall leads the nation in field-goal percentage, hitting 77.8 percent of his shots from the field.

PREDICTION: UCF 70, Memphis 56

[Can'tPickAWinner]

North Carolina vs. Florida State Preview and Predictions

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

No. 11 North Carolina needed a late rally to avoid a loss in the ACC opener and looks to raise its level of play during a tough two-game road swing that begins with a matchup against Florida State on Wednesday night. The Tar Heels shot 39.7 percent from the field and had to score the final eight points of the game to turn back Wake Forest 73-69 at home Saturday.

"Happy to win. Not pleased at all. Not satisfied at all," North Carolina coach Roy Williams told reporters Saturday. "Wake Forest, I thought, was much more aggressive than we were. ... It was not a great positive message to them in the locker room because we've got to play smarter and we've got to play harder." The Tar Heels, who play at No. 8 Virginia on Saturday, have still won seven of their last eight and go for an eighth consecutive win over the Seminoles after averaging 101 points in the last two. Florida State gave second-ranked Duke all it could handle Saturday before giving way in a 100-93 loss as senior guard Braian Angola poured in a career-high 23 points. "They felt they could have very easily won the game and rightfully so," Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton told reporters. ". ... We can take the fact that we just competed with one of the best teams in the country."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (12-2, 1-0 ACC): Junior forward Luke Maye notched his eighth double-double of the season against Wake Forest and is averaging team highs of 18.4 points on 51.5 percent shooting and 10.9 rebounds. Senior guard Joel Berry II is shooting just 38.6 percent from the field, but contributes 17.2 points per contest, while backcourt partner Kenny Williams (12.4) has drained 27 of his 56 attempts from 3-point range. Senior guard Cameron Johnson, a transfer from Pittsburgh, has added offensive punch since returning from an injury with 35 points in three games.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (11-2, 0-1): Senior forward Phil Cofer also had a big night against Duke with 28 points to raise his season average 14.5 - second behind junior guard Terance Mann (14.6) - and he is shooting 57 percent from the field. Angola (12.5 points) recorded five of his team-high 30 makes from 3-point range in the loss at Duke. "I have been working a lot over the summer, getting shots up every day," Angola, who averaged 4.6 points last season, told reporters. "My teammates trust me, the coaches trust me. I had to step up, bring the team together, and take the open shot."

TIP-INS

1. Mann managed just 13 total points in the last two games, but stands eighth overall in the ACC in field goal percentage (62.3).

2. Berry has connected on 205 shots from 3-point range in his caree rand is six behind Jeff Lebo for sixth all-time at North Carolina.

3. Florida State sophomore G CJ Walker is averaging 9.5 points overall, but just 5.0 in the last five contests.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 80, Florida State 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Connecticut vs. Tulsa Preview and Predictions

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

Connecticut is far from the national power that won an NCAA title as recently as 2014, but coach Kevin Ollie's young squad still played a rough non-conference slate and it didn't get any easier in the American Athletic Conference opener against No. 9 Wichita State. The Huskies will look to elevate a strong performance against the Shockers to a road win when they play Tulsa on Wednesday.


Connecticut went 1-5 against teams from major conferences during non-conference play before giving the Wichita State all it could handle before dropping a 72-62 decision Saturday. "They won by 10, but it didn't feel like a 10-point loss to be honest with you," UConn sophomore guard Christian Vital said. "It was just, you know, another tough game, that we came up short on, but I think we are finding ways to stay in games a little longer than we were in the beginning of the season." The Golden Hurricane are coming off a 65-56 victory at Tulane on Sunday that snapped a 10-game conference road losing streak. Martins Igbanu led the way with 15 points and nine rebounds while Sterling Taplin scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half to help close out the victory.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN News


ABOUT CONNECTICUT (7-6, 0-1 AAC): Junior guard Jalen Adams had 18 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals against the Shockers, junior wing Terry Larrier added 18 points and Vital 17. The Huskies hung in despite shooting 3-of-16 from the arc, converting 38.7 percent overall from the field and corralling only eight offensive rebounds. Adams ranks second in the league in scoring at 18.2 points per game while leading in minutes at 37.6, Larrier averages 15.7 points and a team-high 5.1 rebounds, and Vital averages 12.8 points.

ABOUT TULSA (9-5, 2-0): Junior Etou was named AAC Player of the Week after averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 assists to lead the Hurricane to wins over East Carolina and Tulane. Etou leads the team at 17.9 points per game (third in AAC) and 6.9 rebounds (seventh) and his 53.7 percent shooting ranks seventh. Taplin chips in 11.9 points and 3.9 assists, and Corey Henderson Jr. is averaging 7.4 points overall but 10.0 in his last five contests.


TIP-INS

1. UConn leads the series 4-3, but Tulsa won 61-59 in overtime last season and has won all three played at home.

2. Etou has attempted at least 10 free throws four times this season, ranks 15th in the nation with 109 free-throw attempts and 14th in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (7.8) via kenpom.com.

3. The Huskies shoot 75.4-percent at the free-throw line, which leads the AAC.


PREDICTION: Tulsa 76, Connecticut 74

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Syracuse vs. Wake Forest Preview and Predictions

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

Wake Forest suffered a brutal defeat its last time out and enters Wednesday's home date with Syracuse eager to notch its first ACC win. The Demon Deacons fell to defending national champion North Carolina in the final seconds on Saturday but must regroup in time to defeat the Orange, who suffocated Virginia Tech in their league opener.

Wake Forest was tied with North Carolina with under 10 seconds left before a floater and two free throws allowed the Tar Heels to escape with a four-point win. "We've just got to continue to make shots," Demon Deacons coach Danny Manning told reporters after his team failed to reach 40 percent shooting and missed half of its 16 foul shots. "We're not making shots. We're executing, we're getting some good looks. We just have to knock them down." The Orange held Virginia Tech to 34.6 percent shooting (10-of-30 from 3-point range) on Sunday and rank 18th in the nation in points allowed (62.2). "Sometimes our zone is better against shooting teams than a man-to-man is and tonight was a good example of that," veteran Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told reporters. "Why? We don't want to tell everybody that. It just is."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT SYRACUSE (12-2, 1-0 ACC): The Orange had four players account for 64 of their 68 points against Virginia Tech, led by freshman Oshae Brissett (19). Fellow first-year forward Matthew Moyer registered 11 points and 13 rebounds, while Tyus Battle and Frank Howard each contributed 17 points in the team's sixth win in seven games. Battle (19.9 points) is the team's top scorer on the season and has recorded double-figure points in 13 of 14 games while playing every minute in eight straight games, including a pair of overtime contests.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (7-6, 0-1): The Demon Deacons are a 75.8 percent free-throw shooting team, as five of their top six scorers shoot at least 79.3 percent from the foul line with Bryant Crawford (15.4) draining 91.3 percent. They are a solid 3-point shooting team, as well, as Mitchell Wilbekin has 25 3-pointers and the team's top two scorers - Keyshawn Woods (15.7) and Crawford - have knocked down 19 apiece. Since missing seven of his first eight 3s this season, Wilbekin is 24-of-48 from beyond the arc.

TIP-INS

1. Moyer's 13 rebounds marked a personal best and also contributed to his first career double-double.

2. Orange C Paschal Chukwu has registered at least three blocks in six consecutive games.

3. Wake Forest C Doral Moore has recorded five blocks in two of the last three games.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 62, Wake Forest 60

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Clemson vs. Boston College Preview and Predictions

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

No. 25 Clemson aims for its ninth straight victory Wednesday when Boston College hosts the Tigers in ACC action. The Tigers have posted six of the eight wins during their current run by double figures and opened league play with a 16-point triumph over North Carolina State on Saturday.

With an early 12-1 record, Clemson is off to its best start since opening 16-0 in 2008-09. The Tigers topped the Wolfpack behind double-figure scoring from all five starters on Saturday with Marcquise Reed leading the way with 18 points and Elijah Thomas contributing 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. Boston College had a five-game winning streak (that included a win over then-No. 1 Duke) snapped in its last contest, a one-point road loss at No. 8 Virginia. Jerome Robinson had 29 points - a season high from the junior guard - for the Eagles, who were unable to overcome their lowest point total of the season.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, RSN

ABOUT CLEMSON (12-1, 1-0 ACC): The Tigers' other bright spots from their ACC opener included 13-of-15 foul shooting, 10 blocks and only nine turnovers against a Wolfpack team that upset Arizona earlier this season. Reed (15.2 points) leads five double-figure scorers and has nice all-around statistics of 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals. Donte Grantham (14.6 points) and Thomas combine for 15 rebounds per game, while Gabe DeVoe (11.6 points) made three 3-pointers against N.C. State in registering double-figure points for the fourth time in five outings.

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (10-4, 1-1): The Eagles' top scorer is Robinson, who averages 17.4 points and has made 28 3-pointers, while second-leading scorer Ky Bowman (15.8 points) has drained 25 and third-leading scorer Jordan Chatman (14.6) has knocked down a team-high 35 shots from behind the arc. Robinson and Chatman, in particular, shoot a high percentage and also are terrific free-throw shooters for a team that scored at least 73 points in each game during its recent five-game winning streak. Bowman has 10 turnovers over the last two games and must take better care of the ball against a Clemson team that is giving up just 61.5 points during its eight-game winning streak.

TIP-INS

1. Clemson won last season's meeting 82-68.

2. In his last five games, Chatman is 23-of-38 (60.5 percent) from outside the arc.

3. After recording a season-high five turnovers two games ago, Grantham did not register one against N.C. State.

PREDICTION: Clemson 73, Boston College 67

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Rutgers vs. Purdue Preview and Predictions

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

Purdue will put its nine-game win streak and share of the early Big Ten lead on the line Wednesday night when it resumes conference play with a home game against Rutgers. The Boilermakers have climbed to 12th in the national rankings and join Michigan State and Ohio State atop the Big Ten at 2-0.


Aside from back-to-back Battle 4 Atlantis losses to Tennessee (78-75 in overtime) and Western Kentucky (77-73) on Thanksgiving weekend in the Bahamas, Purdue has been perfect. That includes victories over nationally-ranked Arizona (89-64) and Louisville (66-57) and wins over formidable Butler (82-67), Maryland (80-75) and Northwestern (74-69) squads. Including the romp against the Bulldogs, the Boilermakers' last five wins have all come by at least 15 points. Rutgers, meanwhile, is one of three teams off to 0-2 Big Ten starts and is resuming conference play coming off back-to-back disappointing home losses to Stony Brook (75-73 in OT) and Hartford (60-58).

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


ABOUT RUTGERS (10-5, 0-2 Big Ten): The Scarlet Knights haven't had the easiest conference itinerary, losing to nationally-ranked Minnesota (86-67) and Michigan State (62-52) in early December and are now resuming Big Ten play with games against Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State. Guards Corey Sanders (13.5 points per game) and Geo Baker (11.9) and forward Deshawn Freeman (11.8) are the team's leading scorers, while the 6-foot-7 Freeman leads Rutgers and ranks fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding with 8.6 per outing. The Scarlet Knights rank second nationally in offensive rebounding (15.9), fourth in scoring defense (59.5) and seventh in field-goal percentage defense (36.9) but stand 11th in the conference in scoring (71.8) and last in field-goal (41.7) and 3-point percentage (29.2).

ABOUT PURDUE (13-2, 2-0): After the five-point wins over Maryland and Northwestern in early December, the Boilermakers are looking for their first 3-0 Big Ten start since 2010-11. Purdue has featured the same starting five in each game and is one of three teams nationally with four players averaging at least 13.5 points in guard Carsen Edwards (17.7 points), center Isaac Haas (14.8), forward Vincent Edwards (13.9) and guard Dakota Mathias (13.5). The 6-foot-8 Vincent Edwards ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.9) and has notched six double-doubles this season, including 23 points and a career-high 15 boards in Purdue's last game - a 98-66 rout of visiting Lipscomb last Saturday.


TIP-INS

1. Purdue is 8-1 vs. Rutgers and has won the last six, including 107-57 and 74-55 wins a season ago.

2. The Boilermakers rank second in Big Ten scoring offense (87.2 points) and fourth in scoring defense (64.2) and join Michigan State as the only teams currently in the top 12 of both offensive and defensive efficiency in analyst Ken Pomeroy's Division I rankings.

3. Purdue owns the nation's fifth-longest current home win streak at 16 straight, including a 9-0 mark this year, while Rutgers will be playing in only its second road/neutral-site game of the season.


PREDICTION: Purdue 84, Rutgers 63