Thursday 1-4-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Breslin Center, East Lansing, Michigan
Matchup Edge
MD Edge in: MSU
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Maryland at Michigan State


Michigan State returns to action for the first time since moving up to No. 1 in the polls on Thursday, when it hosts Maryland in a Big Ten Conference matchup. The Spartans have won 13 consecutive games and four in a row by at least 40 points while the Terrapins enter the contest having captured seven straight, including a home triumph over Penn State on Tuesday.

Maryland possesses three double-figure scorers, including the sophomore guard combo of Anthony Cowan Jr. (15.6 points) and Kevin Huerter (14.1). The Terrapins' defense has been solid this season, holding teams to 63 points per game and a league-low 28.1 percent shooting from 3-point range. Unfortunately for coach Mark Turgeon, his team is taking on the Big Ten's top scoring offense, as the Spartans are averaging 87.7 points and 21.9 assists. Miles Bridges (17 points, 7.8 rebounds) and Nick Ward (15.4, 7.5, 72.1 percent shooting) have been on fire over the last few weeks, but coach Tom Izzo has plenty of offensive weapons at his disposal - as well as a very deep bench.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT MARYLAND (13-3, 2-1 Big Ten): After losing power forwards Justin Jackson and Ivan Bender to season-ending injuries last week, the Terrapins have become a much slower team as Turgeon tries to conserve its energy. Maryland is down to nine available scholarship players for the rest of the campaign, and the grind of the Big Ten season is going to wear down some players - particularly Cowan, who played all 40 minutes in the win over Penn State. Forwards Bruno Fernando and Michal Cekovsky will be counted on for much more production, including playing at center, as the entire team tries to pull a little more weight as it gets into the meat of conference play.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (14-1, 2-0): After blowing away six straight non-conference foes, the Spartans know they must play even better against Big Ten opponents. Michigan State's last winning margin of 10 points or fewer was its last conference game, which ended up being a 10-point triumph at Rutgers but was close throughout. Bringing a No. 1 ranking into games against rivals will put even more of a target on the Spartans' backs, so they know they must execute better on both ends of the floor as the competition level rises.

TIP-INS

1. Maryland has outrebounded 14 of its 16 opponents this season, and its rebounding margin of plus-9.8 ranks sixth in the country.

2. Spartans G Cassius Winston ranks 11th in the nation with an average of 7.2 assists, including a career-best 13 in the win over Savannah State on Sunday.

3. Michigan State is No. 1 in the country in field-goal percentage defense (32.8 percent) and blocked shots per game (8.4).

PREDICTION: Michigan State 82, Maryland 69

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Maryland

Terrapins are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
Terrapins are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Terrapins are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Terrapins are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Terrapins are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games.
Terrapins are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Terrapins are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Big Ten.

Michigan St

Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up win.
Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Spartans are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Spartans are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win.
Spartans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Spartans are 20-6 ATS in their last 26 home games.
Spartans are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
Spartans are 25-11 ATS in their last 36 vs. Big Ten.
Spartans are 39-18-1 ATS in their last 58 Thursday games.
Spartans are 43-20-2 ATS in their last 65 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.

OU Trends
Maryland

Over is 4-0-1 in Terrapins last 5 road games.
Over is 4-0-1 in Terrapins last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 4-0 in Terrapins last 4 vs. Big Ten.
Over is 7-0-1 in Terrapins last 8 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 4-0 in Terrapins last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 5-1 in Terrapins last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Terrapins last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 6-2 in Terrapins last 8 Thursday games.
Over is 5-2 in Terrapins last 7 overall.
Under is 31-15-1 in Terrapins last 47 games following a straight up win.

Michigan St

Under is 4-0 in Spartans last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 4-1 in Spartans last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Spartans last 5 games following a straight up win.
Under is 4-1 in Spartans last 5 vs. Big Ten.
Under is 8-3 in Spartans last 11 Thursday games.
Over is 5-2 in Spartans last 7 home games.
Over is 5-2 in Spartans last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.

Head to Head

Under is 4-0-1 in the last 5 meetings in Michigan St.
Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 8:30 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Coors Events Center, Boulder, Colorado
Matchup Edge
ASU Edge in: COLO
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Arizona State at Colorado

Arizona State suffered its first loss of the season Saturday in falling 84-78 on the road to rival Arizona. Now, the sixth-ranked Sun Devils face a different road challenge with a two-game, high-altitude trip, beginning with Thursday night’s contest at Colorado in Boulder.


Two nights later, Arizona State will be in Salt Lake City to take on Utah and with both locales boasting elevations of more than 4,300 feet, coach Bobby Hurley has been cutting short his team’s recovery time in practice this week in preparation for the thinner air. “You can try to pretend that it doesn’t exist, but it does,” Hurley told the media Tuesday. “Playing the (Utah) Jazz and (Denver) Nuggets as an (NBA) player, I didn’t get tired too often, but it does have an effect on you.” Thursday’s game will be the second contest of a three-game trip for the Sun Devils while the Buffaloes will be back on their home floor for the first time since Dec. 15 after losing to Iowa (80-73) in South Dakota and opening Pac-12 play on the road at Oregon and Oregon State. Colorado suffered double-digit losses in both of those contests and have dropped six of eight overall since opening the season 6-0.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network


ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (12-1, 0-1 Pac-12): In Saturday’s loss, the Sun Devils hung close throughout, but wound up shooting a season-low 37.9 percent from the floor, including 32 percent in the second half when they hit only 3-of-15 3-pointers. Still, despite failing to reach 80 points for only the third time this season, Arizona State is averaging a conference-best 90.7 points (fifth-best nationally) and has six players averaging at least 9.2 points, led by senior guards Tra Holder (Pac-12-leading 22.0 per game) and Shannon Evans II (17.0). Forward Romello White (13.8 points, team-most 8.6 rebounds) and guards Kodi Justice (13.0 points) and Remy Martin (10.2) also are averaging double figures, but White and Justice struggled against Arizona, combining for only eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.

ABOUT COLORADO (8-6, 0-2): The Buffaloes’ only win since Dec. 6 was a 112-103 double-overtime victory over visiting South Dakota State, but they’ve since dropped three straight, including the 76-57 and 77-62 losses to Oregon State and Oregon, respectively. Freshman point guard McKinley Wright leads the squad with 16.0 points and 4.9 assists and has scored in double figures in every game aside from a 7-point outing against the Beavers on Friday. Senior swingman George King (13.2 points, team-most 7.9 rebounds) and guard Namon Wright (11.6 points) also are averaging double digits, but the Buffaloes rank last or next-to-last in the conference in scoring (74.4), field-goal percentage (44.4) and 3-point percentage (32.6).


TIP-INS

1. The teams have split their 10 games since Colorado joined the Pac-12 with each winning on its home floor in each of the last six meetings.

2. The Buffaloes are off to a 0-2 Pac-12 start for the second straight season after dropping their first seven conference games a year ago.

3. Taking care of the ball will be key as Arizona State is pacing the Pac-12 with a 4.6 average turnover differential while Colorado is 11th at a minus-2.4.


PREDICTION: Arizona State 82, Colorado 74

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Arizona State

Sun Devils are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Sun Devils are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up loss.
Sun Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
Sun Devils are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Sun Devils are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games overall.
Sun Devils are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 road games.

Colorado

Buffaloes are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
Buffaloes are 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up loss.
Buffaloes are 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Buffaloes are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 Thursday games.
Buffaloes are 5-15-1 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Buffaloes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games following three or more consecutive road games.
Buffaloes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Buffaloes are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. Pacific-12.

OU Trends
Arizona State

Under is 5-1-1 in Sun Devils last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 8-2 in Sun Devils last 10 vs. Pacific-12.
Under is 4-1 in Sun Devils last 5 road games.
Under is 4-1 in Sun Devils last 5 Thursday games.
Under is 3-1-1 in Sun Devils last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 5-2 in Sun Devils last 7 overall.

Colorado

Under is 4-1 in Buffaloes last 5 games following a straight up loss.
Under is 4-1 in Buffaloes last 5 vs. Pacific-12.
Under is 4-1 in Buffaloes last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 11-3 in Buffaloes last 14 Thursday games.
Under is 8-3 in Buffaloes last 11 home games following three or more consecutive road games.
Over is 10-4 in Buffaloes last 14 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Head to Head

Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Home team is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Sun Devils are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Colorado.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Devlin Fieldhouse, New Orleans, Louisiana
Matchup Edge
SMU Edge in: TULN
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: SMU at Tulane


Tulane possesses the second-highest scoring duo in the American Athletic Conference, but it will look to another guard to help defeat visiting SMU on Thursday. Sophomore point guard Ray Ona Embo will have the task of slowing Shake Milton, who leads SMU in scoring.

"Defense is where (Ona Embo) leads for us," Tulane coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. told The Advocate. "He can guard size. He can guard quickness. He moves his feet well. He reads situations and gets over picks, he bodies people. He has a good combination of strength and size and the smarts to guard somebody." Milton leads six Mustangs in double figures, but the team's defense has stood out this season. SMU has held its first two league opponents to an average of 45 points while forcing 20 turnovers per contest. Tulane followed a road win at Temple with a home loss to Tulsa, dropping its record to 4-24 in home league games since joining the AAC in 2014-15.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT SMU (12-3, 2-0 American): Milton, who averages 16.7 points and a league-high 4.7 assists, has scored in double figures in 16 straight games. Jarrey Foster contributes 13.7 points and 5.8 rebounds while freshman forward Ethan Chargois adds 12.6 and 5.6. The Mustangs, who have won five straight against Tulane, lead the league in 3-point shooting (42.3 percent) and assists.

ABOUT TULANE (10-4, 1-1): The duo of Melvin Frazier (17 points) and Cameron Reynolds (16.4) pace the Green Wave in scoring and rank second behind Connecticut's Jalen Adams and Terry Larrier (33.9). Ona Embo is averaging 9.4 points after finishing at 6.4 last season and shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. Jordan Cornish, a transfer from UNLV, is contributing 9.2 points and a team-high 3.9 assists while Samir Sehic, a transfer from Vanderbilt, adds 10.3 points off the bench.

TIP-INS

1. The Mustangs are the only team with four players averaging 10 points and five rebounds.

2. The Green Wave have been outrebounded 85-59 in two league games.

3. SMU has won 18 consecutive games against AAC opponents, including six straight on the road.

PREDICTION: SMU 78, Tulane 62

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Southern Methodist

Mustangs are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 Thursday games.
Mustangs are 21-5-1 ATS in their last 27 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Mustangs are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.
Mustangs are 15-4 ATS in their last 19 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Mustangs are 23-8-1 ATS in their last 32 games following a straight up win.
Mustangs are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Mustangs are 20-7-2 ATS in their last 29 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
Mustangs are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 road games.
Mustangs are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Mustangs are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Mustangs are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Mustangs are 33-16-2 ATS in their last 51 games overall.
Mustangs are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS win.

Tulane

Green Wave are 16-34-2 ATS in their last 52 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Green Wave are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Green Wave are 7-18-2 ATS in their last 27 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Green Wave are 5-14-1 ATS in their last 20 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Green Wave are 6-17-3 ATS in their last 26 home games.
Green Wave are 5-16-2 ATS in their last 23 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Green Wave are 5-17 ATS in their last 22 Thursday games.
Green Wave are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

OU Trends
Southern Methodist

Over is 7-2-1 in Mustangs last 10 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Over is 7-2-1 in Mustangs last 10 games following a ATS win.
Under is 12-4 in Mustangs last 16 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 5-2-1 in Mustangs last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 5-2 in Mustangs last 7 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.
Under is 12-5 in Mustangs last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 7-3 in Mustangs last 10 Thursday games.

Tulane

Over is 6-0 in Green Wave last 6 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 15-3 in Green Wave last 18 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Over is 13-3 in Green Wave last 16 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Over is 4-1 in Green Wave last 5 Thursday games.
Over is 8-2 in Green Wave last 10 home games.
Over is 23-8 in Green Wave last 31 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Over is 20-7 in Green Wave last 27 games following a straight up loss.
Under is 7-3 in Green Wave last 10 overall.

Head to Head

Favorite is 14-3-1 ATS in the last 18 meetings.
Mustangs are 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Road team is 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Matchup Edge
ARIZ Edge in: UTAH
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Arizona at Utah


Arizona has found its footing, winning eight straight games since a 0-3 trip to the Bahamas over Thanksgiving weekend. The 16th-ranked Wildcats now look to continue that roll Thursday night at Utah in their first Pac-12 road test.


Coach Sean Miller’s crew opened conference play Saturday night with a hard-fought 84-78 home win over previously undefeated Arizona State. The usual stud suspects – freshman forward Deandre Ayton and junior guard Allonzo Trier – scored 23 points apiece and combined for seven assists. The 7-foot-1 Ayton also snatched a season-high 19 rebounds and blocked three shots to earn his second Pac-12 Player of the Week award in the last month. The Runnin’ Utes, meanwhile, also have been on a roll of late, winning four of their last five, including Pac-12-opening road wins last week at Oregon (66-56) and Oregon State (66-64).

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN


ABOUT ARIZONA (11-3, 1-0 Pac-12): Ayton, the highly-touted blue-chip big man from the Bahamas, has been as advertised, notching 10 double-doubles in 14 games so far while leading the team in field-goal percentage (61.9) and ranking fourth nationally with 11.9 rebounds per game. He also has a team-most 21 blocks on the season and was a big reason why Arizona State hit less than 43.9 percent of its shots from the field (37.9) on Saturday night for the first time this season. Trier, meanwhile, ranks second in the Pac-12 with a team-best 21.3-point average and is shooting 54.2 percent from the field while guard Rawle Alkins (14.2 points), center Dusan Ristic (10.0 points, 6.1 rebounds) and guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright (7.1 points, 4.8 assists) also are key night-in and night-out contributors.

ABOUT UTAH (10-3, 2-0): The Utes’ win Friday at Oregon was their first victory in Eugene since 1951, and two nights later, they capped their first-ever Oregon trip sweep with the two-point win over the Beavers. Balanced Utah has five players averaging double figures, led by forward David Collette (13.2 points) and guard Justin Bibbins (13.1), who has averaged 20.7 and 4.7 assists over his last three games while connecting on 16-of-26 3-point attempts. The Utes surrender the fewest points (66.7) in the conference, and opponents are shooting only 40.4 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from 3-point range – both figures ranking second in the Pac-12.


TIP-INS

1. Arizona leads the series 31-29 but has won 10 of the 11 games since Utah joined the Pac-12 in 2011.

2. Behind Ayton and Ristic, the Wildcats rank second in the Pac-12 with a 6.2 average rebound margin while F Tyler Rawson is averaging a team-most 6.4 boards for Utah, which ranks 10th in the conference with a 2.0 average margin on the glass.

3. The Utes are shooting a Pac-12-best 77.9 percent from the free-throw line while the Wildcats are the conference’s top 3-point shooting team at 39.5 percent.


PREDICTION: Arizona 74, Utah 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Arizona

Wildcats are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Pacific-12.
Wildcats are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games.
Wildcats are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Wildcats are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Wildcats are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Utah

Utes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
Utes are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Pacific-12.
Utes are 41-16-1 ATS in their last 58 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

OU Trends
Arizona

Under is 9-1-1 in Wildcats last 11 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 6-1 in Wildcats last 7 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Over is 5-1 in Wildcats last 6 road games.
Over is 5-1 in Wildcats last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 5-1 in Wildcats last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

Utah

Under is 4-0-1 in Utes last 5 overall.
Under is 6-0-1 in Utes last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 5-1 in Utes last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 5-1 in Utes last 6 games following a straight up win.
Under is 4-1 in Utes last 5 vs. Pacific-12.
Under is 4-1 in Utes last 5 games following a ATS win.
Under is 8-3-1 in Utes last 12 home games.
Under is 5-2 in Utes last 7 Thursday games.
Under is 5-2-1 in Utes last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

Head to Head

Under is 6-0-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Wildcats are 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Favorite is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Home team is 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Wildcats are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Utah.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Matchup Edge
CIN Edge in: TEM
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Cincinnati at Temple


Temple has faced one of the nation’s toughest schedules to date, and it takes on another challenge when it visits No. 20 Cincinnati on Thursday. The Owls are trying to avoid an 0-3 start in American Athletic Conference play, while the Bearcats look to improve to 2-0 in league action.


The Owls are reeling, having dropped three straight and four of their last five after their comeback fell short in a 76-73 loss at Houston on Saturday. The Bearcats have won five in a row since losing back-to-back decisions to Xavier and Florida, and their last three victories have been blowouts. They crushed Memphis 82-48 on Sunday to open conference play behind 15 points from Jarron Cumberland and Gary Clark’s 22nd career double-double. Cincinnati swept the Owls last season, winning 81-74 at home and 56-50 at Temple to end its three-game losing streak in the all-time series.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2


ABOUT CINCINNATI (12-2, 1-0 American): Four players average double digits in points, with point guard Jacob Evans (13.5 points) leading the way. Cincinnati’s frontcourt is a handful, as both the 6-8 Clark (12.5 points, 8.7 rebounds) and 6-9 Kyle Washington (10.3, 4.8) can do damage in the paint. The Bearcats are even tougher to handle at the defensive end, as they rank fourth nationally in scoring defense (59.1 points allowed) and sixth in field-goal defense (37 percent).

ABOUT TEMPLE (7-6, 0-2): The Owls get much of their offense from the backcourt, as guards Quinton Rose (16.5 points, 5.7 rebounds) and Shizz Alston Jr. (15.2 points) are the team’s top two scorers. They start a pair of 6-10 players, though, including power forward Obi Enechionyia (11.5 points, 6.6 rebounds). Despite the size inside, the Owls need to do a better job on the glass, as they’ve been outrebounded by an average of 3.8 boards compared with Cincinnati’s plus-9.8 rebounding margin.


TIP-INS

1. Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin is one win shy of 250 in his 12-year tenure at the school.

2. The Owls have defeated a top-25 team each of the last 10 seasons but have yet to do so this campaign.

3. Cincinnati is likely to be without backup PG Cane Broome (9.8 points, 3.1 assists) for a second consecutive game due to a sprained left ankle.


PREDICTION: Cincinnati 74, Temple 69

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Cincinnati

Bearcats are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Bearcats are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 50 points in their previous game.
Bearcats are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Bearcats are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Bearcats are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
Bearcats are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Bearcats are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

Temple

Owls are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 Thursday games.
Owls are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Owls are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.

OU Trends
Cincinnati

Under is 4-0-1 in Bearcats last 5 games following a ATS win.
Over is 6-1 in Bearcats last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 5-1 in Bearcats last 6 Thursday games.
Under is 8-2 in Bearcats last 10 overall.
Under is 40-12-1 in Bearcats last 53 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 45-14-1 in Bearcats last 60 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 48-16-1 in Bearcats last 65 road games.
Under is 6-2 in Bearcats last 8 games following a straight up win.
Under is 19-7 in Bearcats last 26 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Under is 14-6 in Bearcats last 20 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.

Temple

Over is 6-1 in Owls last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 4-1 in Owls last 5 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 8-2 in Owls last 10 games following a ATS win.
Over is 8-3 in Owls last 11 home games.
Over is 5-2 in Owls last 7 Thursday games.
Over is 14-6 in Owls last 20 vs. American Athletic Conference.
Over is 16-7 in Owls last 23 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 21-10 in Owls last 31 overall.

Head to Head

Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Temple.
Bearcats are 0-4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
Bearcats are 0-3-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings in Temple.
Underdog is 3-0-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 10:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Maples Pavilion, Stanford, California
Matchup Edge
UCLA Edge in: STAN
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: UCLA at Stanford

Jan 4, 2018

UCLA has had to deal with its share of hardships this season, including the suspension of three top freshmen recruits who were caught shoplifting in China, the cancellation of a home game against Montana because of nearby wildfires and then back-to-back losses to Michigan and Cincinnati. But things seems to finally be looking up for Steve Alford's squad which enters Thursday night's game at Stanford in a tie for first place in the Pac-12 Conference with Utah.

The Bruins have won four straight games, including an impressive 83-75 upset of then-No. 7 Kentucky, and opened Pac-12 play with home wins over Washington State (96-82) and Washington (74-53). UCLA used a 33-point, 11-rebound effort by junior guard Aaron Holiday to win the conference opener, then clamped down defensively to rally from a 14-point second-half deficit and defeat the Huskies on Sunday, finishing the contest on an amazing 45-10 run over the last 17:11. Alford believes all the early obstacles have helped to strengthen his young team. "What I like is we've had a lot of different adversities," Alford told reporters Tuesday. "We've been down big and come back, we've had big leads and had those shrunk and still (have) been able to win. Other than the one at Michigan (a 78-69 overtime loss), we've been able to hang on and do the tough-minded things."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT UCLA (11-3, 2-0 Pac-12): The Bruins switched to a 3-2 zone midway through the second half and held the Huskies to just 17 points after intermission and 2-of-27 3-point shooting (7.4 percent) for the game. Holiday, who leads the team in scoring (18.4 points per game), followed up his big outing against Washington State with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists while 6-8 freshman guard Kris Wilkes, like Alford a former Mr. Basketball in Indiana, added a game-high 21 points, five rebounds and two steals. Wilkes is second in scoring (13.1) while 7-foot senior center Thomas Welsh (12.6) and freshman guard Jaylen Hands (12.2) also are averaging in double figures.

ABOUT STANFORD (6-8, 0-1): The Cardinal blew a 16-point lead in the final eight minutes in their Pac-12 opening loss to rival Cal at Maples Pavilion, missing 16 free throws and scoring just four points in the final 3 1/2 minutes in the process. "We're not going to give in," head coach Jerod Haase said. "We're disappointed and discouraged by this game. The plan is to do better." Reid Travis, a returning first-team All-Pac-12 pick, leads the team in scoring (20.9) and is second in rebounds (7.1) while senior forward Michael Humphrey is also averaging in double digits (11.9) while grabbing a team best 8.9 rebounds per game.

TIP-INS

1. Holiday, younger brother of NBA guards Jrue (New Orleans) and Justin (Chicago), is the first UCLA player to have at least 33 points and 11 rebounds in a game since 1995 Final Four MVP Ed O'Bannon did it against Duke (37 points, 13 rebounds) on Feb. 26, 1995.

2. Welsh leads the team in rebounds (11.0) and has nine double-doubles this season and 28 in his career.

3. UCLA has won 19 of the last 24 meetings with Stanford but has lost two of the last three at The Farm.

PREDICTION: UCLA 86, Stanford 82

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
UCLA

Bruins are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
Bruins are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a ATS win.
Bruins are 8-19 ATS in their last 27 vs. Pacific-12.
Bruins are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 Thursday games.
Bruins are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Bruins are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games.
Bruins are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.

Stanford

Cardinal are 17-38 ATS in their last 55 Thursday games.
Cardinal are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Cardinal are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Cardinal are 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 games overall.
Cardinal are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 vs. Pacific-12.

OU Trends
UCLA

Over is 7-1 in Bruins last 8 road games following three or more consecutive home games.
Over is 4-1 in Bruins last 5 games following a straight up win.
Under is 8-2 in Bruins last 10 games following a ATS win.
Under is 9-3 in Bruins last 12 vs. Pacific-12.
Over is 5-2 in Bruins last 7 overall.

Stanford

Under is 4-0-1 in Cardinal last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 4-0 in Cardinal last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Under is 4-0 in Cardinal last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Under is 6-1-1 in Cardinal last 8 overall.
Over is 6-1 in Cardinal last 7 vs. Pacific-12.
Under is 4-1-1 in Cardinal last 6 home games.
Under is 3-1-1 in Cardinal last 5 games following a straight up loss.
Under is 3-1-1 in Cardinal last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 20-8 in Cardinal last 28 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Head to Head

Bruins are 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
Over is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Stanford.
Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
Home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 10:30 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California
Matchup Edge
USC Edge in: CAL
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: USC at California


After allowing Washington to shoot 67.3 percent in a home loss in their Pac-12 opener, USC showed it could play some aggressive, tough defense when it bounced back Sunday to defeat Washington State 89-71. But the Trojans, who begin their Bay Area road trip at California on Thursday, will be without suspended star forward Chimezie Metu for the first half after he got a little too physical and was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul against the Cougars.

The athletic 6-11 Metu, who leads the Trojans in scoring (17.8), rebounding (7.6) and blocked shots (1.5) and is considered a potential NBA lottery pick, was ejected late in the first half against Washington State after he ran by guard Carter Skaggs, who was shooting a 3-pointer in front of the Trojans' bench, and punched him in the groin. No foul was called on the play but Skaggs, who buckled over after the shot, alerted officials who then watched the incident on replay and ejected Metu. USC coach Andy Enfield said Metu will sit out the first half against the Bears, surrender his captaincy and sent a letter of apology to Skaggs, Washington State coach Ernie Kent and the Cougar team. "A lack of judgement for a split second led to an action that I immediately regretted and had no business committing in the first place," Metu's letter read. "I understand there is no place in the game of basketball for such an unsportsmanlike action."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT USC (10-5, 1-1 Pac-12): Outside of Metu's silly ejection, the Trojans actually had reason to smile after the win over the Cougars, holding Washington State to just 39.7 percent shooting while having six players score in double figures for the first time since a March 9, 2016 game against UCLA. "Very athletic, physical basketball," Kent said. "At times they looked every bit as a team, your Final Four team, picked to be in the top 3 in the nation. ... They played even more physical after they lost Metu and took us out of our offense." Three other Trojans beside Metu are averaging in double figures: 6-10 junior forward Bennie Boatwright (16.8 points), senior point guard Jordan McLaughlin (12.9) and senior shooting guard Elijah Stewart (12.5).

ABOUT CALIFORNIA (7-7, 1-0): Since sputtering out of the gate with a 3-6 start that included head-scratching losses to UC Riverside (74-66), Central Arkansas (96-69) and Division II Chaminade (96-72), the Bears have played some pretty good basketball of late, winning four of five games including impressive wins at Mountain West heavyweight San Diego State (63-62) and at Stanford (77-74) last Saturday in their Pac-12 opener. The Bears stormed back from a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat the Cardinal as 6-7 freshman forward Justice Sueing, who ranks fourth on the team in scoring (12.0), scored eight points of his 18 points in the final three minutes. Junior guard Don Coleman leads the team in scoring (20.1) with freshman guard Darius McNeill (13.4) and 6-11 senior forward Marcus Lee (12.6), a transfer from Kentucky, also averaging in double digits.

TIP-INS

1. McLaughlin, who had a double-double of 10 points and 11 assists against Washington State, ranks third in the nation in assists (120), fourth in assists per game (8.0) and 25th in steals (32).

2. Coleman has scored in double figures in all but one game this season and has six 20-point games and three 30-point games.

3. USC sophomore G Derryck Thornton, a highly touted transfer from Duke who missed nine games with a shoulder injury, returned against Washington State and had two points and three turnovers in nine minutes of action.

PREDICTION: USC 88, Cal 84

[Can'tPickAWinner]

ATS Trends
Southern California

Trojans are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games.
Trojans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Trojans are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.

California

Golden Bears are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games.
Golden Bears are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Golden Bears are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Golden Bears are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.
Golden Bears are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.

OU Trends
Southern California

Over is 4-0 in Trojans last 4 overall.
Over is 4-0-1 in Trojans last 5 games following a ATS win.
Over is 5-0 in Trojans last 5 games following a straight up win.
Over is 8-3 in Trojans last 11 road games.

California

Over is 4-0 in Golden Bears last 4 vs. Pacific-12.
Over is 10-2 in Golden Bears last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 5-1-1 in Golden Bears last 7 games following a straight up win.
Over is 4-1-1 in Golden Bears last 6 Thursday games.
Over is 4-1 in Golden Bears last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 12-3-1 in Golden Bears last 16 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 7-2-2 in Golden Bears last 11 home games.
Over is 10-3-2 in Golden Bears last 15 overall.
Over is 6-2 in Golden Bears last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Head to Head

Trojans are 7-1-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings in California.
Over is 9-2-1 in the last 12 meetings in California.
Over is 19-7-1 in the last 27 meetings.
Trojans are 12-5-1 ATS in the last 18 meetings.
Road team is 11-5-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings.
Underdog is 6-1-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

When: 11:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 4, 2018
Where: Firestone Fieldhouse, Malibu, California
Matchup Edge
GONZ Edge in: PEPP
Points Per Game
Field Goal %
Free Throw %
Defense
Rebounding
Turnovers
Bench

Preview: Gonzaga at Pepperdine


No. 19 Gonzaga will look to defeat Pepperdine for the 34th consecutive time when it visits the cozy on-campus gymnasium in Malibu on Thursday for a West Coast Conference matchup. The Bulldogs have won their last 15 road meetings with Pepperdine and are 37-2 in the overall series during coach Mark Few's tenure.

Gonzaga squashed Pacific (81-48) and Santa Clara (101-52) in its first two WCC games and already has topped 100 points a school-record five times. The Bulldogs recorded a season-best 28 assists and committed just seven turnovers while forcing 21 in Saturday's steamrolling of Santa Clara. Pepperdine hasn't defeated a ranked opponent since upsetting Wisconsin during the 2004-05 campaign. The Waves have dropped five consecutive games and began WCC play with setbacks against Santa Clara (72-65) and San Diego (74-66).

TV: 11 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT GONZAGA (12-3, 2-0 WCC): Guard Zach Norvell Jr. moved into the starting lineup due to an ankle injury suffered by fellow freshman Corey Kispert, who has since returned, and is averaging 17.3 points over his last nine games. Norvell has topped 20 points four times during the span - including efforts of 22 against Villanova and San Diego State - to raise his average to 13.2, which is third-best on the squad. Josh Perkins leads the Bulldogs with a 14-point average and has drained a team-high 48 3-pointers while Johnathan Williams is averaging 13.6 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE (3-11, 0-2): The Waves have been hurt by the recent loss of two starters as leading scorer Kameron Edwards (15.9 points, 6.8 rebounds) has missed five consecutive games due to a concussion while Amadi Udenyi (2.7 points, 3.4 assists) has sat out two straight with an ankle injury. Colbey Ross (14.3 points, 5.3 assists) has provided solid play as he contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Saturday's loss. Fellow freshman guard Kaijae Yee-Stephens (knee) missed the first 13 games of the season before scoring nine points in 28 minutes against San Diego.

TIP-INS

1. Gonzaga rolled to a 96-49 victory in last season's visit to Pepperdine.

2. Bulldogs senior G Silas Melson is 22-of-37 shooting in seven career contests against the Waves.

3. The Waves are averaging 66.2 points during their five-game slide.

PREDICTION: Gonzaga 97, Pepperdine 66