Tuesday 1-9-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Canucks vs. Capitals Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

The Washington Capitals have ascended to the top of the Metropolitan Division due in large part to their resounding success at home. Winners of nine in a row and 15 of their last 17 at Capital One Arena, the Capitals vie for their fifth straight overall victory on Tuesday versus the visiting Vancouver Canucks.

Nicklas Backstrom capped his third straight multi-point performance in style on Sunday, scoring 4:17 into overtime in a 4-3 win over St. Louis to open a three-game homestand. The 30-year-old Swedish Olympian has two goals and five assists during his three-game point streak heading into a date versus Vancouver, against which he sat out a 6-2 setback on Oct. 26 due to illness. The Canucks' play of late has been rather sickly with four straight losses and a 2-10-2 mark in their last 14 contests, with losses in Toronto and Montreal over the weekend to begin their seven-game road trip. Sven Baertschi, who returned from an 11-game absence due to a broken jaw in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Canadiens, scored two goals and added an assist in the first encounter versus Washington.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (16-20-6): Daniel Sedin isn't pleased with the results, but the veteran Swede maintains that if the team continues to string together strong efforts that positive news will follow suit. "The guys are battling, for sure. That's really good to see, but I feel like we need to get that first win out of the way, and then we'll be a lot better," Sedin said. Jacob Markstrom certainly hopes so as he found himself on the wrong end of a 3-2 shootout loss at Toronto on Saturday and owns an 0-5-0 career mark with a 3.51 goals-against average and .889 save percentage versus the Capitals.

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (26-13-3): Braden Holtby came up large in overtime on Sunday to finish with 31 saves and run his unbeaten streak to four games and improve to 24-8-0 on the season. Fifteen of those wins have come at home, but the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner's worst loss of the season overall came at the hands of the Canucks after yielding five goals on 22 shots before being chased with five minutes left in the second period. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored in that contest, but has just one point - an assist - in his last six games.

OVERTIME

1. Washington has ventured past regulation in seven of its last nine games, posting a 5-0-2 mark.

2. The Canucks went 3-for-6 on the power play in the first meeting with the Capitals, but are 1-for-20 in their last seven overall.

3. Washington is 4-for-12 with the man advantage in its last four games.

PREDICTION: Capitals 5, Canucks 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Hurricanes vs. Lightning Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

The Tampa Bay Lightning emerged from a taxing road trip with at least a point in four of five games (3-1-1) and have two more contests before enjoying their off week, beginning with a visit from the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Lightning suffered their second straight defeat 6-3 in Ottawa on Saturday, but rebounded 24 hours later to win 5-2 at Detroit in a physical affair.

"I thought (the response) was outstanding," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters after the victory. "You challenge these guys and they continue to answer the bell. This was an easy one to mail in. It's a five-game road trip, back to back, you go through customs. Pretty gutty effort by the guys." The Lightning should have No. 1 goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (league-best 26 wins, .935 save percentage) back in net after he was rested Sunday, and have earned at least a point in seven straight encounters (6-0-1) with the Hurricanes, including a 5-1 decision in Carolina on Oct. 24 despite being outshot. The Hurricanes have cooled off after winning seven of eight by going 1-2-1 in their last four, capped by an embarrassing 7-1 loss at Boston on Saturday in which they surrendered five first-period goals. "Not the way we want to come into the midpoint of the season," Carolina coach Bill Peters told reporters, "but the reality is we didn't play very well."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Carolinas, FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (19-14-8): Left wing Sebastian Aho, who shares the team lead in points (33) and goals (13), left Saturday's game with a lower-body injury but practiced Monday and is considered day-to-day. Left wing Teuvo Teravainen has posted four points in the last three games to tie the 20-year-old Fin for the top spot on the team and Jeff Skinner matches Aho in goals. Veteran right wing Justin Williams has cooled of late with one of his 25 points in the last seven contests and has not scored a goal in his past 10 outings.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (30-9-3): Tampa Bay had a big scare when Daniel Girardi was hit on the neck by a slapshot in Sunday's game, but the veteran defenseman is considered day-to-day after all tests came back negative Monday. Nikita Kucherov tied Alex Ovechkin for the league lead with his 27th goal Sunday and tops the NHL with 59 points - 25 of them in the last 19 contests. Forward Yanni Gourde recorded a "Gordie Howe hat trick" Sunday - the second of the season for the Lightning (also Brayden Point) - with a pair of a goals, an assist and a fight.

OVERTIME

1. Carolina activated F Lee Stempniak (upper-body) from injured reserve Monday and sent F Lucas Wallmark to AHL Charlotte.

2. The Lightning have killed all 15 power plays in the last five games and the Hurricanes are 17-for-18 over the past eight contests.

3. Carolina G Cam Ward was 8-0-2 in his previous 10 decisions before being pulled Saturday after allowing two goals on two shots.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Hurricanes 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Blackhawks vs. Senators Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

The Christmas break has done wonders for Nick Schmaltz, who returned from the time off with eight points (four goals, four assists) in his last six games. The 21-year-old carries a three-game goal-scoring streak into Tuesday's contest as the Chicago Blackhawks aim to escape the cellar in the Central Division when they visit the Ottawa Senators.

"We've had some games where we want to be and then some nights where we're way off," Schmaltz said on the heels of Sunday's 4-1 victory over Edmonton. Captain Jonathan Toews, who has three goals and four assists during last four games, has meshed well with linemates Brandon Saad and recent recall Vinnie Hinostroza - with the latter collecting two goals and five assists during his five-game point streak. Like Schmaltz, Ottawa's Ryan Dzingel is also riding a three-game goal-scoring streak, with two tallies highlighting the team's 6-3 triumph over Tampa Bay on Saturday. The 25-year-old Illinois native's recent offensive eruption comes on the heels of a 10-game drought without a goal.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, TSN5, RDS (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (20-15-6): Chicago recalled Tomas Jurco from Rockford and assigned fellow forward John Hayden to the American Hockey League affiliate. Jurco has 13 goals and 12 assists with the IceHogs in 2017-18 but has underwhelmed in parts of five seasons with Detroit and the Blackhawks, with whom the 25-year-old Jurco had just one goal for his lone point in 13 games last season after being acquired for a third-round draft pick in February. Hayden, who has three goals and eight assists in 39 games this season, will be making his first trek to the minors after signing with Chicago following his senior season at Yale.

ABOUT THE SENATORS (14-17-9): Ottawa has answered a disastrous 3-8-3 mark with consecutive six-goal uprisings to win back-to-back contests for the first time since Dec. 13-16. "We're starting to come. It shows character and the ability to stick together as a team," said Mark Stone, who recorded one goal and two assists in each outing to increase his team-leading totals in both goals (17) and points (40). Captain Erik Karlsson, who has a club-best 27 assists, has set up seven goals in his last five outings.

OVERTIME

1. Blackhawks promising D Jordan Oesterle has three goals in his last five games.

2. Ottawa G Craig Anderson has made 108 saves over his last three outings (2-0-1).

3. Blackhawks D Cody Franson was placed on waivers Monday after recording one goal and six assists in 23 games this season while averaging under 15 minutes of ice time in four of his last five outings.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Senators 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Flames vs. Wild Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

The Minnesota Wild have been superb at home and a disaster on the road, a trend they hope continues for at least one more game when they host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. Minnesota has won four straight at home and dropped five in a row on the road after absorbing a 7-2 beating at Colorado on Saturday.

The wins and losses aside, the Wild have been been outscored 21-5 during the five-game drought away from home while owning a 19-7 scoring edge in their last four at Xcel Energy Center. "We got to learn how to win on the road," coach Bruce Boudreau said following the latest debacle. "That's ridiculous how we can play so good at home and completely opposite on the road." The Flames will kick off a four-game road trip after completing a perfect three-game homestand while extending their string of one-goal games to seven in a row. "We've had the same mindset these last few games," forward Micheal Ferland said. "We know how big these points are right now. We've just been playing simple hockey and waiting for our chances. I think it's working for us right now."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Calgary), FS North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (21-16-4): Reports that Calgary and Jaromir Jagr will be severing ties appear to be closer to fruition after the league's No. 2 career scorer did not accompany the team to Minnesota. Jagr, who will turn 46 next month, has collected only one goal and six assists in 22 games during an injury-plagued first season with the Flames. Goaltender Mike Smith has won three consecutive starts, but he is only 4-11-2 lifetime against Minnesota.

ABOUT THE WILD (22-17-3): Captain Mikko Koivu, having his least productive season since his rookie campaign in 2005-06, missed Monday's practice due to the flu and was labeled "questionable" by Boudreau. Eric Staal scored both goals Saturday at Colorado to give him seven in nine games and 19 on the season, bolstering his All-Star chances. "He'd be my pick," teammate Charlie Coyle said. "He's been a great player for us. He deserves it."

OVERTIME

1. The Wild have won both meetings this season after Calgary won the previous four matchups.

2. Flames F Johnny Gaudreau has five assists during a three-game point streak.

3. Wild G Alex Stalock, who earned the win in both matchups this season, will get the start Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Wild 3, Flames 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Panthers vs. Blues Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

The St. Louis Blues owned the best record in the Western Conference a month ago but they have hit a rough patch as they prepare to play their final game before going into their bye week. St. Louis has dropped two straight and nine of its last 14 (5-8-1) but will be seeking its fourth consecutive home win versus the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Coach Mike Yeo was pleased with the "response from the players" in Sunday's overtime loss at Washington after they were doubled up in Philadelphia the previous day. "Just getting that point after being down was big for us," said forward Paul Stastny, who won 17 of 24 faceoffs against the Capitals. The Panthers had a similar mindset after losing in a shootout at Columbus to fall to 0-2-1 entering the final stop of their road trip. "We've got to be happy with one point, but of course we want to win the games," center Aleksander Barkov said. "We're playing good hockey, but we're not getting two points. We need to find a way to get those two points."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (17-18-6): James Reimer has started 14 consecutive games since Roberto Luongo was injured on Dec. 4 and it appears he will continue to take on a heavy workload. Coach Bob Boughner said Luongo is not expected to play until February after he started to feel soreness during his rehab last week. The outlook is better on forward Radim Vrbata, who has missed the last five games, but Boughner planned to talk to him to gauge his availability for Tuesday.

ABOUT THE BLUES (26-16-3): Third-leading scorer Jaden Schwartz, out since taking a puck off the foot on Dec. 9, shed his walking boot Monday but is still expected to be sidelined for at least two more weeks. Vladimir Tarasenko is picking up the offensive slack with three goals and six points over the past six games. "He seems to have not only elevated his game but the way that Barby's (Ivan Barbashev) playing right now, I think Vlady has a lot to do with that, too," Yeo said.

OVERTIME

1. Blues backup G Carter Hutton has started four of the past five in place of Jake Allen, who was in net in a 5-2 loss to Florida on Oct. 12.

2. Panthers F Jonathan Huberdeau has scored six goals in his last seven games.

3. St. Louis activated Vince Dunn off injured reserve and sent fellow D Jake Walman to Chicago of the American Hockey League.

PREDICTION: Blues 4, Panthers 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Oilers vs. Predators Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

Milan Lucic and the Edmonton Oilers enjoyed numerous positive memories during last season's breakout campaign, but the hurrahs have been few and far between in 2017-18. Losers of the first two contests of their five-game road trip and six of seven overall, the Oilers look to turn around their fortunes on Tuesday against a team that has defeated them 10 straight times in the Nashville Predators.

"We have to find a way to start having fun again," Lucic told the Edmonton Journal following Sunday's 4-1 setback to Chicago. "I don't think anyone is having fun right now. I think I'm speaking for everyone from the coaching staff to the trainers, the fans, everyone. Nobody is having fun right now." The Oilers have been outscored 20-3 in their last five games, and their 22nd-ranked offense and 31st-ranked penalty kill didn't help matters in their 4-0 loss to Nashville on Dec. 14. Roman Josi scored a power-play goal in that contest and also tallied in the Predators' 4-3 win over Los Angeles on Saturday. Fellow defenseman P.K. Subban set up Josi's goal versus Nashville and had two assists against the Kings to reside one point shy of 350 for his career.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet (Edmonton), TVAS

ABOUT THE OILERS (18-22-3): General manager Peter Chiarelli gave coach Todd McLellan somewhat of a vote of confidence with the team spiraling in the standings. "I have no intentions of firing Todd," Chiarelli told Sportsnet. "I want to work with the coach, and I think he's a very good coach. As far as Todd goes, and (his staff), I am not considering firing them. At this point we're going to solve it together." Edmonton has languished in the standings this season after earning a playoff berth for the first time since 2006 in 2016-17.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (24-11-6): While Kyle Turris has been music to the ears of the Nashville faithful since being acquired in a three-team trade, he has also provided Edmonton with sour notes on two occasions with two different clubs this season. The 28-year-old scored two goals and set up another in Ottawa's 6-1 rout on Oct. 14 before donning a Predators jersey with a goal and an assist against the Oilers last month. Turris increased his point total to 19 (five goals, 14 assists) by setting up Josi's goal against the Kings to give Nashville its third win in nine outings (3-4-2).

OVERTIME

1. Nashville G Pekka Rinne owns an 18-6-1 mark with four shutouts and a .915 save percentage in 28 career appearances versus Edmonton.

2. The Oilers failed on all three power-play opportunities versus the Predators in the first encounter to begin a stretch of going 3-for-34 with the man advantage in their last 12 games.

3. The 2017 Indy Car series champion and Hendersonville native Josef Newgarden will serve as the official towel waver at Tuesday's game.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Oilers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Georgetown vs. St. John's Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

Poor shooting and poor defense has Georgetown reeling heading into Tuesday's Big East game at St. John's. The Hoyas were blown out for the first time this season Saturday at home by No. 22 Creighton and will need to rebound to avoid a third straight defeat to the Red Storm.

No starter scored in double figures or played much defense against Creighton, which enjoyed a 30-point edge from beyond the arc and limited the Hoyas to 36.5 percent shooting in the 90-66 victory. "We have to do a better job of competing," Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing told the media. "Games like this is when we need to rise to the occasion. We have to play better." Jessie Govan was held to single digits in points and rebounds for the first time this season for the Hoyas, who had won 10 of 13 games this decade against St. John's prior to dropping a pair of close games last season. Shamorie Ponds has struggled in his return from a one-game absence because of a knee injury as the sophomore shot 31.5 percent from the field and 2-of-16 from 3-point territory in two games for the Red Storm, who have lost four straight.

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

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (11-4, 1-3 Big East): The downward spiral of Jonathan Mulmore's game in the Big East may have hit rock bottom in the loss to Creighton. The senior point, who made a positive impact during an easy non-conference schedule, went scoreless and now has scored a total 13 points in four league games. Jagan Mosely, a sophomore, has thoroughly outplayed his teammate in Big East games and was the lone Hoya to hit double figures Saturday, but neither did a good job of finding Govan, who had a season-low seven field goal attempts.

ABOUT ST. JOHN'S (10-6, 0-4): Bashir Ahmed has played some of his best basketball during the four-game losing streak, including his first back-to-back 20-points games in the most recent losses to Creighton and DePaul, but the Red Storm haven't been able to make up for the absence of Marcus LoVett, who has missed the last nine contests. "We are at the bottom of the barrel and have to work our way up," coach Chris Mullin told the media. "The only way to do that is to work hard, be aggressive and I think we have to be more physical." Ponds could break out of his shooting slump at any time and the Brooklyn native averaged 17.7 points in the three games against the Hoyas last season, including 24 points in the home meeting.

TIP-INS

1. Govan has scored in double figures only once in five career games against St. John's.

2. The Red Storm had won eight straight at home against DePaul prior to Saturday's 91-74 loss.

3. St. John's, which owns a 28-11 mark at home in the series, has won two straight and seven of the last 10 meetings with Georgetown at Madison Square Garden, the site of Tuesday's game.

PREDICTION: Georgetown 78, St. John's 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Penn State vs. Indiana Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/08/2018

A pair of Big Ten teams hoping to break free from the middle of the pack meet Tuesday in Indiana as the Hoosiers host Penn State in the first meeting since a triple-overtime thriller last February. Behind a career-high 28 points by Robert Johnson, Indiana picked up a big road win with a 75-71 triumph at Minnesota on Saturday to pull to .500 early in the conference schedule.

The win came after the Hoosiers learned that 6-10 sophomore De'Ron Davis would be out indefinitely with a leg injury and after sixth man Collin Hartman was unable to go due to a sore right shoulder. "It was a next-man-up mentality when De'Ron went down, and then we saw Collin go down," Indiana forward Juwan Morgan told reporters. "The show doesn't stop because we're missing a few actors." The Nittany Lions also received a career-best performance from Lamar Stevens, who made 14-of-19 shots en route to 30 points in a 78-63 win over Northwestern on Friday. The sophomore forward is averaging 17.8 points on 53.7 percent shooting in four Big Ten games for Penn State.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT PENN STATE (12-5, 2-2 Big Ten): Stevens' big performance helped the Nittany Lions overcome a poor shooting game for leading scorer Tony Carr (18.3 points per game), who was 3-of-13 from the floor and had 12 points. Mike Watkins is emerging as a force along the front line and has two consecutive 17-rebound performances while producing 35 points on 13-of-17 shooting. Watkins ranks second among Big Ten players in field-goal percentage (68.3) and blocks (3.4), and Penn State has the league's top two players in steals with Josh Reaves (2.4) and Jamari Wheeler (2.1) leading the way.

ABOUT INDIANA (9-7, 2-2): Morgan also had a big game against Minnesota by scoring 20 points while tying career highs with 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. He and Johnson rank as the team's only two double-digit scorers but freshman Justin Smith had a breakout performance versus the Golden Gophers with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Johnson has established season highs in assists in each of the last two games, first handing out five in a loss to Wisconsin and then dishing seven against Minnesota.

TIP-INS

1. Johnson's previous best scoring effort was a 27-point showing in the 110-102 win in three OTs against the Nittany Lions last season.

2. Penn State G Shep Garner averages 10.2 points but has a total of five on 2-of-9 shooting over his last two games.

3. The Nittany Lions rank fifth in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage at 37.8, while the Hoosiers are 13th at 31.2.

PREDICTION: Indiana 74, Penn State 72

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Baylor vs. West Virginia Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

Entering the week with 14 straight wins and a sparkling-new No. 2 national ranking, West Virginia is the hottest team in the nation's top-ranked conference. The Mountaineers also are in the midst of a rugged scheduling stretch which continues Tuesday with a home game against Baylor.


On Saturday, West Virginia garnered national headlines by cooling off red-hot guard Trae Young, who entered the game leading the nation in scoring and assists, in an 89-76 home win over No. 7 Oklahoma. Senior guard and team scoring leader Jevon Carter had 16 points and did most of the defensive pestering of Young - who finished with a game-high 29 points but hit only 8-of-22 shots, including 3-of-12 3-pointers, and finished with a season-high eight turnovers - and was joined in double figures by teammates Teddy Allen (20 points), Lamont West (17) and Sagaba Konate (16). On the season, West Virginia has six players averaging at least 9.1 points per game while a slightly different six are averaging 3.4 rebounds or more per outing. "It hasn't been all JC (Jevon Carter)," Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said Saturday in his post-game news conference. "Dax (Daxter Miles Jr.), Teddy (Allen) has his moments, Beetle (guard James Bolden) has had moments. ... It's like a golf scramble. Everyone doesn't have to hit a good shot - just somebody - and that's kind of what has happened to us. Someone always steps up and makes plays."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2


ABOUT BAYLOR (11-4, 1-2 Big 12): The Bears had been ranked up until last week's poll but had lost their first two conference games prior to Saturday's 69-60 home win over Texas. Senior guard Manu Lecomte is pacing five double-digit scorers with 16.8 points per outing, but has struggled in Big 12 play, averaging 11 points on 25-percent shooting, including 4-of-18 from 3-point range. Fellow senior Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (16.1 points), Terry Matson (10.4), Nuni Omot (10.4) and King McClure (10.3) also are averaging double figures while the 7-foot Lual-Acuil Jr. (9.8 rebounds) and Matson (7.0) are the team's leaders on the glass.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (14-1, 3-0): The Mountaineers haven't lost since a season-opening 88-65 defeat to Texas A&M at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Since then, they've won all six of their road/neutral-site games and have gone 8-0 at home, where they've won by an average of 34.2 points, including victories over top-10 foes Oklahoma and Virginia (68-61 on Dec. 5). Carter (16.7 points), Miles Jr. (13.9), West (12.9) and Bolden (10.5) are all averaging double figures while the 6-foot-8 Konate (7.2 boards), Carter (5.7) and West (5.4) are the leading rebounders.


TIP-INS

1. Baylor has won eight of the 12 meetings - all since 2011 - but West Virginia has won three of the last four, including an 89-68 home victory over the then-top-ranked Bears on Jan. 10, 2017.

2. The Bears will have to be very wary of taking care of the ball as the Mountaineers and their pressing defense are pacing the Big 12 and rank second nationally with a plus-8.3 average turnover margin while Baylor is last in the league and ranks 299th nationally at minus-2.0.

3. West Virginia's shortcomings have been few, but it does rank next to last in the Big 12 in 3-point shooting at 32.7 percent.


PREDICTION: West Virginia 78, Baylor 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Texas A&M vs. Kentucky Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

Two weeks removed from being a top-five team, reeling Texas A&M hopes to avoid an 0-4 start to SEC play when the Aggies travel to No. 20 Kentucky on Tuesday. The Wildcats are looking for a rebound of their own after having a three-game winning streak snapped Saturday at Tennessee.


The Aggies rolled into SEC play with an impressive resume, their lone defeat a three-point neutral-site loss to No. 21 Arizona, but a rash of injuries coincided with leading scorer D.J. Hogg's three-game suspension to spur a three-game skid to begin the SEC schedule. Hogg returned to the lineup for Saturday's 69-68 home loss to LSU, but the Aggies were without big man Robert Williams (illness), and guards Admon Gilder (knee) and Duane Wilson (knee), all of whose status will be game-time decisions Tuesday. Kentucky coach John Calipari was disappointed in his team's lack of toughness in a 76-65 loss to the No. 23 Volunteers. The Wildcats led by eight at halftime but had a tough time with Tennessee's big men in the second half, and will face another strong frontcourt against the Aggies.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network


ABOUT TEXAS A&M (11-4, 0-3 SEC): When the Aggies are at full strength, they create matchup problems all over the court. Big men Tyler Davis (14.1 points, 8.4 rebounds per game) and Williams (8.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.7 blocks) are one of the strongest post duos in the nation, and Hogg (14.4 points, 6.8 rebounds) and Gilder (12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds) are big, physical guards who can score in various ways. They've missed having Wilson (12.1 points, 4.5 assists) at the point the past two games, averaging 15 turnovers without their primary distributor.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (12-3, 2-1): The Wildcats are young, even by Calipari's standards, as six of the eight players in their rotation are freshmen - including all five starters - and the other two are sophomores. Freshman forward Kevin Knox (14.0 points, 5.9 rebounds) is the team's leading scorer, but has averaged only 9.7 points while shooting 32.3 percent from the field in three SEC games, and No. 2 scorer Hamidou Diallo (13.7 points) has struggled to 7.3 points in conference play. Reserve guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11.5 points, 4.3 assists) has had the hot hand in SEC play, averaging 14 points despite scoring only three versus the Volunteers.


TIP-INS

1. The Wildcats have won three in a row against the Aggies, including a 100-58 rout in the last matchup in Lexington, but four of the last seven meetings have gone to overtime.

2. Kentucky is 40-8 following a loss under Calipari.

3. Williams has blocked a shot in 41 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation.


PREDICTION: Kentucky 74, Texas A&M 72

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tulane vs. Memphis Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

Memphis claimed its first American Athletic Conference victory Saturday, defeating Tulsa 76-67 to end its three-game skid. The Tigers remain at home for the second straight outing, taking on a Tulane team that fell to Tulsa on Sunday but rebounded four days later with a 73-70 victory over SMU, the Green Wave's 11th triumph, five more than last season's total.

The Tigers' win over the Golden Hurricane coincided with leading scorer Jeremiah Martin (17.3 points per game) regaining his shooting touch as the junior point guard connected on 9-of-17 shots en route to a career-best 28 points after hitting just 9-of-34 combined in the three prior games -- losses to LSU, Cincinnati and Central Florida. "What can you say about Jeremiah?" Memphis coach Tubby Smith told reporters afterward. "He really stepped up. He orchestrated. He ran the offense the right way." While the Tigers rely heavily on Martin, Tulane boasts the conference's No. 2 scoring duo (33.6 PPG) in Melvin Frazier (16.9) and Cameron Reynolds (16.7). The two spearheaded the Green Wave's comeback victory over the defending conference champion Mustangs the last time out, with Reynolds topping the team with 20 points and six rebounds and Frazier adding 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting, with five assists and four rebounds.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT TULANE (11-4, 2-1 AAC): The Green Wave made 18-of-20 free throws against SMU, including 9-of-10 in the second half when they took control en route to their fourth win in the last five games. Including the victory over SMU when he notched three steals, Frazier has seven games in which he has at least three takeaways and entered Monday ranked first in the conference with 36 steals and 2.4 per game. Reynolds (6.7) and Frazier (5.8) are also first and second on the team in rebounds, while sophomore forward Samir Sehic sits third on the team to the dynamic duo in both points (10.1) and rebounds (5.5).

ABOUT MEMPHIS (10-6, 1-2): For his efforts Sunday, which also included a season-high eight assists and 17 points during an 18-3 run in the second half, Martin was named to the AAC's weekly honor roll for the fourth time this season. Kyvon Davenport (12.6) is the only other Tiger averaging in double figures and he also tops the team with 5.8 rebounds per game. The Tigers are shooting just 29.3 percent from beyond the arc this season and sit last in the conference in defending the 3-point shot (37.2).

TIP-INS

1. Tulane's Mike Dunleavy, Sr., and Memphis' Smith are the only men's basketball head coaches with a son who is also a head coach at the NCAA Division I level -- Baker Dunleavy became the head coach at Quinnipiac in April 2017 and G.G. Smith took over Loyola-Maryland in 2013.

2. The Tigers have owned the series with the Green Wave, holding a 50-11 overall advantage, including winning the last three.

3. All 10 of Memphis' wins this season have come at FedEx Forum.

PREDICTION: Tulane 70, Memphis 68

[Can'tPickAWinner]

South Carolina vs. Alabama Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

With the college football season finally coming to a close Monday, the focus on Alabama's campus shifts to men's basketball - yet another reason why the Crimson Tide need to clean things up heading into Tuesday's encounter with visiting South Carolina. Alabama's dismal showing from beyond the arc led to a 19-point loss to Georgia last time out, the Crimson Tide's third loss in the past four games.

Freshman phenom Collin Sexton scored 23 of Alabama's 46 points in the setback to the Bulldogs, as the Crimson Tide connected on just four of their 23 attempts from beyond the arc in their worst offensive showing of the season. "We just didn't make any backside 3s," coach Avery Johnson told reporters after the game. "Then there were times that we had backside 3s that we pump faked and drove when we were wide open." Up next: Alabama's only meeting of the season with a South Carolina team that opened SEC play with losses to Ole Miss and Missouri before defeating Vanderbilt 71-60. Chris Silva erupted for a collegiate-high 27 points and eight rebounds while Wesley Myers scored all 17 of his points after halftime.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (10-5, 1-2 SEC): The Gamecocks face long odds to return to the Final Four, thanks in large part to a sputtering offense that ranks 286th nationally in shooting percentage (42.2), 253rd in 3-point success rate (33.2 percent) and 296th in free-throw percentage (66.5). Silva's 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds pace the team, and he has connected on 13-of-21 shots over his previous two games. Frank Booker (10.9) is the only other South Carolina player averaging double figures in points and has a combined nine points on 1-of-9 shooting over his past two outings.

ABOUT ALABAMA (9-6, 1-2): Sexton has sufficiently recovered from a Texas-sized shooting slump in which he went just 7-for-24 against the Longhorns and Aggies after averaging 23.5 points on 56.7 percent shooting over his previous two games. But his long-range game has all but disappeared for the past month, with the Georgia native having connected on just 3-of-15 attempts over his past five contests. Second-year guard Dazon Ingram (11.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg) missed the loss to Georgia with the flu and is questionable for Tuesday's encounter with the Gamecocks.

TIP-INS

1. Alabama prevailed 90-86 in quadruple overtime in last year's only regular-season meeting.

2. Sexton has committed multiple turnovers in 10 of his last 11 games.

3. Silva averaged just 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in two encounters with the Crimson Tide last season.

PREDICTION: South Carolina 76, Alabama 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/08/2018

No 8 Texas Tech is off to a 3-0 start in Big 12 play for only the second time in school history and has yet to trail in conference action, quite an accomplishment when you consider two of the wins were over then-No. 18 Baylor (77-53) and at 13-time defending champion Kansas (85-73). But now the Red Raiders play two top-10 ranked teams in the span of five days this week beginning with a Tuesday night game at No. 9 Oklahoma.

The Sooners had a 10-game win streak snapped Saturday at current No. 2 West Virginia (89-76) which begins the week tied with Texas Tech for first place in the Big 12. The Mountaineers, who have won 14 in a row, will visit Lubbock on Saturday. Red Raiders coach Chris Beard, who was an assistant under Bobby Knight the last time Texas Tech started 3-0 in Big 12 play in 2003-04, knows his team will have to be at its best this week to build on its eight-game win streak. "These games are so hard to win," Beard said after his team's 74-58 victory over visiting Kansas State. "I don't think people understand how hard it is to win a game in the Big 12 Conference. There is great preparation, and you have to play well. ... We found a way to win out third Big 12 game. We are looking forward to the next one."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (14-1, 3-0 Big 12): The Red Raiders rank fourth nationally in scoring defense allowing 59.2 points per game and fifth in field goal percentage defense (37.3 percent) while also topping the Big 12 in rebound margin (plus-8.5) but will be put to the test by Oklahoma, which leads in the nation in scoring (94.4) and is led by dynamic freshman guard Trae Young. Tech also has some pretty talented guards led by senior Keenan Evans, who leads the team in scoring (17.2), assists (3.6) and steals (23). Zhaire Smith, a 6-5 freshman guard, is second in scoring (10.7) and has scored in double figures in 10 straight games while freshman guard Jarrett Culver also is averaging in double digits (10.3).

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (12-2, 2-1): The 6-2 Young, who is drawing comparisons to NBA star Stephen Curry, leads the nation in both scoring (29.4) and assists (10.2) by wide margins but is coming off what for him was a so-so game in the loss to the Mountaineers, finishing with 29 points on just 8-of-22 shooting and turning the ball over a season-high eight times while dishing off just five assists. The Sooners had 17 turnovers at West Virginia which finished with a 21-9 edge in points off turnovers and held the Sooners to 43.1 percent shooting. Junior guard Christian James (12.6 points) and 6-9 freshman forward Brady Manek (11.0) also are averaging in double figures while senior forward Khadeem Lattin leads the team in rebounding (7.7).

TIP-INS

1. Young already has had seven games with at least 25 points and 10 assists, the most for a player in a college career over the last 20 years.

2. Evans has scored 25 or more points in a game four times this season and 20 or more points in a game 14 times in his career.

3. Texas Tech has outrebounded all three Big 12 opponents by double figures.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 88, Texas Tech 82

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Boston College vs. North Carolina Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

No. 18 North Carolina hopes to avoid its first three-game losing streak in four years when vastly-improved Boston College pays a visit for an ACC matchup on Tuesday night. The Tar Heels, who are off to their worst league start (1-2) since going 0-3 in 2013-14, lost by one point at Florida State last Wednesday and shot just 29.6 percent from the field while turning the ball over 19 times in a 61-49 setback at Virginia on Saturday.

"We just need some more guys to give effort," North Carolina senior point guard Joel Berry II told the Raleigh News & Observer. "That's the biggest thing right now - Xs and Os, all that stuff, you can take care of that. Playing hard and giving intensity and knowing that each and every play is important, that's what we've got to get guys to understand." The Tar Heels will have to be alert against Boston College, which has wins against Duke and Wake Forest at home and lost at Virginia by just a single point. Junior guard Jerome Robinson leads a high-scoring trio in the backcourt for the Eagles - all logging at least 34 minutes per game - and is averaging 27.3 points with 11 makes from 3-point range over the last three contests. "We don't wear down - knock on wood," BC coach Jim Christian told reporters. "We rest. We don't really practice that long because these guys know what we're doing."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (11-5, 2-2 ACC): Robinson tops the team in scoring (18.5) and is draining 46.8 percent of his 3-point attempts while sophomore Ky Bowman (15.7) and junior Jordan Chatman (13.5) give the Eagles three major threats. Chatman hopes to rebound from a 2-for-10 shooting performance over the last two games and Bowman contributes 7.1 rebounds along with a team-high 5.0 assists. Freshman forward Steffon Mitchell scored 17 against Wake Forest - more than 10 above his average - and boasts a season-high four blocks in each of the last two contests.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (12-4, 1-2): Junior forward Luke Maye managed a season-low six points on 2-of-10 shooting at Virginia and relinquished the team scoring lead to Berry, dropping to 17.3 points along with a Tar Heel-best 10.4 rebounds. Berry averaged 20.7 points over the last six games to push his season mark to 17.9, but North Carolina started the week 178th in the nation in least turnovers per game (13.4). "It's lot of things," coach Roy Williams told reporters. "We've got to be stronger with the ball. ... You've got to get your brain and your heart both involved."

TIP-INS

1. The Tar Heels have won 10 straight meetings and the last time the Eagles won in Chapel Hill, N.C. was 2009.

2. North Carolina junior G Kenny Williams (12.7 points) has drained 34 from 3-point range - second on the team behind Berry (39).

3. Robinson, Bowman and Chatman have combined to shoot 40.2 percent from 3-point range, making 102 in all (6.4 per game).

PREDICTION: North Carolina 74, Boston College 66

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Syracuse vs. Virginia Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 01/09/2018

Virginia once again is among the top defensive teams in the country and may be coming off its top defensive effort of the season. After holding the defending national champions to 49 points, the third-ranked Cavaliers aim to suffocate visiting Syracuse on Tuesday.

North Carolina made only 16 baskets, compared to 19 turnovers, and had virtually no answers for the Cavaliers' defense, which is allowing 52.5 points per game, tops in the nation. "I told (Virginia coach Tony Bennett) that's about as good a defensive game as anybody has played against us, maybe ever, but definitely in a long time," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. Syracuse is coming off a two-point loss against Notre Dame, allowing a follow-up bucket with 2.6 seconds left to fall to 2-3 since opening the season with 11 wins in 12 games. "We've got to make a decision as a team," point guard Frank Howard said. "We got comfortable and you can just see that in our play. We're not going after the ball. We don't have that chip on our shoulder. We're going to lose if we play like that."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network

ABOUT SYRACUSE (12-4, 1-2 ACC): The Orange have not scored more than 68 points in any of their last five games, and only three players on the team scored more than four points against Notre Dame. Tyus Battle (21 points) led the way versus the Fighting Irish, while Howard and Oshae Brissett combined for 20 points on 7-of-24 shooting. Brissett's shooting percentage is down to 33.5 percent, although the freshman forward does have eight double-doubles on the season.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (14-1, 3-0): The Cavaliers are led by a trio of 3-point shooters - Kyle Guy, Devon Hall and Ty Jerome, all of whom shoot at least 44.1 percent from 3-point range. Guy, the team's top scorer at 14.9 points per game, had made multiple 3-pointers in seven straight games before going 1-of-6 from long range against North Carolina. Hall registered a team-high 16 points on 4-of-4 3-point shooting and had a season-high seven assists, while Jerome made a pair of 3s, giving him 16 over the last five games.

TIP-INS

1. Virginia F Isaiah Wilkins has 12 blocks over the last four games.

2. In last season's matchup, Syracuse overcame a 12-point deficit at halftime to upset Virginia, 66-62 at the Carrier Dome.

3. In the last 10 games, Battle has played 407 of a possible 410 minutes.

PREDICTION: Virginia 55, Syracuse 47