Wednesday 1-24-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats10:00 PM
The Minnesota Timberwolves propelled themselves into third place in the Western Conference with wins in seven of the last nine games, including a 126-118 triumph at the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday to kick off a three-game road trip. The Timberwolves will try to run their latest winning streak to three straight when they begin a tough back-to-back by visiting the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

Minnesota, which visits West-leading Golden State on Thursday, dropped four in a row on the road before going into Los Angeles on Monday and scoring at least 30 points in each quarter. The Timberwolves have won two in a row without leading scorer Jimmy Butler (21.4 points) by leaning on small forward Andrew Wiggins, who followed up a 29-point effort in a win over Toronto on Saturday by going off for 40 points against the Clippers. The Trail Blazers, who lost at Minnesota 120-103 on Jan. 14, will have to figure out how to guard an athletic wing like Wiggins after letting Denver's Jamal Murray go off for 38 points on 14-of-19 shooting in a 104-101 loss on Monday. "I'm frustrated that we didn't win," Portland point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. "But I understand that we didn't do the things down the stretch that would have allowed us to close the door."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS Northwest (Portland)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (31-18): Wiggins went 16-of-28 from the floor and added six rebounds Monday in his highest-scoring performance of the season. "It was amazing," Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters of Wiggins' performance. "I don't know if I put the voodoo on him, but I told him he was going to get 40 tonight. He made me look good. I'm happy for him. He was playing spirited basketball and playing at a high level all night. It just seemed like we were in Staples Center watching young Kobe play out there." Wiggins, who averages 18.2 points, had not even reached 30 points since going for 41 at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 9, 2017.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (25-22): Lillard was named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 29.3 points on 52.7 percent shooting in three wins last week and kept up the pace by scoring 25 on 10-of-18 at Denver. Lillard's backcourt mate, shooting guard CJ McCollum, is not quite as hot and slumped to 3-of-14 from the floor on Monday. The three made field goals marked McCollum's lowest total since he went 1-of-14 in a loss at Philadelphia on Nov. 22.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Butler and SG Jamal Crawford (toe) are both day-to-day.

2. Trail Blazers C Jusuf Nurkic recorded a double-double in two of his last three games and scored in double figures in each of the three contests.

3. Minnesota lost in both of its trips to Portland last season.

PREDICTION: Timberwolves 109, Trail Blazers 105

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Celtics vs. Clippers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats10:30 PM
The Boston Celtics have lost a season-worst four straight games and they look to break out of their sudden funk when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. Boston opened a four-game road excursion with Tuesday's 108-107 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, which followed up Sunday's stunning 103-95 home loss to the Orlando Magic, a squad now tied for the worst record in the NBA.

All-Star guard Kyrie Irving scored 33 points in Tuesday's loss but didn't receive a chance at a game-winning shot as teammate Marcus Smart grabbed a rebound with 5.7 seconds left and never gave up the ball before badly missing a 3-point attempt as time expired. "He felt like he had a good look, and we've got to live with the results after that," Irving said afterward. The Clippers have dropped their last two games after winning 12 of the previous 15 to salvage their season. Power forward Blake Griffin had 32 points, matched his season best of 12 rebounds and posted a season-high 12 assists during Monday's 126-118 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and is averaging 26.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists over the past four games.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Boston, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE CELTICS (34-14): Post player Al Horford is in the second season of a four-year, $113 million contract with the squad and accepted a complimentary role this season with Irving and injured small forward Gordon Hayward joining the mix. His teamwork and unselfishness were noted by NBA coaches, who voted Horford to a spot on the All-Star team when the reserves were announced Tuesday. "It makes me feel good because I feel like I've always taken a lot of pride in playing the right way and putting the team first always," said Horford, who has only eight 20-point outings this season. "The coaches have seen that and have rewarded me over the years. It's a big honor for me."

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (23-23): Shooting guard Lou Williams has kept Los Angeles in the playoff hunt with his stellar play that includes scoring 20 or more points in 15 of the past 16 games. But his solid campaign and career-best 23.3 scoring average didn't result in an All-Star spot and Williams simply tweeted "Lol" when the television show announcing the reserves concluded. The team's backcourt depth has been thin lately with Austin Rivers (heel) missing the last 12 games and coach Doc Rivers said his son will likely miss two more weeks.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Clippers have won six of the past eight overall meetings, as well as the last five played at the Staples Center.

2. Smart scored 22 points against the Lakers - one shy of his season best.

3. Los Angeles C DeAndre Jordan (ankle) is listed as doubtful and could miss his sixth straight contest.

PREDICTION: Clippers 112, Celtics 109

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Maple Leafs vs. Blackhawks Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
The Toronto Maple Leafs were unable to slow down the league's hottest club and now will try to post their first victory in Chicago in nearly 15 years. The slumping Maple Leafs, losers of eight of 11 (3-4-4) following Monday's 4-2 loss to Colorado, will look to rebound against the skidding Blackhawks, who are buried in last place in the Central Division.

Chicago started the calendar year by winning three of four and amassing 21 goals, but stumbled badly on its six-game homestand, scoring six times during the 1-4-0 swoon while getting blanked twice during the current three-game slide. "We've had games this year where we've played great against top-notch teams," star forward Patrick Kane told reporters. "So we know it's in here. We know we can be confident, given some of the games we've had in the past." Toronto has lost five of six (1-2-3) but, unlike the Blackhawks, has the luxury of playing in a weak division (Atlantic) and holds a double-digit point cushion for third place. The Maple Leafs halted a five-game losing streak in the series by rallying for a 4-3 overtime win Oct. 9, but have dropped seven in a row in Chicago and last won in the Windy City in February 2003.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet, TVA (Toronto)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (26-18-5): Coach Mike Babcock shuffled his lineup at Tuesday's practice, splitting up longtime linemates Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov, but said it was only for the next two away from home. "I'm looking to have more balance and more attack, especially on the road when I don't have last change," said Babcock, who dropped Komarov to the fourth line and replaced him with Mitch Marner on the second unit. Kasperi Kapanen was recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League and skated on Komarov's line.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (22-19-6): Chicago certainly wasn't lacking for chances in Monday's 2-0 loss to Eastern Conference-leading Tampa Bay, launching 40 shots on goal and failing on six power plays to fall to 0-for-16 with the extra skater on the homestand. "It has to be better, myself included. Myself especially," defenseman Duncan Keith, who along with captain Jonathan Toews did not practice Tuesday because of a maintenance day, told reporters. Toews scored at Toronto on Oct. 9 but has been held off the scoresheet in five straight.

OVERTIME

1. Toronto G Frederik Andersen is 2-2-3 with a 2.74 goals-against average versus Chicago.

2. Blackhawks F Patrick Kane has torched Toronto for 10 goals and 22 points in 14 games.

3. Maple Leafs D Morgan Rielly was placed on injured reserve and is out through the All-Star break.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Maple Leafs 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Kings vs. Flames Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Thanks to a string of success that dates back to the end of December, the Calgary Flames have moved past the Los Angeles Kings for third place in the Pacific Division. The Flames look to extend their point streak to 10 games and push three points ahead of the Kings when the rivals face off at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.

Calgary, which is wrapping up a three-game homestand, has gone 7-0-2 since being edged 2-1 at Anaheim on Dec. 29. It dropped 2-1 decisions in each of the first two contests in its own building, falling to Winnipeg in a shootout on Saturday to end its seven-game winning streak and to Buffalo in overtime two nights later. The Kings halted their six-game slide Sunday with a 4-2 home victory over the New York Rangers but went back to their losing ways Tuesday, beginning their four-game road trip with a 6-2 setback at Vancouver. Captain Anze Kopitar scored his team-leading 19th goal and added an assist in the loss for Los Angeles, which is 0-1-1 against Calgary this season.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), Sportsnet360 (Calgary)

ABOUT THE KINGS (25-18-5): Kopitar is two points shy of matching last season's total of 52 and one goal away from reaching 20 for the ninth time in his career. The 30-year-old Slovenian has landed on the scoresheet in eight of his last nine contests, registering two tallies and eight assists in that span. Defenseman Drew Doughty has notched three assists in his last two games but has not recorded a goal in nine contests, keeping him one shy of 100 for his career.

ABOUT THE FLAMES (25-16-6): Johnny Gaudreau notched an assist against the Sabres, giving him 14 points during the team's nine-game streak. The 24-year-old left wing, who leads Calgary with 55 points, has been kept off the scoresheet for more than two consecutive contests only once this season - a three-game stretch from Nov. 25-30. Matthew Tkachuk also has contributed offensively during the Flames' streak, registering six goals - including his career-high 14th of the season in the loss to Buffalo - and four assists.

OVERTIME

1. Flames C Sean Monahan has gone two games without a point following a six-game streak during which he collected four goals and six assists.

2. Kings D Jake Muzzin has registered a goal and five assists during his six-game point streak.

3. Calgary has gone 3-0-2 in its last five home games, including a 4-3 victory over Los Angeles on Jan. 4.

PREDICTION: Flames 4, Kings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Marquette vs. Xavier Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Marquette has given Xavier plenty of trouble over the past year-plus - and that's the last thing the No. 8 Musketeers need Wednesday night as they host the Golden Eagles. Xavier has reeled off three consecutive victories, and will need to keep the good times rolling as they look to move into the top five nationally.

It's conceivable Xavier could run the table heading into its pivotal Feb. 17 encounter with Villanova, but you won't catch the Musketeers looking ahead - not after squeaking past Marquette 91-87 in their previous meeting Dec. 27 and losing both head-to-head matchups last season. Xavier head coach Chris Mack is especially wary of the Marquette duo of Markus Howard and Andrew Rowsey, who combine to average better than 41 points per game and had 44 in the narrow loss last month. "I don't think of Rowsey and Howard as just shooters," Mack said. "Their percentages are eye-popping, but what they create for their teammates, how much attention is paid to them. They get to the lane. They can hit floaters. They're two of the better perimeter players that we'll face all year and that's a huge challenge for our team." The Golden Eagles are coming off their best defensive effort of the season in a 70-52 win over DePaul.

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

ABOUT MARQUETTE (13-6, 4-3 Big East): You can throw Sam Hauser and his 15.1 points per game into the mix for the Golden Eagles, who have one of the most formidable trios in Division I - and that's particularly true when it comes to free throws. All three are shooting better than 90 percent for the season, with Howard having converted all 57 of his attempts so far in 2017-18. Yet, while Marquette ranks inside the top 30 nationally in points per game (83.1), defense has been a major concern; despite limiting DePaul to less than 30 percent shooting in their one-sided victory, the Golden Eagles are surrendering a whopping 75.7 points per contest - good for 265th in Division I.

ABOUT XAVIER (18-3, 6-2): The Musketeers are led by Trevon Bluiett, who averages 19.1 points and is shooting a collegiate-best 42.5 percent from beyond the arc; he has made multiple 3-pointers in seven consecutive games since a dismal 1-for-8 showing against the Golden Eagles. J.P. Macura is next at 15.1 points and was the difference maker last time out against Seton Hall, erupting for a season-best 27 points despite being booed every time he touched the basketball. Xavier might not be able to match Marquette in free-throw accuracy, but it's elite when it comes to volume - only Arizona State (387) has made more free throws than the Musketeers (385), who also rank eighth in the country in attempts (499).

TIP-INS

1. Xavier averages 29.1 defensive rebounds per game, 11th-most in Division I.

2. Marquette shoots 40.6 percent from 3-point range as a team, the second-best rate in the Big East.

3. The Golden Eagles' two wins over the Musketeers last season came by a combined 33 points.

PREDICTION: Xavier 89, Marquette 84

[Can'tPickAWinner]

South Carolina vs. Florida Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Florida looks to preserve its spot atop the SEC standings when the 22nd-ranked Gators host South Carolina on Wednesday. The Gators have won their last four home games against the Gamecocks, but South Carolina has won three of the past four meetings overall, including a 77-70 victory to punch their ticket to last year's Final Four.


The Gators have recovered from an early-season tailspin in which they lost four of five to win eight of their last nine games. Florida held on for a 66-64 win at Kentucky on Saturday for its fourth win over a ranked opponent. The Gamecocks are coming off a roller coaster of a week in which they erased a 14-point deficit in the second half to upset Kentucky before going without a field goal for the final four minutes of a 70-63 loss to Tennessee. The Gators are the third of four consecutive ranked opponents for the Gamecocks.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network


ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (12-7, 3-4 SEC): The Gamecocks' offense goes through big man Chris Silva (14.5 points, 7.8 rebounds), who has upped his production to 17.4 points per game in SEC play. Graduate transfer Frank Booker (11.3 points) is the team's only other double-digit scorer, but fellow guard Wesley Myers has stepped up to average 10.9 points in league games. Freshman forward Justin Minaya broke out of his recent offensive slump with 16 points against the Volunteers for his first double-digit scoring game in SEC play.

ABOUT FLORIDA (14-5, 6-1): The Gators have proven they can win in different ways, scoring 80 or more points in half their SEC wins while also grinding out a victory in a defensive struggle at Kentucky. Reserve guard Jalen Hudson (16.5 points), who was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week after averaging 19 points in two games last week, leads four Gators who score in double digits. The Gators benefit from the veteran backcourt of Chris Chiozza (12.3 points, 6.1 assists) and KeVaughn Allen (11.3 points), but they're undersized - 6-5 swingman Egor Koulechov (14.4 points, 7.2 rebounds) is the team's leading rebounder.


TIP-INS

1. The Gators are 9-0 when shooting as well or better from the field than their opponent, which bodes well considering the Gamecocks' 40.6 percent from the field ranks 331st nationally.

2. South Carolina has forced 10 or more turnovers in 18 of its 19 games, while the Gators 188 turnovers (9.89 per game) are the fourth-fewest in the nation.

3. Florida backup C Gorjok Gak (2.9 points, 2.6 rebounds) has been out since taking an elbow to the face in the first half against Ole Miss on Jan. 13 but was cleared from concussion protocol Monday and will be available to play.


PREDICTION: Florida 73, South Carolina 69

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Rhode Island vs. Fordham Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Rhode Island, back in the national rankings for the first time in more than year at No. 23, will look to build on one of the longest winning streaks in team history as it visits Fordham on Wednesday in an Atlantic 10 Conference game. Behind another 20-point game from Jared Terrell, Rhode Island won at Dayton on Saturday for its 10th straight victory and will try to stop a two-game losing streak to Fordham.

Terrell produced his ninth 20-point game of the season and fourth in the last five games for Rhode Island, which last won 11 in-season games or more in a row in 1939-40, when it won 15 straight. "We know the position we're in," coach Dan Hurley told the media after the 88-74 victory over Dayton. "We know what our goals are. We're just really locked in on that next game." Fordham has dropped five straight and seven of its last eight, but it also had a losing record last season when it won a low-scoring affair against Rhode Island. Will Tavares, a Providence R.I., native, leads Fordham in scoring, but has hit double figures only once in his last four games after doing so in the first 14 contests.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT RHODE ISLAND (15-3, 7-0 A-10): Jarvis Garrett would prefer to be starting, which he did as a sophomore, but the senior has embraced playing an important role off the bench. The 6-0 guard from Milwaukee isn't called upon to score much as evidenced by the fact he has averaged 4.2 points in 20.5 minutes over the last 10 games, but the point guard provides a lift in terms of assists (26 during that span), rebounds (24) and steals (seven). "He's been key," Hurley told the media of Garrett, who averaged 12.5 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds as a sophomore. "If he would have gone sour coming off the bench that would have had a negative effect on the team."

ABOUT FORDHAM (6-13, 1-6): If Fordham is to have any chance at winning this game, it will need to do what it does best - force turnovers. Led by junior guard Joseph Chartouny from Canada, who ranks first in the nation in steals at 3.42 per game, Fordham is fifth nationally at nearly 10 thefts per contest, but will be going up against a team that doesn't turn it over much. Rhode Island commits only 11.1 turnovers per game - good for 21st in the nation - and have had only four games in which they registered more turnovers than assists.

TIP-INS

1. The 53-43 loss to Fordham last season was Rhode Island's last Atlantic 10 defeat.

2. Only No. 3 Purdue (15) and No. 18 St. Mary's (14) have longer active win streaks than the Rams, who have won those 10 games by an average of 14.1 points.

3. Of Rhode Island's three losses, two came without the services of senior E.C. Matthews, who stands in 10th place on the team's all-time scoring list with 1,686 points.

PREDICTION: Rhode Island 72, Fordham 60

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Georgia Tech vs. Florida State Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Florida State hosts Georgia Tech on Wednesday looking to build off Saturday's victory at Virginia Tech, a win in which M.J. Walker led the offense and Christ Koumadje found his scoring touch inside. Walker torched the Hokies for a career-high 24 points and Koumadje hit 5-of-6 shots from the field, helping the Seminoles shoot 53.4 percent from the field while earning just their second victory in the past five games.

"We needed this game, and we came in with the mindset to start from the jump," Walker, a freshman, told reporters after making four 3-pointers and finishing 8-of-13 from the field, as the Seminoles steadied themselves before key home games against Georgia Tech and Miami. The Yellow Jackets look to get back on track after being smothered by Virginia and outpaced by North Carolina in back-to-back losses last week. Josh Okogie rebounded from a rough showing against Virginia to score 18 points in Saturday's loss at North Carolina, but Georgia Tech again was undone with sloppy ballhandling (15 turnovers) and poor free-throw shooting (3-of-6). "The whole key is you've got to make free throws and don't turn the ball over," Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner told the media afterward.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, RSN

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (10-9, 3-3 ACC): Okogie shot 8-of-16 from the field against North Carolina and leads the Yellow Jackets in scoring at 17.8 points per game. Abdoulaye Gueye has started the past seven games, averaging 9.1 points and six rebounds in that stretch after finishing with 12 points against the Tar Heels. The Yellow Jackets are limiting opponents to 63.6 points per game - ranking 20th nationally - and had allowed 64 points or fewer in five consecutive games before yielding 80 points Saturday.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (14-5, 3-4): The Seminoles shot 58 percent from the field Saturday and finished 9-of-20 from 3-point range after hitting just 38 percent of their shots in the previous three games. Koumadje, who missed 11 games with a foot injury earlier in the season, is 19-of-27 from the field in his past four games while averaging 10.8 points in that stretch. Terance Mann leads Florida State in scoring (15.3 points per game) and rebounding (6.2), shooting 59.4 percent from the field.



TIP-INS

1. Georgia Tech C Ben Lammers blocked one shot Saturday, moving into fourth place on the school's all-time list (232).

2. Florida State is third in the ACC and 21st nationally in scoring offense at 84.5 points per game.

3. Ten of the past 18 games in the series have been decided by four points or fewer.

PREDICTION: Florida State 77, Georgia Tech 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nebraska vs. Rutgers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Nebraska looks to snap a three-game road losing streak when it faces Rutgers on Wednesday. The Cornhuskers fell short in their upset bid of 13th-ranked Ohio State as they faltered down the stretch of Monday's 64-59 setback to the Buckeyes, and strive to keep their faint NCAA Tournament hopes alive by avenging a disappointing 65-64 loss to the Scarlet Knights on Jan. 21.

"Your margin for error is so slim to beat a good team on the road," Nebraska coach Tim Miles told reporters. "You have to go out every night, give it heck and see what happens." Rutgers' charge towards its first postseason appearance since 2006 has lost steam after dropping three of its last four games. The Scarlet Knights suffered a 62-47 defeat to No. 25 Michigan on Sunday to finish with fewer than 50 points for the second time in three contests, and they hope to regroup by notching back-to-back conference home wins for the first time since January of their inaugural Big Ten season in 2014-15. "If you can't score, you can't win, especially on the road in this league against a ranked team," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell told reporters. "We weren't as sharp as we needed to be."

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

ABOUT NEBRASKA (14-8, 5-4 Big Ten): James Palmer Jr. was named the Co-Big Ten Player of the Week after averaging 21.5 points and 1.5 steals in the wins against Illinois (64-63) and Michigan (72-52). Palmer proceeded to drill five 3-pointers en route to a career-high 34 points against the Buckeyes as he set an individual record for most points by a player at Value City Arena. Isaac Copeland added eight points and seven rebounds while Glynn Watson Jr., who is averaging 11.2 points this season, was held to two points on 1-of-9 shooting from the field.

ABOUT RUTGERS (12-9, 2-6): Corey Sanders led the way with 12 points in the loss to Michigan to finish in double figures for the 60th time in his career and move into 26th place on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,152 points. Deshawn Freeman contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds to record his sixth double-double of the season and the 16th of his career. Geo Baker scored eight points after registering 17 points, five rebounds and five assists in his previous game as Rutgers was held to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor against the Wolverines.

TIP-INS

1. Nebraska is 1-6 on the road this season.

2. Rutgers is ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense (62.1).

3. The Cornhuskers have won five of the last six meetings with the Scarlet Knights.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 67, Rutgers 66

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Boston College vs. Syracuse Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Two teams needing a win to remain relevant in the ACC square off Wednesday when Boston College visits Syracuse. The Eagles are coming off a loss at Louisville, while the Orange snapped a four-game slide their last time out.

BC has lost 21 straight ACC road games and knows that it can't shoot 27.6 percent from 3-point range if it hopes to knock off Syracuse, which of course will line up in its patented 2-3 zone defense. "You can't win on the road and go 8-for-29 from 3 and commit 16 turnovers," Eagles coach Jim Christian said after the Louisville contest. "For us to win with our limited depth, we have to make shots, and we didn't make 3s today." Syracuse is a poor shooting team at 32 percent from 3-point range and missed 13 of its 18 attempts from the arc in Jan. 16th's 14-point win over Pittsburgh. "We really needed a win, we really needed to get it," guard Frank Howard said. "We're going to ride the ups and downs and fight through adversity. I think we're going to be locked in now. We don't want to panic and want to keep confident."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE (13-7, 3-4 ACC): The Eagles received 67 of their 69 points from the starting lineup against Louisville with only one reserve - Vin Baker Jr. - even attempting a shot. Jerome Robinson averages a team-high 18.2 points and has made at least half of his shots in three straight games. Ky Bowman averages 16.4 points but is aiming to bounce back from two dreadful games during which he has shot 11-of-39 with 13 turnovers.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (13-6, 2-4): The Orange have three primary scorers - Tyus Battle (19.8 points), Howard (15.6) and Oshae Brissett (14.9), who are the only players on the squad averaging more than 6.1 points per outing. Battle poured in a career-high 37 in a double-overtime loss to Florida State on Jan. 13 but dipped back to 15 points against Pitt while failing to attempt a foul shot for the second time in three games. Howard totaled 18 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists against the Panthers and is 16-of-17 from the foul line over the last six games.

TIP-INS

1. BC went 2-16 in ACC play last season, but one of those wins was a 15-point victory over Syracuse.

2. Brissett has scored at least 10 points in every game except one this season.

3. Battle has not sat out more than three minutes in any game since the day before Thanksgiving.

PREDICTION: Boston College 66, Syracuse 62

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Louisville vs. Miami Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Louisville continues to make its case for a spot in the polls with fourth straight victories to move into second place in the ACC behind Virginia. The Cardinals look to follow up Sunday's 77-69 over Boston College when they head south to face a Miami team that has been up and down since conference play began, but the 24th-ranked Hurricanes put an end to their two-game skid Sunday with a strong 86-81 road victory over North Carolina State.

The Hurricanes were efficient in the victory over the Wolfpack, shooting a blistering 57.6 percent, including 10-of-19 (52.6 percent) from 3-point range, while recording a season-high 26 assists on 34 field goals - their most ever in an ACC game and their most in any game since Nov. 16, 2009 - but those numbers will be difficult to match against Louisville. Under interim coach David Padgett, the Cardinals are playing with great intensity on defense, forcing turnovers and contesting shooters on the perimeter, limiting them to just 29.6 percent on their 3-point shots. "We got to focus on being a good defensive team," Padgett told reporters following the Boston College win. "Our offense will be fine. We'll have games where we can't shoot the ball well and that's just where we got to rely on defense and our guys have just been working extremely hard in practice every day and we're playing well because of it." The Hurricanes are likewise making a living out of strong defensive play, but while they are allowing just 63.1 points per game and have held nine opponents below 60 points, their last two foes have surpassed 80.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (15-4, 5-1 ACC): Deng Adel, the team's leading scorer at 15.8 points per game, had a quiet first half in the win over Boston College but he roared back in the final 20 minutes with all his points (18) and rebounds (10) to finish with his third double-double in the last five games. Center Anas Mahmoud and forward Ray Spalding make up a dominant duo up front, with Mahmoud swatting down 3.53 shots per game to rank as the nation's fourth-best shot blocker - Louisville is second in the nation with 7.3 blocks per game - while Spalding is nearly averaging a double-double with 11.4 points and a team-high 9.3 rebounds per game. The Cardinals recorded 10 steals against Boston College and the team is now 7-0 when it amasses double-digit steals.

ABOUT MIAMI (14-4, 3-3): Center Dewan Huell is one of just two Hurricanes averaging in double figures for the year (13.6) but he was held to eight points on 4-of-9 shooting in the win over N.C. State, just the fourth time this season he failed to reach double digits. Sophomore guard Bruce Brown Jr. (11.5 ppg) stepped up with a near-perfect shooting performance, hitting 7-of-8 shots from the field (3 of 3 from downtown) and finished with team-bests in points (19) and assists (nine), while Ebuka Izundu was 7-for-7 from the field and scored a season-high 15 points, his third double-digit outing of the year. Opponents are shooting just 39.1 percent from the floor against the Hurricanes and 30.4 from 3-point range, both ranked in the nation's top 20, but Miami couldn't slow N.C. State's shooters, who hit 54.4 percent of their shots from the field, second highest by a Canes' opponent this year (55.4 by Duke).

TIP-INS

1. Louisville has won 10 of the 13 meetings between the teams, including a 3-1 edge since joining the ACC, but all three Miami wins have come at home.

2. The Cardinals have the fifth-most ACC road wins in their four years in the conference (16).

3. With its win over N.C. State, Miami is now 10-0 when leading at the half.

PREDICTION: Louisville 78, Miami 76

[Can'tPickAWinner]

DePaul vs. Georgetown Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Jamorko Pickett and Jahvon Blair will try to come through for a second straight game when Georgetown hosts DePaul on Wednesday in a Big East game. The freshmen duo combined for 31 points Saturday in a double overtime win over St. John's and will try to lead the Hoyas to a season sweep of the Blue Demons.

"They finally showed that they're not freshmen anymore," coach Patrick Ewing told the media of Pickett and Blair. "They still made some mistakes, but for the most part they did a lot of things for us - rebound, make shots and played great defense." Pickett, a 6-7 forward who also posted nine rebounds and four assists, hadn't scored in double figures since the final non-conference game, and Blair, a 6-3 guard, had alternated between good and bad games for the Hoyas. Each made a career-high four 3-pointers as the Hoyas matched their season-high with 11 treys, which helped to overcome 36.2 percent shooting from inside the arc. Max Strus rebounded from a couple off shooting nights to score 27 points against Butler, but it wasn't enough to keep the Blue Demons from losing their third straight game and sixth of their last seven contests.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT DEPAUL (8-11, 1-6 Big East): Even at full strength, the Blue Demons have a tough time winning in the Big East, but they were missing one of their key components in Saturday's loss to Butler. Marin Maric, a senior who averaged 15.3 points and 7.6 rebounds in the past seven games, missed the game because of an unspecified injury and his status is questionable for this game. Peter Ryckbosch and Paul Reed shared the forward spot in his absence, combining for nine points and 13 rebounds, but both were limited because of foul trouble.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (13-6, 3-5): No player was more important to the win over St. John's than Marcus Derrickson, who put up a career-high 27 points and made some key shots during both overtimes. The junior hit three free throws and a 3-pointer to send the game to a second overtime, where his two free throws accounted for the winning points. "We were using the Syracuse and Butler games as motivation," Derrickson told the media about a pair of games in which the Hoyas blew late leads. "We didn't want to have outcomes like those again."

TIP-INS

1. Georgetown's Jessie Govan has gone three straight games without recording a double-double, the longest streak of the season for the junior center.

2. The Hoyas, who lead the series 30-8, had won six straight and 20 out of 21 games against the Blue Demons prior to losing at home in the second meeting last season.

3. With five 3-pointers against Butler, Strus has made 55 on the season, good for 15th on DePaul's single-season list.

PREDICTION: Georgetown 78, DePaul 68

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Stanford vs. USC Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
After sweeping the Oregon schools on the road last week, USC brings a four-game winning streak into Wednesday night's Pac-12 second-place showdown with Stanford. That streak, tied for the longest of the season for the Trojans, would be seven games if not for a stunning 77-76 loss to the Cardinal in the first meeting of the season.

USC appeared to have won that Jan. 7 meeting at Maples Pavilion when point guard Jordan McLaughlin made an acrobatic shot under the basket to give the Trojans a 76-74 lead with 1.7 seconds left. But Stanford guard Daejon Davis then took the inbound pass, dribbled twice and let fly with a 50-footer which went in at the buzzer for the game-winning 3-pointer. That shot is the difference between the Trojans going into Wednesday night's game with a 7-1 conference record and a half-game lead over Arizona (6-1) and a 6-2 record and a half-game lead over the Cardinal for second place. "Never lost like that before," USC coach Andy Enfield told reporters. "We made one with 1.7 left and they made one with no time left and it was just an unbelievable shot. Tough way to lose a basketball game."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT STANFORD (11-9, 5-2 Pac-12): The Cardinal are coming off a 73-71 home loss to Arizona on Saturday afternoon as the No. 12 Wildcats rallied from a 11-point deficit midway through the second half to snap Stanford's five-game winning streak, the school's longest in conference play since the 2007-08 season. "I don't know if there is a bigger takeaway but I am proud of the guys," Stanford coach Jerod Haase told reporters. "There were a lot of positives that we'll take away. Obviously there are a lot of things we can learn from as well but at the end if the day I think we competed at a high level." Junior forward Reid Travis leads the team in scoring (20.0) while senior swingman Dorian Pickens (13.1), senior forward Michael Humphrey (11.3) and freshman forward Kezie Okpala (10.8) also average in double figures with Davis (9.9) just narrowly missing.

ABOUT USC (15-6, 6-2): The Trojans completed a road sweep of the Oregon schools for the first time since 2008 and come in off a 74-67 win at Oregon State on Saturday, using an 18-0 run midway through the second half to build a 65-54 lead and the Beavers never got closer than six points the rest of the way. Freshman swingman Jordan Usher, who is averaging 4.1 points for the season but has connected on 13-of-26 3-pointers, led the spurt with 14 points, including 4-of-4 3-pointers, while senior guard Elijah Stewart finished with a team-high 18 points and was 4-of-8 behind the arc. The Trojans are led by a pair of athletic junior forwards in 6-foot-11 Chimezie Metu, a potential NBA lottery pick who leads the team in scoring (16.1), rebounding (7.1) and blocks (1.8), and 6-foot-10 Bennie Boatwright (15.1 points, 6.7 rebounds), while senior point guard Jordan McLaughlin (13.0) and Stewart (10.9) also average in double digits.

TIP-INS

1. McLaughlin leads the Pac-12 and ranks fifth nationally in assists (7.5), and is also shooting 44.6 percent from 3-point range.

2. Metu has 55 dunks in 21 games which is five more than USC's opponents (50) have combined. The Trojans as a team have 97 dunks.

3. Travis leads the conference and ranks 11th nationally in free throws attempted (156) but has made only 103 for 66 percent.

PREDICTION: USC 85, Stanford 79

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Temple vs. Cincinnati Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
It has been well over two years since Cincinnati has lost in its own building - and the No. 8 Bearcats would love nothing more than to extend that run of dominance against the last team to hand them a home loss. Cincinnati looks to extend its home winning streak to 37 games Wednesday night as it hosts rival Temple.

The Bearcats built upon the longest active home winning streak in the country with an emphatic 86-60 triumph over East Carolina, and look very much like a team that isn't ready to see that run come to an end. It hasn't even mattered that Cincinnati has had to play its home games at Northern Kentucky University's BB&T Arena while Fifth Third Arena undergoes extensive renovations; the Bearcats have won all 10 games played there so far this season, and have won their first three American Athletic Conference home games by an average of 26.7 points. They'll look to continue that red-hot run against an Owls team that has won two straight games, and nearly pulled off an upset in a 55-53 loss to Cincinnati back on Jan. 4. But it could be tough to duplicate that effort in hostile territory against a Bearcats unit that boasts one of the top defenses in the country.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network

ABOUT TEMPLE (10-9, 2-5 American): The Owls rank outside the top-300 nationally in scoring average at 67.9 points per game, and that could be a major problem with two of their next three games coming against the No. 2 scoring defense in Cincinnati and a borderline top-25 offense in Wichita State. Look for Quinton Rose to take on the majority of the scoring burden over that stretch; the sophomore guard leads Temple at 14.4 points per contest but has been held to single digits in four of his last six games, shooting a dismal 7-for-35 from the field in those outings. Backcourt mate Shizz Alston Jr. is second on the team in scoring at 13.3 points and has been nearly automatic at the line, going 36-for-39 on the season.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (17-2, 6-0): Standout forward Gary Clark shared AAC player-of-the-week honors with SMU guard Shake Milton after putting together his best two-game stretch of the season, averaging 15.5 points and 14.5 rebounds to run his conference marks to 13.7 points and 10.2 boards. Jacob Evans is the team scoring leader at 13.9 points, and has reached double figures in 14 of his last 15 games; his shot with 0.4 seconds left was the difference in the Bearcats' earlier win over the Owls. Evans and Clark have also shown great versatility so far this season, combining to average 5.4 assists, 2.8 steals and 2.6 blocked shots while shooting 78.7 percent from the free-throw line.

TIP-INS

1. Temple shot just 27 percent in the second half of the loss to Cincinnati.

2. The Bearcats' plus-20.4 average scoring margin ranks third in the country.

3. The Owls have connected on 186 free throws; only six teams have made fewer.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 64, Temple 52

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Auburn vs. Missouri Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Missouri aims to upset a ranked opponent for the second straight week when the Tigers host No. 19 Auburn on Wednesday. Auburn is looking for its third road win in SEC play and trying to keep pace with Florida atop the SEC standings.


Auburn had its 14-game win streak snapped with a 76-71 loss at Alabama last Wednesday but rebounded for a 79-65 home win over Georgia on Saturday. Missouri has dropped two of its last three, including a 60-49 loss at Texas A&M on Saturday. Missouri's only home loss was a 77-75 loss to Florida that was decided at the buzzer, so Auburn would like to hold serve by matching the Gators' road win. "It's a huge opportunity for us," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told reporters. "I think it's one of those games that's (important) if we're going to remain in the hunt for the conference title. ... It's one very few people are going to get."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network


ABOUT AUBURN (17-2, 5-1 SEC): Auburn likes to push the pace with its trio of talented guards - Bryce Brown (16.4 points), Mustapha Heron (15 points, 5.1 rebounds) and Jared Harper (12.5 points, 5.2 assists). Getting out in transition likely will be key against Missouri's height advantage, as Auburn doesn't start anyone taller than 6-7 and 6-3 forward Desean Murray (10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds) is the team's top rebounder. Despite the undersized frontcourt, Auburn has outrebounded 14 of its 19 opponents.

ABOUT MISSOURI (13-6, 3-3): Missouri has been balanced at the offensive end, as only two players - graduate transfer guard Kassius Robertson (15.2 points) and forward Jordan Barnett (14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds) - average double-digit scoring. The Tigers have great frontcourt depth with freshmen Jeremiah Tilmon (8.7 points) and Jontay Porter (8.2 points, 6.7 rebounds) making an impact at both ends of the floor. Their emergence has pushed Kevin Puryear (9.4 points) to a reserve role, but he could be a major factor having averaged 16.8 points and 8.9 rebounds in four meetings with Auburn.


TIP-INS

1. Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin's next victory will be his 200th as a head coach.

2. If Auburn makes eight 3-pointers, it will mark the most the Tigers have made through 20 games of a season, surpassing the mark of 188 in 2015-16.

3. Missouri has held nine straight opponents under their season scoring average and has kept its six SEC opponents an average of 14.8 points below their season averages.


PREDICTION: Auburn 75, Missouri 72