Wednesday 3-7-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Chicago Bulls Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Chicago Bulls dropped six of their last seven games and are one of several teams in a race to the bottom in the Eastern Conference, but they are no match for the Memphis Grizzlies when it comes to losing. The Grizzlies will be trying to snap a 14-game skid when they visit the Bulls on Wednesday.

Memphis is getting more competitive recently and suffered the last four losses by single digits, including a 100-98 setback at the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. "We go out there and play hard, and to not be able to close out games like this is definitely challenging for us," forward Jarell Martin told the team's website. "But we've got to keep our focus, go into practice and keep getting better and better. I feel it (the pressure of the losing streak), and I definitely want to break it. No one should like losing, so I definitely feel that we all should come out with that eager mindset and try to get us a victory." The Bulls had a chance for rare back-to-back wins on Monday but instead fell 105-89 at home to the Boston Celtics. "Things got tough and we just shut down and we quit playing," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. "Our offense was brutal, absolutely brutal. We got stagnant, we quit moving, and again, when things got tough and they got into us, we just kind of gave in and said, 'OK, this is too hard for us tonight.' As opposed to getting tough and getting them off you and making plays and getting into the paint. Very disappointing."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (18-45): Memphis owns the worst record in the NBA and is spending the rest of the season on player development, a plan to which even the veterans seem to be buying in. "Right now, winning cannot be the only goal -- it's got to be a consequence," center Marc Gasol told reporters. "It's about how can we find enough things that happen as a consequence that also results in a win? The losing streak cannot be an excuse for you not to do your job. Worrying about that will only bring more frustrations. You want to do all the right things and may the chips fall where they may. That's where we're at." Gasol scored a team-high 23 points and added 10 rebounds in Monday's setback.

ABOUT THE BULLS (21-42): Chicago was down 86-53 at the end of the third quarter and never challenged Boston while shooting 39.5 percent from the floor. "Terrible all around," Bulls guard Zach LaVine told reporters. "There's no excuse for what we did out there. It's on all of us. It starts with me and goes down the line; this was terrible. We've got to be better, we have to be able to fight. We'll pick it up next game, have a hard practice tomorrow and this won't happen again." LaVine went 1-of-11 from the floor in the loss and is shooting 38.9 percent in 19 games since returning from knee surgery.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Grizzlies SG Xavier Rathan-Mayes made his NBA debut on Monday after being signed to a 10-day contract and scored eight points in 26 minutes off the bench.

2. Bulls SF Denzel Valentine matched a season-high with 20 points on Monday.

3. The road team took each of the two meetings last season, with Memphis earning a 98-91 victory at Chicago on March 15.

PREDICTION: Bulls 106, Grizzlies 103

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

7th March 2018 by Gracenote
The New Orleans Pelicans attempt to equal their longest winning streak in seven years when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. The red-hot Pelicans rode All-Star power forward Anthony Davis to their ninth consecutive victory Tuesday to move within one of the 10-game run by the 2010-11 club that was led by Chris Paul.

Davis recorded 41 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots as the Pelicans posted a 121-116 road victory Tuesday and he scored 31 of those points in the second half after leaving briefly in the second quarter after taking a blow to the ribs. "It was sore," Davis said in a postgame television interview. "I got hit in the ribs but knowing the position we're in, I just wanted to get back out there and do what I can to help the team." Davis is averaging 34.5 points over the past 13 games while scoring 40 or more on six occasions and falling two points short two other times. Sacramento has won two of its last three games and hasn't played since Sunday, when it defeated the New York Knicks 102-99.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS New Orleans, NBCS California (Sacramento)

ABOUT THE PELICANS (37-26): Guard Jrue Holiday fell one point shy of his ninth straight 20-point effort but contributed a career-best 17 assists against the Clippers and made a key late-game steal on guard Lou Williams. "He really gets locked in, especially the last three, four minutes of the game when it really counts," New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said afterward of Holiday. "I thought he did a great job on Lou Williams and some of the tough shots that he makes." Holiday is averaging 25.1 points and 8.6 assists during the winning streak and has picked up some of the scoring slack after All-Star DeMarcus Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.

ABOUT THE KINGS (20-44): Second-year forward Skal Labissiere (right knee) is listed as questionable after being the hero for the first time in his NBA career during the victory over the Knicks. The 21-year-old ad-libbed on a play designed for Bogdan Bogdanovic or De'Aaron Fox to take the clutch shot but instead of passing the ball, he looked toward the basket and drained a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds for the first game-winning basket of his NBA career. "Just play with confidence," Labissiere told reporters when pressed about his audible. "When I'm hesitant the game becomes harder, so I just try to not even think about that. ... What happens, happens."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Kings are 2-1 against the Pelicans this season and have won four of the past six meetings.

2. New Orleans PG Rajon Rondo is averaging 11 assists over the past five games.

3. Sacramento C Willie Cauley-Stein (back) will miss his third straight game.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 110, Kings 106

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Denver Nuggets Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

7th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Denver Nuggets attempt to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in five days when the teams square off on Wednesday in the Mile High City. The Nuggets clicked offensively and were a stellar 19-of-35 from 3-point range while producing a 126-117 triumph on Saturday in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers, who are in third place in the Eastern Conference, rolled to a 112-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday after losing their previous two contests. Cleveland stands just a half-game ahead of the fourth-place Indiana Pacers as it embarks on a six-game road trip through the West. Denver is fighting for a playoff spot in the tightly packed Western Conference and suffered a hit with Tuesday's 118-107 road setback against the struggling Dallas Mavericks. "Very disappointing effort overall, very disappointing defensive effort," Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters afterward. "We got to go home and regroup and try to get one (Wednesday) night."

Video: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons 1st Half Highlights / March 5 / 2017-18 NBA Season



TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Ohio (Cleveland), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (37-26): Newcomer Larry Nance Jr. is averaging 14.8 points and 10 rebounds over the past four games and coach Tyronn Lue has anointed him as the starting center for at least two weeks with Tristan Thompson out with an ankle injury. Nance established career bests of 22 points and 15 rebounds in the victory over the Pistons and is thriving with the Cavaliers - the organization his father recorded 149 20-point outings for - since being acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers. "To be honest, playing here, I have quite a bit of confidence," Nance told reporters. "Whether it's the coaching staff or the guys, they have confidence in me. Therefore I have confidence in myself. The numbers, the night individually that I had, is all secondary to the win."

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (35-29): Shooting guard Gary Harris made six 3-pointers and scored 32 in the win over Cleveland but he struggled mightily against Dallas with just 11 points. Harris averaged 27 points and was 11-of-21 from 3-point range over the previous three games and had scored 23 or more points in five of the previous six games before a 5-of-13 shooting effort against the Mavericks. Backcourt mate Jamal Murray also struggled against Dallas with just six points on 2-of-8 shooting and he has failed to reach double digits in two of the past three games after scoring 17 or more in five of the previous six games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nuggets swingman Will Barton contributed 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Saturday's victory over the Cavaliers.

2. Denver C Nikola Jokic averaged just 7.3 points on 7-of-22 shooting during the team's three-game road swing and was benched for the fourth quarter of Tuesday's loss.

3. Cleveland F Jeff Green (back) is expected to miss his third straight game and fourth in the last five.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 115, Nuggets 113

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Orlando Magic vs. Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Los Angeles Lakers hit a bit of a snag on their way to a sixth consecutive win on Monday, falling off in the fourth quarter of a 108-103 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers will try to put the sting of that defeat behind them and continue their strong play since the All-Star break when they host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Los Angeles held an 11-point lead with under six minutes remaining on Monday before Portland All-Star Damian Lillard got hot. "This is a tough one because we had the win," Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas told reporters. "I feel like we played a pretty solid game to secure the win, we just didn't execute and didn't get stops down the stretch. Once tomorrow comes you gotta have a short memory, good or bad." The Magic had a modest two-game winning streak come to an end in a 94-80 loss at Utah on Monday to begin a five-game road trip and are locked in a battle to avoid the basement in the Eastern Conference. "I mean, in our position, every night is tough," Orlando swingman Evan Fournier told the team's website. "It's not like we're an elite team, so we have to compete every night and play hard every night. We're on the road for a long time and that's going to make it harder, but every game will be hard."

Video: Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers Full Game Highlights / March 5 / 2017-18 NBA Season



TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE MAGIC (20-44): Orlando is trying to develop young players down the stretch and is happy to have rookie Jonathan Isaac, who missed nine weeks with an ankle injury. Isaac went scoreless in each of the last two games but is impressing on defense. "He's legit on the defensive end," Magic coach Frank Vogel told reporters of Isaac. "We put him in there (in the second-half starting lineup) because (Jazz forward) Joe Ingles had 16 points and seven assists and was killing us in the first half. We put (Isaac) in there on him and he just slowed him down. It's a heck of a weapon. He's so young, and the future is just bright for him."

ABOUT THE LAKERS (28-35): A big piece of Los Angeles' success of late has been small forward Brandon Ingram, who missed the last two games and is not expected to play on Wednesday due to a groin injury. The 20-year-old took on a leadership role in the offense when point guard Lonzo Ball was injured prior to the All-Star break and averaged 18.9 points on 56.7 percent shooting, including 52 percent from 3-point range, and 5.1 assists over a 10-game span from Feb. 4 until suffering the injury on March 1. Rookie Kyle Kuzma started in Ingram's spot on Monday and contributed 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Magic G D.J. Augustin is 22-of-37 from 3-point range over the last eight games.

2. Lakers PF Channing Frye (appendectomy) returned to non-contact practice but is still without a timetable for a return.

3. The home team took each of the last nine meetings, with Orlando grabbing a 127-105 win on Jan. 31.

PREDICTION: Lakers 122, Magic 109

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Calgary Flames vs. Buffalo Sabres Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Calgary Flames have remained in the postseason chase mainly on the strength of their superb play away from home, but that success has diminished over the past two weeks and so has the team's playoff chances. Calgary looks to end a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) when it resumes a three-game road trip at the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

The Flames erased an early two-goal deficit before falling in overtime at two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh on Monday, but coach Glen Gulutzan called the performance -- and salvaging one point -- a "building block." Calgary has dropped three straight away from home to tumble into fifth place in the Pacific Division and 11th in the Western Conference with 15 games remaining. The Sabres are mired in last place in the East but have won three of their last four, knocking off the top three teams in the Atlantic Division in that span. "It's tough for us to go through this last little bit, but we're trying to build something," Buffalo forward Sam Reinhart said. "We're trying to improve and keep this consistent play going."

Video: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Buffalo Sabres – Mar. 05, 2018 | Game Highlights | NHL 2017/18



TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Calgary), MSG-Buffalo

ABOUT THE FLAMES (32-25-10): Calgary has dropped nine of 11 since an injury to starting netminder Mike Smith, who was on the ice for the first time Tuesday since he was hurt. Smith was unable to provide his timetable to return to the lineup and will remain a spectator as the Flames go with the rookie tandem of David Rittich and Jon Gillies. "Listen, I'm the first one to tell you I want to be back in there tomorrow," Smith said. "But I think I need some time to get with the team, practicing, up to speed here. I'll know when the time is right."

ABOUT THE SABRES (21-34-11): Reinhart was one of four Buffalo players with a goal and an assist in Monday's 5-3 over Toronto as he continued his second-half revival. Since returning from the team's bye week in mid-January, Reinhart has amassed 23 points in 22 games after collecting 13 through the first 44 contests. "I'm just moving my feet, holding onto the puck," Reinhart said. "Just playing naturally. I think I use my knowledge of the game to my advantage but when I overthink things, it doesn't go too well for me or doesn't go as well for me."

OVERTIME

1. Calgary is 0-for-16 on the power play during the four-game skid.

2. Sabres C Kyle Criscuolo (upper body) will miss four to six weeks after he was hurt in Monday's game.

3. The Flames have lost 15 of their last 22 games (7-9-6), including a 2-1 home loss to Buffalo on Jan. 22.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Flames 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers have enjoyed spirited surges as they climbed their way up the Metropolitan Division standings before a three-game skid halted the latter's progress. The Keystone State rivals look to improve their standing at the other's expense on Wednesday when they meet at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Evgeni Malkin, who leads the Penguins with 37 goals and 82 points, scored a goal and set up two others on Monday as Pittsburgh skated to its eighth win in 11 outings with a 4-3 overtime triumph versus Calgary. The 2012 Hart Trophy recipient has recorded 43 points (22 goals, 21 assists) in his last 24 games to remain hot on the heels of Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov for the scoring lead. The Penguins' torrid stretch has them one point ahead of Philadelphia, which has answered a 10-0-1 run to end February by being outscored 14-8 en route to posting an 0-2-1 mark in March. "It's a big challenge and big games for us this week. We have to regroup and get back to work," said goaltender Petr Mrazek, who has been gashed by Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida after highlighting a superb three-game win streak with a 1-0 victory in Montreal on Feb. 26.

Video: Calgary Flames vs Pittsburgh Penguins – Mar. 05, 2018 | Game Highlights | NHL 2017/18.



TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TVAS

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (38-25-4): Sidney Crosby is aiming to rough up the Flyers in his 850th career game on Wednesday, as Pittsburgh's superstar captain has tormented Philadelphia to the tune of 88 points (37 goals, 51 assists) in 61 outings. The two-time Hart Trophy recipient padded those numbers by setting up two goals before scoring 1:48 into overtime of a 5-4 triumph on Nov. 27 and adding an assist in Pittsburgh's 5-1 romp on Jan. 2. Phil Kessel, who is slated to play in his 900th career contest on Wednesday, has notched two assists in back-to-back outings while extending his multi-point streak to three games.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (34-21-11): Rugged forward Wayne Simmonds is expected to provide some physicality to the lineup on Wednesday after being sidelined since Feb. 18 with an upper-body injury. "I feel pretty good. I'm looking to come into the lineup tomorrow and make an impact," the 29-year-old Simmonds said. "I feel good, skating and everything out there - shooting, passing and everything like that." Simmonds practiced on a line with Jordan Weal and Valtteri Filppula on Tuesday while Oskar Lindblom, who was called up from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League in place of Simmonds, was paired with fellow rookie Nolan Patrick and Jake Voracek (club-best 57 assists).

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux (team-best 78 points) has recorded at least a point in seven of the last eight games, during which he has four goals and eight assists.

2. Penguins C Jake Guentzel, who tallied twice in the first encounter against the Flyers, has been held off the scoresheet in three straight games after collecting eight points (two goals, six assists) in his previous four.

3. Philadelphia C Travis Konecny has scored twice in three outings this month and also tallied in the November meeting versus Pittsburgh.

PREDICTION: Penguins 5, Flyers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Arizona Coyotes vs. Vancouver Canucks Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
It's been another dud of a season for the Vancouver Canucks, who are on course for a third consecutive next-to-last finish in the Western Conference. The brightest part of the team's future, rookie Brock Boeser, won't be on display Wednesday -- and perhaps the rest of the season -- when the Canucks host the last-place Arizona Coyotes.

Boeser was injured when he tumbled into the open gate of Vancouver's bench on Monday night and suffered a non-structural, non-displaced fracture of the transverse process in his lower back that will sideline him for four to six weeks. "It's unfortunate, for sure," coach Travis Green said of Boeser, who leads the team in goals (29) and points (55). "Brock has had a great rookie season and the good news is he'll have a full recovery." Arizona is playing some of its best hockey of the season, earning points in 10 of 12 games (8-2-2) following Monday's 4-3 overtime loss at Edmonton. The Coyotes dropped a 3-1 decision at home to the Canucks on Feb. 25, but will get three more cracks at Vancouver, including a matchup in Arizona on Sunday night.

Video: New York Islanders vs Vancouver Canucks – Mar. 05, 2018 | Game Highlights | NHL 2017/18



TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, Sportsnet1, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (20-34-11): Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, who ended a drought of nearly 14 months with the tying goal late in the third period, likes what he's seen out of the team over the past month. "We've got a totally different confidence and just a different feeling in the group," Hjalmarsson said. "We've been playing great and taking a lot of points. We're just going to try to keep going here." The Coyotes are struggling on the power play, converting on 2 of 27 chances over the past eight games, including 1-for-6 against Vancouver

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (25-32-9): Boeser, who turned 21 when the teams met last month, had four goals in nine games in a late-season promotion last season and the former first-round pick continued to be a dynamic presence in 2017-18. "We're going to miss him on the power play and the respect he gets from other teams," forward Daniel Sedin said. "That's a guy, I think why fans in this city should be excited because you can see he is the real deal and we've seen it all year." The Canucks have had 11 players miss at least 10 straight games due to injury.

OVERTIME

1. Canucks F Brendan Leipsic, acquired from Vegas at the trade deadline, has two goals and five points in three games.

2. Arizona recalled G Adin Hill on an emergency basis from Tucson of the American Hockey League.

3. Canucks F Bo Horvat has six goals and 11 points in his last 11 games.

PREDICTION: Canucks 3, Coyotes 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Louisville Cardinals vs. Florida State Seminoles Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
Despite staggering to the regular-season finish line, ninth-seeded Louisville and eighth-seeded Florida State earned byes into the second round of the ACC Tournament, where they will meet Wednesday afternoon at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The teams split the season series this year, with each pulling out victories on the road, and the winner advances to the quarterfinals to face top-seeded Virginia on Thursday.

No doubt, the Cardinals and Seminoles had hoped to be on top of their games heading into the postseason, but Louisville has lost two straight and four of the last five, including a 76-69 loss to North Carolina State to end the regular season, while Florida State has lost two of the last three, although it did finish out the season with an 86-75 win over Boston College. The Seminoles are almost assured of earning a ticket to the Big Dance and are hoping to improve their seeding with a solid showing in the ACC Tournament, but the Cardinals will be the more desperate team as they are on the bubble and need to keep winning. "This is tournament time," Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton told reporters. "The games take on a tremendous amount of importance. And I'm sure they're excited about the opportunity, and I know we are too." With so much on the line, this battle figures to be a fight to the finish, just like the previous two matchups, which were each decided by four points, including a 73-69 Cardinals win in Tallahassee in January that snapped Florida State's 28-game home winning streak.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (19-12): It all starts with junior guard/forward Deng Adel, an honorable mention All-ACC selection who is riding a streak of 22 straight double-digit scoring outings, including a 20-point showing in the season-ending loss to N.C. State that upped his average to a team-high 15.5 points per game. Forward Ray Spalding (8.8 rebounds per game) is also an honorable mention All-ACC performer after a season in which he battled hard on the boards with at least eight rebounds in 19 games, while Quentin Snider proved adept at dishing the ball with a team-high 123 assists in addition to finishing second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg). The Cardinals are averaging 7.1 steals per game but have only totaled eight in their last three outings combined, and they have been sloppy with their own ball-handling of late as well, committing 15 turnovers in three of their last four games to finish the season with 12.1 per game (11th in the ACC).

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (20-10): Like the Cardinals' Adel and Spalding, Seminoles junior Terance Mann earned honorable mention All-ACC honors this season as he developed into an all-around threat, leading the school in both scoring (career-high 13.3) and rebounding (career-high 5.7), one of only three ACC players to finish the regular season leading his team in both categories. Phil Cofer (13.2) and Braian Angola (13.0) are both long-ball threats who rank just below Mann in scoring, and the trio spearheads an offense that has scored 80 or more points 17 times this season and isaveraging 82.0 points per game overall. The Seminoles shot 50 percent from the field in the win over BC and are shooting 47.5 percent for the year, but they only managed 40 percent shooting in their loss to the Cardinals, one of eight ACC opponents to shoot 40 percent or below against Louisville this year.

TIP-INS

1. Louisville owns a 33-11 series advantage over Florida State, but the Seminoles have won two of the last three.

2. Florida State won the ACC Tournament in 2012.

3. Louisville's No. 9 seed is its lowest in a conference tournament since its No. 11 seed in the 2006 Big East Tournament.

PREDICTION: Florida State 88, Louisville 85

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Boston College Eagles vs. NC State Wolfpack Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
Fifth-seeded North Carolina State plays its first game of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday in the second round against 12th-seeded Boston College after the Eagles advanced with an 87-77 first-round victory over Georgia Tech. The Wolfpack are playing their best basketball of the season and come into the tournament having won five of six, including a 76-69 home victory over Louisville in Saturday's regular-season finale.

Sophomore guard Ky Bowman was on fire for BC against the Yellow Jackets as he poured in 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting while adding 10 rebounds and six assists. Sophomore Nik Popovic had a very efficient outing with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting for his highest scoring game of the season, while Jerome Robinson, the conference regular-season scoring leader at 20.7 points per game and runner-up for ACC Player of the Year to Duke's Marvin Bagley III, struggled from the floor with 5-of-17 shooting but still managed to chip in with 19 points and shot 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Allerik Freeman scored 16 points and Torin Dorn added 15, but it was a focus on getting stops that proved successful for N.C. State in its last game against Louisville. "I thought our defense was as sharp as it's been in a long time," N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts told reporters afterward as his team held the Cardinals scoreless for nearly six minutes midway through the second half as it pulled away for the win.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT BC (18-14): The Eagles, who led the ACC with 8.81 3-pointers made per regular season game, usually win when they are hot from behind the arc but was able to survive a poor shooting day as it went 2-of-14 from the 3-point line against Georgia Tech. The Eagles are one of just three teams in the NCAA (along with Marquette and Mount St. Mary's) to feature three players with at least 73 3-point field goals on the season (Jordan Chatman 80, Robinson 75 and Bowman 73). Robinson finished the season first in the ACC at 43.8 percent from behind the arc, while Chatman was seventh at 39.9 percent.

ABOUT N.C. STATE (21-10): The Wolfpack were the surprise team of the ACC this season by finishing sixth after it was picked to finished 12th in the preseason, and the league took notice by giving some players individual recognition in the awards announcement Sunday. Sophomore Omer Yurtseven, a 7-foot center from Turkey, was named to the All-ACC Third Team after averaging 14.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 18 conference games. Freeman, who leads the team in scoring at 15.3 points per game, and point guard Markell Johnson, who is tops in the ACC and third in the nation with 7.5 assists per game, were both named to the All-ACC honorable mention list.

TIP-INS

1. N.C. State won the regular-season matchup 82-66 at home Feb. 20.

2. The Wolfpack had only four turnovers in the win against Louisville after committing 11 in a loss to Georgia Tech two games ago.

3. Robinson was named to the All-ACC first team and Bowman was named to the All-ACC honorable mention list.

PREDICTION: N.C. State 76, BC 74

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Arizona State Sun Devils vs. Colorado Buffaloes Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
For all of its impressive numbers and notable accomplishments this season, including a top-five national ranking for most of December and the program's first 20-win season in four years, Arizona State isn't a lock to play in its first NCAA Tournament since 2014. The Sun Devils finished a disappointing ninth in the Pac-12 and will tip off the conference tourney on Wednesday afternoon against eighth-seeded Colorado at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.


After a 12-0 nonconference start, which included a 102-86 neutral-site victory over No. 2 Xavier and a 95-85 road win over No. 9 Kansas, Arizona State lost three of its first four Pac-12 games and never fully recovered. Behind high-scoring senior guard Tra Holder (18.6 points per game) and Shannon Evans II (16.7), the Sun Devils did win six of its nine conference contests after the 1-3 start, but then dropped four of their last five games to end the regular season and finished .500 or worse in Pac-12 play for the fourth straight season. Now they must get past a streaky Colorado team in the opening round to get a third shot at top-seeded and 17th-ranked Arizona in the Pac-12 quarterfinals. Like Arizona State, Colorado staggered to the finish line in the regular season, dropping four of its last five games to enter postseason play only two games above.500.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network


ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (20-10): The Sun Devils' only win since Feb. 10 came last Thursday night at home against last-place California (8-23), and even erasing a 19-point deficit Saturday against visiting Stanford wasn't enough as the Cardinal prevailed 84-83. Holder scored a team-high 19 points in the loss - his third straight outing with at least 13 points after a scoreless outing Feb. 22 at Oregon - and was one of the 10 first-team All-Pac 12 selections announced earlier this week. Guard Kodi Justice (12.5 points) and forward Romello White (10.8) also average double digits while the latter averages a team-best 7.3 rebounds.

ABOUT COLORADO (16-14): The Buffaloes have notched some big wins, most notably an 80-77 home victory over Arizona on Jan. 6 and a season sweep of UCLA, but they've certainly also had their share of struggles, enduring three separate three-game losing streaks since an 8-3 start. Point guard McKinley Wright (team-leading 14.2 points and 5.3 assists) has been a steadying force all season and was an easy choice for the five-man Pac-12 All-Freshman team. Senior George King (12.8 points, team-leading 8.0 rebounds) was a second-team all-conference pick while fellow senior guard Dominique Collier (7.3 points) shared Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year honors with Arizona State freshman guard Remy Martin (9.6).


TIP-INS

1. The teams split the regular-season series with each winning on its home floor: Colorado 90-81 in overtime on Jan. 4 and Arizona State 80-66 on Jan. 27.

2. Only Cal, with 62.2 points, averaged fewer points in Pac-12 play than the Buffs' 67.8.

3. The Sun Devils average a conference-best 83.5 points overall but surrendered 76.6 during Pac-12 play and rank 10th in the league with a minus-1.0 rebounding margin on the season.


PREDICTION: Arizona State 78, Colorado 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

California Golden Bears vs. Stanford Cardinal Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
Most experts don't have Stanford arriving as an NCAA Tournament team until next year, but the Cardinal would prefer to expedite that timeline. The fifth-seeded Cardinal figure to be a dangerous opponent at this week's Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, where they'll face No. 12 California in a first-round matchup on Wednesday.

Stanford closed the regular season by winning four of its last five games, including a 77-73 victory over Cal in Berkeley on Feb. 18. Coach Jerod Haase has four freshmen in his rotation, but the offense revolves around junior forward Reid Travis, who was named to the All-Pac-12 first team for the second consecutive season after finishing third in the Pac-12 in scoring (19.6 points per game) and fourth in rebounding (8.2). The team's strong frontcourt also features 7-foot center Josh Sharma and forward Michael Humphrey, who averages 10.4 points and 7.0 rebounds to go along with a team-high 29 blocks. Cal owns the league's worst offense and defense but stunned Stanford on Dec. 30 with a 77-74 victory in the Pac-12 opener at Maples Pavilion.

TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT CAL (8-23): The Bears set the school's single-season record for losses and finished alone in last place in the conference for the first time since 1979-80, but freshmen Juhwan Harris-Dyson, Darius McNeill and Justice Sueing offer coach Wyking Jones reason for optimism. Sueing averaged a team-high 15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in league play, while McNeill has made 62 three-pointers, one shy of the Cal freshman record. Senior forward Marcus Lee averaged 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in the two previous meetings against Stanford and will need another big game Wednesday to help keep Cal's upset hopes alive.

ABOUT STANFORD (17-14): Senior Dorian Pickens was an honorable-mention All-Pac-12 selection while point guard Daejon Davis was named to the league's all-freshman team after averaging 10.6 points and 5.0 assists. Pickens missed 11 games during non-conference play but averaged 15.9 points while shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range in Pac-12 contests. Freshman forward Kezie Okpala had 18 points and 10 boards in last Saturday's 84-83 win over Arizona State and ranks fourth on the team in scoring during league play at 10.1 points per game.

TIP-INS

1. The winner advances to face No. 4 seed UCLA in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

2. The teams are meeting at the Pac-12 Tournament for the first time since March 8, 2012, when the second-seeded Bears posted a 77-70 victory over No. 7 Stanford.

3. Cal ended the regular season with seven straight losses, averaging 59.1 points over that stretch.

PREDICTION: Stanford 81, Cal 66

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
Seventh-seeded Virginia Tech has finished the regular-season with a winning record in the ACC three straight years for the first time since joining the league in 2004-05 and is intent on making a long run in the conference tournament. The Hokies, who are the only league team to beat regular-season champ Virginia, start their quest against 10th-seeded Notre Dame in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Virginia Tech suffered a 69-68 setback in its regular-season finale at Miami (Fla.) on Saturday for its second loss in three games, but junior forward Chris Clarke told reporters, "We have a well-rounded team with a lot of depth. I think we'll be fine." Clarke had a double-double as the Hokies won at Notre Dame 80-75 on Jan. 27, but the Fighting Irish were without their top two scorers - Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell - due to injuries. Colson scored 19 points and Farrell added 18 as Notre Dame outlasted pesky Pittsburgh 67-64 in the first round Tuesday, keeping its hopes alive for a bid in the NCAA Tournament. Colson, who was the ACC's preseason player of the year, is averaging 18.3 points in three games since returning from a broken foot and the Irish are 13-4 with the 6-6 senior forward in the lineup.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (19-13): Farrell, a senior point guard who averages 16.8 points and a team-high 5.3 assists, did not shoot the ball very well overall (4-for-11) on Tuesday but recorded three of his team-best 89 makes from 3-point range. Sophomore guard T.J. Gibbs (15.5 points) must find his shooting touch if the Irish are going to make a longer run after going 9-for-30 from the field the last three contests. Colson, who averages 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, gets help from 6-10 senior Martinas Geben from Lithuania (10.9 points, 8.2 boards) inside the paint.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (21-10): Junior guard Justin Robinson, who leads the team in scoring (13.8) and assists (5.5), was named second team All-ACC after finishing the regular season strong by draining 11-of-22 from 3-point range over the last five games. The Hokies have been well-balanced all season offensively with five players averaging in double figures, but several of them have struggled shooting lately. Senior guard Justin Bibbs (13.1 points) is 15-for-45 from the field over the last four games while junior guard Ahmed Hill (11.1) has 28 points total in the past nine games.

TIP-INS

1. Clarke, who also tops the team in rebounding (6.5), scored 10 Saturday after nine straight games in single digits.

2. The Fighting Irish are 8-2 all time at the Barclays Center and have made the ACC Tournament final two of the last three seasons.

3. The winner of the matchup will take on second-seeded Duke in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 74, Virginia Tech 69

[Can'tPickAWinner]

St. John's Red Storm vs. Georgetown Hoyas Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
Ninth-seeded St. John's and No. 8 seed Georgetown will do battle in the first round of the Big East Tournament for the second straight season Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Hoyas won both regular season meetings by a total of seven points, including one in double overtime, but will be facing a much different Red Storm squad - one that prevailed in five of its final eight games.

Fresh off being named to the All-Big East first team, Shamorie Ponds enters the tournament chasing the St. John's sophomore scoring record held by coach Chris Mullin. The Brooklyn native needs 24 points to pass Mullin for the record and to post the 10th-highest single-season point total in school history. Ponds missed the Red Storm's final two regular-season games with an abdominal strain, but is expected to be ready to face Georgetown, a team he has averaged 20.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and four assists against in five career meetings. The Hoyas will counter with Jessie Govan, who put up 17.5 points and 10 rebounds per game to become the first Georgetown player since Mike Sweetney (2002-03) to average a double-double, and All-Big East second team honoree Marcus Derrickson, who combined to average 39 points and 20 rebounds this season against St. John's, with the winner moving on to face top-seeded Xavier on Thursday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT ST JOHN'S (15-16): With Ponds out for the final two games, Justin Simon inherited the lead role for the Red Storm by averaging 18.5 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Simon, a California native who spent one season at Arizona, was the only player in the Big East with at least 200 rebounds, 150 assists and 50 steals this season. Junior Marvin Clark II comes into this contest off his best five-game stretch of the season, during which he put up 17.8 points and 6.2 rebounds while making 52.3 percent from the field for the Red Storm, whose 74-73 win over the Hoyas last season was their first in the tourney since 2011.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (15-14): Derrickson was not the only player honored for the Hoyas as Jamorko Pickett and Jahvon Blair were each named to the Big East All-Freshman team. Pickett, a 6-7 forward from Washington, D.C., was one of three unanimous choices after averaging 9.8 points and 3.7 rebounds, including 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in the final 11 games for Georgetown. Blair, a 6-3 guard who hails from Brampton, Ontario, showed some good scoring ability with 12 games in double figures, including seven with 15 or more points for coach Patrick Ewing.

TIP-INS

1. Derrickson finished the regular season second in the Big East in 3-point shooting (45.6 percent), and third in rebounding (8.1) and free throw shooting (86 percent).

2. While Butler's Kelan Martin led the Big East in total points with 657, Ponds was tops in the league in average at 21.6 points and tied for first with Simon in steals (2.5).

3. The Hoyas and the Red Storm met five times in this tournament between 1980 and 1985 with Georgetown winning all five, including the championship game in 1985, but St. John's has taken the last two meetings in the first round in 2009 and last season.

PREDICTION: St. John's 78, Georgetown 72

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Georgia Bulldogs Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
Yante Maten has been one of the top performers in the league all season, and Georgia will look for him to lead the way as the 12th-seeded Bulldogs open the SEC Tournament on Wednesday against No. 13 seed Vanderbilt in St. Louis. Maten led the league in scoring at 19.4 points per game and earned first-team all-conference honors, but Georgia stumbled to six losses in its final nine games to put coach Mark Fox's job in jeopardy.

"This is about their season, and I think that anything more than that would be undue pressure for them and unfair pressure for them," Fox, who has won 161 games in nine seasons at Georgia, told reporters during a teleconference Monday. The Commodores snapped a three-game losing streak with Saturday's victory at Ole Miss, and played one of their best games of the season in an 81-66 home victory over the Bulldogs on Feb. 7. Vanderbilt shot a season-high 55.1 percent from the field in that victory as five players scored in double figures, while defensively the Commodores limited Georgia to 43.3 percent shooting - an area where coach Bryce Drew's team struggled at times this season. "Defensively, when teams have shot in the mid 50s (percent), we have not been successful," Drew told reporters Monday. "We've got to find a way to keep teams in the 40s."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT VANDERBILT (12-19): Forward Jeff Roberson earned second-team all-SEC honors after finishing fifth in the league in scoring (17.0) and rebounding (7.2), sixth in free-throw shooting percentage (85.2) and shot 48.4 percent from the field. Freshman point guard Saben Lee, who scored 19 points in the Georgia victory, is shooting 61.5 percent from the field while averaging 14 points in his past four games. The Commodores have shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range in five of their past six games.

ABOUT GEORGIA (16-14): Maten picked up his third all-conference selection, finishing with a league-high 13 double-doubles while ranking second in rebounding (8.8) in the SEC and shooting 46.5 percent from the field. Maten has not had much help as he accounts for 28.2 percent of the Bulldogs offense and the next-best scorers - guards William Jackson and Juwan Parker - each average 8.7 points per contest. The Bulldogs are one of the toughest teams against opposing shooters in the nation, leading the SEC and ranking sixth in the country in opposing field-goal percentage (39.4 percent).

TIP-INS

1. The Commodores shoot 74.3 percent from the free-throw line, third in the SEC, after hitting 12-of-15 attempts in Saturday's victory over Ole Miss.

2. In SEC games this season, Maten averaged a league-leading 19.2 points per game and Roberson ranked second at 18.5.

3. Wednesday's winner advances to face fifth-seed Missouri at approximately 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the second round.

PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 68, Georgia 64

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys Preview and Predictions 03-07-2018

6th March 2018 by Gracenote
Oklahoma and freshman sensation Trae Young limped to the finish line in Big 12 play, losing seven of their last nine games. Young, who leads the nation in both scoring and assists, missed practice earlier this week to rest an injured left hip suffered in a 87-64 loss at Baylor on Feb. 27 but says he'll be ready to go when the ninth-seeded Sooners take on eighth-seeded Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night in Kansas City, Mo.

Young suffered the injury when Baylor's Jake Lindsey fouled him at midcout and Young twisted and landed on his left hip. He missed most of practice on Thursday but returned to play 32 minutes in a 81-60 victory over Iowa State on Friday, finishing with 15 points on just 5-of-19 shooting and dishing off six assists to go with three steals and two turnovers. "I never want to sit out anything," Young told the Tulsa World after watching the Sooners' practice on Sunday. "It's tough sitting out today, but it's best for me and my body, and it'll be better for me for Wednesday, too." Although most bracketologists have the Sooners safely in the NCAA Tournament despite the late swoon, it certainly wouldn't hurt to pick up a win over their Bedlam rivals who surged to the finish line, winning three of their last four including upsets of No. 13 Texas Tech (79-71) and No. 9 Kansas (82-64).

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (18-12): Young, who is averaging 27.5 points and 8.9 assists and is shooting 35.9 percent from 3-point range, could be a man on a mission after getting snubbed by Big 12 coaches for conference-player-of-the-year honors which went to Kansas senior Devonte' Graham. "March is when the stars come out, and stuff like that," said Young, who was named the Big 12 Freshman of he Year. "This is the time to play well, the time to bring your best, because you're going to get everybody's best shot." Junior guard Christian James (12.5 points) and freshman forward Brady Manek (10.4) also average in double digits for the Sooners, who rank fourth nationally in scoring (86.0) and have scored 90 points in 12 contests.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE(18-13): The Cowboys celebrated Senior Night with a court-storming upset of Kansas, sweeping the regular-season series with the Big 12-champion Jayhawks and all but cementing an NCAA berth. Senior guard Kendall Smith, who began his career at UNLV and then played two years at Cal State Northridge before moving on to Stillwater, finished with 25 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers, and ranks second on the team in scoring (12.9) and has totaled 21 or more points in three of the last five games. Senior swingman Jeffrey Carroll leads the team in scoring (15.1) and is second in rebounding (5.9) while junior guard Tavarius Shine also is averaging in double figures (10.0 points) and has scored 16 points in each of the previous two meetings with the Sooners.

TIP-INS

1. This is the 236th meeting between the two schools, with Oklahoma, which has won eight of the last 11 matchups, holding a 137-98 series edge.

2. Young's 267 assists ranks fifth most by a freshman in NCAA history and are 21 shy of the NCAA record of 288 set by Duke's Bobby Hurley in 1989-90.

3. Oklahoma ranks last in the Big 12 and 337th out of 351 Division I teams in scoring defense, allowing an average of 82.0 points per game.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 90, Oklahoma State 86