Tuesday 1-15-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

The Carolina Hurricanes are in the midst of their hottest stretch of the season while the New York Rangers are careening in the other direction and tumbling down the Metropolitan Division standings. Yet when the Hurricanes visit Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, they will be looking to end a slide of 15 consecutive road losses to the Rangers.

Carolina, which hasn't prevailed at the Garden since Oct. 29, 2010, has won seven of its last eight overall after knocking off visiting Nashville 6-3 on Sunday. "We're finally getting bounces," said Hurricanes forward Micheal Ferland, who collected two assists in the latest victory. "We haven't changed the way we play." New York finally ended a five-game skid with a 2-1 win at the New York Islanders on Saturday before dropping a 7-5 decision at Columbus the following day that left coach David Quinn furious with his team's effort. "We have zero chance if we've got 20 guys in uniform not wanting to compete for pucks and get into people and have a little bit of snarl to your game," Quinn groused to reporters.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Carolina, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (22-18-5): Sebastian Aho has scored five goals in the past two games after collecting his second career hat trick and adding an assist in Sunday's win over Nashville. Aho boosted his season goal total to 21 and became the fourth player in franchise history to reach at least 20 in each of his first three seasons and the sixth Finnish-born player to accomplish the feat. Also on a torrid stretch is captain Justin Williams, who matched his career high by scoring a goal in his fifth consecutive game while becoming the sixth player in league history with a streak that long at age 37 or older.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (18-20-7): New York has surrendered at least four goals in each loss during its 1-6-0 tailspin and Quinn went with rookie netminder Alex Georgiev in both ends of the weekend back-to-back to give Henrik Lundqvist a "mental breather." Georgiev gave up seven goals in his season debut against Carolina, so it's likely Quinn will turn back to Lundqvist, who allowed 15 goals in losing his last three starts but permitted only three tallies in winning all three starts against the Hurricanes last season. Forward Kevin Hayes has been sidelined for the past six games with an upper-body injury.

OVERTIME

1. Hurricanes G Petr Mrazek is 2-1-0 against the Rangers despite allowing 11 goals in the three starts.

2. The Rangers acquired F Connor Brickley from Nashville in exchange for F Cole Schneider on Monday.

3. Aho had three goals and six points in nine matchups against New York.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 4, Rangers 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida Panthers vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 15th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/15/2019

The Florida Panthers had high expectations this season but would need a major turnaround to climb back into postseason contention as they attempt to snap a season-high six-game losing streak when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. The Panthers, who sit 12 points out of a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, are 0-4-2 during their slide after suffering a 5-1 loss at Vancouver on Sunday.

"We had some guys, especially some of our big guys, have very average - if not below-average - games, and you can't win hockey games that way," Florida coach Bob Boughner told reporters after the loss to the Canucks. The Panthers have allowed 25 goals during the losing streak and coughed up five in a home setback against Montreal on Dec. 28 in the first of four meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals this season. The Canadiens recorded their third win in four games and eighth in 12 contests on Monday as they surrendered the tying goal late in regulation before winning 3-2 in Boston on defenseman Jeff Petry's goal 15 seconds into overtime. Montreal's Brendan Gallagher recorded his team-leading 18th goal, scoring for the third time in four games, and Paul Byron snapped his six-game point drought by notching a tally and an assist.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida, TSN2, RDS (Montreal)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (17-19-8): Jonathan Huberdeau has recorded just one of his team-leading 47 points in the last four games while Evgenii Dadonov (37 points) has been limited to three over his last 10 contests. Captain Aleksander Barkov has accumulated 11 points in his last 11 games to push the season total to 44 while Mike Hoffman has scored three of his team-best 21 goals over the last six contests. Nick Bjugstad returned to the lineup Sunday after missing 16 games with an upper-body injury and registered three hits in 12 minutes, 46 seconds of ice time.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (25-17-5): Former Hart Trophy winner Carey Price turned aside 41 shots in Monday's win, but that may give backup Antti Niemi (7-4-1) a chance to defeat Florida for the second time this season. Max Domi set up Petry's winning goal against Boston to push his team-leading total to 40 points while Phillip Danault, who owns a team-best plus-14 rating, registered his fourth assist in four games. Tomas Tatar (14 goals, 33 points) has not scored a goal since netting a pair against Florida and has notched only two points in his last seven contests.

OVERTIME

1. The Canadiens, who did not receive a power-play opportunity on Monday, are 1-for-20 with the man advantage over their last eight games.

2. Florida C Frank Vatrano has registered two goals and an assist in his last three games to push his career-high total to 20 points,

3. Montreal D Victor Mete has been kept off the scoresheet in nine straight games but has posted a plus-10 rating this season.

PREDICTION: Canadiens 4, Panthers 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Anaheim Ducks vs. Detroit Red Wings Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

With his team mired in a franchise-record 11-game losing streak, Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray felt compelled to address the growing speculation that there will be a change behind the bench. Whether a vote of confidence for coach Randy Carlyle makes any difference remains to be seen for the Ducks, who visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

"At this time, I am not considering a coaching change," Murray said after Anaheim dropped a 4-3 overtime decision at Winnipeg on Sunday night in the opener of a five-game road trip. "I am more focused on our players, specifically with who is going to step up in this situation." Turning things around will not be easy given the current schedule -- the Ducks play nine of their next 10 away from home sandwiching the All-Star break. The Red Wings have been in a spiral of their own, losing three straight and 13 of 15 (2-10-3) before easing to a 5-2 victory at Minnesota on Saturday. "When you do the simple things and play together as a unit and team out there, good things happen," Detroit defenseman Mike Green said.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE DUCKS (19-18-9): While Murray is sticking with Carlyle, he started to address his roster by making a trade Monday, sending veteran forward Andrew Cogliano to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Devin Shore. Neither player has produced much this season -- Cogliano scored his third goal Sunday and has 11 points while Shore has five tallies and 17 points -- but Shore is seven years younger than the 31-year-old Cogliano. "We were trying to get younger, obviously, but we're also looking for people with a little bit more creativity because we're not scoring enough goals," Murray said.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (17-23-7): Forward Todd Bertuzzi had scored only once in 18 games before breaking out in a big way by recording his first career hat trick as part of an eight-point night with linemates Dylan Larkin and Gustav Nyquist. "I love playing with them," Bertuzzi said. "I think we have some good chemistry. We've played a lot of good games that we've been together and we're building off each other and we're still learning." Detroit could be getting some more help along the blue line as Danny DeKeyser, sidelined the past 19 games due to a hand injury, is on track to rejoin the lineup.

OVERTIME

1. Larkin has 22 points in his last 20 games.

2. Ducks F Rickard Rakell, a 34-goal scorer last season, had a goal Sunday in his third game since missing more than a month.

3. Red Wings G Jimmy Howard is 10-6-3 with three shutouts against Anaheim.

PREDICTION: Ducks 4, Red Wings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Washington Capitals vs. Nashville Predators Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 15th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/15/2019

Two teams hoping to avoid following a three-game winning streak with a three-game slide face off on Tuesday, when the Nashville Predators host the Washington Capitals. Nashville concluded a 3-1-2 road trip with back-to-back defeats, including a 6-3 setback at Carolina on Sunday.

The loss ended a seven-game point streak (5-0-2) for the Predators, who received a two-goal performance from Filip Forsberg for the second time in three contests. Washington, which also dropped three straight prior to its winning streak, is coming off its second consecutive one-goal effort - a 4-1 home loss to St. Louis on Monday. Captain Alex Ovechkin netted his league-leading 33rd tally, giving him three goals and an assist over his last three games. The 33-year-old Russian pulled even with Dave Andreychuk (640) for 14th place on the all-time goals list and passed Brendan Shanahan (237) for sixth in NHL history in power-play tallies.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA, NBCS Washington, FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (27-13-5): Ovechkin already has matched his goal total from 2016-17 - the only season in the last six he has not won the Maurice Richard Trophy. Travis Boyd has registered three points (one goal) over his last five contests following a six-game drought. Nicklas Backstrom ranks second on the team with 45 points but has recorded just one - a goal - in his last six games.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (27-16-4): Forsberg has returned from his upper-body injury with a vengeance, recording four goals in as many games to reclaim the team lead (18). The 24-year-old Swede, who hadn't played since Nov. 29, watched Craig Smith grab a share of the top spot on the club with a four-goal spurt over three contests from Jan. 1-5 before getting back into the lineup. Defenseman Roman Josi is riding a three-game assist streak during which he has set up four goals.

OVERTIME

1. Predators C Ryan Johansen, who leads the team with 40 points, has notched four assists during his three-game streak.

2. Washington was 1-for-3 on the power play Monday after going 2-for-39 over its previous 13 contests.

3. Nashville acquired Cole Schneider from the New York Rangers on Monday for fellow LW Connor Brickley.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Capitals 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Los Angeles Kings vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
Kings vs. Wild Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

The Minnesota Wild hope a quick return to the ice will alter their recent fortunes on Tuesday as they open a three-game homestand bidding to complete a season sweep of the Los Angeles Kings. The Wild failed to take advantage of an early two-goal lead and sustained their third loss in four outings with a 7-4 setback at lowly Philadelphia on Monday.

Captain Mikko Koivu, who set up Jason Zucker's first-period goal to push his assist streak to three games, scored in the Wild's 4-1 triumph over Los Angeles on Oct. 25 at Xcel Energy Center before setting up all three of his team's tallies in a 3-1 win over the Kings at Staples Center on Nov. 8. The 35-year-old Finn, who has 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) in his career against Los Angeles, resides one goal shy of 200. Minnesota has collected a point in 11 of its last 12 encounters (7-1-4) against a Los Angeles club that is opening a three-game road trip looking to feed off an inspiring 5-2 win versus Pittsburgh on Saturday. Captain Anze Kopitar tallied twice to boost his team-leading totals in goals (13) and points (31) heading into the confrontation with the Wild, against whom he has recorded 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists) in 44 matches.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network

ABOUT THE KINGS (18-25-3): Jonathan Quick moved into a tie with Mike Richter for fourth place among American goaltenders after recording his 301st career win following a 38-save performance versus the Penguins. The 32-year-old will look to snap that tie against the Wild, versus whom he owns a 13-7-4 mark in 24 career starts. Jeff Carter, who will play in his 950th career contest Tuesday, notched his second three-point performance of the season on Saturday to eclipse the two points he mustered in his previous seven games.

ABOUT THE WILD (22-20-3): Devan Dubnyk was pulled for the fourth time since Nov. 21 on Monday after yielding five goals of 20 shots -- ironically on the four-year anniversary of Minnesota acquiring him in a trade. The 32-year-old Dubnyk has fared significantly better against the Kings, posting a 2-0-0 mark with a 1.00 goals-against average and .962 save percentage versus the club this season to improve his totals to 9-5-2, 2.33 and .926 in 17 career encounters. Zach Parise had an assist on Monday to push his point total to 12 (four goals, eight assists) in his last 10 games heading into the tilt with Los Angeles, against which he has 19 career points (seven goals, 12 assists) -- including three this season.

OVERTIME

1. Los Angeles C Alex Iafallo, who has a career-high 10 goals this season, has failed to dent the scoresheet in each of his three career meetings with Minnesota.

2. Wild D Ryan Suter has 24 points (one goal, 23 assists) in 45 career encounters against the Kings.

3. Los Angeles RW Dustin Brown has 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 46 games versus Minnesota.

PREDICTION: Kings 3, Wild 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

The Winnipeg Jets finished with the league's second-highest point total last season but their Stanley Cup aspirations ended when they were wiped out by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference finals. The teams will square off for the first time since that five-game series when the surging Golden Knights visit the Jets on Tuesday night.

"Last year they took it from us," Winnipeg forward Mathieu Perreault said. "But we have a chance to redeem ourselves a little bit and match up against one of the better teams in the league." The Jets, who were limited to only six goals in losing the final four games in May, will try to complete a perfect three-game homestand and remain atop the Central Division. The Golden Knights erased a pair of two-goal deficits in a 4-3 overtime victory at the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night to improve to 8-1-0 in their last nine games. "It's just the kind of thing you need when you're trying to prove you're a good team," Vegas defenseman Nate Schmidt said.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T Sportsnet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (28-16-4): Alex Tuch scored once and set up another in Saturday's win to boost his team leading totals in goals (15), assists (22) and points (37), matching his totals from last season in all three categories. Tuch also extended his point streak to nine games, amassing three goals and eight assists, while playing on a line with Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny, who has four goals and nine points in nine games since the Christmas break. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who flustered Winnipeg in the playoffs last season, has only one regulation defeat in his last 14 starts (10-1-3).

ABOUT THE JETS (29-14-2): Since being held off the scoresheet in six straight games, Bryan Little has scored four times during his current five-game point streak, including back-to-back game-winning goals that gave him 30 for his career. Winnipeg has been short-handed on the blue line with Dustin Byfuglien sidelined since Dec. 29, but fellow defenseman Tyler Myers could be ready to play Tuesday after sitting out the past two games. "I'm going to make the call tomorrow morning with the staff. I'll give it one more skate before I give a definitive answer, but I feel pretty good right now," Myers said Monday.

OVERTIME

1. Vegas F William Karlsson, held without a point in the last seven games, had three goals in three meetings versus the Jets last season.

2. Jets G Connor Hellebuyck allowed 12 goals in three regular-season matchups versus Vegas last season.

3. Pacioretty had six goals and 15 points in 23 games against Winnipeg during his tenure with Montreal.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 4, Jets 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Dallas Stars Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

The Dallas Stars are enduring another mini-slump during their see-saw season and it won't be easy to break out of it yet as they prepare to host the NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. The Stars have lost three of four, managing one goal each in losses to Philadelphia (Thursday) and St. Louis (Saturday) - two of the league's worst teams - but still hold down a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"Two games in a row where we don't compete at a level that's acceptable," Dallas coach Jim Montgomery told reporters. "It's everybody. Unfortunately, I'm very frustrated that I have not been able to gain consistency in our performance, and I haven't been able to change the culture of mediocrity." The Stars shuffled the deck Monday by acquiring speedy veteran Andrew Cogliano from Anaheim for fellow forward Devin Shore and will need his pace against the Lightning, who are 18-2-1 in their last 21 games. However, Tampa Bay is coming off its second regulation loss since Nov. 27 when it gave up three goals in the first 4:43 en route to a 5-1 setback against the New York Islanders on Sunday. "Maybe we needed to feel what it's like to get kicked in the teeth and not come back," Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh told reporters. "Hopefully it's a lesson learned here, and we can realize the way we played the last half of the game for sure was a little bit hungrier, a bit more assertive, units of five and that's what you need to do right from the start."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (35-9-2): McDonagh scored the only goal Sunday - his second in six games this month and fifth overall - and leads the team with a plus-20 rating while fellow defenseman Victor Hedman (upper body) left the game after colliding with a referee. Right wing Nikita Kucherov tops the league with 75 points, despite being shut out on two shots Sunday, and captain Steven Stamkos had an assist against the Islanders - his fifth point in three games. Center Anthony Cirelli (nine goals, 17 points, plus-10) had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut at Dallas last March.

ABOUT THE STARS (23-19-4): Dallas GM Jim Nill said in a statement about Cogliano: "In acquiring Andrew, we are able to add an conscientious player who brings a veteran presence to our room. His explosive speed, 200-foot game and iron-man mentality will help our team both on and off the ice." Center Tyler Seguin leads the team with 43 points, including six goals to go along with five assists in his last eight games. Captain Jamie Benn tops the team with 18 goals - three in his last six games - and defenseman John Klingberg is heating up with five points in four contests.

OVERTIME

1. Tampa Bay C Brayden Point has a team-high 29 goals, three away from his career high set last season.

2. Former Tampa Bay F Erik Condra scored his first goal with Dallas on Saturday and is one point shy of 100 for his career.

3. The Lightning have won the last three meetings, including a 5-4 overtime triumph in Dallas last season.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Stars 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. San Jose Sharks Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NHL Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

The San Jose Sharks have stamped themselves as a serious contender in the Pacific Division due in large part to their success at SAP Center. The Sharks have won five straight at home and a season-best six in a row overall heading into Tuesday's contest against two-time Hart Trophy recipient Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

All-Star defenseman Brent Burns had a goal and an assist to record his 15th multi-point performance of the season during Saturday's 4-1 win over Ottawa as San Jose improved to 8-1-0 in its last nine games overall and 16-4-4 at home. The 33-year-old has scored five goals and set up 12 others in his last 10 contests overall to boost his team-leading totals in assists (43) and points (52). Burns collected a goal and two assists as the Sharks split last season's series versus Pittsburgh, with Evgeni Malkin notching a hat trick in the Penguins' 5-2 win on Jan. 30. The 2012 Hart Trophy recipient extended both his assist and point streaks to six games (two goals, eight assists) by setting up Jake Guentzel's power-play goal on Saturday as Pittsburgh saw its season-high six-game road winning streak halted with a 5-2 setback at Los Angeles.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN-Plus, Sportsnet1, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, NBCS California (San Jose)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (25-14-6): Guentzel (team-leading 23 goals) has enjoyed his tour of California thus far, as the NHL Third Star of the Week answered his second hat trick of 2018-19 in Friday's 7-4 win over ice-cold Anaheim with two more tallies the following night. The power surge extended the 24-year-old Guentzel's point streak to six contests, during which he has seven goals and three assists. Crosby set up Guentzel's short-handed goal early in the first period on Saturday, giving the former 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in his last 15 games.

ABOUT THE SHARKS (27-13-7): Tomas Hertl set up captain Joe Pavelski's team-leading 26th goal on Saturday to push his point streak to four games (two goals, three assists) and give him at least a point in eight of his last 10 contests (six goals, five assists). Joonas Donskoi, who was white-hot with eight goals in his last eight games, participated in Monday's optional skate and said he hopes to play versus the Penguins after he was dazed following a hit from Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki. "I feel pretty good. Nothing too serious," the 26-year-old Finn told the San Jose Mercury News. "There's a good chance I'm in tomorrow."

OVERTIME

1. Pittsburgh G Matt Murray has won his last nine starts overall and is 8-0-1 with two shutouts on the road this season.

2. San Jose G Martin Jones turned aside 27 shots versus the Senators to win his seventh consecutive start, which is one shy of the career high he set to begin his NHL career from Dec. 3-21, 2013, while playing with the Kings.

3. The Penguins are 7-2-1 versus Pacific Division representatives this season.

PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Penguins 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Seton Hall Pirates vs. Providence Friars Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NCAAB Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

Seton Hall has played one of the nation's most rugged schedules and will try to avoid a third loss in four games when it visits Providence on Tuesday night in a Big East matchup. Coming off a 70-66 loss at No. 13 Marquette on Saturday, the matchup against the Friars marks the fourth time in the last five games that the Pirates will be playing away from home.

Saturday's loss was the fifth time in six games that the outcome was decided by four points or fewer for Seton Hall, which has dropped two of three following a seven-game winning streak. "I'm proud of the way we played," Pirates coach Kevin Willard said after the Marquette game. "You're going to lose some games in the league, especially playing on the road." Providence remained winless in Big East play, absorbing a crushing 96-90 defeat in double overtime at Georgetown as the Hoyas hit a pair of long 3-pointers at the end of regulation and the first extra session. "It's our third game where we are right there at the end," Friars coach Ed Cooley said. "Hopefully we can get over the top soon."

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, FS1

ABOUT SETON HALL (12-5, 3-2 Big East): Guard Myles Powell, the team leader in scoring at 22.6 points per game, nearly matched his average with 21 and a career high-tying nine rebounds Saturday -- his 10th 20-point output of the season. However, Powell is struggling from long range over the past three games, connecting on 7 of 25 from behind the arc to drop his 3-point shooting percentage to 36.2 after shooting 38.4 last season. Guard Quincy McKnight has scored in double figures in three of five conference games and also had a career-high seven assists Saturday.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (10-6, 0-3): Junior Alpha Diallo, who leads the conference in rebounding at 8.8 overall and 10.0 in league play, registered his sixth double-double with 24 points and a career-high 13 boards against Georgetown. With second-leading scorer A.J. Reeves (14.2 ppg) sidelined for the sixth consecutive game due to a foot injury, center Nate Watson knocked down 9 of 11 shots to score a career-best 21 points -- one more than he had in the previous four games combined. Drew Hall also had a season high with 19 points after scoring six in the first 11 games.

TIP-INS

1. Seton Hall swept the season series in 2017-18, winning by 16 and 12 points.

2. Providence averages a Big East-best 12.3 offensive rebounds but is last in free-throw shooting (66.7).

3. Powell is shooting a career-best 86.2 percent at the foul line.

PREDICTION: Seton Hall 67, Providence 65

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Buffalo Bulls vs. Western Michigan Broncos Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NCAAB Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

Dontay Caruthers has long been a tone-setter on the defensive end for No. 17 Buffalo, which hits the road Tuesday for a Mid-American Conference game at Western Michigan. The services of Caruthers, a former two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year, were needed Saturday to help the Bulls put away a pesky Miami (Ohio) squad en route to their 19th straight home victory.

"Me and Davonta (Jordan) had one bad night against Marquette and it's still in the back of our head," Carruthers told the media. "I'm just trying to be that guy the team needs to get stops. It's my last year. I don't want any home losses." Caruthers started the second half with his team up by four points and immediately went to work getting defensive rebounds and steals. The senior from Rochester, N.Y., finished with six rebounds, six assists and three steals to go along with 11 points and has 100 steals in his three seasons with the Bulls. Sophomore Michael Flowers scored 21 points, his third game in the last four with 20 or more points, but it wasn't enough to lead the Broncos past Toledo, a team Buffalo beat by 30 points last week.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT BUFFALO (15-1, 3-0 MAC): Jeremy Harris will look to continue his onslaught on the MAC, which has seen him average 20 points in three league contests this season. The senior guard did the same thing last season when averaging 17.8 points in 21 MAC games - six better than he did in non-conference play - including going for double figures in the last 20 contests. Harris had 36 points and drained eight 3-pointers in two games against the Broncos last season as the Bulls prevailed by 10 and six points, respectively.

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-10, 0-3): The Broncos have dropped six of their last seven games and most of it can be attributed to bad shooting. Steve Hawkins' team is near the bottom of the MAC in scoring (72.5 per game) and shooting (43.2 percent) and has been particularly bad since the start of league play (38.1 percent). The troubles have even hit Flowers, who has made 33.3 percent, including 6-of-24 from deep, in the last three games.

TIP-INS

1. The Bulls have won three straight and four of the last five meetings to even the series with the Broncos at 15 wins apiece.

2. Buffalo's 19-game home winning streak is the fourth-longest in the nation, trailing only Houston (31), Nebraska (20) and Utah Valley (20).

3. By averaging 85.4 points this season, Buffalo is one pace to break last season's single-season school record of 84.6 points per game.

PREDICTION: Buffalo 89, Western Michigan 73

[Can'tPickAWinner]

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NCAAB Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

TCU answered a nine-game winning streak by dropping back-to-back decisions against a pair of ranked adversaries to fall out of the Top 25 poll. The Horned Frogs bid to nip their woes in the bud on Tuesday when they host reeling West Virginia, which has limped to an 0-4 start in conference play for the first time since the 1995-96 season -- its inaugural Big East campaign.

Defending the interior continues to plague TCU, which allowed Dedric Lawson to record 31 points and 14 rebounds in Wednesday's 77-68 loss to Kansas before Kristian Doolittle hit a runner with less than three seconds remaining in Saturday's 76-74 setback to Oklahoma. "Our defense was really good for us early in the year but it's let us down the last two games," said TCU coach Jamie Dixon, who saw his team outrebounded 22-12 in the second half against the Sooners. West Virginia junior guard James "Beetle" Bolden scored 29 of his career-high 31 points in Saturday's 85-77 setback to Oklahoma State while freshman forward Derek Culver recorded his second straight double-double and third in six games with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Bolden and Culver's offensive explosions came after coach Bob Huggins elected to sit regular starters Wesley Harris (8.2 points per game) and Esa Ahmad (13.1 ppg) while Sagaba Konate (team-best 13.6 ppg) has missed seven straight games with a knee injury.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (8-8, 0-4 Big 12): Junior transfer Jermaine Haley hasn't caught the eye of Huggins, and apparently that's a good thing after the point guard logged a team-high 36 minutes versus the Cowboys. "I think the biggest compliment that you can give (Haley) is that you don't notice him. You notice some of those guys, and not for a positive deal. You don't notice him," Huggins told the Charleston Gazette-Mail of the 6-foot-7 Vancouver native, who had 10 points and seven rebounds against Oklahoma State. Huggins may elect to keep Haley on his radar should Bolden once again be limited due to foul trouble.

ABOUT TCU (12-3, 1-2): Sophomore forward Kouat Noi gave credence to the notion that he has put his knee injuries behind him by shooting 8-of-12 from 3-point range and finishing with a career-high 30 points vs. Oklahoma on Saturday. Jaylen Fisher is not as fortunate, however, as Dixon told reporters on Monday that the junior guard's right knee still needs to be drained and the program is considering looking at a medical redshirt for him if his condition doesn't improve. Fisher, who has missed the team's last three games, was limited to 17 contests last season before sustaining a torn meniscus in his right knee last January.

TIP-INS

1. West Virginia F Lamont West is 7-for-17 from 3-point range in the last two contests.

2. Horned Frogs senior G Alex Robinson collected 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in an 82-73 win over the Mountaineers on Jan. 22.

3. Bolden score 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting in just 17 minutes of action during West Virginia's 82-66 victory versus TCU.

PREDICTION: TCU 68, West Virginia 58

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Purdue Boilermakers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NCAAB Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

Purdue looks to notch back-to-back wins in Big Ten play for the first time this season when it hosts Rutgers on Tuesday. The Boilermakers edged Wisconsin 84-80 in overtime on Friday to end a four-game road losing streak and hope to stay in the race for the Big Ten regular-season title by beating the Scarlet Knights for the 10th consecutive time.

"It's a win that we really wanted, but we want to win every game really bad," Purdue star Carsen Edwards told reporters. "Going into every game I feel like I have to raise my level because it's high-level basketball we're playing." Rutgers failed to build on its 64-61 upset win over No. 21 Ohio State as it dropped an 88-70 decision to Minnesota on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights have lost 19 of their 20 Big Ten road games under third-year coach Steve Pikiell, including a pair of defeats this season, and hope to get back on track by recording their first win over the Boilermakers since 1975. "We've got to play better on the road," Pikiell admitted to reporters. "We'll keep plugging through as it's a tough league, but we've shown we're capable of beating anybody."

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

ABOUT RUTGERS (8-7, 1-4): Myles Johnson scored a career-high 13 points and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds in the loss to Minnesota to finish in double figures for the first time in conference play. Geo Baker, who knocked down the go-ahead jumper in the final 10 seconds against Ohio State, also finished with 13 points, and Ron Harper Jr. added nine. Caleb McConnell tallied nine points in 11 minutes before suffering an apparent groin pull and is likely to miss Tuesday's clash, while Eugene Omoruyi, who leads the team in scoring (14.6) and rebounding (7.5), sat out the loss to Minnesota with a left kneecap injury and could miss another four weeks.

ABOUT PURDUE (10-6, 3-2): Edwards drilled six 3-pointers en route to a game-high 36 points and pulled down four rebounds in the win against Wisconsin to move into 24th place on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,450 career points. Ryan Cline added 14 points against the Badgers and vaulted into 10th place on Purdue's all-time 3-pointers list with 177 while Nojel Eastern produced 10 points and nine rebounds. Trevion Williams flirted with a double-double in his first career start as the freshman forward produced nine points, 11 rebounds and three steals while Evan Boudreaux is likely to miss his second straight game with an adductor strain.

TIP-INS

1. Edwards is ranked fifth nationally in points per game (25.3).

2. Rutgers has dropped 11 of 12 all-time meetings with the Boilermakers.

3. Purdue has committed 10 or fewer turnovers in seven straight games.

PREDICTION: Purdue 85, Rutgers 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

South Florida Bulls vs. Cincinnati Bearcats Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NCAAB Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

Cincinnati wasn't particularly pleased with its effort the last two games despite pulling out overtime wins and looks to put forth a better performance when vastly improved South Florida pays a visit for an American Athletic Conference matchup Tuesday. The Bearcats allowed 14 makes from 3-point range in a 70-65 win at Tulsa on Thursday and were outrebounded at home in the 74-72 triumph against Connecticut two days later.

"We don't want to compete," Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin told reporters. "We want to flash our (Cincinnati) badge and think teams are going to run the other way. Nobody's running anywhere." Cronin said the toughest thing about his team Saturday was the home crowd that pulled it through, but the Bearcats have still won three of four to start the conference season as they prepare to take on a USF team that already boasts two more wins than it accumulated all of last season. The Bulls came close to matching Cincinnati in the standings, rallying from a 14-point halftime deficit to tie before falling 82-80 in overtime at Temple on Saturday despite a triple-double from junior guard Laquincy Rideau. "I thought we did some good things, but not enough good on the road to beat a quality team," USF coach Brian Gregory told reporters. "We have to do some things better in order to win some games on the road, but it was a great game with tough kids out there playing every possession."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT USF (12-4, 2-2 AAC): Rideau, a transfer from Gardner-Webb, finished with 18 points, 10 assists and 10 steals against Temple for USF's first triple-double since 2006, when McHugh Mattis turned the trick. Sophomore guard David Collins leads the team in scoring (14.6), but is shooting just 38.6 percent from the field overall, and Rideau is second at 13.9 points per game to go along with a league-best 5.8 assists. Sophomore forward Alexis Yetna averages a double-double (12.8 points, 10.8 rebounds) and is scoring 16 while grabbing 11.3 rebounds per contest over his last six outings.

ABOUT CINCINNATI (14-3, 3-1): Junior guard Jarron Cumberland is sixth in the AAC in scoring (16.9) after averaging 19 in league play, and third in 3-point shooting percentage (44.0) despite making just 5-of-18 the last three games. Sophomore guard Keith Williams is the only other player averaging in double figures for scoring (11.2) and shoots 50.3 percent from the field. Junior forward Tre Scott must rebound from a tough game against UConn (1-of-7 shooting, one rebound) and junior center Nysier Brooks hopes to build off a 17-point effort (6-of-8 shooting) against the Huskies.

TIP-INS

1. USF sophomore G Justin Brown is averaging just 4.5 points in league play after coming in at 9.3 per game.

2. Cincinnati senior G Justin Jenifer is averaging 10 points in the first four AAC games, 2.1 above his season mark.

3. The Bearcats have won the last nine meetings, including a 78-55 triumph at USF last season.

PREDICTION: Cincinnati 70, USF 62

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida Gators vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NCAAB Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

It's getting to be desperate times for Mississippi State and visiting Florida as both teams entered SEC play with high hopes yet they have combined for just one victory in five league games going into Tuesday's matchup. The Gators are in danger of going 1-3 in conference action for the first time since the 1996-97 season while Mississippi State is looking for its first SEC win after plummeting from No. 14 in the rankings to 23rd following an 81-77 loss to rival Ole Miss on Saturday.

"I've always been a coach that believes defense wins first," Bulldogs coach Ben Howland told reporters after the Ole Miss setback. "We really did a poor job of defending here in the last few games and even our efficiency defensively on the year is not even close to what we're doing offensively. Defensively, we've got to get better. ... This is two games in a row now where we've had the power forward on the opposing team have career nights against our defense." Freshman forward Blake Hinson was the latest to do so with a breakout 26-point performance for Ole Miss, but the missing ingredient for the Bulldogs may actually have been their desire. Now the urgency figures to be there for slumping Mississippi State after two consecutive losses toppled them from their highest spot in the rankings since Dec. 26, 2011, when they also sat at No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The defensive-minded Gators don't pose nearly the same kind of offensive threat as Florida's leading scorers - guards KeVaughn Allen and Noah Locke - are putting up just 11.3 and 10.4 points per game, respectively, although they have picked it up in SEC play with Allen averaging 15.3 and Locke 14.3 in three games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT FLORIDA (9-6, 1-2 SEC): While Allen and Locke are taking on a greater share of the offensive burden with 34 points combined in Saturday's 78-67 loss to No. 3 Tennessee, the Gators still struggle to score - managing just 64.3 points in SEC action - and their best field goal percentage in the three conference games was 37.7 percent against South Carolina. The Gators boast the nation's 11th-best scoring defense (61.2, No. 1 in SEC), but they gave up the lead late once again versus Tennessee, which shot 57.7 percent from the field in the second half. "We need more focus down the stretch," Locke told reporters. "It's been a problem three games now, with being locked in and focused down the stretch, and we can't let those things happen."

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (12-3, 0-2): Guard Quinndary Weatherspoon (17.1 points per game) continues to be the go-to guy and he scored a team-high 18 points against Ole Miss - his seventh straight game in double figures and his 14th this season. Fellow guard Lamar Peters chipped in with 16 points and the Bulldogs shot 46.9 percent from the field, but the Rebels shot nearly the same (7-of-15, 46.7 percent) from beyond the arc in the second half. Aric Holman ranks fourth in the SEC in rebounds (8.4), but the 6-10 senior comes off his worst outing of the season with just four boards and was also held to eight points after racking up at least 20 in the two prior contests.

TIP-INS

1. Florida has won the last eight meetings in this SEC rivalry, which the Gators lead 65-49.

2. The Bulldogs have won 14 straight games when holding opponents to 60 points or fewer.

3. The Gators have held three opponents (West Virginia, Butler and Arkansas) more than 30 points below their season scoring average entering the game.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 68, Florida 64

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Georgia Bulldogs Preview and Predictions 2019-01-15

NCAAB Predictions 14th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/14/2019

No. 14 Kentucky has rebounded with back-to-back victories following a loss in its SEC opener, but visit Georgia on Tuesday seeking the type of performance at the beginning of games it has displayed in the second half. In both of the Wildcats' conference victories - home triumphs against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt - Kentucky found itself trailing by double digits in the first half before finding its stride after halftime.

"We've got to figure out how we start games," Kentucky coach John Calipari told reporters after Saturday's 56-47 win over the Commodores, a game in which his team trailed 16-4 in the first half. "This is getting ridiculous." Georgia entered the weekend after an impressive victory over Vanderbilt, but for the second Saturday in a row lost on the road to a ranked team. The Bulldogs, who were routed by 46 points in their SEC opener Jan. 5 at No. 3 Tennessee, suffered a 93-78 defeat at No. 12 Auburn last Saturday. "When we were sitting there at 10, 11 (points down), I always felt like we were right there, and our guys did, too," Georgia coach Tom Crean told the media afterward. "A game like this comes down to the hustle points."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT KENTUCKY (12-3, 2-1 SEC): Ashton Hagans and Keldon Johnson scored 15 points apiece to help lift the Wildcats on Saturday, and the Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field to improve to 7-0 when making at least half their shots. Hagans is averaging 10.4 points per game since moving into the starting lineup, and the freshman ranks second in the SEC in steals per game (2.1) while recording three or more in five consecutive games. Johnson ranks eighth in the conference in scoring (15.5) and 13th in field-goal percentage (52 percent).

ABOUT GEORGIA (9-6, 1-2): Nicolas Claxton finished with 15 points in the loss to Auburn, and shares the SEC lead in rebounding (9.5) while topping the league in blocked shots (3.3). William Jackson hit four 3-pointers en route to a season-best 16 points against the Tigers, while Rayshaun Hammonds - Georgia's leading scorer at 13.9 per contest - finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and four assists. The Bulldogs rank third in the league and 25th in the country in shooting percentage defense (39.5 percent).

TIP-INS

1. The Wildcats lead the SEC and rank seventh nationally in rebounding margin per game (9.9).

2. The Bulldogs are 9-1 when leading at halftime, and 0-5 when tied or trailing at intermission.

3. Kentucky has beaten Georgia 11 times in a row and lead the all-time series 126-26, including a 62-49 victory over the Bulldogs in last season's SEC quarterfinals.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 77, Georgia 67