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ACCESS
PICKS FOR TODAY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2018 |
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NFL |
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12/15/2018 |
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FOUND
2
GAMES |
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COMING
UP
4:30 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 4:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-325
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-7 (-104)
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Over 44 (-115)
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+263
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+7 (-116)
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Under 44 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 12, 2018The Houston Texans finally saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end with last weekend's home loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Still, the Texans (9-4) remain in control of their own destiny with three games left to play. Houston has a chance to wrap up the AFC South title with a win at the New York Jets on Saturday afternoon -- and a little help. It currently holds a two-game lead over Indianapolis and Tennessee in the division. The Texans remain in the mix for the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, but head coach Bill O'Brien is more concerned with getting his players focused on the Jets due to a shorter week of preparation. "I'm worried about the Jets," O'Brien said after the 24-21 loss to the Colts. "I think it's important for me to answer your questions about the previous game so I'm not going to sit up here and just ignore those questions because I do think in some ways, those apply to this game. But I'm not focused on anything other than correcting the mistakes from that game and then moving on to the Jets. " Houston, the first NFL team to win nine games in a row following an 0-3 start to the season, plays its next two away from home, and is treating the streak as history instead of putting it into any historical perspective. The nine-game run also marked a franchise record. "Win or lose the previous week, it's 0-0. You're only as good as what you do (with) the next opportunity," Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson said. "So, a new opportunity for us to be able to go out there and perform, try to get a W and do what the Houston Texans usually do. " Watson, who saw his rookie season end due to a torn ACL last year, is on the verge of leading Houston to 10 wins for the first time during O'Brien's tenure. He has thrown for 3,298 yards with 22 touchdowns against nine interceptions while completing 66. 9 percent of his passes. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Watson has posted at least a 100. 0 passer rating in four of his last six starts. After playing three straight at home, he repeatedly used the word "opportunity" as a chance to get back on track. "Just because we're going up to New York, it doesn't make any difference if we were playing in another city," said Watson. "It's a great opportunity for myself and for this team to go out there and perform at a high level. There's always new levels and new opportunities for us to get better, and that's what we're going to try to do. " New York saw a lengthy losing streak come to an end last weekend, halting a string of six straight defeats with a dramatic 27-23 road win over the Buffalo Bills. "We (are) on another level now," Jets safely Jamal Adams said after New York won for the first time since Oct. 14 and avenged a 41-10 shellacking by Buffalo last month. "We were in here partying now. We finally got a win. It was just great to have that feeling back. " Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, returned to the lineup after missing the past three games due to a sprained right foot and guided his team on a winning touchdown drive with 77 seconds remaining. Darnold, who was intercepted four times in his previous game, made a pair of dazzling throws in the fourth quarter. He spun out of pressure and delivered a perfect scoring strike to Robby Anderson to tie it at 20-20. Then, on the winning drive, Darnold connected with Anderson on a 37-yard pass down the right sideline to set up Elijah McGuire's 1-yard plunge. "As a kid, you dream of converting two-minute drives and going down there and scoring," Darnold said. "To be able to score a touchdown and put the ball in their hands at the end of the game was awesome. " Said Anderson: "With Sam Darnold, (the future), is as bright as the summer sun. " Watson has one of the league's elite receivers in DeAndre Hopkins, who has 1,151 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. However, Watson is a dual threat out of the backfield and part of a rushing attack led by Lamar Miller that ranks third in the NFL (136. 8). They will provide a tough matchup for New York's defense, which is 27th against the run at 132. 0 yards per game.
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
8:20 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 8:20 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+125
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+2.5 (-105)
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Over 46.5 (-105)
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-145
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-2.5 (-115)
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Under 46.5 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 12, 2018The Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns are both clinging to long-shot playoff hopes in a crowded AFC postseason picture. The Browns have to win out to have a remote chance of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2002, but they will have to conquer a major nemesis when they visit the Broncos on Saturday night. Cleveland (5-7-1) has lost 11 in a row to Denver (6-7), one of the teams it is chasing, and its last victory over the Broncos came more than 28 years ago -- a one-point victory in October 1990. Still, the idea of playing a meaningful game in December for a team that won one game over the previous two seasons is something no player on the current Browns roster has experienced. "I think everything when you're dealing with pride helps in motivation," Cleveland interim head coach Gregg Williams said. "Remember this when I say this: When you have to work extremely hard on motivation, you don't have the right people. The right people are supposed to be motivated at this level. That's how you keep your job. This job is a tough job at this level in the profession. The pride factor of seeing that (playoff) possibility is still there does help. " The Broncos had played themselves back into contention by rattling off three straight victories, including wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers, but they fell back in the pack after a stinging 20-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers last weekend. That loss left Denver one game behind the Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans. Baltimore holds the sixth and final seed via a tiebreaker. Broncos head coach Vance Joseph knows his team faces an uphill climb to reach the postseason and does not want to see a repeat of last week's loss at San Francisco, when Denver fell into a 20-0 hole at halftime. Among the players Joseph pointed a finger at was quarterback Case Keenum for playing too conservatively. "He was a little cautious with the ball," Joseph said. "The bottom line: We've got three weeks to play, he's got to make more plays and sometimes taking some chances allows you to make more plays. There are going to be turnovers so he can't worry about that. You can't play this game perfect, but I want Case to be more aggressive, especially down the seams of those cover-3 defenses. "That's where the soft spots are. He's got to be aggressive down the seams and not worry about making mistakes. " Keenum has four touchdown passes and no interceptions over the past three games, but he has failed to throw for at least 200 yards in that span. Granted, Denver is depleted at wide receiver with Emmanuel Sanders done for the season and the trade of Demaryius Thomas, but Keenum is well aware that it is crunch time. "We're at that point in the season where we've got to make plays and we've got to score points," Keenum said. "I think that's our best defense, us going out there and scoring points -- it's when those guys are on the sideline. I've said that before and I can't get caught back there with the ball in my hands. I've got to give guys chances down the field. "It looks different on different plays, but in general, that's a good mindset to have. I think being smart with the ball, continuing to be smart with the ball, but giving guys chances when we feel like it's a good matchup or advantageous time to take a shot or take a chance down the field (is important). " The Browns have won three of their last four games behind quarterback Baker Mayfield. The No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft became the first first-year starting quarterback to throw at least one touchdown pass in each of his first 10 starts since Kurt Warner in 1999. Mayfield, who has 19 scoring passes against 10 interceptions, must be wary of Denver's pass-rushing tandem of linebackers Von Miller and rookie Bradley Chubb, who have combined for 25. 5 sacks. However, Mayfield's focus is on keeping the playoff drive alive. "Take it one week at a time and put us into a position to -- you talk about the playoff picture, we're still right there," Mayfield said. "We have to win out. For us, the mentality is, 'Win one week at a time. ' We can't handle anything else. We just have to take it one week at a time. For us as a team, that's what we need. "
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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NCAAF |
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12/15/2018 |
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FOUND
7
GAMES |
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COMING
UP
1:30 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 1:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-155
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-3 (-108)
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Over 60.5 (-110)
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+135
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+3 (-112)
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Under 60.5 (-110)
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COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+215
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+7 (-115)
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Over 67.5 (-110)
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-260
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-7 (-105)
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Under 67.5 (-110)
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COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+371
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+12.5 (-110)
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Over 53 (-110)
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-480
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-12.5 (-110)
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Under 53 (-110)
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COMING
UP
3:30 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 3:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+195
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+6 (-110)
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Over 54 (-110)
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-235
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-6 (-110)
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Under 54 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 12, 2018Arizona State coach Herm Edwards is taking advantage of the extra game Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl presents by making sure his youngest players get valuable experience against No. 21 Fresno State. The Bulldogs, the Mountain West Conference champions at 11-2, 7-1 MWC, are playing for respect against a Power 5 opponent and are striving for their first 12-win season in school history. The pressure of winning is more on Fresno State than it is with Arizona State, which is 7-5 overall with a second-place finish in the Pac-12 Southern Division at 5-4. "It comes with the territory," Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford said. "Our goal always is to win the game that we're playing and this happens to be a 12th one. Is that defining? I think so, for a team that has worked so hard. I think that is a great accomplishment for any program. " With NFL prospect N'Keal Harry, a junior receiver, opting to not play in the game in order to concentrate on the draft, Sun Devils freshman Geordon Porter is expected to get more snaps. Arizona State freshman running back A. J. Carter is also expected to play. Edwards has also suggested that sophomore quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole will play depending on how the game develops in what will be the final college appearance for senior signal-caller Manny Wilkins. The Sun Devils already play an abundance of freshmen on defense -- with six seeing plenty of action this season. One of them is linebacker Merlin Robertson, the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year who has team-highs with 77 tackles, 8. 5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Edwards himself is acting young by saying he can't wait to stop for milkshakes on the team's bus ride to Las Vegas. Arizona State opted to take to the road on six buses for the six-hour trip to Las Vegas rather than fly, although the team will take an airplane back to Phoenix after the game. "I don't know if it's 'Johnson Family Vacation' or not, but we're going to make a few stops," Edwards said. "I'm really excited about the milkshakes (stop) to be quite honest. I know exactly what kind I'm getting. They get strawberry, vanilla or chocolate. I've got a special one coming. They're going to want the one I have. "It's like anything, if you make it fun. The Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (spanning the Colorado River) we're going to cross, I think that's important. They're really excited about going now. I've been talking it up for a week. When you do something like this, it just brings your team closer together. I like doing stuff like this. " Edwards is understandably enjoying the moment after a nerve-wracking, yet successful, first season with Arizona State. In the Sun Devils' last 11 games, nine have been decided by seven points of fewer. Arizona State had Harry through all of that. How much the Sun Devils and Wilkins miss Harry's 73 catches for 1,088 yards remains to be seen. They still have All-Pac-12 first-team selection Eno Benjamin at running back. He rushed for 1,524 yards at 5. 5 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns. "I've seen a little bit through the year of the stuff that they've done in highlights," Tedford said of Arizona State. "They're very explosive. They've played a lot of difficult games and won their share for sure -- they're a really good football team. " Tedford is familiar with coaching against the Sun Devils dating to his days as California's coach. Another bit of familiarity is Fresno State quarterback Marcus McMaryion, who transferred from Oregon State after starting seven games with the Beavers as a freshman and sophomore in 2015 and 2016. McMaryion is 12th among NCAA quarterbacks in yards (3,453) and seventh in completion percentage (69. 8). His favorite target, KeeSean Johnson, is tied for fourth in the NCAA in receptions (93) and eighth in yards (1,307). The Bulldogs' combination of Ronnie Rivers and Jordan Mims have combined for 967 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Fresno State is familiar with the Sun Devils' schemes on defense as defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales is a former San Diego State assistant coach who has brought the 3-3-5 defense with him to Arizona State. "I think it's a combination of Washington and Colorado of what they do on offense," Gonzales told the Arizona Republic. "They are a very physical football team. I think in all my times at the previous school, it was the only school that was able to match our physical stature and we had great battles with them so it's going to be a very, very good challenge. "They are a great football team. They're ranked 21st in the country for a reason. "
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
5:30 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 5:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+130
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+3 (-110)
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Over 45 (-110)
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-150
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-3 (-110)
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Under 45 (-110)
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COMING
UP
9:00 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 9:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+203
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+6.5 (-110)
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Over 48 (-110)
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-245
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-6.5 (-110)
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Under 48 (-110)
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NBA |
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12/15/2018 |
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FOUND
7
GAMES |
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COMING
UP
5:08 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 5:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-245
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-5.5 (-115)
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Over 206 (-110)
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+203
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+5.5 (-105)
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Under 206 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018The idea of playing games in an international setting such as Mexico City is viewed as an opportunity to grow the NBA by various management figures in the front offices of the Orlando Magic and the Utah Jazz.For players and coaches, there is time to explore things in Mexico City, but the visit to Mexico is considered a business trip with winning as the main objective.The Magic achieved the winning aspect of the trip by beating the Chicago Bulls in front of 20,201 fans, and another large crowd will be in the stands at Mexico City's Arena Ciudad de Mexico when Orlando is the home team against Utah on Saturday afternoon.It will be the ninth regular-season game in Mexico and, including preseason, the 28th game played in Mexico.Orlando is trying to sweep two international games for the second time in team history after making enough plays down the stretch in Thursday's 97-91 victory over Chicago. The Magic also swept the then-New Jersey Nets in two games played in the Tokyo Dome in November 1996.In the last three seasons, Orlando, Brooklyn and Phoenix gave up home games to play in Mexico City. Brooklyn and Phoenix both took splits from the two games and the Magic are hoping that being acclimated to the high elevation works in their favor, though they are hoping more of the crowd is rooting for them this time."It was good, it felt like a road game for us, kind of a home game, but it was a fun game especially towards the end the fans really got into it when it was close at the end," Orlando center Nikola Vucevic told reporters at practice on Friday. "You could really feel the energy. No matter if it's home or on the road, you feel the energy, so it was fun to be in." "I hope so," Magic coach Steve Clifford said of possibly owning an advantage for Saturday. "I know that early in the game you could see that it's hard, the beginning of the game is hard." The Magic are in a position to get their second straight win in Mexico because of a strong performance from Nikola Vucevic. He helped the Magic snap a three-game losing streak and rebound from double-digit losses to Dallas and Indiana by scoring 26 points and hitting the tiebreaking jumper with 28 seconds remaining.Vucevic was held to a season-low eight points Monday in Dallas but rebounded by reaching 25 points for the eighth time. The Magic are 6-2 when he gets at least 25 points, but Clifford was equally as impressed at Vucevic getting eight of Orlando's 40 deflections on Thursday.Vucevic had a full complement of support as Evan Fournier returned from missing Monday's game for personal reasons and had 10 points. D. J. Augustin added 15 and took the charge on defense before Vucevic's clutch jumper.Vucevic also had a new starting frontcourt as Aaron Gordon started alongside Jonathan Issac. Gordon was 2 of 11 from the field and Issac contributed 10 points.On Saturday, Vucevic will be going against close friend and France native Rudy Gobert, whose 24 double-doubles are second in the league behind Joel Embiid."There are a lot of fans there, and I've never been to Mexico City, so I'm excited," Gobert told reporters. "The league is worldwide, and there's a lot of people around the world, a lot of countries that don't have the opportunity to watch NBA games, so I think it's great to promote the game and also for the kids I think it's fun." The Jazz will play their first regular-season game in Mexico. Utah faced Dallas in preseason games in Mexico City in 1996 and 2003, and also played Phoenix in Mexico in 1996."It's cool to go there for a little bit of a showcase game," Utah guard Donovan Mitchell told reporters. "But we take it seriously, and we're going there to get a win." Utah will be the third team to play its 19th road game of the season but hopes to continue its recent upward trend. Since a 121-88 home loss to Indiana on Nov. 26, Utah is 5-3 in its last eight games.Gobert posted his latest double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday when the Jazz cruised to a 111-84 home win over the Miami Heat. Mitchell scored 21 points and Derrick Favors added 17.Kyle Korver added 16 points. He's shooting 43.8 percent from 3-point range in seven games since being obtained from Cleveland on Nov. 29.Gobert is among six international players on Utah's roster. Joe Ingles and Dante Exum are from Australia, Ricky Rubio is from Spain, Raul Neto is from Brazil and Thabo Sefolosha is from Switzerland.Utah has won four straight from Orlando and 12 of the last 15 meetings.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
7:08 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 7:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-120
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-1.5 (-110)
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Over 226.5 (-107)
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+100
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+1.5 (-110)
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Under 226.5 (-113)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018CHARLOTTE, N. C. -- LeBron James gets the bonus of a scheduling advantage as he seeks to win for the 18th time in his career in Charlotte when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Hornets on Saturday night.Having gotten steamrolled by James Harden's 50-point triple-double in a 126-111 loss at Houston on Thursday, the Lakers enjoyed the advantage of relaxing in Charlotte on Friday night while the Hornets were working overtime with the New York Knicks on the front end of a back-to-back.Charlotte wound up with nothing to show for its 53 minutes of fast-paced ball, losing 126-124 to the Knicks on the Hornets' home floor.James already has endured six back-to-backs this season and hasn't missed any of the Lakers' 28 contests. The 33-year-old is tied for 10th in the NBA in average minutes played at 35.0.James has worked an average of 38.1 minutes in his last 15 games against the Hornets, including at least 36 minutes in each of his last four visits to Charlotte, all of which his team (the Cleveland Cavaliers at the time) won.He's gone 17-5 in North Carolina for the Cavaliers and Miami Heat over the past 14 seasons, scoring 30 or more points 10 times and 35 or more four times, with a high of 41 in a 118-105 win last March.Due to his move to the Western Conference this season, Saturday's meeting will be James' only outing of the season at Charlotte. The Hornets will visit Los Angeles in March.A member of James' new supporting cast in Los Angeles is longtime nemesis Lance Stephenson, who went head-to-head with the superstar twice while a member of the Hornets in 2015, helping "limit" him to 27 and 25 points.Stephenson played just one season for the Hornets, averaging 8.2 points as a part-time starter (25 starts).The veteran has accepted a role off the bench now that he's joined forces with James and has found a niche, having scored in double figures eight times, including 17 in the loss at Houston."Be in attack mode," Stephenson told reporters of his game plan after Thursday's game. "Play together, talk on defense. We've been doing a great job." So had the Hornets before letting one get away on Friday night. Charlotte had opened a five-game homestand with Wednesday's dramatic, 108-107 victory over the Detroit Pistons for a third straight victory.But the Hornets failed to make it four in a row against the Knicks despite a well rounded attack that featured 21-point performances from Cody Zeller and Nicolas Batum, and a 20-pointer from Marvin Williams.However, the usually dependable Kemba Walker missed 14 of his 20 shots, including nine of his 13 3-point attempts, on a 14-point night. His was off the mark on a 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left in regulation, prompting overtime.The Hornets are hoping a visit from James can deflect some attention from team owner Michael Jordan, who made national news at the end of Wednesday's win when he slapped Malik Monk on the back of the head for getting a late technical foul."I guess you can understand the response," Hornets coach James Borrego noted to reporters before Friday's game. "Michael can create some headlines, I guess."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
7:08 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 7:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-145
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-2.5 (-110)
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Over 214.5 (-112)
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+125
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+2.5 (-110)
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Under 214.5 (-108)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 15, 2018Through the first 20 games of the season, the Detroit Pistons looked like one of the most improved teams in the NBA.They are now in danger of falling below the .500 mark. They need a home victory over the streaking Boston Celtics on Saturday to avoid that distinction.Detroit was cruising along with a 13-7 record but has dropped its last six games. The latest was especially agonizing, as it blew a seemingly comfortable fourth-quarter lead and fell to the Charlotte Hornets 108-107 on Wednesday.The Hornets scored 13 unanswered points to erase a 10-point deficit. The Pistons tied it in the final minute before Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb made a game-winning last-second jumper."I think six minutes left in the game we were up 101-91 and I don't know if it was our offense going bad or their defense coming better, we struggled to score the ball in that situation and we've got to find easier shots," Pistons point guard Jose Calderon said. "And at the same time we didn't make those shots that we were making in the first. So yeah, we're going to look at the end, but it was just those plays, those last six minutes we just maybe didn't execute the right way." The Pistons trailed most of the first half, then took the lead by outscoring Charlotte 38-22 in the third quarter. They were limited to 14 fourth-quarter points, and Pistons coach Dwane Casey felt his team may have gotten worn down."We missed some good looks in that stretch," he said. "You have to give Charlotte some credit. too, I thought defensively they buckled down. I go back to how we started. We had to exert so much energy to get back the lead but that is when the wheels fell off." The Pistons' top players are healthy for Saturday's contest, but they're dealing with some injuries. Shooting guard Reggie Bullock has missed the last five games with an ankle sprain but is expected to play after practicing on Friday. Reserves Glenn Robinson III and Henry Ellenson are sidelined with ankle ailments.The Celtics have already defeated the Pistons twice this season. They rolled at Little Caesars Arena 109-89 on Oct. 27, then won in Boston 108-105 three nights later.Boston (18-10) has won eight straight, including a 129-108 victory over Atlanta on Friday night.Center Al Horford is sidelined with a knee injury, which could present problems on Saturday as the Celtics try to contain Detroit's inside duo of Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin.Boston was the preseason favorite to reach the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference and has found a groove."We expected things to come easy," guard Kyrie Irving told USA Today. "That's being part of team environment. Even the best teams had to go through trials of figuring out what they look like every day." Coach Brad Stevens believes his team will continue to gain strength."We have all kinds of things we need to be better at," he told USA Today. "Our spirit is good. We're now more comfortable and focused on our tasks. Everybody knows what they need to do when they go in the game and know how we're going to play,"
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:08 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 8:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-155
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-3 (-115)
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Over 201 (-112)
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+135
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+3 (-105)
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Under 201 (-108)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018MEMPHIS -- James Harden will attempt to snap his team out of its road woes Saturday night when the Houston Rockets visit the Memphis Grizzlies for his encore performance after a 50-point triple-double two days earlier.Harden's big night helped the Rockets complete a 2-0 homestand with a 126-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Houston also beat Portland during its short stay at home.But now it's back on the road, where the Rockets have lost six of seven, including three straight on two different trips.The Memphis visit is just an overnighter, the same type of scheduling that produced the Rockets' last road win, Nov. 30 at San Antonio.Houston's struggles on the road have continued despite Harden's brilliance. He has had 33 or more points four times during the 1-6 skid, three times recording double-doubles.The Rockets have brought in reinforcements for the Memphis trip, with veteran Brandon Knight having made his Houston debut Thursday against the Lakers.Knight, acquired in the offseason from Phoenix, hadn't played since February of 2017 in the wake of two knee surgeries.The former 19.6 points-per-game scorer got in for just 3 minutes, 41 seconds against the Lakers, long enough to get up two shots (missed them both), record an assist and commit two fouls.Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni indicated before the game that the 27-year-old remains a work in progress."You can see him just getting better every day," the coach told reporters. "The trainer said it's time. He's ready to go." The Rockets figure to need all the firepower they can gather against the Grizzlies, who ranked second in the NBA in points allowed (102.1) even before holding Miami under that average in a 100-97 home loss on Friday night.Memphis will take the court Saturday in an offensive slump, having been held under 100 points in four straight games, but they might be a day or two away from getting a nice boost.The Grizzlies on Friday night reportedly were putting the finishing touches on a three-team trade that would net them high-scoring forward Kelly Oubre from Washington. Memphis was said to be parting with Wayne Selden and MarShon Brooks, both headed to Phoenix.In the meantime, Grizzlies coach J. B. Bickerstaff hopes memories of losses such as the 15- and 22-point defeats to the Rockets last season can fuel further success this season."This organization has had a ton of success," Bickerstaff told reporters earlier this week. "Last year, we want to prove it was a blip on the radar; it wasn't something people should expect. Every night, our guys play with an edge to prove that we are who we say we are." The Grizzlies were able to hold Harden to 20 and 22 points in two early-season wins last year, before he responded with 38 and 29 points in the two subsequent blowouts.Memphis star Mike Conley played in the first three games against the Rockets before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in November last season. The Grizzlies were 7-6 at the time, then went 15-54 the rest of the way.Conley, despite bothered of late by a sore knee, has played in all 28 of Memphis' games this season. He was the game's top scorer with 22 points in Friday's loss to Miami.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:38 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 8:38 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+534
|
+11 (-113)
|
Over 214 (-110)
|
|
|
-750
|
-11 (-107)
|
Under 214 (-110)
|
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018Four wins in a row -- all of them at home in seven days -- brought the San Antonio Spurs back to their "happy" place and turned them back into a team that's playing like NBA followers have come to expect during a run of 21 straight appearances in the postseason.The same can't be said for the Chicago Bulls, who venture in to the Alamo City on Saturday for a dustup with the Spurs at the AT&T Center.San Antonio rolled to a 125-87 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday as LaMarcus Aldridge poured in 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting in just three quarters and led six teammates in double-figure scoring.Rudy Gay added 21 points for San Antonio on 8-of-10 shooting, and DeMar DeRozan and Marco Belinelli added 14 each. Patty Mills and Derrick White hit for 11 points apiece, and Bryn Forbes scored 10 for the Spurs, who outshot the Clippers 58 percent to 36 percent."We played a really good defensive game," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "You know, that fuels your offense in most situations, so I like to think we're getting better - more consistent defensively." The Spurs' four-game run has propelled them back above .500 (15-14) for the first time since they were 8-7 after beating defending NBA champion Golden State on Nov. 18."If you can't take care of home court, then you're in trouble," Aldridge said. "We had a lot of games on the road and that kind of caught up with us. Coming home, guys wanted to recharge and just try to take care of this homestand." The Bulls have been a disaster this season, losing 10 of their past 11 games and performing so poorly that coach Fred Hoiberg was fired Dec. 3. Interim coach Jim Boylen has not fared much better than Hoiberg, producing one win in five games at the helm as Chicago tries to find its footing despite a slew of injuries.Chicago's latest setback was a 97-91 loss on Thursday to Orlando in Mexico City. Zach LaVine scored 23 points and Justin Holiday finished with 18 points for the Bulls (6-23), who struggle with the worst record in the Eastern Conference."We are on the right direction," Holiday said afterward. "We got another loss, but we are on the right direction." Holiday canned four 3-pointers and has at least one in 39 straight games, the longest streak in Bulls history and his career.After the game, the Bulls confirmed that forward Jabari Parker will be out of the regular rotation going forward. He played just four scoreless minutes in the loss to the Magic on Thursday, a move Boylen said was more about matchups than Parker's play."It's about the team, and you play your minutes when you're in there, and when you're not, you support the guys who are," Boylen said after the loss. "We have a lot of games left, and we're going to need all of our people. Going forward, (Parker) is part of our team, and it's not about the individual, it's about the team. We'll see what his minutes are going forward." The Spurs the Bulls in the teams' first meeting this season, a 108-107 decision in Chicago, and own a four-game win streak against the Bulls. The Spurs are 55-33 all time against Chicago and 32-11 in the Alamo City.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
9:08 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 9:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-400
|
-8.5 (-110)
|
Over 215 (-111)
|
|
|
+317
|
+8.5 (-110)
|
Under 215 (-109)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018Phoenix played one of its best games of the season on Thursday.Minnesota ... not so much.Even so, the numbers make it difficult to identify a favorite when the teams meet for the first of three times this season on Saturday night in Phoenix.Minnesota (13-15) has lost three in a row and is 2-11 on the road, tied for the second fewest road victories in the league. The Timberwolves have lost all 10 road games against Western Conference opponents this season, the latest a 140-131 loss at Sacramento.The Suns (5-24) broke a 10-game losing streak with a 99-89 victory over the Dallas Stars, their fourth victory at home his season. At 4-11, the Suns are tied for the fewest home wins and most home losses in the league.The Suns did it with defense Thursday. Dallas' 89 points were the fewest scoring against them this season, and they limited the to Mavericks to 39.7 percent shooting from the field, including 5 of 33 from 3-point range.Coach Igor Kokoskov cited energy, which at times has been lacking this season, as the Suns won for the first time in the six games that Devin Booker has missed with a left hamstring injury. Booker is not expected to return Saturday."Even when we made mistakes, we found a way to get defensive stops through effort," Kokoskov said."Effort was there. Energy was there. Our defense scored for us. I can't remember the last game when we had that many pass-aheads in transition. Defensive stops allowed us to run tonight and to have some points and some easy buckets in transition." TJ Warren had 30 points, his first 30-point game of the season, and the Suns had a season-high 23 takeaways leading to 14 fast-break points while beating the Mavericks for the seventh straight time."When you start a game with defensive stops and you convert those stops in fast-break points, it gives you confidence that you can compete and you can maybe win a game," Kokoskov said."It's not easy to sustain for 48 minutes, but we played unselfishly and we found a way." The Suns came together after veteran Jamal Crawford spoke to the team during the Thursday morning shoot-around."I just wanted us to get in the mindset of winning," said Crawford, who had 17 points and tied a season high with five assists."I think we should start speaking it into existence. I thought everybody this morning was focused, everybody was locked in. Winning is a mindset, but so is losing. Isiah Thomas taught me that. For us, it's about just trying to dig ourselves out of this hole. Trying to get better each day and building." Crawford played the final nine minutes and backup center Richaun Holmes played the final eight in place of No. 1 draft pick Deandre Ayton, who had seven points and five rebounds in 26 minutes.Minnesota will play the final game of a four-game road trip that has included losses to Portland and Golden State. The Timberwolves entered the trip having won nine of 12 after trading Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia on Nov. 12.Andrew Wiggins scored 25 points and Derrick Rose had 20 off the bench.The Timberwolves shot 53.8 percent from the floor against Sacramento. The Kings were even hotter, hitting 58.1 percent from the field and making a season-high 19 3-pointers on 38 attempts."There wasn't no communication out there," Derrick Rose told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "We didn't get back, and how many transition points did they have? It seems like every time we play against them, they just push the ball. It's that simple. It's not very complex." The Kings ran past the Timberwolves for 33 fast-break points and scored 45 points in the fourth quarter. The 141 points were the most against Minnesota this season."The disappointment was in our defense," Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. "If you can't play defense, you can't win in this league. We gave them everything." Wiggins has scored at least 20 points in the last four games while shooting 52.2 percent from the field. He is averaging 21.1 points and shooting 50 percent from the field in 17 career games against the Suns.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
9:08 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 9:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+226
|
+6.5 (-110)
|
Over 223.5 (-110)
|
|
|
-276
|
-6.5 (-110)
|
Under 223.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 15, 2018Oklahoma City was flying high just a few days ago, as the Thunder entered Wednesday's game at New Orleans with the best record in the Western Conference.But the Thunder enter Friday's home game against the Los Angeles Clippers needing to get things turned around, especially on the offensive side.All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook was just 5 of 15 from the field in Friday's 109-98 loss to Denver. Westbrook has made more than two 3-pointers in a game just once this season going into Saturday's game.The Thunder have been most effective this season when attacking the basket. But they have had problems recently as Westbrook has struggled offensively even on the inside, and Oklahoma City's offense has grown stagnant at times."I think from an identity standpoint, the way we want to play -- we want to play downhill," Thunder head coach Billy Donovan said.Westbrook has struggled offensive recently, shooting 42 of 110 (38.2 percent) from the floor in December.The Thunder come into the game having lost two consecutive games for the first time since their 0-4 start to the season Oct. 16-25. Oklahoma City has lost three of its last four.Oklahoma City, which coming off Friday's loss to the Nuggets, is 2-1 this season on the second night of back-to-backs. The Thunder are near the start of a stretch in which they will play nine of 13 games on the road.The Clippers have lost four of their last five after Thursday's 125-87 loss to the Sours. That was the first of nine consecutive games against Western Conference opponents.This has been Los Angeles' roughest stretch of the season, and it hasn't lost three in a row this year."It's a long season," Clippers guard Patrick Beverley said. "You play long enough the game teaches itself and it told us, as a unit, we can't ease into games. That's what we're trying to do lately and we can't do that. We're not that good, not right now. But we can be." Clippers coach Doc Rivers expanded his rotation recently, playing all his players who dressed -- 12 total -- at least nine minutes in Thursday's blowout loss in San Antonio. Rivers is trying to keep his team fresh."I played a long time ago and I knew when I didn't have energy, but it usually didn't mean the next game I wouldn't have energy," Rivers said. "It means there were nights that I showed up (and) I tried to do everything I possibly could do to get ready and I came into the game and I just didn't have it, unfortunately."They're human and sometimes it happens. You know this is a long stretch, so you see it over and over again. What they're telling you is they're tired and you probably have to just try and play a bigger rotation, which sometimes you don't want to do, but sometimes you have to do it." The teams have split their two meetings so far this season, with the Clippers winning 108-92 on Oct. 19 at home and the Thunder winning 128-110 on Oct. 30 at home.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
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|
|
NCAAB |
|
|
12/15/2018 |
|
FOUND
58
GAMES |
|
|
|
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|
IN
PROGRESS
HALF
|
|
12/15/2018 12:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+274
|
+7 (-105)
|
Over 144.5 (-110)
|
|
|
-340
|
-7 (-115)
|
Under 144.5 (-110)
|
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018Kansas is ranked No. 1 in the nation. However, when Bill Self leaves practice, the Jayhawks may not even rank No. 1 in their coach's heart.An 8-0 start to what has been rated as America's toughest college schedule has won over the minds of pollsters, which is understandable. Kansas is an elite program that reloads at a rate that has generated 14 consecutive Big 12 championships.Yet inconsistencies, coupled with an ankle injury to junior center Udoka Azubuike, create a delicate balance the Jayhawks are treading as they welcome No. 17 Villanova (8-3) on Saturday to Lawrence, Kan."The reason we're inconsistent so far is because of intangible things that we can control and do a better job of," said Self, who has often cited uneven practices this season."I think a lot of that is youth. We have one senior on our team, but the (overall) mentality is probably younger than what the actual age is. We need to grow up in some areas and become more mature, but we'll do that as the season progresses." Inconsistencies can even strike at the Jayhawks' leading scorer and rebounder, junior forward Dedric Lawson, who averages a double-double with 19.1 points and 10.6 rebounds.The 6-foot-9 Memphis transfer struggled throughout most of a game last Saturday before erupting down the stretch as Kansas overcame an upset bid by New Mexico State for a 63-60 win."The best thing about our team so far is that they figure out a way to win close games," Self said. "The worst thing about our team so far is that every game is a close game." Kansas has trailed in all of its games. The largest deficits average out at 8.1 points.Before Azubuike rolled the ankle (he is expected to return for the start of Big 12 play), the Jayhawks had a certifiable inside threat most opponents do not feature, though the 7-footer often encountered foul trouble.Another veteran, senior guard Lagerald Vick, has been scorching hot (55.8 percent) from 3-point range, though disciplinary issues kept him from starting the past two games and he was a non-factor.Vick, however, is obviously a veteran who can provide grim details of the 96-79 loss to Kansas by Villanova in the Final Four last season. Vick was also around in 2016 when the Jayhawks fell to the Wildcats in the South Regional final of the NCAA Tournament.A 78-75 loss to Penn on Tuesday ended a six-game winning streak for the Wildcats and a 25-game streak against Philadelphia Five rivals."It was nice while it lasted," Villanova coach Jay Wright said of the Philly streak. "But you're always on to the next game. (Kansas) is the most important one right now. We'll learn from (the Penn loss). It was fun to be a part of and it will be something we think more about after our careers are over." Villanova has been ranked as high as No. 8 but was bounced out of the polls after an 0-2 start. Senior guard Phil Booth (15.8 ppg.) and senior forward Eric Paschall (14.5) lead the Wildcats in scoring.The last time Wright and the Wildcats visited Allen Fieldhouse was in 2004, Self's first season as Kansas coach. The Jayhawks won 86-79.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018Tennessee junior forward Grant Williams, the reigning SEC Player of the Year, and his teammates with the third-ranked Volunteers get the opportunity to experience the in-state rivalry with Memphis for the first time on Saturday."Everybody knows you have two in-state schools that have had great success in basketball," said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, whose team is coming off an upset of top-ranked Gonzaga on Sunday in Phoenix.The game between Tennessee (7-1) and Memphis (5-4) will be played in front of a sellout crowd at FedExForum in Memphis.The once dormant series - which was halted in 2013 -- was revived when Barnes took over at Tennessee in 2015 and Tubby Smith arrived at Memphis in 2016."Everybody in the state knows and talks about it," Barnes said. "It had been a rivalry. When I got here, people asked about that game. Every time we went to Memphis for Big Orange Caravan, everybody said, 'Is there ever a chance we can start playing a game again?'"It took time to get it because of where we were with our scheduling." The programs reached a tentative agreement in November of last year, scheduling a home-and-home arrangement. Another game will be played in Nashville after the two-year series is complete.In March, shortly after Smith's firing and Penny Hardaway's hiring as head coach at Memphis, the schools formally announced the series.Memphis returns to Thompson-Boling Arena on a date yet to be determined next season. The game in Nashville will be on either Dec. 18 or 20, 2020.Hardaway played against the Vols two times when he was an All-America guard for the Tigers in the early 1990s. He said he wants it to be so loud at FedExForum that he won't have a voice left to conduct his postgame media press conference."Competition is healthy, I love that," Hardaway said. "We have an opportunity to prove that we can play with anybody in the country. I'm not afraid to play anybody. I always want to play a good schedule so my guys know where they (stand)." The Vols are led by the duo of Williams, who is averaging 19.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, and Admiral Schofield, who is at 17.9 points a game and 6.0 rebounds a game. Point guard Jordan Bone has 49 assists with only 15 turnovers in the first eight games.During the first two months of the season, Memphis has encountered two ranked teams - No. 22 LSU and No. 20 Texas Tech. In each game, Hardaway's team, which features two freshman guards -- Tyler Harris and Alex Lomax -- in the starting lineup, has competed well.Harris leads the Tigers averaging 16.2 points a game while Lomax is averaging 5.2 rebounds (despite being only 6-feet tall) and 2.7 assists a game.Memphis led LSU 54-52 midway through the second half last month at Baton Rouge, La., before losing 85-76.Against Texas Tech at American Airlines Arena in Miami earlier this month, the Tigers led the Red Raiders by eight with seven minutes left and were up by two with five minutes to go. Texas Tech rallied to win 78-67 and remain unbeaten."It has helped us tremendously to play at LSU and against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech," Hardaway said. "Everyone knows we had 34 minutes of great basketball and for a three-minute span they took over the game and never looked back. So those games are preparing us for games like Saturday."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 13, 2018Syracuse might not have a big problem against Old Dominion this Saturday in the Carrier Dome, but as the Orange move forward with their season, their long-term task is a tall one, in multiple senses of the term.More than once over the past five weeks, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim felt the need to pull starting center Paschal Chukwu from the floor in the first three minutes of a game. Boeheim is not fully comfortable with Chukwu and fellow big man Bourama Sidibe.It is generally acknowledged that No. 25 Syracuse gains more at the offensive end of the floor when Marek Dolezaj plays center. Dolezaj passes the ball well and creates a more integrated offensive unit. He was a key cog in last March's run to the Sweet 16. He is a versatile and useful player in the right situations. However, he is not physically sturdy, as Boeheim explained after his team's 72-71 win over Georgetown last Saturday."He's going to make plays," Boeheim said to Syracuse.com in referring to Dolezaj. "But he's 173 pounds. What's the likelihood that he can play center? A spot here and a spot there? Yes. Against some teams? Yes. Not against (Georgetown's) Jessie Govan. He's too big and strong down there." Dolezaj has made no secret about the physical challenges of playing center ... and his desire to not explore the subject in great detail."It's hard," Dolezaj said about his game against Georgetown. "I don't really want to comment on that." After the Georgetown game, Boeheim emphatically shot down the suggestion of using alternative lineups as a way to circumvent Dolezaj's limitations."The only thing that would be worse would be to put Oshae (Brissett) at center," Boeheim said. "Of all the moves I could make in my lifetime, that would be the worst move that I could ever make. I would be better off playing Paschal at (point guard) than Oshae Brissett at center. But everyone has their ideas, it's a free world." With Dolezaj being almost entirely unplayable against Georgetown, Chukwu played 24 minutes versus the Hoyas, collecting more playing time in order to bang with the 6-10 Govan in the low post."I thought Paschal was very good in the second half," Boeheim said. "I thought he made a big difference in there with his defense. Marek (Dolezaj) can play in the center a little bit but not against someone like Jessie. He's just too strong for him. But he gives us some minutes there." All three of Syracuse's centers commit more than six fouls per 40 minutes. That foul-magnet identity is even more alarming in light of the fact that Syracuse has played just one top-100 team in offensive rebounding percentage: Connecticut ... and Syracuse lost that contest, 83-76."For us to be successful in the long run," Boeheim said, "our centers are going to have to play." Old Dominion might not have the lineup that is uniquely constructed to exploit Syracuse's weaknesses, but the Monarchs have won five games in a row, the most recent one coming this past Sunday against Fairfield.The winning streak has been fueled by the play of B. J. Stith, who has been named Conference USA Player of the Week in consecutive weeks. He scored 28 points in the 79-69 win against Fairfield. Teammate Ahmad Caver scored 12 points, dished out 12 assists, and collected six rebounds with no turnovers.ODU head coach Jeff Jones expressed a cautionary note after the Fairfield game about his team's intensity:"There were stretches where we had to really create our own energy," Jones said. "B. J. was fantastic and we kept going to him all game long." B. J. Stith is the son of Bryant Stith, whom Jones coached over a quarter of a century ago at the University of Virginia. Bryant Stith is an assistant to Jones on the current Old Dominion staff.Stith is a 6-5 guard, so he won't uniquely threaten Syracuse's big men. ODU is unlikely to challenge the Orange in the paint.Nevertheless, Syracuse knows that it will need to cultivate its post players if it wants to maximize its potential this season. That process continues on Saturday against the Monarchs.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
1:30 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 1:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-250
|
-5 (-113)
|
Over 144.5 (-112)
|
|
|
+207
|
+5 (-107)
|
Under 144.5 (-108)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+237
|
+6.5 (-110)
|
Over 135.5 (-119)
|
|
|
-290
|
-6.5 (-110)
|
Under 135.5 (-102)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
OFF
|
+25 (-112)
|
Over 134 (-120)
|
|
|
OFF
|
-25 (-108)
|
Under 134 (+100)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018Up until the start of 2019, the Michigan basketball team will experience a schedule that will be more what the football team at the school is used to.After playing five games in 16 days, the No. 5-ranked Wolverines are in the midst of a stretch of playing four games over a span of 22 days, all of them at home.The first was an 89-78 win over South Carolina last Saturday.Next up is a 2 p.m. game this Saturday against in-state rival Western Michigan.For a team like red-hot Michigan that is off to a 10-0 start, it would seem that the light game schedule wouldn't be helpful since the Wolverines are in such a good groove.But Michigan head coach John Beilein actually doesn't mind the stretch one bit because it allows for valuable practice time, where younger players can be further developed and lineups can further be experimented with before Big 10 play resumes in January."I don't think it can hurt us at all," Beilein said on the Inside Michigan Basketball radio show this week. I'm sure our guys would love to play. But there are times their body needs to refuel. We have to refocus on what winning looks like." That last sentence seems remarkable, given all Michigan has done of late is win.Dating back to last year, Michigan has won 24 out of its last 25 games and has beaten all of its opponents except one - a 62-60 win at Northwestern - by double digits.However, Beilein insists improvements must be made."We have to win on the road," said Beilein, even though his team has won at Villanova and Northwestern this year. "We have to win against good teams coming up. The Big 10 is a monster as you can see. We have a lot to do." The next challenger for the Wolverines is Western Michigan, which also has had a break from game action.The Broncos will be playing just their third game in the month of December when they visit Ann Arbor.Western Michigan is 5-4 on the season and is coming off an 88-77 win at Youngstown State last Saturday.The Broncos have a premier post presence down low in senior 7-foot center Seth Dugan, who is averaging 17.7 points and 10.1 rebounds a game so far this season.Senior guard Josh Davis is averaging 13.7 points a game and sophomore guard Michael Flowersis averaging 13.6 points a game to flank Dugan so far this year for Western Michigan."One of the things that makes it difficult to prepare for them is that the best game plan going in involves different things in different situations," Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins said. "You can go under ball screens on certain guys and go over ball screens on other guys. There are some situations you would like to switch in, and other situations you don't want to switch at all."For a team like ours that's very young in nature, to try and decipher through all that information while the game is going on against a team that executes as well as Michigan does, it's very difficult."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+165
|
+4.5 (-115)
|
Over 155 (-106)
|
|
|
-191
|
-4.5 (-105)
|
Under 155 (-114)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+956
|
+13.5 (-118)
|
Over 138 (-120)
|
|
|
OFF
|
-13.5 (-103)
|
Under 138 (-101)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018No. 14 Buffalo has met all the challenges it has faced while reaching unprecedented heights in the national polls this season, and now comes another challenge -- beating an opponent for the second time in five weeks.The Bulls, who entered the AP Top 25 after knocking off West Virginia in their second game of the season, beat Southern Illinois in Carbondale, Ill., on Nov. 12, when they overcame an eight-point deficit in the first half and shot only 35.5 percent from the field.The rematch in Buffalo on Saturday comes at a different phase of the season for both.The Bulls (9-0) remain one of nine undefeated teams in Division I and one of six with at least nine victories following an 80-62 payback victory at upstate New York rival St. Bonaventure last Saturday. The Bonnies had won seven of the last eight in the series and gave the Bulls their only home loss last season.Southern Illinois (7-4) had a five-game winning streak snapped in an 80-52 blowout home loss to Murray State on Wednesday. The Racers, led by projected NBA lottery pick guard Ja Morant, held a 49-18 halftime lead.Buffalo had a similar outburst against the Bonnies, leading by as many as 28 points after scoring the first three baskets of the second half.Bulls sophomore guard Jayvon Graves had a season-high 19 points and made a career-high five 3-pointers at St. Bonaventure, three days after learning of the death of his paternal grandfather.Graves returned to Ohio to spend time with family before returning to practice the day before the game."It meant a lot," Graves told reporters. "I made sure I dedicated this game to my grandpa. Probably the most difficult time of my life. That was just tough for me and my mom. She's lost both of her parents now, so I just wanted to do that for her." Jeremy Harris had 18 points and leading scorer CJ Massinburg had 14 points and nine rebounds against the Bonnies."(Jayson) came out and played the game of his life," Buffalo coach Nate Oats told reporters. "To come out and perform like that, with that on his mind, I'm really happy."Today, we proved to ourselves, whether we're home or on the road or neutral, (if we) bring our A game we'll take care of business." After the Southern Illinois game, the Bulls will have road tests at Syracuse of the ACC on Tuesday and Marquette of the Big East on Friday, which appears on paper to be their most challenging stretch of the season.Buffalo is the first Mid-American Conference team to be ranked in the AP Top 25 for at least five consecutive weeks since Western Michigan went 25-3 and had a 14-game winning streak in 1975-76.The Bulls are No. 13 in the NCAA's latest NET rankings.Southern Illinois had won seven of eight following its loss to Buffalo before running into Murray State and Morant, one of the 15 players in Division I with a triple-double this season.The Salukis will face another in Massinburg, who had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a victory over Le Moyne on Dec. 5. Massinburg had seven points in the Bulls' earlier 62-53 over the Salukis this season. Kavion Pippen led Southern Illinois with 18.SIU coach Barry Hinson is not likely to treat the preparation for the Bulls and Massinburg the same way he treated the Murray State game."I made a big mistake," he told reporters after the loss. "I put so much emphasis on Morant and how good we thought he was and I scared our players. Our guys played scared." Senior forward Armon Fletcher, who leads the Salukis in scoring (13.5) and rebounding (6.0), missed the first Buffalo game after suffering a dislocated knee in the season opener against Kentucky.A preseason All-Missouri Valley selection, Fletcher has played in only six games this season, missing the two most recent contests after a pair of 20-point games against Colorado State and SIU-Edwardsville.The Salukis have a balanced attack, featuring four other players who are averaging at least 10.6 points. Eric McGill had 19 points and 10 rebounds against Murray State, the team's first double-double of the season.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+166
|
+4.5 (-115)
|
Over 146.5 (-115)
|
|
|
-195
|
-4.5 (-105)
|
Under 146.5 (-105)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+218
|
+6 (-113)
|
Over 148 (-108)
|
|
|
-265
|
-6 (-107)
|
Under 148 (-112)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
2:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 2:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-110
|
OFF
|
Over 153.5 (-115)
|
|
|
-110
|
OFF
|
Under 153.5 (-105)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
3:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 3:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-275
|
-6 (-110)
|
Over 143 (-110)
|
|
|
+226
|
+6 (-110)
|
Under 143 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
3:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 3:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+110
|
+2 (-110)
|
Over 159 (-110)
|
|
|
-130
|
-2 (-110)
|
Under 159 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
3:45 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 3:45 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-101
|
+1 (-110)
|
Over 141.5 (-110)
|
|
|
-119
|
-1 (-110)
|
Under 141.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018INDIANAPOLIS -- Understandably, Butler coach LaVall Jordan is big fan of the Crossroads Classic.At 5-2, the Bulldogs have the best record in the annual doubleheader between four Indiana schools at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.On Saturday, Butler (7-2) takes on No. 25 Indiana (8-2). Purdue and Notre Dame will meet in the opening game. IU is next with a 4-3 record in Crossroads action."I love the event," Jordan said. "I think it's a great event for the state. It's great for Indiana basketball to be on display around the country. It's great for all the schools to match up and go against each other. Fans love it. Our guys love it."The competition is obviously a high level so you can test yourselves against good programs and good teams. There is no downside to it." There is no downside to Butler's most recent performance, either. Jordan said there was much to like offensively as his team hit 17 3-pointers in a 95-68 rout of visiting Northern Illinois on Dec. 8."We're a still a work in progress," Jordan said in a WFIN radio interview. "These first nine games have been a good test for us. We're learning a lot. Guys are growing into new roles pretty nicely. The thing I love about this group is they are connected and come every day with a great effort." Jordan said it has been a solid start to the season, but there are areas where the team can get better. Going against the young but talented Hoosiers will provide another measuring stick.Jordan said Indiana freshman guard Rob Phinisee and Romeo Langford are "playing above their years." Langford is averaging a team-high 18.2 points on 48.8 percent shooting for the Hoosiers, who have won three games in a row and moved into the Top 25 rankings for the first time in nearly two seasons."He doesn't seem to let the pace and the level affect him," Jordan said of Langford. "Obviously, he's been scoring all his life, so those guys generally figure out a way to score the ball. Usually, the pace kind of dictates how fast you're playing. He's got a phenomenal pace to his game." Hoosiers coach Archie Miller said Langford's strength is his attacking style."Romeo is as gifted as it gets in terms of getting to the basket," Miller said. "Shooting the ball well, not shooting the ball well, that's not his MO. His MO is he's obviously been a great attacking guard off the dribble."I don't think a lot of people understand how physically big and strong he is as a freshman, how gifted he is in his length offensively as he's approaching the paint." The 6-foot-6 Langford is averaging 5.3 rebounds, second on the team to senior Juwan Morgan's 8.1 rebounding average."We want him (Langford) to play even stronger, got to get him rebounding the ball a little bit better," Miller said. "I think he'll be fine with that. I think as we get into Big Ten play, definitely will be something that our team in general will have to deal with, is just the battle of the physical (play)." Phinisee is averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 assists. Miller said Phinisee is physically strong for a freshman."There's very few freshmen guards that can do what he does for 33 minutes in terms of the defensive side of the ball, which we ask him to do," Miller said."He's also a tough kid. You don't really know how tough a guy is, what they're made of, until you get them going. He's taking advantage of the opportunities he's been given."He's played well. He's had a great work ethic about it. He's also learning how to play point guard in college, a lot different than playing point guard in high school. I think he's doing a better job running our team. He's been a great, great addition to the program all the way around, on and off the floor." The Bulldogs will get a boost from the addition of Duke transfer Jordan Tucker. Ranked No. 40 overall in his class by ESPN coming out of Wheeler (Ga.) High School, the 6-foot-7 Tucker played in just two games for Duke during the 2017-18 season before transferring.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 4:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+797
|
+13 (-108)
|
Over 148 (-110)
|
|
|
OFF
|
-13 (-112)
|
Under 148 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
4:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 4:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+179
|
+5 (-110)
|
Over 130 (-115)
|
|
|
-213
|
-5 (-110)
|
Under 130 (-105)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
4:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 4:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+563
|
+10.5 (-110)
|
Over 154.5 (-105)
|
|
|
-803
|
-10.5 (-110)
|
Under 154.5 (-115)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018With the loss of four seniors last spring, Furman was not supposed to be 11-0 in the middle of December.And the Paladins, who host UNC-Wilmington on Saturday at Timmons Arena in Greenville, S. C., certainly were not expected to be ranked No. 23 in the country."I think one of the awesome things about it is, that with the loss of four instrumental seniors, everybody thought we would drop off," leading scorer Jordan Lyons told the Mid-Major Podcast this week. "Everyone, with the exception of us, ourselves, thought that the program was going to take a downfall, when we knew we were going to be much better."It's been awesome to go on some national stages and prove everyone wrong." Furman stamped itself a program to be reckoned with November wins over Loyola-Chicago and defending champion Villanova, half of last season's Final Four.Paladins coach Bob Richey said the team's success is the product of hard work."We've out a lot of blood and sweat equity into this program over the past five years, and we kept this vision alive that we can win here," he told the podcast. "We kept this vision alive that we can do great things that this community can get excited about." Richey's pointed to his team's rise as a positive for the game itself."It's not just about us winning," he said. "The thing that you celebrate is -- you get on Twitter, you get on social media, and you got this FBI stuff and all the stuff about college basketball that's so negative -- we got a group of guys (who) care about their academics, they care about living life, they care about working hard." In Tuesday's 77-69 win over Charleston Southern, freshman forward Noah Gurley became just the second player other than Lyons (18.4 points per game) and forward Matt Rafferty (17.5) to lead the team in scoring. It was the second straight game in which Gurley set his career high.UNC-Wilmington (4-6) is facing a Top 25 team for the second straight game.The Seahawks, who've been off for 10 days for finals, lost at No. 12 North Carolina 97-69 last time out.During the break, coach C. B. McGrath has tried to balance studying with preparing for the Paladins."We had some shooting workouts, conditioning, and lifting," McGrath told WECT. "More so just to break a good sweat. We have worked out for an hour, no longer than that because I know it's hard to go through finals." Senior forward Devontae Cacok leads the Seahawks with 14.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Junior guard Jaylen Fornes is tied for 30th in the country in free-throw shooting (89.7 percent).Fornes said he was happy for the extra study time."We know coach cares about academics," Fornes said. "We have had some time off, but we have had some conditioning and shooting. We have been in the gym keeping things intact." Furman has one major non-conference test, a Friday game at LSU, before what will be a challenging Southern Conference schedule begins in earnest on Dec. 29 at East Tennessee State. The Paladins are 1-0 in the SoCon after beating Western Carolina earlier this month.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
4:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 4:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+506
|
+11 (-110)
|
Over 147 (-110)
|
|
|
-700
|
-11 (-110)
|
Under 147 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
4:30 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 4:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+135
|
+3 (-110)
|
Over 140 (-107)
|
|
|
-155
|
-3 (-110)
|
Under 140 (-113)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
4:30 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 4:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
OFF
|
-13.5 (-110)
|
Over 154.5 (-105)
|
|
|
+797
|
+13.5 (-110)
|
Under 154.5 (-115)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
5:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 5:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+912
|
+15.5 (-110)
|
Over 142.5 (-110)
|
|
|
OFF
|
-15.5 (-110)
|
Under 142.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018LEXINGTON, Ky. -- No. 19 Kentucky, which plummeted 10 spots in the latest Associated Press rankings after an overtime loss to Seton Hall last weekend, looks to get back on track when Utah visits Rupp Arena on Saturday.Kentucky (7-2) lost 84-83 in overtime to Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden in New York. Both of the Wildcats' losses have been on the road. They are 7-0 at home.Utah (4-4) has defeated Maine, Mississippi Valley State, Grand Canyon and Tulsa but lost to Minnesota, Hawaii, Northwestern and BYU. All four losses have been by nine points or more."They're big. They're really big," Kentucky coach John Calipari said Friday. "They run good stuff. They space the court. They play kind of a matchup zone that's interesting. Sometimes they'll stay in it, sometimes they'll go man."So they'll do some stuff that you'll have with teams you've got to look at and say, 'OK, let's make sure we cover this.' Because again, I tried to send some guys on that mission and have those six-year guys, but I don't. I've got young guys so you must cover some of that stuff with them, which we didn't have." This will be the 11th meeting between Kentucky and Utah with the Wildcats owning the series of late. UK has won seven in a row, six of which came during NCAA Tournament play. The most notable was a 78-69 victory by Kentucky for the 1998 NCAA championship.Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak, who actually at the 1998 Final Four as an assistant with Stanford, says a two-decade-old event will have no impact on Saturday's meeting."No disrespect to the past, I love the tradition and seeing the photos from the Final Four and knowing all of the history," Krystkowiak said. "We've always talked about the three different elements that are really important in your program and the past is one third of that."So when people hear that I'm not talking about that, that's no disrespect to that era, but that has nothing to do with it. I think it's been 42 years since the Utes have beat them. So it's a whole different category and we've got far bigger fish to fry and issues to deal with than any past history." When the game tips off, Kentucky will be without sophomore point guard Quade Green, who announced that he's transferring immediately.Green ranked fifth in scoring at 8.8 points per game but had seen his time diminish this season with the development of freshmen point guards Immanuel Quickley and Ashton Hagans. Green played only 10 minutes in the overtime loss to Seton Hall and had 21 assists and 21 turnovers for the season."He felt that he was an in a situation that he didn't see he could come back from," Calipari said Friday. "He's a great kid. Met with mom and dad, and mom was crying. It is disappointing for me when young people want to leave, but he'll be treated the same way."I told he and his family, 'I'm going to be here for you, but this next choice is probably bigger than the last choice. You've got to think it through and how you want to play.' So it was a talk. We were in there for a little while. He hugged me and said, 'I love you, Coach,' and I said, 'I love you, too.'"Kentucky has four players averaging in double figures. Guards Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro average 15.2 and 11.6, respectively. Big men Reid Travis and PJ Washington check in at 14.4 and 14.0.Through nine games, Kentucky still ranks as one of the nation's top rebounding teams at 41.3 while allowing just 26.0, a 15.3 differential.Utah averages just 72.6 points per game and has only two players in double figures -- Sedrick Barefield at 14.0 points per game and Donnie Tillman at 11.4."It's something that we've talked about, our program, getting to a place that's certainly one of the blue bloods and leads the country in attendance," Krystkowiak said. "It's going to be an unbelievable environment."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
5:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 5:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+245
|
+6.5 (-110)
|
Over 166.5 (-110)
|
|
|
-300
|
-6.5 (-110)
|
Under 166.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
5:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 5:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+143
|
+3 (-115)
|
Over 158 (-113)
|
|
|
-163
|
-3 (-105)
|
Under 158 (-108)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
5:30 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 5:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+317
|
+8 (-105)
|
Over 136 (-110)
|
|
|
-400
|
-8 (-115)
|
Under 136 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
6:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 6:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-155
|
-3 (-108)
|
Over 150.5 (-110)
|
|
|
+135
|
+3 (-112)
|
Under 150.5 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018No. 20 Arizona State and Georgia will meet for only the second time in history -- almost exactly 29 years after playing in a holiday tournament in Arizona -- in an intersectional clash Saturday.It only seems as if it has been that long since either has played this season.Arizona State (7-1) will return to the court for the first time since Dec. 7, when it suffered its first defeat of the season, a 72-66 loss to No. 6 Nevada in a neutral court game in Los Angeles as part of the Hall of Fame Classic.Georgia (5-3) has not played since beating Texas Southern 92-75 on Dec. 3."The longest break I've been a part of," Bulldogs coach Tom Crean told reporters, adding that he was uncertain how his team would respond to the long layoff."You don't have any way to gauge it. But I think how intense and how energetic Arizona State plays, that will get everybody's attention real quick." Arizona State entered the AP Top 25 two weeks ago at No. 20 and stayed there despite its loss to Nevada. The Sun Devils took an early 23-8 lead against the Wolf Pack that included an 11-0 run before Nevada recovered in the second half to pull away.Physical freshman guard Luguentz Dort is averaging 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and two steals a game for the Sun Devils. He had 24 points against Nevada's veteran Martin Bros. backcourt.Senior transfer forward Zylan Cheatham had 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Wolf Pack, both numbers just a tick above his season average. Forward Kimani Lawrence is second on the Sun Devils with a 14.5 scoring average.Cheatham has one of 17 triple-doubles in Division I this season after getting 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against Texas Southern, the teams' lone common opponent. Arizona State beat Texas Southern 83-71 on Dec. 1 before the Tigers traveled to Georgia.Dort has made 16 3-pointers and Lawrence has made 14, although the Sun Devils are far less perimeter-oriented than they were last season. They are averaging 83.6 points a game."They are very balanced," said Crean, in his first season in Athens. "They are incredibly explosive. The balance comes because they can shoot threes. They are very quick and fast. The post up. They isolate well. They have very skilled guys and they know how to utilize them."We have some length on our team, but we can't replicate that length in practice. The bottom line is, how much better can we get. We know we have an outstanding coming in here that is a legit contender in the country." Arizona State will play SEC program Vanderbilt in Nashville on Monday, and coach Bobby Hurley said he scheduled it that way with the Pac-12 season in mind. Pac-12 teams play two-game series, home or road, each week except for the week they play their natural rival."It's going to be a good way to rehearse for a conference road scenario," Hurley said. "That's how we've approached it, and we've had some good practices following our game last week. Just trying to simulate those conditions." Six-foot-8 sophomore Forward Rayshaun Hammonds is averaging 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds for the Bulldogs, and 6-11 sophomore Nicolas Claxton is averaging 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds.Guard Tyree Crump is averaging 10.6 points off the bench, and he had career highs with 25 points and five 3-pointers in the victory over Texas Southern. The Bulldogs tied a season high with 11 threes in that game."I don't think we're going to come close to overwhelming them from a size/ athleticism standpoint," Hurley said. "They (Bulldogs) are going to work hard and compete, so it's going to be a real good test for us." Arizona State point guard Remy Martin had five points and four assists against Nevada after missing the previous two games with an ankle sprain that has bothered him most of the season. Martin is expected to play, as is reserve wing Rob Edwards, who has played only two games because of a back issue."As a coach you've got to protect the guys from themselves sometimes," Hurley said.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
6:05 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 6:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-125
|
-1 (-115)
|
Over 146.5 (-115)
|
|
|
+105
|
+1 (-105)
|
Under 146.5 (-105)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMING
UP
7:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 7:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+149
|
+3 (-105)
|
Over 176 (-110)
|
|
|
-169
|
-3 (-115)
|
Under 176 (-110)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018CHAPEL HILL, N. C. -- North Carolina rarely plays a nonconference game at home as an underdog, but that seems like the case for Saturday night's outing at the Smith Center.Fourth-ranked Gonzaga (9-1) arrives to challenge No. 12 North Carolina (7-2) in a rematch of the 2017 national championship game."I do like playing really big games," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said Friday.He also recognizes the task that his team will face against a team that has spent time with a No. 1 national ranking this season."Very difficult for us as a staff to prepare for," Williams said. "They remind me of some of our really, really good teams."They can score inside. They can score outside. They can score in the halfcourt. They can push the ball. ... They really do create a lot of problems for you." For Gonzaga, it's another chance to collide with a traditional power.Coach Mark Few of the Bulldogs said playing North Carolina is something he cherishes, and he expects it to be a memorable experience for his team."We've modeled a lot of our program after Carolina," Few said. "It's classy. It's done the right way, so it just shows you volumes about (Williams). It's a pretty cool thing that, I don't want to say replaying the national-championship game, but revisiting it. ... It will be good." Gonzaga surged in the opening weeks of the season. The Bulldogs knocked off then-No. 1 Duke in the Maui Invitational final.Gonzaga is coming off its lone loss, falling Sunday to now-No. 3 Tennessee. That setback cost the Bulldogs their No. 1 national ranking."They've had some big wins," North Carolina guard Cameron Johnson said. "They've had some close games recently. ... They are a veteran team and that makes it a little bit more difficult." Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins leads the country with 84 total assists."I think Perkins is really playing at a high level," Williams said.Williams said he's impressed with Gonzaga's depth of main contributors."They have guys coming off the bench who really help them," he said.For the Tar Heels, discouraging moments on defense have been most alarming across the first month of the season."We're still trying to figure how to play defense with this team," Williams said. "They have to figure out their priorities. You have to have (good) habits. I think we're going to get better. If you look at it, most of our teams have gotten better defensively." Those were glaring issues in losses to Texas and Michigan."The last time we went out against a top-five team, we didn't perform like we wanted to," Johnson said, referring to an 84-67, late-November loss against Michigan, which was No. 7 at the time but is No. 5 this week. "What we can do on the court is a get a little bit of that bad taste out of our month. We saw things that we can fix." Williams said games like this one against Gonzaga serve a purpose in the team's development."Find out a lot about your team early," Williams said.Few said his background was influenced by studying Williams-coached teams."We ran Roy's break and all of Roy's action," Few said.North Carolina freshman point guard Coby White, who averages 15.3 points and 3.6 assists per game, should be back in action after missing Wednesday's win over UNC Wilmington with an ankle injury.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
7:00 PM EST |
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12/15/2018 7:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
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+797
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+13.5 (-117)
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Over 142.5 (-118)
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|
|
OFF
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-13.5 (-103)
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Under 142.5 (-103)
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|
COMING
UP
7:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 7:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+299
|
+8 (-119)
|
Over 140 (-115)
|
|
|
-375
|
-8 (-102)
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Under 140 (-105)
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
COMING
UP
7:00 PM EST |
|
12/15/2018 7:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+477
|
+10.5 (-115)
|
Over 147.5 (-115)
|
|
|
-650
|
-10.5 (-106)
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Under 147.5 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dec 14, 2018The Hy-Vee Classic soon will be going the way of the low-top Converse, the four-corner offense and really, really short basketball shorts.After seven years of in-state rivals squaring off, the Hy-Vee Classic will disappear into the Iowa cornfields for good when No. 22 Iowa and Northern Iowa tip off Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.The 7-2 Hawkeyes will have had plenty of time to prepare for the Panthers, who start four guards and 212-pound Luke McDonnell at center. Iowa last played Dec. 9, defeating Iowa State.The 4-5 Panthers also have had some time to get ready after beating the University of Dubuque on Dec 8. And despite their sub-.500 record, head coach Ben Jacobson sees some light at the end of the tunnel."I like what we're doing (offensively), but we've got to make some adjustments," said Jacobson, who is in his 13th season with Panthers and has guided them to four NCAA Tournaments and four NCAA wins. "We have to get better fundamentally. We have to get that ball into the paint more often, whether it's with the dribble or we throw it inside." A pair of dynamic freshman and longtime friends will be on opposite sides when the two teams meet. Iowa's Joe Wieskamp ranks third on Iowa in scoring (10.1 ppg) and second in rebounding (5.3 rpg).Wieskamp sprained an ankle on Dec. 3 but was healthy enough to see 20 minutes against Iowa State."He's still not a hundred percent but he's getting closer," Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said.Northern Iowa's superstar freshman, A. J. Green, leads the Panthers in scoring at 15.8 points per game. He ranks in the top 25 in NCAA free-throw percentage at 92.6 percent."His game is pretty complete. He can dribble, pass and shoot. He's got size. He can score in bunches. He can load people up," McCaffrey said."He's always played the game with great confidence, and sometimes you see that not translate, but that's not been the case with him. He's kind of playing with the same kind of confidence and aggressiveness that he always has." Wieskamp and Green are pals off the court having played club basketball together since sixth grade."It's going to be a lot of fun playing against him and UNI," Wieskamp told The (Waterloo) Courier. "I have a lot of respect for their program. They recruited me. ... If it would have been last year (when UNI and Iowa played), I wouldn't have had that opportunity, so I'm thankful to be able to play them." Wieskamp, a two-time Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year, finished his career as Class 4A's all-time leading scorer with 2,376 points.Green recorded a historic season, knocking down a single-season 4A record 119 3-pointers at a 48.8 percent success rate."This has been both of our dreams," Green said. "I know it's always been his dream to play at Iowa, and he works very hard. To see him starting now and playing at the next level is really cool, and I think he probably feels the same way about me." Wieskamp shoulders less of a burden than Green as the Hawkeyes are led by Tyler Cook and Luka Garza. Cook averages a team-high 16.6 points per game and shoots 56 percent from the field while also pacing Hawkeyes in rebounds.Garza is the man in the middle for the Hawkeyes, averaging 12 points.Nicholas Baer has been red-hot from 3-point range recently, making nine of his last 15 attempts over the last four games against Pitt, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Iowa State.If that wasn't enough, Baer has thrived at Wells Fargo and the Hy-Vee Classic averaging 11.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, three blocks and 2.3 steals in wins over Drake (2015, 2017) and Northern Iowa (2016)."He is incredibly versatile and is playing really well," McCaffery said of Baer. "When you're playing with that kind of confidence, you impact the game in so many different ways and that's what he does." McCaffery might have another surprise weapon in Cordell Pemsl, who was declared out for the season after deciding to have surgery on his right knee. The pain subsided and the 6-foot-8 Pemsl actually played against the Cyclones, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds.He says his knee feels fine and is a day-to-day.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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