Monday 11/16/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Mavericks won four of their last five games (1-0AF).
-- Pacers won six of their last seven games (3-1AU). Bulls won six of their nine games (0-4HF).
-- Celtics won four of their last five games (1-0AU).
-- Thunder won three of their last four games (0-0U). Memphis won last two games, by 8-1 points (0-3HF).
-- Spurs won seven of their last eight games (6-2 vs spread).
-- Suns won four of last five home games (3-2HF).

Cold teams
-- 0-10 Philly covered one of its five home games.
-- Houston lost last three games, by 12-9-8, scoring 98 in all three (0-4HF).
-- Trailblazers lost their last five games, covering once.
-- Lakers lost eight of their first ten games (3-3AU).

Series records
-- Dallas won eight of last nine games with Philly but covered only one of last four.
-- Home side won eight of last ten Indiana-Chicago games.
-- Rockets won their last four games with Boston (3-1 vs spread).
-- Grizzlies won three of last four games with Oklahoma City.
-- Blazers won/covered once in last five trips to San Antonio.
-- Lakers lost eight of last nine games with Phoenix.

Totals
-- Three of last four Dallas games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Indiana-Chicago games stayed under.
-- Last six Rocket-Celtic games stayed under total.
-- Last four Thunder-Grizzlies games stayed under.
-- Seven of last eight Portland games went over total.
-- Last six Laker games stayed under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Boston Celtics at Houston Rockets November 16, 8:00 EST

'Under' gamblers have enjoy success in this series. In the past six meetings the 'Under' is a perfect 6-0. Monday's venue should have 'Under' gamblers flocking to the window. That's because the 'Under' is a profitable 9-1 last ten meetings in Houston.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phoenix (1-0) at Wolverines (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

A healthier Michigan won't get much time to prepare for some early season tests but its next game would appear to provide an appropriate increase in competition from its opener.

Because of a pair of surprising losses last season, the 25th-ranked Wolverines acknowledge that they can't take Monday night's visit from Elon for granted.

Michigan faces Xavier at home Friday, then begins its run in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas against No. 20 Connecticut on Nov. 25. The Musketeers received votes in the Top 25 this week, as did North Carolina State - the Wolverines' opponent in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Dec. 1.

"You've got a blockbuster stretch ahead of you," coach John Beilein said he told his players. "It's really important that we can be as ready as possible for that."

Michigan appears in much better shape to face those games with Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton Jr. back from foot injuries that kept them out for the final two months of 2014-15. Spike Albrecht also played 17 minutes in Friday's 70-44 win over Division II Northern Michigan as he tries to ease into action following offseason hip surgery.

Zak Irvin, second on the team with 14.3 points per game in 2014-15 behind Levert with 14.9, sat out because he's still working toward getting into game shape following back surgery.

LeVert had a team-best 18 points and five assists while Aubrey Dawkins contributed 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, more than double his scoring average of 7.0 as a freshman. The Wolverines also outshot the Wildcats 51.9 percent to 33.3.

"We're all still knocking off some jitters, knocking off some rust," LeVert said. "But I think our defense is up to par right now. As soon as our offense catches up, and it will soon, I think we'll be a really good team."

Michigan was relatively healthy when it lost to New Jersey Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan in back-to-back home games in December, a memory still fresh in Beilein's mind.

"The lesson we learned last year is you can't look past anything because you win a couple games because you've got to be ready for the next game," he said. "You don't play well and you can lose to any team that you play on this schedule, if you do not come with the right attitude."

Elon heads into its first matchup with Michigan off an 85-74 win at Charlotte in its opener Friday. Sophomore guard Dmitri Thompson had a career-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting - more than triple his scoring average from his first season (6.1) - and eight rebounds.

The Phoenix are 0-21 against ranked opponents and lost 75-62 in their only such matchup last season, at No. 2 Duke on Dec. 15.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Governors (0-1) at Hoosiers (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Indiana is fine-tuning its offensive machine, and Austin Peay is strapped in as the Hoosiers' next practice dummy.

The No. 15 Hoosiers will continue to sharpen their weapons Monday night against the visiting Governors in a Maui Invitational opening-round game at Assembly Hall.

Indiana led the Big Ten and ranked 17th in the country with 77.4 points per game last season, but this year's group might be more dangerous - hoping to push the pace downhill for a faster, more explosive attack.

Senior Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell and sophomore James Blackmon Jr. hold the keys to the ignition in the backcourt as junior small forward Troy Williams and freshman center Thomas Bryant will be counted on inside.

Meshed with a strong group of contributors, the Hoosiers are excited about their offensive potential. If their first game on Friday was any indication, they should be.

Blackmon led six Indiana players in double figures with 17 points during an 88-49 rout of Eastern Illinois. Ferrell - an All-Big Ten selection last season - chipped in 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists. The Hoosiers shot 52.5 percent from the field and made 9 of 27 3-pointers.

'We started playing more and more downhill, we were on the attack and were able to bring fatigue to the game,' coach Tom Crean said. 'I thought our guys were really locked in throughout the night.'

The most pleasant surprise may have come from the 6-foot-10 Bryant, who had 11 points and nine rebounds in his first collegiate action. He headed the inside domination of the Hoosiers, who outrebounded the Panthers 51-17 and outscored them 42-20 in the paint and 26-1 on second-chance points.

Indiana has won six straight home games over nonconference opponents and 49 of 50 at Assembly Hall dating back to Dec. 28, 2009.

Austin Peay has lost five straight road games and 15 of 16. The latest was an 80-41 defeat at No. 18 Vanderbilt in Friday's season opener. Keeping up with Indiana's offense will be a challenge for the Governors, who shot 21.9 percent and made 1 of 16 from 3-point range.

The inexperienced Governors, combining seven newcomers with six returners, were led by Khalil Davis' 10 points as last season's leading scorer Chris Horton hit just 3 of 14 shots for seven while grabbing 14 rebounds.

Austin Peay finished with one assist.

"I don't think I've ever been in a game where a team had one assist," coach Dave Loos said. "We were shocked early, no question about it. And I don't think we learned from it is the disappointing thing."

The Governors have not beaten a ranked team in the last 20 years, and they lost their only meeting against Indiana 107-61 in Bloomington on Dec. 11, 1992.

Indiana hosts Creighton Thursday in the inaugural Gavitt Tipoff Games before moving to the Maui championship round on Nov. 23 - opening with a matchup against Wake Forest in Hawaii.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (1-0) at Colonials (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Virginia attributed some early shooting woes in its opener to nerves.

If the No. 6 Cavaliers get off to a slow start against George Washington, they know they have the ability to come back.

Virginia relied on a strong second-half defensive performance last season to defeat the Colonials, who will host Monday night's rematch.

The Cavaliers opened by cruising to an 86-48 home rout of Morgan State on Friday. Virginia missed 12 of its first 13 shots before pulling away with a 24-9 run at the end of the half to open a 17-point cushion.

"I think at the beginning of the game we had a little bit of the jitters," forward Anthony Gill said. "We didn't come out as strong as we should. We weren't finishing as strong as we should have."

The superior size of Virginia was evident. Seven-footer Mike Tobey went 7 of 8 for 15 points with eight rebounds, while the 6-8 Gill had 12 points and seven boards for a Cavaliers team that held a 50-21 edge on the glass.

Last season, Virginia received its first major test in a 59-42 win over George Washington on Nov. 21 in its fourth game. The Cavaliers trailed 26-22 at halftime before limiting the Colonials to 20.0 percent shooting and 16 points the rest of the way.

Virginia outrebounded George Washington 41-28 and enjoyed a 42-24 advantage in points in the paint.

That kind of interior play is something George Washington is wary of after winning 85-76 over Lafayette in Friday's opener thanks in part to a 50-32 rebounding edge. Kevin Larsen had 24 points and 11 rebounds while Tyler Cavanaugh finished with 15 and 17 in his Colonials debut.

Cavanaugh is a transfer from Wake Forest, which played Virginia twice while he was there.

"They're bigger up front so we're not going to be able to have a field day on the glass like we did tonight," he said.

Coach Mike Lonergan was happy with the opening effort, though he's looking for improvement from 3-point range after a 2-of-17 performance.

"I think we'll be ready, we're going to have a great crowd and hopefully we won't go 2 for 17 on 3s because that pack-line defense is not going to allow you to win if you can't make some open jumpers," Lonergan said. "We're going to get some open 3s and we gotta hit 'em on Monday night."

The Cavaliers are the first top-10 team to play at George Washington's Smith Center since No. 5 Temple won 98-67 on March 4, 2000.

"We're going to go into a crazy environment," Gill said. "They have everyone back from last year, so we just have to be ready for their best punch. We have to be ready for that kind of environment, too. They have a small gym with the fans right on top of you."

Virginia has won the last seven meetings since a 73-67 loss Jan. 19, 1974.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Braves (1-0) at Wildcats (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Arizona's starters had an impressive showing in a season-opening win. The play of Sean Miller's reserves was another story.

Miller hopes for a more complete performance from his 12th-ranked Wildcats when they host Bradley on Monday night.

Transfers Ryan Anderson, Kadeem Allen and Mark Tollefsen joined returning senior starters Kaleb Tarczewski and Gabe York and they displayed terrific chemistry Friday against Pacific. Anderson, who came from Boston College, had 18 points and 12 rebounds while Allen, the 2013-14 national JUCO player of the year, recorded 13 points and five assists in the Wildcats' 79-61 victory.

The starters shot 20 of 36 and Arizona led by as much as 28, but when Miller turned to his reserves late in the game things began to fall apart and he had to put his starters back in.

The backups shot 4 of 25 and accounted for nine of the team's 14 turnovers.

'I will never do that again; you will never see that group again in the next 37 games,' Miller said. 'We'll inch it closer to the finish and we'll learn every day in practice, but they're not going to learn in a game like that because there's too much at stake.'

It was a particularly rough night for heralded freshman Allonzo Trier, who shot 1 of 10 and scored eight points.

Miller didn't seem too concerned with Trier's struggles, chalking it up to first-game jitters and believing things will improve with more playing time.

'He's a young player and this was the first game of his career," Miller said. "I'm sure there's going to be plenty of great games in his future."

Facing a Bradley team picked to finish 10th in the Missouri Valley Conference will likely lead to more playing time for Trier and the rest of the young Arizona players.

The Braves are coming off a sluggish showing in Friday's season-opening 54-53 win over Ball State. Bradley shot 31.9 percent, going 5 of 20 from 3-point range and 59.4 percent from the foul line.

"It wasn't pretty but a win's a win," coach Brian Wardle said. "I tell them one point or 30 points you celebrate them. Wins are hard to come by at this level."

Bradley, which got 18 points from freshman Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye, might have trouble getting in gear offensively against an Arizona team that's among the best in the country at the defensive end. The Wildcats, who allowed just 59.7 points per game last season, held Pacific to 36.8 percent shooting.

"We got to enjoy this victory but tomorrow's a new day," Wardle said. "We got to start getting ready, we got to clean some things up and learn a lot from this game and hopefully we go out and just compete and be aggressive on Monday night when we play a great team at a tough place to play."

The McKale Center has been an extremely difficult place for visiting teams to win. The Wildcats have taken 39 straight there and 25 in a row against nonconference opponents.

The Braves haven't won a road game against a ranked nonconference foe since defeating St. John's in 1958. They've also lost 14 in a row to ranked teams since beating Northern Iowa in 2010.

These schools haven't met since Arizona won in triple overtime in 1965.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: (0-1) at Tigers (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

Ben Simmons is quick to remind everyone that he's not the only LSU freshman who should be receiving praise.

The 21st-ranked Tigers look for another solid effort from its trio of heralded newcomers when they host Kennesaw State on Monday night as part of the Legends Classic.

Simmons, the top-ranked player coming out of high school and widely considered to be the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA draft, had an impressive debut Friday, showing off his well-rounded game with 11 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in an 81-70 victory over McNeese State.

The 6-foot-10 forward added highlights to what's sure to be an entertaining reel by season's end, but his fellow freshman teammates stepped up as well. Antonio Blakeney finished with 22 points and 10 boards, while Brandon Sampson went 4 of 6 from 3-point range and scored 18.

Sampson wasn't projected to start upon arrival, but he made his case to be in that role until at least mid-December, when Keith Hornsby is expected to have recovered from a medical procedure.

'I'm glad that Antonio and Brandon are here because none of this hype would happen without them,' Simmons said. 'We are getting better every day on the floor. We have a long season ahead and we are going to keep getting better every day.'

Although Simmons receives most of the attention, Blakeney also was a top-20 recruit and had offers from around the country. The two helped coach Johnny Jones bring in his best class to date.

'I really wanted to come out and focus on defense and rebounding,' Blakeney said. 'My teammates and coaches believe in me to make plays and that's what I did."

Blakeney could have his hands full defensively if he's matched up with All-Atlantic Sun guard Yonel Brown in this contest. Brown played the entire game and scored 34 points while grabbing 10 rebounds Saturday, but the Owls fell 77-64 at Alabama in their season opener.

The 5-foot-9 senior led Kennesaw State in scoring last season at 15.2 points per game.

'We keep the ball in his hands a lot,' first-year coach Al Skinner said. 'He kind of got it going a little bit so he probably shot the ball a little bit more than he normally would have.'

The Owls were likely hoping for more out of Kendrick Ray, who made his team debut after sitting out a year due to his transfer from Quinnipiac. Ray finished with 17 points, but he shot just 4 of 16 from the field and committed a pair of turnovers.

Kennesaw State turned the ball over 16 times and shot just 34.5 percent from the floor, assisting on only six of 19 baskets.

"In the first half, a lot of our turnovers led to run-outs for them and gave them good opportunities," Skinner said. "I thought in the second half we did a little bit better of a job of taking care of the basketball and preventing those run-outs. In that first eight minutes, we had first-game jitters. It took us a little while to settle down."

This first-ever meeting between the schools is part of the regional rounds of the Legends Classic taking place Nov. 23 and 24 at Barclays Center. LSU faces Marquette and North Carolina State plays Arizona State, with the winners meeting in the championship.

The Owls play at Arizona State on Wednesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Aztecs (1-0) at Utes (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 9:30 PM EDT

With expectations raised to a level the program hasn't seen in years, it's perhaps fitting that Utah's first measuring stick comes against a longtime nemesis.

The No. 16 Utes look to end a string of frustrating results against San Diego State when the former conference rivals square off Monday night at the Huntsman Center.

Though do-it-all point guard Delon Wright is now in the NBA, Utah garnered its highest preseason ranking since entering 2000-01 at No. 13. The Utes are returning the next seven highest scorers from a squad that won 26 games and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Much of the optimism revolves around sophomore center Jakob Poeltl, a projected lottery pick in next year's NBA Draft who didn't disappoint in his 2015-16 debut. The 7-foot Austrian scored a career-high 26 points, shot 10 of 13 and added 11 rebounds and four blocks in Friday's 82-71 win over Southern Utah.

Jordan Loveridge went 6 for 11 from 3-point range in a 24-point effort and Kyle Kuzma was 10 of 12 from the field while setting career highs with 23 points and 12 rebounds. All were positive signs for a team that's relying on its strong depth to offset the loss of last season's go-to player.

'That's kind of the essence of the team," coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "I reminded our guys that we've got to, with this schedule of five games in nine nights, we're going to need everybody on different nights.'

Utah heads to San Juan for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic beginning Thursday. First up is a San Diego State team it hasn't beaten since the 2009 Mountain West tournament championship.

The Aztecs recorded a sixth straight series victory by outlasting the Utes 53-49 in San Diego on Nov. 18, with the score reflecting the defensive prowess both programs possessed last season.

San Diego State finished second in Division I in scoring defense at 53.9 points per game and yielded the third-fewest points per possession en route to a sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament trip. The Aztecs opened this season with a similarly stingy effort, limiting Illinois State to 30.8 percent shooting and forcing 18 turnovers in Friday's 71-60 victory over coach Steve Fisher's alma mater.

Perhaps most encouraging was the performance of freshman guard Jeremy Hemsley. The four-star recruit had 20 points, offering hope he can become the consistent scorer the Aztecs often lacked last season.

'Oh man, great player,' senior center Skylar Spencer said. 'He's real poised, always learning on the fly. Even though he's a freshman he's coming in to help lead this team. He's doing exactly what we all expected him to do.'

Krystkowiak wasn't as pleased with his team's defensive showing in the opener, as Southern Utah shot 50 percent and made 10 of 19 from 3 to stay within striking distance for much of the game.

'They confused us in the first half, certainly," he said. "We were getting beat off of back cuts, getting beat off the dribble and some things that were out of character."

With Poeltl anchoring the interior, the Utes held opponents to 41.3 percent shooting on 2-point attempts last season, the fifth-lowest mark in Division I. While the Aztecs were successful attacking the rim against Illinois State, they went 3 of 15 from beyond the arc.

San Diego State has won in its two visits to Salt Lake City, most recently recording a 71-62 victory Jan. 8, 2011 in Utah's final Mountain West season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Gauchos (1-0) at Golden Bears (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Tyrone Wallace was among the Pac-12 leaders in scoring, rebounding and assists last season, and while his numbers were just as impressive in California's opener, it seems he's going to have plenty of help this season.

The 14th-ranked Golden Bears play the second of a season-opening four-game homestand Monday night against UC Santa Barbara, likely hoping their freshmen can stay on the floor a little longer after intriguing debuts were abbreviated by foul trouble.

Wallace, the 6-foot-5 senior guard who averaged 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists last season, had 20 points, six rebounds and eight assists in Friday's 97-65 win over Rice. He was 9 of 12 from the field, and is probably the right guy to be leading a team that coach Cuonzo Martin pushes to share the basketball. Cal shot 50.7 percent and 43.5 from 3-point range, limited Rice to 36.7 percent and had 16 assists against seven turnovers.

"Pass the ball, get your teammates involved. They know what it means,' said Martin after opening his second season at Cal. "When you have good players you don't need a lot of plays when you share the basketball."

Wallace is one of three returning starters along with fellow guards Jabari Bird and Jordan Mathews, and they're joined by freshmen forwards Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown. They all had at least 11 points.

Brown had something of an erratic debut with 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting while picking up four fouls in 15 minutes. The 6-11 Rabb finished with 14 points on 6 of 8 with 13 rebounds in just 16 minutes. Seven of those came on the offensive glass.

"He's one of those guys you'd describe as a natural rebounder - 13 rebounds in 16 minutes, he goes and he rebounds," Martin said. "I can only imagine when he continues to get strength on his body the rebounder he'll become."

Cal has won 10 of its last 11 against unranked nonconference opponents, while UC Santa Barbara has lost its last six to the Top 25 by an average of 16.2 points. Cal has won at least its first two games for the last eight seasons.

The Gauchos, however, won the last meeting with Cal 72-65 in Santa Barbara on Dec. 6, 2013, but it stands as their only victory in 10 all-time meetings. That Golden Bears' loss came despite Mathews, then a freshman, scoring 22 points off the bench.

The Gauchos got by in their opener without top returning scorer and rebounder Michael Bryson, beating Omaha 60-59 on Friday. John Green scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Eric Childress scored on a tip-in with three seconds left to put a positive spin on a sloppy team effort.

The concern for coach Bob Williams was his team's 20 turnovers and 10 assists, which is likely to turn ugly against Cal if repeated. The Gauchos also shot 34.9 percent and went 4 for 22 from 3-point range.

"You don't usually win a game when you have 20 turnovers and 10 assists," Williams told the team's official website. "Usually you need that to be the other way around, but both teams had problems with that tonight. In the end, although they shot a lot more free throws than us (35-16), we took more field goals than they did (63-49) and that was the difference."

Bryson, who was suspended one game for playing in a non-sanctioned summer league game in July, averaged 13.9 points and 4.8 rebounds as a junior.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bears (1-0) at Ducks (1-0)

Date: November 16, 2015 11:30 PM EDT

Tyler Dorsey showed that he is capable of replacing the Pac-12's top scorer in a solid debut for Oregon.

Baylor is insisting senior point guard Lester Medford won't be a liability.

Those guards are likely to match up at times when Dorsey's Ducks host Medford and the 22nd-ranked Bears on Monday night.

Oregon figures to have a difficult time replacing Joseph Young, who averaged 20.7 points a season ago. However, the freshman Dorsey looks ready to take over the scoring load after he had 20 points in Friday's 80-52 season-opening rout of Jackson State.

Dorsey made all five first-half shots and had 18 points at the break.

'I don't have anything to say about replacing Joe Young,' he said. 'I'm just out there trying to play hard every possession.'

Baylor used Kenny Chery primarily at point guard the previous two seasons. Now Medford will assume those duties after the junior college transfer started all 34 games in 2014-15 and was third on the team with 106 assists.

Medford shot 39.3 percent last season but went 5 of 7 and scored 13 points in Friday's 97-55 season-opening win over Stephen F. Austin.

'For people to knock his capabilities and stuff to lead us to where we need to be for the rest of the season is really comical,' forward Rico Gathers said. 'He did what a senior point guard does.'

Medford is perceived as a possible weak link in part because Baylor is known for its strong frontcourt. Gathers scored 18 points and Taurean Prince added 10 and seven assists.

Baylor finished with 31 assists to match the third-highest total in school history. It shot 64.3 percent and went 9 of 16 from 3-point range.

"If we can get this all year long, shoot 64 percent, 56 percent from 3, 31 assists to eight turnovers, then I won't lose any hair and it'll be a heck of a year," coach Scott Drew said.

The Bears had a 37-27 rebounding advantage. They tied for fifth in the nation in rebounding margin last season at plus-8.3.

"We are not ready for that," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "I'll just be real honest. They are maybe the best rebounding team in the country, or one of a handful."

The Ducks only had a 38-33 edge on the glass against the Tigers, with no Oregon player grabbing more than Dillon Brooks' six.

'Everyone on our team can score,' said reserve forward Dwayne Benjamin, who had 16 points. 'We've got to rebound the ball better. We only outrebounded them by five tonight and we had a higher goal than that, so we need to work on that."

These schools are meeting for the first time, with the Ducks traveling to Baylor next season. The Bears have captured 12 of their last 13 nonconference road games.

Fatigue could be a factor for both teams, with the game scheduled for a later start as part of ESPN's 24 Hours of Basketball. It could be worse for the visiting Bears.

"It takes forever to get to Eugene," Drew said. "Then you're playing in part of the ESPN marathon, so we've got to be ready to go, and our bodies have got to be ready, and that's going to be a tough task for us."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Monday's games..........

Tennessee outscored NC-Asheville 13-7 over last 2:47 to win Barnes' first game as Vols' coach; Tennessee has four starters back from LY's club that went 16-16, 7-1 1in SEC. Georgia Tech waxed Cornell 116-81 in its opener, shooting 71% inside arc; ACC home favorites are 5-2 vs spread so far this young season. Vols are on their third coach in last three years.

Indiana State lost 72-70 at home to IUPUI in opener, going 20-35 on foul line, 4-18 from arc; Sycamores have three starters back from team that was 11-7 in tough MVC LY. Wyoming hammered a stiff in its opener, so hard to tell lot about team that lost four starters from 25-10 team that won Mountain West tournament, lost in first round of NCAAs.

Miami has four starters back from 25-13 team that lost in NIT title game; they've got senior guards, better not be looking ahead to Puerto Rico trip later this week. UL-Lafayette has four starters back from 22-14 team and is expected to contend in Sun Belt; they've won 46 games last 2+ years. ACC home favorites are 5-2 vs spread so far this young season.

James Madison won local rivalry game 87-75 over Richmond in opener, scoring 1.34 ppp, making 11-24 on arc- they'll get way more defensive pressure vs West Virginia, which has three starters back from 25-10 team and presses a lot. Dukes have all five starters back from 19-14 team that went 12-6 in a declining CAA; curious to see how they handle pressure.

Virginia beat George Washington 59-42 LY, holding GW to 16 points in second half after trailing by 4 at half; Cavaliers have three starters back from 30-4 team that won a game in NCAAs LY, but lost Anderson, their best player to NBA. GW has three starters back from 22-13 team; they beat Lafayette 85-76 in opener, despite going 2-17 from the arc.

San Diego State beat Utah 53-49 LY in dreadful game that was 18-17 at half; Aztecs held Illinois State to 31% from floor in 71-60 opening win, going 22-37 on line. Utes held off Southern Utah by 11 in opener, even though T-birds went 10-19 from arc. Utah has four starters back from LY's 26-9 team that made it to the Sweet 16.

Cal waxed Rice by 32 in its opener, going 10-23 from arc. Golden Bears had one of best recruiting classes in country, and three starters from LY's 18-15 team- they're expected to contend in Pac-12. UCSB won its opener 60-59 at Omaha, surviving 4-18 shooting from arc. Pac-12 home favorites are 3-5 vs spread this season; Big West underdogs are 3-3 vs spread.

Baylor opened strong, pounding good SF Austin team by 42 in opener, making 9-16 from arc, shooting 68% inside arc. Bears have three starters back from LY's 24-10 team. Oregon has three starters back from 26-10 team that went 13-5 in Pac-12 and won NCAA game, but they lost best player in Young. Ducks are well-coached, should be deeper than LY.

Oral Roberts beat Missouri State of MVC by 15 in its opener, hitting 8-17 on arc, 24-32 on line; Eagles lost three of top four scorers from LY, but they recruited six good newcomers. South Carolina is 28-74 in SEC games last six years; Gamecocks have four starters back from LY; no one had more than three assists in their opener, a little troubling.

IUPUI won its opener by hoop at Indiana State, big win for Jaguar club that has four starters back from 10-21 team (6-10 in Summit). Marquette got upset 83-80 by Belmont in its opener; Eagles brought in five frosh to supplement LY's returnees- they're very young, play Iowa/LSU in next two games. Summit road underdogs are 5-2 against the spread.

Manhattan is only MAAC team that hasn't playet yet; Jaspers has two starters back from 19-14, 13-7 club that won second MAAC tourney in a row, then lost play-in game by 10 to Hampton. St Mary's lost all five of LY's starters from 21-10, 13-5 team; Gaels have no seniors, two juniors, are extremely inexperienced- curious to see Manhattan press them.

Belmont won its opener 83-80 at Marquette, a great win; Bruins hit 12 of 34 from arc, 18-32 inside arc; they've got four starters back from a 22-11 team that lost by 12 to Virginia in NCAAs LY. Arizona State started the Bobby Hurley era the wrong way, losing to Sacramento State after being up 10 with 11:37 left. ASU was just 2-17 on arc, 15-27 on foul line.

USC hammered rebuilding San Diego by 38 in its opener, Trojans have all five starters back from 12-20, 3-15 team- not 100% sure thats good thing. Monmouth upset UCLA 84-81 in OT in its opener after trailing by 13 with 12:07 left-- Hawks lost to West Va, Maryland, SMU LY, but none by more than 12 points, so they know they can compete here.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

San Diego State at Utah November 16, 9:30 EST

San Diego State finds itself a +5.5 point underdog, a situation that has paid dividends. In the last eleven November lined games in an underdog roll the Aztecs have produced a profitable 9-2 ATS record. Aztecs 5-1 ATS as dogs facing their old MWC rival Runnin' Utes, 10-4-1 vs Pac-12 makes Steve Fisher's troops a good choice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Betting Essentials - Week 10
By Tony Mejia

Monday, Nov. 16

Houston at Cincinnati: This wouldn’t be as attractive a matchup if the Bengals weren’t undefeated, but the struggles of the entire AFC South also mean that the Texans could remain right with the Colts in the chase for a division title. Cincinnati won in Houston last season to snap a four-game losing streak in the series and will be counting on Jadeveon Clowney to make more of an impact alongside J.J. Watt after utilizing the bye week to get healthy. The Bengals have opened as a double-digit favorite and have surrendered just 10 points in each of their last two contests.

 

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Bengals the best bet through Week 9
Andrew Caley

The Cincinnati Bengals are the NFL's best bet at 7-0-1 ATS through the first nine weeks of the NFL season.

The only game they failed to cover was their 27-24 home win over the Seattle Seahawks, which resulted in a push.

The Bengals have opened as 10.5-point home favorites for their Week 10 matchup with the Houston Texans.

 

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Bengals have hands full Monday against Watt
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

CINCINNATI -- Kevin Zeitler was a teammate of J.J. Watt's at the University of Wisconsin. On Monday night, the Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman will once again face off against his fellow Badger.

"He's always had the physical tools," Zeitler said. "He knows what his body can do. It's just that he plays so hard. He's absolutely relentless. He never will quit on a play."

Watt told reporters on Wednesday that he will be "ready to roll" in Monday night's matchup at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Texans' defensive tackle has extra motivation after being held without a sack in a 22-13 loss to Cincinnati last season.

The Bengals were the only team to hold Watt without a sack in 2014 en route to his 18.5-sack campaign and did so without starting right tackle Andre Smith who was injured early in that game.

Regardless of what transpired last season, quarterback Andy Dalton said Watt will have an impact on how he manages the game Monday night at the line of scrimmage.

"You've got to know where he is," Dalton said. "He chases down running backs. He knows how to time jumps and bat balls down. He's a dominant player. One of the most dominant players in the game. He moves all over the place and does a lot of things."

Watt ranks second in the NFL with 8.5 sacks, one behind New England's Chandler Jones for the league lead.

But, while Watt is the unabashed star who'll likely garner much attention from the ESPN cameras during "Monday Night Football," there will be a motivated Bengals player on the field as well.

Cincinnati defensive end Carlos Dunlap is tied with Watt for second place on the sacks leader board, and he's aiming for more.

"My personal goal is to lead the league in sacks," Dunlap said. "When you're chasing a guy like (Watt), you have to pay attention to what he's doing."

Dunlap anchors a Bengals defense that has produced 23 sacks through eight games, which is tied for fifth in the league.

The unbeaten Bengals (8-0) face the Texans (3-5) on Monday at 8:30 p.m. EST at Paul Brown Stadium looking to tighten their stranglehold on the AFC North division that they lead by 3 1/2 games.

"There's a lot of excitement about us right now," said cornerback Adam Jones. "But we can't let all that get in our heads. Every week is a new season. You've got to prove yourself all over again."

Watt was asked Wednesday his thoughts on the suddenly resurgent Dalton, who has passed for 2,226 yards and 18 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

Watt's response was direct and to the point.

"I don't study quarterbacks like that," he said. "I just go get 'em."

SERIES HISTORY: 8th regular-season meeting. Bengals lead series, 4-3, and the Texans have won two post-season games. Cincinnati won last year's meeting 22-13 in Houston.

GAME PLAN

--The Bengals' offensive line, which is dealing a couple key injuries, needs to keep Texans DE J.J. Watt from turning Andy Dalton's coming out party on Monday Night Football into another prime-time disaster for the Bengals. Look for offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to reach into his bag of tricks allowing Dalton to quick-hit the Houston defense and keep Watt at bay. If the Texans, who lost Arian Foster for the season can't run the ball effectively, Carlos Dunlap and the Bengals' pass rush could steal the stage from Watt.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH

--Bengals offensive line vs. Texans DE J.J. Watt.

Cincinnati held Watt without a sack in last year's 22-13 win at Houston and did so without starting right tackle Andre Smith, who likely won't play this Monday either due to a concussion. Can the Bengals repeat that feat against the NFL's most dominant pass rusher? Kevin Zeitler, Watt's teammate at the University of Wisconsin, is recovering from a foot injury, but likely will be among those trying to keep Watt from punishing QB Andy Dalton.

--Bengals defense vs. the Texans rushing attack.

Despite the absence of Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster, the Texans are promising to unveil a new and improved rushing attack in the second half behind Alfred Blue. Houston went full pads in practice on a couple of occasions to help improve the running game after it averaged fewer than 88 yards on the ground in the first eight games. If the Texans cannot run the ball consistently on Monday, look for Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins and the Bengals who have 23 sacks this season to tee off on QB Brian Hoyer.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gridiron Angles - Week 10
By Vince Akins

NFL BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Texans are 0-13 ATS as a dog when facing a team that has averaged at least 385 yards of offense per game season-to-date.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Total Talk - Week 10
By Chris David

Week 9 Recap

The ‘over’ went 8-5 last week and is 16-11 (59%) the past two weeks. Of the eight winning ‘over’ tickets last week, seven of them were on a great pace at halftime. There were two notable bad beats, the first coming in San Francisco as the 49ers-Falcons combined for 30 first-half points but only put up three in the final two quarters as the game went ‘under’ the number (43 ½). In the late game, the Eagles and Cowboys were knotted 7-7 at the break and 14-14 headed into the final quarter. In the last quarter, both teams combined for 26 as the ‘over’ (44) connected before overtime starter. After nine weeks, the ‘over’ has produced a 70-61-1 (53%) record this season.

Under the Lights

Houston at Cincinnati: Despite not playing in the same division, these teams have played the last four seasons, two of those games coming in the playoffs. The ‘over/under’ went 2-2 in those games but the most points scored was 41. The Bengals are a tough team to gauge for totals because both their offense (28.6 PPG) and defense (17.8 PPG) are outstanding. The Texans are double-digit ‘dogs for a reason because their defense looks good (11.6 PPG) against guys named Winston, Bortles and Mettenberger, but horrendous versus the gunslingers with experience (34 PPG). Oddly enough, the Texans at 3-5 can still win their division. The last four seasons, Houston has gone 3-1 off its bye week and the one loss came by three. The ‘under’ is 3-1 in that span for the Texans and 8-2 the last 10 with rest.

 

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Bengals try to stay perfect

HOUSTON TEXANS (3-5) at CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-0)

Line: Cincinnati -11, Total: 47.5

The Bengals try to keep their unbeaten streak alive at home Monday night against the Texans.

The Houston Texans (3-5 SU and ATS) hope to kick off the second half of the season with a bang off of their bye week, taking on the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals (8-0 SU and 7-0-1 ATS) who are hot on the heels of a commanding 31-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The Texans have had a slight edge over their opponents all-time (5-4 SU and 6-3 ATS), though they are 11-point underdogs in this week’s matchup. Betting trends largely favor the Bengals this week, as the team is 15-4 ATS in home games over the past three seasons, and their opponent is 2-10 ATS in road games versus good offensive teams (averaging 5.65+ yards per play) in franchise history.

Bettors looking to the Texans to cover the spread will note that underdogs who are poor rushing teams (less than 3.5 yards per run) are 23-4 ATS when playing a poor rushing defense (allowing 4.5+ yards per run) after gaining 99 or fewer rushing yards in three straight games.

Houston’s offense, now in the hands of QB Brian Hoyer after an early season quarterback controversy, has scored 21.8 PPG (20th in NFL) on 369.4 YPG (9th in league). WR DeAndre Hopkins is the team’s unrivaled first offensive option, being targeted 112 times for 66 catches, 870 yards, and six TDs. Hopkins’ pace has leveled off in recent weeks, but he’s still among the league leaders in receptions (4th), receiving yards (3rd), and receiving TDs (6th).

The loss of RB Arian Foster for the season is a blow to the Texans’ already anemic running game. The team averages just 88 YPG on the ground (29th in NFL), has scored only four rushing TDs (21st in league), and produces a league-worst 3.3 yards per attempt. RB Alfred Blue, starting for the injured Foster, has shown flashes of brilliance this year, rushing for 139 yards on 31 carries with a TD in a Week 3 game against Tampa Bay – though that single outing represents more than half of his total rushing yards all season.

The Texans’ defense, traditionally the focal point of the team, has been lackluster this season, allowing opponents to score 25.6 PPG (22nd in NFL), and is particularly susceptible to the run, spotting opposing rushers 123.5 YPG (27th in league), seven TDs (21st in NFL), and a generous 4.4 yards per attempt (23rd in league). The team is especially bad on the road, giving up 34.0 PPG and 406.2 YPG to their hosts.

As one would expect of any team that has been perfect through the first half of the season, Cincinnati has been excellent playing both sides of the ball. Led by the stellar play of QB Andy Dalton, the team has scored 28.6 PPG (3rd in NFL) and generated 391.1 YPG (6th in league). Dalton has thrown for 18 TDs (5th in NFL) on an outstanding 8.1 yards per passing attempt (2nd in NFL), while giving up just four interceptions (4th in league), good for the league’s second best passer rating (111.0). He has historically struggled against the Texans, however, going 1-3 SU and ATS in his career, averaging 201.5 yards per game and amassing just two TDs while giving up five interceptions for a passer rating of 66.5.

The rushing corps of RB Jeremy Hill and RB Giovani Bernard are good for 120.4 YPG (11th in NFL) and have found the end zone 10 times (2nd in league). Bernard has carved out a role for himself in the Bengals’ passing game as one of Dalton’s primary targets, along with fellow offensive weapons WR A.J. Green and TE Tyler Eifert. Eifert, in particular, has been key to the team’s success, and leads the league in receiving TDs with 9.

The Bengals’ defense has been just as formidable, allowing opponents just 17.8 PPG (4th in NFL), 10 passing TDs (7th in league), and 3 rushing TDs (4th in NFL), though they do allow opposing rushers to amass a league worst 4.9 yards per run. DE Carlos Dunlap and DT Geno Atkins have been the cornerstones of the team’s defense, and are among the league leaders in sacks with 8.5 (tied for 2nd) and 6.0 (tied for 5th), respectively.

 

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MNF - Texans at Bengals
By Kevin Rogers

Midway through November, three teams entered Week 10 without a loss in the NFL. The Panthers and Patriots each picked up road victories on Sunday, improving to 9-0 on the season. The third squad takes the field on Monday night as the Bengals look for their ninth win in nine tries this season, hosting the Texans in their second consecutive primetime game at home.

Last Thursday night, Cincinnati (8-0 SU, 7-0-1 ATS) pulled away from Cleveland by outscoring the Browns in the second half, 17-0 in a 31-10 rout as 13-point favorites. Andy Dalton continued his solid season with 234 yards and three touchdown passes, while bouncing back from a subpar performance in a victory at Pittsburgh back in Week 8. Dalton’s touchdown to interception ratio improved to 9/1 at home this season, as he connected with tight end Tyler Eiffert for three scores against the Browns.

In spite of a rough first half to the season, the Texans (3-5 SU, 3-5 ATS) are still in the mix for the top spot in the AFC South by sitting one half-game behind Indianapolis. Houston has been off since dominating Tennessee at home in Week 8 by a 20-6 count to cash as 3 ½-point favorites. Brian Hoyer threw multiple touchdown passes for the fifth straight game, while the Houston defense allowed its fewest amount of points since a 13-6 win at Houston in 2012.

The Texans knocked the Bengals out of back-to-back postseasons in 2012 and 2013, but Cincinnati snapped a five-game skid to Houston last November in a 22-13 victory as three-point road underdogs. Houston failed to score an offensive touchdown as its lone trip to the end zone came on an interception return. The Bengals have lost each of their last two home matchups with the Texans, as Houston rallied past Cincinnati in its last matchup at Paul Brown Stadium, 20-19 in 2011.

It’s been a struggle on the highway for Bill O’Brien’s club, posting a 1-3 SU/ATS record with the lone road victory coming at Jacksonville in Week 6. The Texans have lost seven of their last eight away games against teams outside the AFC South, while being listed as this heavy of a road underdog since 2007 in a 35-10 defeat at San Diego as 9 ½-point ‘dogs. The last time Houston received double-digit points on the highway came back in 2006, losing at New England, 40-7 as 12-point underdogs.

Cincinnati’s defense has allowed 21 points or less in six of eight contests, while going 2-2 to the ‘over’ at Paul Brown Stadium this season. Since 2010, the Bengals have been listed as a double-digit favorite twice heading into Monday night, pushing in a 34-24 win over Jacksonville last season as 10-point chalk and covering in last week’s victory over the Browns.

Underdogs continue to dominate under the Monday night lights, covering eight of 10 times this season, including Chicago’s 22-19 comeback victory last week at San Diego as 3 ½-point ‘dogs. A double-digit underdog hasn’t won on Monday night this season in two tries, but both this heavy ‘dogs managed to grab covers as Detroit (in Week 4 at Seattle) and Baltimore (in Week 7 at Arizona) each kept it close in losses. The ‘under’ remains a strong play on Mondays, posting an 8-2 mark with one of the ‘unders’ coming in the Colts/Panthers Week 8 contest that was aided by several late touchdowns to hit the ‘over.’

Handicapper Vince Akins has isolated a strong system on fading Houston, as this team has struggled against high-powered offenses recently, “The Texans are 0-13 ATS since 11/29/2009 as a ‘dog when facing a team that has averaged at least 385 yards of offense per game, with the last occurrence coming in a Week 4 blowout loss at Atlanta.”

The Texans were riding a four-game ‘over’ streak prior to the ‘under’ against the Titans, while the ‘over’ is 3-0-1 in four contests away from NRG Stadium. Since 2009, Houston owns a dreadful 0-7 ATS record in Monday night action, including an 0-4 SU/ATS mark in the underdog role. The Bengals are making their fifth Monday night appearance since 2010, compiling a 2-2 SU/ATS ledger in this span, including a 37-28 home underdog victory over Denver last December.

Cincinnati opened up as 11-point home favorites and have basically stuck to that number for most of this week with a few 10 ½’s hanging around. The weather isn’t expected to be much of a factor with temperatures in the mid-40’s around kickoff. The total sits at 47, the second-highest home total for the Bengals and second-highest road total for the Texans this season. The game kicks off at 8:30 PM EST and can be seen on ESPN.

 

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Texans or Bengals? NFL bloggers debate who will cover Monday night

The finale of the Week 10 NFL schedule brings us to Cincinnati as the Bengals host the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football.

In order to get a grasp on this primetime matchup, we’ve enlisted the help of those who know these teams the best. Expert NFL bloggers Mickey Mentzer of Bengals blog Cincy Jungle and Stephanie Stradley of Houston's Ultimate Texans blog strap on the pads and debate which team will not only win, but cover the spread Monday night.

WHY HOUSTON WILL COVER

Stephanie Stradley writes for the Ultimate Texans blog at the Houston Chronicle online. You can follow her on Twitter @StephStradley and read her personal blog at Stradleylaw.com.

Time to reboot

I get the big number against Houston: Getting thumped on the road by both Atlanta and Miami. Near the bottom of the league rankings in offense, defense and special teams. Too many poor performances against good teams on prime time.

That said, Houston is treating the bye week as a self-scouting reboot, new season. The team as a whole is healthier than it has been all season, particularly the offensive line.

I'm not expecting miracle changes from Houston, but they play hard and are still playing for something as as the AFC South is wide open.

Watt vs. Dalton

J.J. Watt is having a magnificent season individually. One of the differences between the Texans last year and this year is just turnover fortune.

Last year, good individual plays resulted in turnovers. This year, often inches away from game changing plays, or plays get hurt by unrelated defensive penalties.

Watt has had some very good games against Andy Dalton in previous seasons, and sometimes a dominant player just has a quarterback's number.

Fixable issues

The issues that the Texans have had on defense are mostly scheme/execution in-season fixable ones.

If the Texans offense and special teams just play average and the defense plays to their abilities, the Texans can certainly make this a game.

I wouldn't expect the Texans to win this game straight-up, but it wouldn't be a world-coming-to-an-end surprise either.


WHY CINCINNATI WILL COVER

Mickey Mentzer (@WhoDeyFans) writes for Cincy Jungle. You can follow them on Facebook and on Twitter @CincyJungle.

Running the football

The Bengals have one of the most balanced offenses in the NFL. Part of that comes from the duo of running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill. While fans may wonder who is the real starter, the two backs compliment each other well on the field.

The Texans come into the game boasting the 6th worst rushing defense in the NFL. Cincinnati will attack Houston up the middle with their running game to open up the rest of their offense.

The aerial attack

Once Cincinnati establishes the run game, Houston will be forced to place more defenders closer to the line to stop the run. This opens up single coverage for A.J. Green and Marvin Jones. Both receivers can create separation and Andy Dalton has been money this season in the pocket.

If Houston doubles one of these guys, Tyler Eifert and his 9 touchdowns in 8 games will exploit whatever poor linebacker is forced to cover him. Really, this passing attack can't be stopped.

Quarterback pressure

Carlos Dunlap leads a Cincinnati defensive line that has been able to create consistent pressure with just the front four lineman. Geno Atkins in the middle constantly draws double coverage and Michael Johnson along with Dunlap become a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.

Rarely this season has an opposing quarterback been comfortable in the pocket and deep plays are rushed as the Bengals front is very disruptive.