2016 wnba thread news notes picks !

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mercury (13-14) at Sun (10-17)
Date: September 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury are playing some of their best basketball in the final weeks of the regular season, most notably on the defensive side of the court.

The Mercury have returned from the Olympic break and won three straight games, holding their last two opponents to under 70 points. That could spell trouble for the offensively challenged Connecticut Sun on Friday night, when Phoenix visits Mohegan Sun Arena.

The Sun (10-17) are 10th in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 84.3 points per game. But, like the Mercury, Connecticut is playing well down the stretch. The Sun have won two of three since returning from the Olympic break, including an impressive 84-80 victory over the league-leading Minnesota Lynx.

Connecticut has moved into 10th place in the league standing and is just a game behind eighth-place Seattle for the final postseason spot. The Sun, however, will be shorthanded in the final seven games of the regular season.

Rookie forward Morgan Tuck, the third overall pick, will miss the rest of the season after injuring her knee in Sunday's win over the Atlanta Dream.

"I feel terrible for Morgan that she will not be able to complete her first WNBA season on the court," Sun coach Curt Miller said on the team's website. "She has a tremendous future with the Sun, and I am confident she will approach the rehabilitation process like the champion she is. I can't wait to have her back with us next year."

To help fill the void, Connecticut signed forward Asia Taylor, a 2014 draft pick of the Minnesota Lynx. The Sun will need all the help they can get in order to slow down the surging Mercury.

Taurasi, the fourth-leading scorer in the WNBA, and Brittney Griner have been fueling Phoenix's push up the league standings. The Mercury (13-14) sit in sixth place and could realistically finish as high as fourth. The top eight teams, regardless of conference, qualify for the postseason.

Griner had 20 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, three steals and three assists in the Mercury's win over Indiana on Tuesday.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 29, 2016 Score ATS Results
CONN 75 Cover: 2
PHO « 86 Under: 161
Tools: Recaps

May 31, 2016 Score ATS Results
CONN 90 Cover: 3
PHO « 99 Over: 189
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mystics (10-16) at Lynx (22-5)
Date: September 02, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Minnesota Lynx will try to regain sole possession of first place in the Western Conference when they play host to the Washington Mystics on Friday night at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

Minnesota (22-5) and the Los Angeles Sparks are tied atop the Western Conference standings after the Sparks beat the San Antonio Stars on Thursday.

Washington (10-16) is fifth in the Eastern Conference, two games behind the fourth-place Indiana Fever and 8 1/2 games back of the first-place New York Liberty.

Minnesota is coming off a 92-80 victory over the Seattle Storm after suffering an 84-80 loss to the Connecticut Sun in its first game after the Olympic break. Lindsay Whalen scored a season-high 24 points in the win over Seattle. The Lynx trailed 47-41 at the half.

The Lynx has won seven of its last eight games and nine of 11 to keep pace with Los Angeles, which will play host to the Lynx on Sept. 6 in a game that could be a big factor in determining the Western Conference champion.

Minnesota will play four of its last five games on the road after concluding its current three-game homestand against Connecticut on Sunday.

Washington posted a 92-69 victory over Indiana in its first game after the Olympic break but then suffered an 85-74 loss to the San Antonio Stars. Tayler Hill scored 25 points in the loss, but the Mystics shot just 33.8 percent from the field and 64.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Minnesota and Washington have already met twice this season. Minnesota beat Washington 83-76 on June 11, but the Mystics handed the Lynx a stunning 87-63 loss on June 26.

Seimone Augustus scored 21 points for Minnesota in the first meeting. In the second game, Emma Meesseman scored 20 points for Washington, which shot 47.1 percent while holding the Lynx to 37.7-percent shooting. Minnesota star Maya Moore was held to five points on 2-of-9 shooting in that contest.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 26, 2016 Score ATS Results
MIN 63 Under: 150
WAS « 87 Cover: 32
Tools: Recaps

Jun 11, 2016 Score ATS Results
MIN « 83 Over: 159
WAS 76 Cover: 0.5
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sparks (22-5) at Wings (9-19)
Date: September 02, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Sparks snapped a two-game losing streak with a win over the dismal San Antonio Stars on Thursday. But it wasn't easy, and the uneven performance adds to the concerns facing the Sparks heading into the final seven games of the season.

Los Angeles will try to complete a Texas two-step in two nights on Friday, when the Sparks take on the struggling Dallas Wings at College Park Center. The Sparks have clinched a playoff spot.

Los Angeles (22-5) lost its first two games after returning from the Olympic break and had a tough time putting away the Stars on Thursday. They trailed midway through the fourth quarter, until Kristi Toliver and Candace Parker fueled a late push to put away San Antonio, owner of the worst record in the WNBA, in a low-scoring 70-61 victory.

The Wings (9-19) haven't been much better and have dropped nine straight games, the longest current losing streak in the WNBA. But the Sparks, who spent the majority of the season with the best record in the league, haven't been playing well, either.

The Wings are surrendering a league-worst 88.2 points per game. Odyssey Sims is averaging 14.3 points per game, and star forward Glory Johnson is averaging 11.7 points and 9.1 rebounds for Dallas.

The Sparks have failed to score 80 points in any of their three games since the month-long Olympic break. Forward Nneka Ogwumike leads the team in points (19.7) and rebounds (9.1), and Parker is having another big all-around season, averaging 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists.

The Sparks won both previous meetings this season, most recently a close 89-84 home victory over the Wings on June 28. Parker had 31 points and 13 points in the win. It was an emotional performance for Parker, in her first game since losing her beloved college coach at Tennessee, the late Pat Summitt.

The Wings led by 22 in the third quarter, but had no answers for the Sparks down the stretch. Dallas has won only twice since blowing that big lead to the Sparks.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD

Jun 28, 2016 Score ATS Results
DAL 84 Cover: 5.5
LOS « 89 Over: 173
Tools: Recaps

Jun 11, 2016 Score ATS Results
LOS « 97 Cover: 15
DAL 73 Over: 170
Tools: Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Storm (11-16) at Sky (13-13)
Date: September 02, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Chicago Sky have a chance to move into a tie for second place in the WNBA's Eastern Conference when they entertain the Seattle Storm on Friday night at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.

Chicago (13-13) is third in the Eastern Conference, a half game behind the second-place Atlanta Dream and 5 1/2 games in back the first-place New York Liberty. Seattle (11-16) is fourth in the Western Conference, two games behind the third-place Phoenix Mercury.

Chicago is coming off a 92-85 victory over the Dallas Wings while the Sky beat Atlanta 90-82 in the first game after the month-long Olympic break. Elena Delle Donne erupted for 34 points in the win over Atlanta after helping the United States win a gold medal at the Summer Games. She had 18 points and nine rebounds in the win over Dallas.

Chicago will play its next two contests at home before going on a road trip that will include games against Washington, Indiana and Connecticut. The Sky will play two of their last three regular-season games at home, but those contests will be against Minnesota and New York, two of the top teams in the league.

Seattle split its first two games following the break. The Storm suffered a 92-80 loss to Minnesota and beat Dallas 78-66. Jewell Lloyd scored 23 points in the win over Dallas. Breanna Stewart had 17 points and 12 rebounds.

With the win, Seattle moved into eighth place in the WNBA playoff standings. The Storm now embarks on a four-game road trip with stops in Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Washington before playing two of their final three regular-season games at home.

Chicago and Seattle have only met once so far this season. The Sky prevailed in a 91-88 thriller after Delle Donne made a 3-pointer with one second remaining July 17 in Seattle. Delle Donne finished with 35 points and 11 rebounds in that game.

Sue Bird scored 24 points and Stewart had 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots for Seattle.

The Sky and Storm will meet again in the final game of the regular season Sept. 18 in Seattle.

[StarDust Bum]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

New York Liberty 19 9 0.679 0 8-5 11-4 10-3 7-3 L-1

Atlanta Dream 14 13 0.519 4 9-4 5-9 8-7 6-4 W-1

Chicago Sky 13 13 0.500 5 7-6 6-7 6-6 6-4 W-2

Indiana Fever 13 14 0.481 5 6-8 7-6 6-7 6-4 W-1

Washington Mystics 10 16 0.385 8 4-9 6-7 6-5 2-8 L-1

Connecticut Sun 10 17 0.370 8 5-8 5-9 2-10 6-4 W-1

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

Los Angeles Sparks 22 5 0.815 0 11-1 11-4 8-3 6-4 W-1

Minnesota Lynx 22 5 0.815 0 12-2 10-3 13-1 8-2 W-1

Phoenix Mercury 13 14 0.481 9 9-6 4-8 4-9 6-4 W-3

Seattle Storm 11 16 0.407 11 8-7 3-9 6-8 5-5 W-1

Dallas Wings 9 19 0.321 13 5-9 4-10 7-7 1-9 L-9

San Antonio Stars 6 21 0.222 16 4-9 2-12 1-11 2-8 L-2

Updated Fri Sep 2 11:08 AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA RECORD: LAST NIGHT 3 - 1

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 68-73-3 48.23% -6150

O/U Picks 71-73-0 49.31% -4650


FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PHO at CONN 07:00 PM

PHO -4.5

O 165.0


WAS at MIN 08:00 PM

WAS +11.5

U 158.5


LA at DAL 08:30 PM

LA -6.5

O 165.5


SEA at CHI 08:30 PM

[B]SEA +6.5

U 165.5[/B

[StarDust Bum]

MAC power Bowling Green will try to 'shock' Buckeyes
September 2, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Bowling Green will be a four-touchdown underdog coming into Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but new Falcons coach Mike Jinks said he welcomes the chance to ''shock the world.''

If Jinks' squad can knock off the mighty Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium, it would be a monumental inaugural win for him as a college coach. A Texas Tech assistant for three seasons after a long career in Texas high school football, the 44-year-old Jinks took the helm at Bowling Green this season after Dino Babers was hired away by Syracuse.

Returning fewer than half the starters from a team that went 10-4 and won the Mid-American Conference crown last year, the Falcons have their work cut out for them. They have new starters at quarterback and tailback, a rebuilt defensive line and must compensate for the loss of two of the three best receivers from last year.

Anything can happen, right?

''I've been an underdog my whole life,'' Jinks said. ''I kind of excel in those situations.''

So does Bowling Green, it seems. The Falcons shocked two Big 10 teams last season on the road, Maryland and Purdue, and stayed competitive against Tennessee in the season opener. In 2014, they beat Indiana 45-42 at home.

''These are the games we ought to want to be in,'' Jinks said. ''These are the opportunities that don't come too often. There are 128 FBS schools in the country, and we're playing at probably one of the top five venues of all time. Not everybody gets those chances throughout a college career, so it's a trend that we hope to continue in years to come.''

Bowling Green will take home a guaranteed payout of $975,000 for the trip to Ohio Stadium.

Some other things to know as the Falcons try to pull off the upset in Columbus:

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

There may be as many questions about No. 6 ranked Ohio State as Bowling Green this season. The Buckeyes have the least experienced team in the nation, losing 16 starters from last year. They have new starters at tailback and wide receiver, and throughout the defense.

''I know what we're walking into, but you don't know what this '16 Ohio State team going to be, and you don't know what this '16 Bowling Green team is going to be,'' Jinks said. ''That's the exciting part of it.''

DON'T DISCOUNT THE UNDERDOGS

Ohio State players say they've learned not to look past any team. The Buckeyes needed a pick-six from linebacker Darron Lee to bail out its struggling offense and squeak by MAC power Northern Illinois 20-13 in what was intended to be a tune-up game early last season.

''Scrappy. Very, very scrappy,'' offensive guard Billy Price said of BG. ''NIU was a very good opponent. We expect the same thing. We cannot take an opponent lightly no matter what conference, whatever team it is. We're going in there respecting them just as much as we did Alabama or just as much as Oregon.''

Said linebacker Chris Worley: ''A team like Bowling Green, you can never overlook them. They're going to come here ready to play, and we know that. The team that plays the hardest will win.''

SHADES OF 2014?

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said this year's teams reminds him of the 2014 team in terms of starting so many talented but still untested players. That team ended up winning the national championship.

''(It's) very similar,'' he said. ''And I'm real excited about them. I'm trying to hold down the excitement because I really am. I can't wait to watch them to play. This has been a good camp. Good people to work with.''

The biggest unknown, he said, is how the young players will react to being in the stadium with 100,000 of their closest, noisiest friends.

BARRETT READY TO ROLL

Meyer said quarterback J.T. Barrett, who entered a training camp for the first time as the undisputed starting quarterback, is playing as well as he ever has.

''He's on top of his game, I'm proud to say,'' Meyer said. ''He's a very good player, a very good leader. He's driving the car and he's never had that this time of year. The first time he got a start, he certainly wasn't driving the car. He was in the front seat somewhere, but he wasn't driving it. Now it's his, and he's really doing a nice job.''

[StarDust Bum]

Conner, Panthers expect emotional opener vs. Villanova
September 2, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) The jitters will be there. After what Pittsburgh running back James Conner has been through over the last 12 months, how could they not?

So forgive the 2014 ACC Player of the Year if he takes a moment before running out of the tunnel and onto the Heinz Field turf on Saturday when the Panthers host Villanova in the 2016 opener. A knee injury that derailed his junior season and a cancer diagnosis that threatened to derail his promising career has a way of putting things in perspective.

''I'm just going to embrace it all,'' Conner said. ''I know we will have a great audience. It will be a memorable day. My doctor will be in the building, along with some of the nurses. My family and friends will be there, along with my friends from Erie, so it's just going to be a great day.''

Yet Conner also understands the jitters will fade. They always do. Once he takes a handoff from Nate Peterman it will back to business as usual: trying to help the Panthers take another step forward one punishing yard at a time.

''I'm excited to make my return,'' he said. ''I take every game the same. There's a job that needs to be done.''

One Pitt and second-year coach Pat Narduzzi believe is far from finished even after a promising 8-5 season in 2015, one the Panthers gamely soldiered through even with Conner watching from the sideline for all but the first two quarters of the opener against Youngstown State.

Narduzzi has a better feel for the program now, one that is trying to embrace its history while forging ahead at the same time. The Pitt script logo - a symbol of the Panthers' glory years four decades go - is back in full effect, joined by a variety of uniform options that seem to be de rigueur in college football these days.

Of course, the plan is to have plenty of substance to go with all that style, with Conner leading the way. Some things to look for as the Panthers begin a season with lofty expectations, against a team hoping to make a statement of its own:

CLOSE CALLS: Narduzzi's tenure began with a shaky 45-37 win over Youngstown State last September, a game that remained in doubt until the fourth quarter. The memory remains fresh, so don't expect Pitt to peek around the corner at a long-awaited visit from Penn State on Sept. 10. That's probably wise against Villanova, a longtime FCS power who is hardly a pushover. The Wildcats have been a tough out against FBS schools in each of the last three openers, all losses by 10 points or less.

SAYING GOODBYE: The 2016 season will be the 32nd and final year for Villanova coach Andy Talley, whose 249 career wins are the most by an active coach at FBS or FCS level. Talley, who led the Wildcats to the 2009 national title, will hand the program over to assistant Mark Ferrante. An upset over the Panthers would be a pretty sweet way to begin Talley's send-off.

PLENTY OF HELP: While Narduzzi said there are no limitations on Conner - who underwent six months of chemotherapy to combat lymphoma diagnosed last Thanksgiving - Pitt's depth at running back means Conner won't have to carry the load alone. Qadree Ollison was the ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 while filling in for Conner and Chris James provides a speedy yin to the powerful yang provided by Conner and Ollison.

NATE THE GREAT? The Panthers entered 2015 with Chad Voytik at quarterback before Nate Peterman quickly took over the job. There is no drama this time around. Peterman is firmly entrenched as the starter, though he'll also be working with an inexperienced group after Tyler Boyd took his school-record 254 receptions to the NFL. Senior Dontez Ford is the only returning wide receiver with more than 12 career catches.

[StarDust Bum]

On Spurrier's day, No. 25 Florida expects better offense
September 2, 2016

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Amid all the pomp and circumstance of renaming Florida Field after Steve Spurrier, the most fitting way to honor him would be on the scoreboard Saturday.

Maybe the 25th-ranked Gators should try to ''hang half a hundred'' on UMass.

That was one of Spurrier's most memorable quotes during his dozen years in Gainesville. It came after Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Georgia 52-17 in Athens in 1995. It also was something the Gators did with regularity during Spurrier's tenure.

And after the way Florida ended last season - scoring just two offensive touchdowns in the final three games - players and coaches probably could use a little confidence-booster to start 2016.

''Pretty miserable, wasn't it?'' Florida coach Jim McElwain recalled. ''You had to sit through it, too. I'm sorry. ... I'm still hurting. That's all I can say. That was miserable. I'll leave it at that. And I'm sorry you had to go through it, too.''

The Gators ranked 112th in total offense in 2015, ahead of only Vanderbilt and Missouri in the SEC. They struggled to run the ball consistently and were close to inept in the passing game. The line was a problem - Florida gave up a nation-leading 45 sacks - and quarterback play was an even bigger issue.

McElwain has vowed to be ''dramatically better'' on offense in his second season.

His first chance to prove it comes in the opener against the Minutemen, who are entering their first season as an independent after going 8-40 in four years since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Gators will give journeyman Luke Del Rio his first collegiate start after he transferred from Alabama and then Oregon State in search of playing time. Del Rio beat out graduate transfer Austin Appleby and two freshmen.

Del Rio, who sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules, helplessly watched Florida stumble down the stretch.

''Anytime you finish 0-3, it's the worst taste in your mouth,'' said Del Rio, the son of Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio. ''Some teams might get hot and they lose a bowl game. `OK, we finished 5-1.' But 0-3, that's tough to swallow.''

Spurrier only had one three-game losing streak (1999) during his Florida coaching career.

Leading the Gators to six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship, Spurrier helped put the program on the college football map for good. He already has a Heisman Trophy statue from his playing days at Florida and has his name in the school's exclusive ring of honor.

On Saturday, the Gators will officially unveil Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. It's better known as The Swamp, the nickname Spurrier gave it and a place the current team would like to see scoring ''half a hundred'' become more normal than notable again.

''I hope they put some winning turf in there or something,'' McElwain joked. ''I've got to ask our grounds guy. But no, I think that's something special, and obviously for (Spurrier), I think what a fitting tribute. To have him back and be a part of that is something that's pretty neat.''

---

Here are some other things to know as Florida and UMass begin the season:

STREAKING GATORS: Florida has won 26 consecutive season openers, the longest streak in the country. The Gators are likely to extend it against UMass, but making it 28 in a row should be more challenging considering they open the 2017 season against Michigan in Arlington, Texas.

FLORIDA SUSPENSIONS: McElwain suspended five players for the opener, including one senior he declined to name. The others are cornerback Jalen Tabor, tight end C'yontai Lewis and receivers Tyrie Cleveland and Rick Wells. Tabor and Lewis were suspended one game for fighting in practice. Cleveland and Wells were suspended for firing BB guns in a residence hall in July.

GAME-CHANGER? Florida could potentially go from having one of the worst kicking situations in the country to one of the best. Eddy Pineiro will make his collegiate debut and should get considerable attention. A high school soccer player who has never kicked in a game, Pineiro drew interest from Alabama and Florida while making 70-yard-plus kicks and posting them on YouTube.

RARE TRIP: The Minutemen last visited the Sunshine State on Dec. 12, 1964, when they lost to East Carolina 14-13 in the Tangerine Bowl. UMass is 1-1 all-time against teams from Florida.

[StarDust Bum]

Georgia begins Kirby Smart era against rising Tar Heels
September 2, 2016

ATLANTA (AP) Tired of sending countless players to the NFL but going a decade since its last Southeastern Conference championship, Georgia decided that a change in leadership was needed to get to the next level.

Exit Mark Richt.

Enter Kirby Smart.

The longtime Alabama defensive coordinator, who knows a thing or two about championships working for Nick Saban, will take the sideline as a head coach for the first time when the No. 18 Bulldogs open the season Saturday against No. 22 North Carolina in Atlanta at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

Smart downplayed his debut and wants his players to treat it as just another game.

Good luck with that.

It's the first since 2001 that Georgia will be led by a new head coach.

''This is like kind of anti-climactic for me,'' Smart insisted. ''My focus has been on this team, getting this team better. There are a lot of things I can't control outside that, that have nothing to do with the outcome of the game.''

North Carolina is coming off an 11-win season, its most victories since 1997 and matching the school record.

Coach Larry Fedora realizes the significance of building on that success with a victory over the Bulldogs.

''It's a big game,'' he said. ''It's against a great opponent who has a great tradition. They are well known. It is a good measuring stick for where we are with this program right now.''

---

Some things to watch for Saturday at the Georgia Dome:

CHUBB'S RETURN: After a horrific knee injury midway through last season, star running back Nick Chubb made a faster-than-expected recovery for the Bulldogs. He's fully cleared for the opener and Smart said there are no limitations on how many carries Chubb might get. It will be intriguing to see if he's still the same dynamic back he was before the injury. Chubb was a Heisman-touted player who had tied Herschel Walker's school record with 13 straight 100-yard games before he went down. Sony Michel and freshman Elijah Holyfield are both nursing injuries, so Chubb figures to get plenty of carries in his first game back - especially against a North Carolina defense that ranked 121st nationally (247.4 yards per game) and surrendered nearly 1,000 yards on the ground in its last two games against high-powered offenses.

SIGNATURE WIN: Despite last year's success, which include an appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, North Carolina is still seeking the sort of victory that will stamp Fedora's program as a true national powerhouse. North Carolina hasn't beaten an SEC school since a victory over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl to end the 2010 season. Beating Georgia would show North Carolina might be capable of challenging the ACC dominance of Clemson and Florida State.

EASON WATCH: Less than 72 hours before kickoff, Georgia finally confirmed that fifth-year senior Greyson Lambert remains the starting quarterback. He started 12 games a year ago and set a school record for lowest interception percentage (two picks in 256 passes). But it seems just a matter of time before the Bulldogs turn to Jacob Eason, a touted freshman who is clearly the quarterback of the future. Smart said the depth chart will remain a work in progress. ''It's never over,'' he said. ''It's continuous, just like who the right corner is. If he doesn't play good, then we have to change it.''

HOLLINS OUT: North Carolina will have to play the first half without one of its top deep threats and special team players. Receiver Mack Hollins must sit out the first two quarters after receiving a targeting penalty in a bowl loss to end last season. Hollins not only plays on four special-team units, he had 30 catches for 745 yards and eight touchdowns - leading the national with 24.8 yards per reception. Smart calls Hollins a ''dominant feature player.''

EXPLOSIVE HEELS: North Carolina set school records by averaging 40.7 points and 486.9 yards per game. The Tar Heels were especially dynamic during a two-game November run, piling on 125 points in routs of Duke and Miami. Running back Elijah Hood, an All-ACC pick last season with 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns, looks forward to matching up with Chubb. ''You definitely feel the competition,'' Hood said. ''You just want to show who you are.'' Georgia figures to have its hands full containing North Carolina, especially with four new starters at linebacker.

[StarDust Bum]

Watson, No. 2 Clemson open in SEC country against Auburn
September 2, 2016

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) Deshaun Watson and Clemson pick up where they left off last season - sort of.

The second-ranked Tigers open against another Southeastern Conference team from the state of Alabama, visiting Auburn Saturday night hoping to resume their pursuit of a national title and, perhaps, a Heisman Trophy for Watson.

They finished an otherwise unblemished season with a 45-40 loss to Alabama in the national championship game. Watson was at his playmaking best in racking up nearly 500 total yards against one of the nation's top defenses.

The task now will be to beat an Auburn team seeking redemption after a disappointing season.

''It's a big challenge out of the gate for us,'' Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

Not so big as the one Swinney's Tigers faced to finish off last season. Auburn opens picked to finish sixth in the Southeastern Conference Western Division after flopping last season amid much higher expectations.

Auburn also lost its top three rushers from last season to a dismissal, a transfer and an early entry into the NFL draft. The receivers are mostly unknown, and Sean White won a renewed quarterback battle after throwing one touchdown pass in five starts last season.

It makes for a tough opening challenge for coach Gus Malzahn's team. Swinney points out that openers carry a certain amount of mystery for both sides.

''There are a lot of unknowns,'' he said. ''They have players we don't know a lot about, and we have players they don't know a lot about. You don't ever really know until you see a team for two or three games.''

---

Here are some things to watch in the Clemson-Auburn matchup:

WATSON'S ENCORE? Watson enters the season among the favorites to win the Heisman after a third-place finish. His 478-yard performance passing and rushing in the title game was nearly enough to pull off the win. ''Their quarterback is one of the best players in college football, if not the best player,'' Malzahn said.

AND AUBURN? White beat out Jeremy Johnson and junior college transfer John Franklin III to emerge as the starter. Of the three, Franklin is the biggest rushing threat and could potentially play in a Wildcat role though Malzahn has been mum on the pecking order behind White. White has impressed Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables. ''He's a quality, quality player,'' Venables said. ''He beat out Deshaun at the Elite 11 for top quarterback. He's got that `it.' He's a very good leader, all the qualities that you love. The intangibles, his toughness, his confidence, he makes everybody around him better.''

SEEING STEELE: Swinney will face one of his former defensive coordinators in Kevin Steele, now leading Auburn's defense. Steele spent three seasons under Swinney and helped the Tigers to the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference title. But soon after Clemson was embarrassed 70-33 by West Virginia in the Orange Bowl, Swinney fired Steele and replaced him with Venables. Steele skipped his normal session with reporters this week.

TAILBACK COMPARISONS: Wayne Gallman is coming off a school record-setting season, 1,500-yard season for Clemson. Auburn is high on Kerryon Johnson but he had only 52 carries as a freshman, vaulting to the starting spot when Jovon Robinson was kicked off the team in preseason camp.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Auburn has struggled defensively in recent seasons but Steele's side of the ball might be the team's strength. Veteran defenders Carl Lawson, Montravius Adams and Johnathan Ford are all back and joined by Illinois graduate transfer T.J. Neal at linebacker.

[StarDust Bum]

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BEST BETS

WLT PCT UNITS

ATS Picks 10-7-0 58.82% +1150

O/U Picks 1-1-0 50.00% -50

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA Capsules
September 2, 2016

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) Chiney Ogwumike and the Connecticut Sun withstood Phoenix center Brittney Griner's first dunk of the season and career-high 29 points to beat the Mercury 87-74 on Friday night.

Ogwumike scored 20 of her 22 points in the second half and had 10 rebounds, Jasmine Thomas had 18 points, and Alex Bentley added 16. The Sun (11-17) have won three of their last four games and snapped the Mercury's three-game win streak.

Griner's driving one-handed dunk, the eighth slam of her career, came off a no-look pass from Diana Taurasi to pull Phoenix (13-15) to 51-46 with 6:44 to play in the third quarter. But the Sun used a 9-0 run to help stretch their lead to 68-54 at the end the quarter.

Connecticut has won eight of its last 12 games after starting the season 3-13.

LYNX 75, MYSTICS 69

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Maya Moore scored 27 points, Sylvia Fowles had 15 points and 17 rebounds and Minnesota held on to beat Washington.

Moore was 7 of 17 from the floor and made 12 of 13 free throws. She has scored 20 or more points 13 times this season.

Western Conference-leading Minnesota (23-5) has won 10 of its last 12 games and eight straight at home. Tayler Hill had 15 points, and Leilani Mitchell 13 for the Mystics (10-17).

SPARKS 87, WINGS 79

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Nneka Ogwumike had 28 points and 12 rebounds, Kristi Toliver added 24 points and Los Angeles Sparks pulled away to beat Dallas.

The Sparks (23-5) have won two straight to keep pace with Minnesota atop the Western Conference.

Odyssey Sims scored 26 points to lead Dallas (9-20). The Stars have dropped 10 straight, the longest current losing streak in the WNBA. Glory Johnson had 16 points and 15 rebounds.

SKY 92, STORM 88

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) - Tamera Young scored 24 points, and Elena Delle Donne added 22 to help Chicago beat Seattle.

Chicago (14-13) has won three straight and six of seven to move into a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference. Jewell Loyd had 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for Seattle (11-17).

[StarDust Bum]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

New York Liberty 19 9 0.679 0 8-5 11-4 10-3 7-3 L-1

Atlanta Dream 14 13 0.519 4 9-4 5-9 8-7 6-4 W-1

Chicago Sky 13 13 0.500 5 7-6 6-7 6-6 6-4 W-2

Indiana Fever 13 14 0.481 5 6-8 7-6 6-7 6-4 W-1

Washington Mystics 10 16 0.385 8 4-9 6-7 6-5 2-8 L-1

Connecticut Sun 10 17 0.370 8 5-8 5-9 2-10 6-4 W-1


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

Los Angeles Sparks 22 5 0.815 0 11-1 11-4 8-3 6-4 W-1

Minnesota Lynx 22 5 0.815 0 12-2 10-3 13-1 8-2 W-1

Phoenix Mercury 13 14 0.481 9 9-6 4-8 4-9 6-4 W-3

Seattle Storm 11 16 0.407 11 8-7 3-9 6-8 5-5 W-1

Dallas Wings 9 19 0.321 13 5-9 4-10 7-7 1-9 L-9

San Antonio Stars 6 21 0.222 16 4-9 2-12 1-11 2-8 L-2

Updated Fri Sep 2 11:38 PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

— Fort Wayne Tin Caps of the Midwest League averaged 6,084 fans per game this summer; minor league baseball is a good investment.

— Guy found Washington Redskins’ defensive playbooks in a dumpster; apparently someone they cut tossed them on his way out of town.

— Colorado Buffaloes put in a no-huddle offense which will be fun to track, seeing as Boulder is obviously in high altitude.

— Tom Brady played a half, took 39 snaps in the Patriots’ last preseason game; his next game action is October 9 in Cleveland.

— Albany 22, Buffalo 16– It is stupid to play I-AA teams; nothing to gain. Buffalo paid the Great Danes $275K to visit, then lost to them. Oy.

— Baseball rosters expanding on September 1 mean more pitching changes late in game; the pace-of-game zealots won’t like that.

**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: College football knowledge…….

13) Of all the college football teams in the country, the teams with the most returning starts on the offensive line:

140- Bowling Green
131- Western Kentucky, North Carolina, USC
123- Eastern Michigan
109- Arkansas State

12) New Mexico, BYU have 16 senior starters, most in the country. Ohio State has only two senior starters, Texas 3.

11) According to Phil Steele’s great magazine, the five toughest schedules in the country: USC-Ole Miss-Alabama-Cal-Auburn

10) Army lost seven games by a TD or less last season; no one else lost more than five.

9) TCU/Michigan State both won six games by a TD or less LY; Georgia, Florida and Northwestern all won five.

8) Best turnover ratios LY: San Diego State +22, Houston +21, Navy +19. No one else had a turnover ratio better than +14.

7) Worst turnover ratios LY: Hawai’i -23, Central Florida -20, Cincinnati -19.

6) Last three years, Houston is +54 in turnovers; they covered seven of last eight as a road favorite, beat ACC teams in last two bowls.

5) NC State was 0-6 vs bowl eligible teams LY, 7-0 vs everyone else. Wolfpack is 5-1 as road favorites under Doeren; they were 0-7 in the seven years prior to Doeren coming to Raleigh.

4) Average total in Texas Tech’s last five bowl games: 72.6. Since 2007, Tech is 14-5-1 as a road favorite.

3) Penn State is 7-17 vs spread in its last 24 Big 14 games; since 2013, they’re 0-5 as road favorites- under James Franklin, they’re 2-9 vs spread coming off a loss. Nittany Lions have 9 starters back on offense, but break in a new quarterback this year.

2) Kentucky is 1-9-2 as a home underdog under Mike Stoops. Wildcats have their top 4 rushers back, their top 10 receivers, but the QB bolted for Boston College. Kentucky is 1-8 SU in last 9 games that were decided by less than 7 points.

1) Boise State scored 40 ppg in winning four of last five bowl games; three of those wins were against Pac-12 teams- they’re 9-3 vs spread coming off a loss. Since 2008, Broncos are 29-13 as road favorites.