The Bum's 2016 NCAA Basketball News-Trends-Picks !

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Badgers (3-1) at Hoyas (2-2)
Date: November 22, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Georgetown and Wisconsin will meet again.

The unranked Hoyas upset No. 13 Oregon 65-61 in the first round of the Maui Invitational Monday to set up a second-round game Tuesday against No. 16 Wisconsin, which beat Tennessee 74-62 in the first round.

Georgetown and Wisconsin have played in each of the last two seasons including a 71-61 win by the Hoyas last year at the 2K Classic in New York City.

"Yeah, it's becoming a conference game, that's stating the obvious," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "They're tough and they make you earn everything. Nothing ever is easy against them. And when you make mistakes, they make you pay. And then you take that and you add the fact that, like it is systematic, forget the system. They've got some really good players too."

The Badgers lost to Creighton last week, but have bounced back with two wins in a row.

"As always, trying to get the first game is the one you want to get under your belt," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. "I am proud of the guys for battling back. Obviously there are a lot of things to clean up and get better at."

Wisconsin scored the first 12 points against Tennessee, but fell behind 46-44 before rallying for the victory. Guard Bronson Koenig led the Wolverines with 21 points and four assists. Koenig has recently been the driving force of the offense. His outside shot opens the floor for the rest of the Badgers. He made 9 of 15 shots on Monday, but Wisconsin did not play its usual disciplined brand of offense.

That helped Tennessee stick around into the second half.

"We need to play at our pace and control the tempo more," Koenig said after Wisconsin had 18 turnovers in the win.

Forward Nigel Hayes added 17 points and 10 rebounds for Wisconsin while forward Ethan Happ had 16 points.

The Hoyas were able to put an upset loss to Arkansas State behind them to beat the ranked Ducks and set up a meeting with the Badgers. Guard Rodney Pryor had 26 points to pace Georgetown.

"We know we are a good team," Pryor said. "We know we let two games go early but we can't hang our heads on that. We can't get too low or too high, so coming out here we knew we had to stay together and believe in each other."

Georgetown has short rest as it prepares for another ranked foe.

"It's a tough game," Thompson said. "We have to go hydrate and start to get ready for them. But it's a battle. Every offensive possession is a battle. We have to be ready for that."

Monday's win was a confidence boost for the Hoyas. Wisconsin is looking to build its own momentum by reaching Wednesday's title game before returning home and drawing Syracuse (Nov. 29) in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Aggies (4-0) at Boilermakers (2-1)
Date: November 22, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

As a member of the powerful Big Ten Conference, 18th-ranked Purdue traditionally has plenty of elite November tournament playing opportunities.

Maui. The Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico. Las Vegas. And now, the eight-team Cancun Challenge in Mexico.

Matt Painter, in his 12th season coaching his alma mater, watched his team rally to beat Georgia State on Friday night in an on-campus, opening-round game.

At 8:30 p.m. ET Tuesday night, Purdue (2-1) will play Utah State (3-0) in the Riviera Division game. Auburn (3-0) will play Texas Tech (3-0) at 6 p.m. . Tuesday's winners will play for the championship at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

In the Mayan Division, Georgia State (1-2) will play The New Jersey Institute of Technology (2-2) at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed at 3 p.m. by Eastern Kentucky (1-3) vs. Idaho State (0-3). Tuesday's winners will play for that championship at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Consolation games in each division will be played at 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Painter's 2009 team won the Paradise Jam in The Virgin Islands, and last season's team won the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic in Connecticut.

While Painter is selective about November events, there are specific criteria he seeks.

"First of all, you make sure you are going to have quality opponents on a neutral court," Painter said, "Last year, we played Old Dominion and Florida, and those were two very competitive games on a neutral court, which really helped our team grow.

"That is what we want this year in addition to the two Cancun Challenge games we have at home. In Georgia State, we played a team that is only two years removed from the NCAA tournament. The most important thing is the quality of the event, and the warm weather is just a bonus."

After dropping an exciting 79-76 decision to then-No. 3 Villanova on Nov. 14, Purdue was flat and trailed Georgia State 56-44 with 7:08 remaining Friday night before finishing the game on a 20-0 run for a 64-56 victory.

Utah State, led by 6-foot-9 senior forward Jalen Moore (18 points a game), is averaging 83.3 points and is shooting 51.4 percent from the field. Painter knows that another poor effort could result in defeat.

"When you have a mature team, you think you will be ready to play," Painter said. "Right now, we've got some guys who are missing shots and then not moving onto the next play.

"We really have to have a sense of urgency. On Friday night, Georgia State outhustled us and deserved to win the game."

Purdue is led by 6-8 sophomore forward Caleb Swanigan (20.7 points, 13 rebounds) and by 7-2 junior center Isaac Haas (18.3 points, 3 rebounds), but junior guard Dakota Mathias saved the day against Georgia State with two late 3-pointers.

Mathias knows the effort must improve in Cancun.

"We've got to bring it every night," Mathias said. "To be able to win like we did Friday night, we've got to continue it going into Cancun."

Fifth-year Boilermaker grad student guard Spike Albrecht believes the Georgia State game will serve as a good lesson.

"We definitely want to learn and grow from (Georgia State)," Albrecht said.

No matter if Purdue plays Auburn or Texas Tech on Wednesday, there are interesting ties.

Auburn's Ronnie Johnson was the Boilermakers' starting point guard for two seasons before transferring to Houston. As a fifth-year graduate student, Johnson now plays for Auburn.

Texas Tech first-year coach Chris Beard was at Arkansas-Little Rock last season and coached his team to an NCAA Tournament overtime victory against Purdue in Denver.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Hoosiers (3-0) at IUPU- Ft. Wayne (2-2)
Date: November 22, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

It's not often that Indiana plays a true road game in its non-conference schedule. Like most Top 25 powers, it's going to play a lot of home games, or it's going to play on a neutral floor when it does travel.

So, when the No. 6 Hoosiers agreed to play Tuesday night's non-conference contest at Fort Wayne, it probably raised more than a few eyebrows. Summit League teams like the Mastodons rarely get TV league programs to venture into the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

But Indiana coach Tom Crean, while admitting his team could play in a difficult atmosphere, felt it was an opportunity that couldn't be passed up. It is the Hoosiers' third of their four games in the Indiana Classic, and with the other three in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, this was one they could afford to play on the road.

"It was an opportunity to involve Fort Wayne and an opportunity to go on the road at the second-largest city (in Indiana), I think, and a great IU fan base up there," Crean said. "Now we've got to go play the game. It's going to be easier said than done."

Of course, if you're going to play a road game against the Mastodons, you might as well do it with the talent Crean has on his roster. Indiana (3-0) started the season in impressive fashion, beating Kansas, UMass Lowell and Liberty by escalating margins.

Saturday night's 87-48 rout of Liberty featured a 55-20 rebounding margin against a team that started no one taller than 6-5. It also featured 60.9 percent field goal shooting, a terrific defensive showing that saw the Flames make just under 30 percent from the floor, and an unsightly 26 turnovers.

Crean said after the game that the Hoosiers are simply trying to play too fast.

"Everything's correctible," he said. "Their attitudes are great and we'll get those things fixed as we go. Some of our turnovers are coming from footwork. We've got to continue to build on that."

Indiana will have to value the ball a bit better against an opponent which is forcing 16 turnovers per game and scores 87.8 points. Fort Wayne (2-2) is coming off a 94-81 win Saturday night over UMass Lowell, a game that was also part of the Indiana Classic.

The Mastodons will pin their upset hopes on 6-1 senior guard Mo Evans, who put up 33 points and 13 assists against UMass Lowell. Evans is averaging 23.3 points and 4.8 assists while canning 59.6 percent of his field goal attempts and 57.1 percent on 3-pointers.

"He has figured out how to play the position in our system," said Fort Wayne coach Jon Coffman.

Three other players score in double figures for Fort Wayne, which was formerly known as IPFW (Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne) until the athletic department opted for a rebranding.

By any name, it figures to have a tall order against the likes of James Blackmon (23 points), Thomas Bryant, Robert Johnson and OG Anunoby. But at least the Mastodons will get to stay at home for this opportunity.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Spartans (1-2) at Gaels (3-0)
Date: November 22, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

After recording a critical road win over Dayton on Saturday that could define its season, 15th-ranked St. Mary's returns home for a game against San Jose State on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET) at Moraga, Calif.

The Gaels (3-0) play only three non-conference games away from home this season and one of those is on a neutral court. The game at Dayton, which shared the Atlantic 10 regular-season title last season and was picked to win it again this season, figured to be a measuring stick for the Gaels in their bid to earn an NCAA Tournament berth this season.

St. Mary's dominated most of that game, moving out to a 20-point lead with 8:20 left before Dayton closed to within two with 25 seconds remaining. The Gaels held on for a 61-57 win, leaving a Nov. 30 game at Stanford as their only remaining non-conference game on their opponent's home court.

"This was a good win in a tough environment," St. Mary's coach head coach Randy Bennett said after the win over Dayton. "It was certainly a good test for our team early in the season."

The Gaels won despite shooting just 37.7 percent from the field and going 8 of 26 from 3-point range.

St. Mary's, which returns all five starters from last season, hit 40.6 percent of its 3-pointers last season, and the Gaels' combination of usually reliable outside shooting and the inside dominance of Jock Landale, who had 15 points and 14 rebounds against Dayton, makes them difficult to defend.

"I don't know that anybody has answers against them," Dayton coach Archie Miller said. "They're able to do what they do against anybody. We won't be the only team that struggles against them."

Landale, the only player in the Gaels' starting lineup who was not a starter last season, is averaging 17.0 points on 71.1 percent shooting and 10.3 rebounds in the first three games. Emmett Naar, an all-conference selection last season, is averaging 9.0 assists.

The Gaels will be favorites at home against San Jose State, which will be playing its first game away from home.

The Spartans (1-2) opened with a 109-70 victory over West Coast Baptist, but then lost to Portland 79-66 on Nov. 15 and to Denver 74-69 on Saturday.

The Spartans had three chances in the final minute to tie the game against Denver, but Isaac Thornton missed a 3-pointer with 51 seconds left and San Jose State committed two turnovers in the final 10 seconds.

"This one hurts," said Spartans head coach Dave Wojcik after the Portland loss. "We didn't execute. And we didn't execute on the defensive side of the ball. They shot 67 percent from the field in the second half and we got out rebounded by 10. You can't beat teams when that happens."

San Jose State 6-foot-8 sophomore Brandon Clarke, the Mountain West sixth man of the year last season, leads the team in scoring (17.0 points per game) and rebounding (8.0).

The Spartans have three players who can hit from long range, with Jalen James (6 of 11), Ryan Welage (8 of 16) and E.J. Boyce (7 of 14) all making at least half of their 3-point attempts.

The Spartans will need to hit their perimeter shots to give the Gaels a challenge.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Jayhawks (3-1) at Bulldogs (3-1)
Date: November 22, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A little home goodness the week of Thanksgiving sits well with Mark Fox.

The Georgia basketball coach guided the Bulldogs (3-1) into the championship game of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic and will face a tall task Tuesday he actually welcomes.

Although the final-round opponent will be No. 5 Kansas (3-1), Fox will get to play an opponent he is familiar with after growing up in the southwest Kansas town of Garden City. He obtained his master's degree at Kansas, where he frequented practices when Roy Williams was coach. Fox also coached at Kansas State as a young assistant.

"Kansas is the benchmark for great basketball," Fox said. "There's KU and there's UK, and they're both blue, and they're both terrific. But I have the utmost respect for the history and tradition of Kansas basketball because I grew up watching it."

The chance to coach against the Jayhawks was facilitated by an 81-73 semifinal win Monday over George Washington. The Bulldogs recovered from a 36-35 halftime deficit behind 18 points apiece from senior guard J.J. Frazier and junior forward Yante Maten.

One key for the Bulldogs came after Fox called for something he knew Williams detested from watching those Kansas practices, a zone defense.

"It was really back and forth for much of the game," Fox said. "I thought it was our move to the zone, which makes my skin curl, is what really helped us. We had a hard time guarding them for a minute in man-to-man and the zone seemed to help us."

Maten leads Georgia in scoring and rebounding with averages of 20.8 and 8.5. Frazier adds an 18.8-point average as the Bulldogs' other scorer averaging in double figures.

A chance for Georgia, picked fourth in the SEC, to play Kansas is just another special element about the CBE Classic.

On Friday, two of the program's legends, standout forward Dominique Wilkins and coach Hugh Durham, were inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame, which is connected to Sprint Center.

Kansas toppled UAB 83-63 in Monday's semifinal round after holding the Blazers without a field goal until the midway point of the first half, with the Jayhawks up 23-5.

UAB trimmed the margin and trailed by nine at halftime before the Jayhawks started the second half with another lopsided push. Freshman guard Josh Jackson netted 22 points to pace Kansas, the first time senior point guard Frank Mason, who added 20, did not lead the Jayhawks in scoring.

Several of Jackson's points came off thunderous dunks.

"I dunk so hard so nobody challenges me when I go to the basket," said Jackson, who added that he patterns his drives after Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jackson said one of the qualities he can bring the Jayhawks is "toughness," and said that could become Kansas' identity.

If so, they will need more production underneath. Their two frontcourt starters, senior Landen Lucas and sophomore Carlton Bragg, combined for just seven points against UAB, though they did snag 11 rebounds. A 7-foot freshman backup, Udoka Azubuike, matched Jackson's team-high of seven boards.

"We've got five good perimeter players, but we've got to find some way to make a basket inside," Kansas coach Bill Self said.

Kansas stands 32-6 all-time at Sprint Center. The Jayhawks could play as many as eight games in the downtown Kansas City arena since the facility will be host to the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Regional.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cowboys (4-0) at Tar Heels (5-0)
Date: November 22, 2016 10:30 PM EDT


Two of the nation's premier point guards will square off in a battle of unbeaten teams when No. 4 North Carolina faces Oklahoma State in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational on Tuesday at the Lahaina Civic Center in Lahaina, Hawaii.

North Carolina (5-0) features a high-powered offense that averages 94.4 points per game. Oklahoma State (4-0) has been even more prolific, averaging 104.5 points and surpassing the century mark in each of its first four contests.

The Tar Heels' offense is orchestrated by junior point guard Joel Berry II, who has a pair of 23-point games this season, against Tulane and Long Beach State. Berry is averaging 16.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Sophomore point guard Jawun Evans has been sensational for Oklahoma State, averaging 23.3 points, 6.3 assists, four rebounds and three steals over the first four games. He had 34 points in the season opener against Campbell, and he added 35 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds in a 98-90 victory over Connecticut on Monday in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.

"Now we've got a big-time challenge," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "I told (the Tar Heels) it's the big leagues tomorrow because Oklahoma State was really, really impressive tonight."

The Cowboys shot 45.9 percent from the field, made 12 of 20 from 3-point range and recorded 18 steals in their win over the Huskies.

"I thought we got off to a great start," Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood said. "I thought our defensive intensity was bothersome for them. And I love the fact we had 18 steals. That's a great number. That means we're being active and bothersome now."

North Carolina shot 57.8 percent and established a season high in scoring in a 104-61 victory over host Chaminade in the first round of the tournament. The Tar Heels also amassed a massive 52-23 rebounding advantage.

"We're bigger. We're more gifted," Williams said. "We were really challenged by them early, but over the course of the game, our size inside was probably the biggest factor."

North Carolina, already without injured Theo Pinson and Luke Maye, received a scare when Brandon Robinson took an elbow to the face late in the first half against Chaminade. Robinson needed stitches for a cut on his lip, but he returned to the game midway through the second half.

The Tar Heels and Cowboys are vying for a spot in the finals in a tournament that features an impressive field. Georgetown, which upset No. 13 Oregon, and No. 16 Wisconsin, which knocked off Tennessee, square off in the other semifinal.

North Carolina was picked to finish second behind Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason media poll. Oklahoma State was picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 Conference.

"I think we have good players who are really good people who are trying to work really hard," Underwood said. "I worry about all the predictions and the preseason stuff so little that I didn't even know we were picked seventh. It's not something I pay attention to, to be quite honest. We try to get better every day. We beat a very good UConn team (Monday), and (Tuesday), when you're in a tournament, you don't get very long to enjoy it."

[StarDust Bum]

TOWS at BC 07:00 PM

[B]TOWS -3.0 *****[/B]

YALE at PITT 07:00 PM

PITT -12.0 *****

COR at MONM 07:00 PM

COR +15.0

GASO at AKR 07:00 PM

AKR -9.0

USF at FAU 07:00 PM

FAU -4.5 *****

UAB at GW 07:30 PM

GW +2.0

TOL at MTU 07:30 PM

MTU -3.0

INDPU at MARQ 07:30 PM

INDPU +15.0 *****

SDAK at HOU 07:30 PM

HOU -13.0

WIS at GTWN 08:00 PM

WIS -5.5 *****

ARK at MINN 08:00 PM

MINN -4.5 *****

UALR at PEPP 08:30 PM

UALR -1.0 *****

SIUE at ARST 08:30 PM

ARST -7.5

PUR at USU 08:30 PM

PUR -12.0 *****

[StarDust Bum]

UCSB at SMU 09:00 PM

SMU -19.0 *****

IND at IPFW 09:00 PM

IND -13.5 *****

ORST at TLSA 09:00 PM

TLSA -2.5 *****

SJSU at SMC 10:00 PM

SJSU +27.5

KU at UGA 10:00 PM

KU -13.5 *****

WYO at PAC 10:00 PM

PAC -2.0

NAU at UNLV 10:00 PM

UNLV -13.0

OKST at UNC 10:30 PM

UNC -9.0 *****

LBSU at WASH 11:00 PM

LBSU +12.0

[StarDust Bum]

Top 25 Capsules
November 22, 2016

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Freshman guard Kyle Guy scored 20 points in 13 minutes, and No. 7 Virginia ran off 26 consecutive points to end the first half of a 90-34 victory against Grambling State on Tuesday night.

Guy, who was Mr. Basketball in Indiana last season, shot 6 of 7 from the floor, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, for the Cavaliers (4-0). Virginia coach Tony Bennett removed him with 10:51 remaining and started substituting with walk-ons very early.

Marcel Thompson led Grambling State (1-3) with eight points.

Marial Shayok and Darius Thompson added 12 points apiece for Virginia.

No. 13 OREGON 69, TENNESSEE 65, OT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) - Dillon Brooks hit a long 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in overtime and scored 17 points, lifting Oregon over Tennessee at the Maui Invitational.

Oregon (3-2) shot poorly in a loss to Georgetown in its Maui opener and continued to struggle on Day 2. The Ducks shot 34 percent, including 5 of 17 from 3-point range, and had 21 turnovers.

Brooks carried Oregon in his second game back from offseason foot surgery, playing well at both ends before hitting the long 3 and one of two free throws to seal it.

Tennessee (1-3), which lost to No. 16 Wisconsin in its tournament opener, had 25 turnovers and shot 37 percent. But the Volunteers tied it at 56 on Shembari Philips' two free throws with 30 seconds left.

Detrick Mostella led Tennessee with 22 points.

No. 16 WISCONSIN 73, GEORGETOWN 57

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) - Ethan Happ had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Bronson Koenig scored 20 points and Wisconsin advanced to the Maui Invitational championship game with a win over Georgetown.

The Badgers (4-1) went 5 for 22 from 3-point range, but made up for it by outscoring the Hoyas 38-16 in the paint. Wisconsin also had a 50-21 rebounding advantage and scored 19 second-chance points on 20 offensive boards.

The Badgers moved on to face No. 4 North Carolina or Oklahoma State in Wednesday night's championship game.

LJ Peak led Georgetown (2-3) with 18 points.

No. 18 SYRACUSE 101, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 59

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Andrew White scored 15 points and Syracuse held South Carolina State to 27 percent shooting.

Tyler Lydon had 14 points and 10 rebounds, one of three players who finished with a double-double for the Orange (4-0). He was 4 of 5 from 3-point range.

Frank Howard had 10 points, 11 assists and only one turnover. Tyler Roberson had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Six players scored in double figures for Syracuse, and five hit at least one 3. John Gillon scored 14 points and Taurean Thompson tied his career high with 12.

Thompson and Paschal Chukwu each had four of Syracuse's 11 blocks.

Ozante Fields led the Bulldogs (1-3) with 11 points.

Syracuse went 13 of 24 (54.2 percent) from 3-point territory and 37 of 68 overall (54.4 percent).

COLORADO 68, No. 22 TEXAS 54

NEW YORK (AP) - George King had 12 points and 13 rebounds to lead Colorado over Texas in the third-place game of the Legends Classic at Barclays Center.

King led the big rebounding game for the Buffaloes (4-1), who finished with a 41-32 advantage on the boards including 17-12 on the offensive glass. Colorado scored 18 second-chance points.

Derrick White had 16 points for Colorado, which lost to Notre Dame in the semifinals.

Kerwin Roach Jr. led Texas (3-2) with 16 points, and Jarrett Allen had 15. The Longhorns lost to Northwestern in the semifinals.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud…….

13) Fort Wayne 71, Indiana 68 OT— This is why big-name teams don’t go on the road, even though in this game, the crowd was split at least 50-50, with the Hoosiers being so popular in Indiana. TV guys said there was more red than blue in the crowd, so maybe Indiana had more fans.

Fort Wayne is a pretty good team in the Summit League, 66-36 the last three years, 31-15 in Summit games, but they’ve never made the NCAA tourney- this could be the year.

This was just a great game for college basketball; a mid-major getting a big boy in their own gym, then beating them. Good for the sport, good for the city of Fort Wayne, good for people at home watching on TV.

12) The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is in Springfield, MA but there is also a college basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City. Somehow, Jerry Tarkanian is not in this Hall of Fame, which makes the decision-makers there look plain stupid.

How can you have Norm Stewart, Gene Keady and Lou Carnesecca in there, but not Tark? It is an oversight that needs to be corrected, and don’t give me his NCAA issues— Eddie Sutton had more baggage than a full airplane and he’s been inducted.

11) I’d love to know what the financial bottom line was for the Texans-Raiders game in Mexico City Monday night; Oakland gave up a home game- they played in a bigger stadium and it was full. Just curious who made how much money; you’ll know it REALLY profitable if they do it again next season.

10) North Carolina has won the Maui Classic three times; they made the Final Four that year all three times, and won the national title two of the three years.

9) Mississippi State’s most productive player, Quandarry Weatherspoon, is out for the year with a wrist injury. 3-1 Bulldogs were already the 2nd-youngest team in America, and not especially deep.

8) Philadelphia 76ers have improved a lot; they’ve won their last four home games and are 7-2 vs spread as a home underdog- they still haven’t been favored to win a game.

7) It is funny in college basketball; once you beat a team, especially in a non-league game, then you become their biggest fan- every game they win helps your NCAA tournament profile. Good example is Northwestern, which beat Texas Monday- they need the Longhorns to have a great year, so that win looks better in March than it does now.

6) Why would Jimbo Fisher leave Florida State for LSU? As long as Nick Saban is at Alabama, LSU is a high-paying job where you’re going to take a ton of grief for being second banana to the Crimson Tide. If they fired Les Miles, they’ll fire you.

Fisher is King of the Castle at Florida State; he is in an easier league and in a better state for recruiting. I’m assuming he is very well-paid, with less grief. He ain’t going anywhere.

5) I’m not sure what this says exactly, but when UConn had their preseason conditioning run, head coach Kevin Ollie finished third. I know Ollie played in the NBA and all, but you probably want your players to be in better shape than the coach.

4) How much is a quarterback worth in Las Vegas? Looks like Andrew Luck won’t play Thursday against the Steelers; point spread went from Pittsburgh -3 to Steelers -9. Six points is a big jump. Scott Tolzien (0-1-1 as an NFL starter) will play QB for Indy. Looks like former Miami U QB Stephen Morris would come off the practice squad to be the backup.

3) Speaking of Las Vegas, the new NHL team in Vegas will be called the Golden Knights. The Maloof family, who used to own the Sacramento Kings and the Palms Casino, own 15% of the Golden Knights- they begin play next season at T-Mobile Arena.

2) TV analyst/former Illinois hooper Stephen Bardo told a great story on TV Tuesday about when he played in college, Illinois played in the Maui Classic one year. TV analyst Bill Raftery rode on the Illini’s flight home, so Bardo was picking his brain about the television business, knowing that one day, he wanted to do that.

Bardo went on to say that Raftery sat next to him the whole (long) flight home and answered every question Bardo had about TV “….and thats why I consider Bill Raftery to be the best.” A very nice tribute; Bardo is a good TV analyst by the way.

1— Quite a day at the White House Tuesday: President Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor to 21 people, including Vin Scully, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Tom Hanks, Robert Deniro, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Redford, Bill Gates.

Imagine what that room was like? Incredible star power.

No doubt that Hanks becomes the first former vendor at the Oakland Coliseum to get this prestigious award.

[StarDust Bum]

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(747) BRADLEY @(748) GEORGE MASON
Play AGAINST GEORGE MASON against the spread in All games on Wednesday games.
The record is 3 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-13.5 units)
BET NOW!

1:30 am 11/23/2016
(793) OAKLAND @(794) NEVADA
Play ON OAKLAND against the spread in All games as an underdog.
The record is 22 Wins and 7 Losses for the last three seasons (+14.3 units)
BET NOW!

-------------------------------------------

BASKETBALL BETTING TRENDS

Money Line


8:00 pm 11/23/2016
(777) CAL POLY-SLO @(778) N ILLINOIS
Play ON N ILLINOIS using the money line in All games in all home games.
The record is 15 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.55 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(801) TENNESSEE ST @(802) CANISIUS
Play AGAINST CANISIUS using the money line in All games in home lined games.
The record is 11 Wins and 13 Losses for the last three seasons (-26.45 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(805) SAMFORD @(806) CINCINNATI
Play ON SAMFORD using the money line in Road games in non-conference games.
The record is 6 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.7 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(805) SAMFORD @(806) CINCINNATI
Play ON CINCINNATI using the money line in Home games on Wednesday games.
The record is 34 Wins and 8 Losses since 1997 (+25.95 units)
BET NOW!

4:00 pm 11/23/2016
(735) LA-LAFAYETTE @(736) JAMES MADISON
Play AGAINST LA-LAFAYETTE using the money line in All games when the total is 150 to 159.5.
The record is 5 Wins and 10 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.2 units)
BET NOW!

4:00 pm 11/23/2016
(735) LA-LAFAYETTE @(736) JAMES MADISON
Play AGAINST LA-LAFAYETTE using the money line in Road games in November games.
The record is 6 Wins and 27 Losses since 1997 (-25.65 units)
BET NOW!

3:30 pm 11/23/2016
(773) SOUTHERN UTAH @(774) BALL ST
Play AGAINST SOUTHERN UTAH using the money line in All games in all games.
The record is 3 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.4 units)
BET NOW!

3:30 pm 11/23/2016
(773) SOUTHERN UTAH @(774) BALL ST
Play AGAINST SOUTHERN UTAH using the money line in All games in all lined games.
The record is 3 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.4 units)
BET NOW!

2:00 pm 11/23/2016
(795) RIDER @(796) FORDHAM
Play AGAINST RIDER using the money line in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 1 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-10.7 units)
BET NOW!

12:30 pm 11/23/2016
(761) NEW JERSEY TECH @(762) IDAHO ST
Play ON IDAHO ST using the money line in All games in all games.
The record is 14 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (+20.45 units)
BET NOW!

[StarDust Bum]

BASKETBALL BETTING TRENDS

Half Time


8:30 pm 11/23/2016
(781) ARK-LITTLE ROCK @(782) C MICHIGAN
Play ON C MICHIGAN in the first half in All games versus the first half line in all games.
The record is 20 Wins and 7 Losses for the last two seasons (+12.3 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(731) COLL OF CHARLESTON @(732) VILLANOVA
Play ON COLL OF CHARLESTON in the first half in Road games after a non-conference game.
The record is 59 Wins and 27 Losses since 1997 (+29.3 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(805) SAMFORD @(806) CINCINNATI
Play ON SAMFORD in the first half in Road games when playing with one or less days rest.
The record is 14 Wins and 3 Losses for the last three seasons (+10.7 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(737) N TEXAS @(738) RUTGERS
Play AGAINST RUTGERS in the first half in All games in a home game where the first half total is 63 to 65.5.
The record is 6 Wins and 24 Losses since 1997 (-20.4 units)
BET NOW!

5:30 pm 11/23/2016
(775) ELON @(776) IL-CHICAGO
Play AGAINST IL-CHICAGO in the first half in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 4 Wins and 18 Losses for the last three seasons (-15.8 units)
BET NOW!

5:30 pm 11/23/2016
(775) ELON @(776) IL-CHICAGO
Play AGAINST IL-CHICAGO in the first half in All games in non-conference games.
The record is 4 Wins and 19 Losses for the last three seasons (-16.9 units)
BET NOW!

12:00 pm 11/23/2016
(753) WICHITA ST @(754) LSU
Play AGAINST LSU in the first half in All games when the first half total is 65.5 to 70.5.
The record is 3 Wins and 14 Losses for the last three seasons (-12.4 units)
BET NOW!

[StarDust Bum]

BASKETBALL BETTING TRENDS

Half Time Over


7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(733) WM & MARY @(734) DUKE
Play OVER DUKE on the first half total in All games on Wednesday games.
The record is 7 Overs and 0 Unders for the last two seasons (+7 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(733) WM & MARY @(734) DUKE
Play OVER DUKE on the first half total in All games on Wednesday games.
The record is 13 Overs and 2 Unders for the last three seasons (+10.8 units)
BET NOW!

4:00 pm 11/23/2016
(735) LA-LAFAYETTE @(736) JAMES MADISON
Play OVER LA-LAFAYETTE on the first half total in All games when the first half total is 70.5 to 75.5.
The record is 14 Overs and 3 Unders for the last three seasons (+10.7 units)
BET NOW!

2:30 pm 11/23/2016
(755) VA COMMONWEALTH @(756) BAYLOR
Play OVER BAYLOR on the first half total in All games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game.
The record is 16 Overs and 3 Unders for the last three seasons (+12.7 units)
BET NOW!

--------------------------------------

BASKETBALL BETTING TRENDS

Half Time Under

9:30 pm 11/23/2016
(759) OLD DOMINION @(760) LOUISVILLE
Play UNDER OLD DOMINION on the first half total in All games in all neutral court games vs. the 1rst half line.
The record is 1 Overs and 13 Unders for the last three seasons (+11.9 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(737) N TEXAS @(738) RUTGERS
Play UNDER RUTGERS on the first half total in Home games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game.
The record is 3 Overs and 16 Unders since 1997 (+12.7 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(737) N TEXAS @(738) RUTGERS
Play UNDER RUTGERS on the first half total in All games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game.
The record is 5 Overs and 23 Unders since 1997 (+17.5 units)
BET NOW!

5:30 pm 11/23/2016
(775) ELON @(776) IL-CHICAGO
Play UNDER IL-CHICAGO on the first half total in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+9 units)
BET NOW!

5:30 pm 11/23/2016
(775) ELON @(776) IL-CHICAGO
Play UNDER IL-CHICAGO on the first half total in All games after a non-conference game.
The record is 0 Overs and 10 Unders for the last three seasons (+10 units)
BET NOW!

4:00 pm 11/23/2016
(797) THE CITADEL @(798) ARIZONA ST
Play UNDER THE CITADEL on the first half total in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record.
The record is 0 Overs and 7 Unders for the last two seasons (+7 units)
BET NOW!

4:00 pm 11/23/2016
(735) LA-LAFAYETTE @(736) JAMES MADISON
Play UNDER LA-LAFAYETTE on the first half total in Road games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game.
The record is 2 Overs and 15 Unders since 1997 (+12.8 units)
BET NOW!

[StarDust Bum]

BASKETBALL BETTING TRENDS

Over


5:00 pm 11/23/2016
(729) MICHIGAN @(730) S CAROLINA
Play OVER MICHIGAN on the total in All games after allowing 60 points or less.
The record is 10 Overs and 0 Unders for the last two seasons (+10 units)
BET NOW!

4:00 pm 11/23/2016
(735) LA-LAFAYETTE @(736) JAMES MADISON
Play OVER LA-LAFAYETTE on the total in All games when the total is 150 to 159.5.
The record is 14 Overs and 3 Unders for the last three seasons (+10.7 units)
BET NOW!

-------------------------------

BASKETBALL BETTING TRENDS

Under


9:30 pm 11/23/2016
(759) OLD DOMINION @(760) LOUISVILLE
Play UNDER OLD DOMINION on the total in All games in all neutral court games.
The record is 1 Overs and 13 Unders for the last three seasons (+11.9 units)
BET NOW!

8:30 pm 11/23/2016
(781) ARK-LITTLE ROCK @(782) C MICHIGAN
Play UNDER ARK-LITTLE ROCK on the total in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record.
The record is 2 Overs and 11 Unders for the last two seasons (+8.8 units)
BET NOW!

8:30 pm 11/23/2016
(781) ARK-LITTLE ROCK @(782) C MICHIGAN
Play UNDER ARK-LITTLE ROCK on the total in All games when playing against a team with a winning record.
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.8 units)
BET NOW!

7:30 pm 11/23/2016
(739) COASTAL CAROLINA @(740) WAKE FOREST
Play UNDER COASTAL CAROLINA on the total in All games in all games.
The record is 1 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+7.9 units)
BET NOW!

7:30 pm 11/23/2016
(739) COASTAL CAROLINA @(740) WAKE FOREST
Play UNDER COASTAL CAROLINA on the total in All games in all lined games.
The record is 1 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+7.9 units)
BET NOW!

7:00 pm 11/23/2016
(805) SAMFORD @(806) CINCINNATI
Play UNDER SAMFORD on the total in Road games after a non-conference game.
The record is 9 Overs and 31 Unders since 1997 (+21.1 units)
BET NOW!

5:30 pm 11/23/2016
(775) ELON @(776) IL-CHICAGO
Play UNDER ELON on the total in Road games in all tournament games.
The record is 5 Overs and 19 Unders since 1997 (+13.5 units)
BET NOW!

1:30 pm 11/23/2016
(747) BRADLEY @(748) GEORGE MASON
Play UNDER BRADLEY on the total in All games on Wednesday games.
The record is 0 Overs and 7 Unders for the last two seasons (+7 units)
BET NOW!

[StarDust Bum]

Battle 4 Atlantis Tips
November 22, 2016


**St. John’s vs. Michigan State**

-- Michigan State (2-2 straight up, 0-3 against the spread) opened the season in Honolulu by dropping a heartbreaker to Arizona. The Wildcats captured a 65-63 win as one-point underdogs when Kadeem Allen went coast to coast for the game-winning bucket on a layup with 1.9 seconds remaining. The Spartans had pulled even on a 3-pointer by Tum Tum Nairn with seven seconds left. In the losing effort, MSU freshman Miles Bridges scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds in his collegiate debut.

-- Tom Izzo’s squad fell to 0-2 when it lost 69-48 to Kentucky at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Wildcats easily took the cash as 6.5-point ‘chalk,’ while the 117 combined points fell way ‘under’ the 154-point tally. Kennedy Goins finished with nine points and eight rebounds, while Bridges had six points, 12 boards and three blocked shots. However, Bridges committed nine turnovers compared to just one assist and made only 2-of-12 shots from the field.

-- Since those two defeats, Michigan State has won a pair of home games over Mississippi Valley St. (100-53) and Florida Gulf Coast (78-77). Bridges had 24 points, 11 rebounds and six assists against the Delta Devils. It was a nice bounce-back performance for Bridges, who hit 11-of-14 shots and committed merely one turnover. In the win over the Eagles, a clock error forced FGC to rush a potential game-winning shot and the game was declared over in controversial fashion. Eron Harris, the transfer from West Virginia, knocked down all six of his launches from three-point land and finished with a game-high 31 points. Bridges added 13 points, seven boards, three blocked shots, three assists and two steals.

-- St. John’s (2-1 SU, 2-0 ATS) opened the year with a 100-53 triumph over Bethune Cookman in a non-lined affair. Federico Mussini scored 20 points thanks to 5-of-6 shooting from downtown, while Marcus LoVett had 19 points and seven assists compared to just one turnover. Yankuba Sima and Malik Ellison finished with 11 points apiece.

-- Chris Mullin’s second squad at his alma mater captured a 77-51 victory over Binghamton as a 15-point home ‘chalk.’ LoVett paced the winners with 23 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Shamorie Ponds contributed 21 points and 10 boards while burying 4-of-6 from long distance.

-- St. John’s took its first loss at Minnesota by a 92-86 count, but it covered the number as a seven-point underdog. LoVett had another excellent effort in defeat, producing 31 points and five assists. The redshirt freshman point guard connected on 3-of-5 attempts from 3-point range. Ponds had 23 points and eight boards, while Bashir Ahmed finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

-- The totals for the Red Storm have been a split (1-1).

-- The ‘under’ is 2-1 overall for the Spartans.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern in the first game of the evening session at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

-- Several offshore books had the Spartans listed as 6.5-point favorites with a total of 150 early Tuesday evening.

**Louisville vs. Old Dominion**

-- Several offshores installed Louisville (3-0 SU, 3-0 ATS) as a 15-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 126.5.

-- Rick Pitino’s team opened the season by smashing Evansville 78-47 as a 22.5-point home favorite. The 125 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 140.5-point total. Junior forward Jaylen Johnson led the way with 19 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots. Johnson made 9-of-11 shots from the field. Donovan Mitchell, a sophomore guard, finished with 15 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Anas Mahmoud contributed 10 points, five boards and three blocks.

-- U of L thumped William & Mary 91-58 as a 17.5-point home ‘chalk’ its next time out. Deng Adel produced 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals, while freshman forward V.J. King finished with a team-high 17 points. Quentin Snider and Johnson scored 13 points apiece, with Johnson pulling down nine boards.

-- Louisville destroyed Long Beach State, 88-56 as a 21-point favorite to improve to 3-0. Johnson was the catalyst with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Adel and Mangok Mathiang finished with 11 points apiece.

-- Old Dominion (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) opened the season on Nov. 11 with a 62-55 home win over James Madison as a four-point favorite. Brandan Stith led the way for the Monarchs with 23 points and 11 rebounds on 10-of-13 shooting from the field. Jordan Baker added 21 points, four rebounds and three steals. Baker drained 4-of-7 attempts from downtown.

-- ODU improved to 2-0 with a 64-61 win at Richmond as a 6.5-point road underdog. Ahmad Caver led the winner with 13 points, seven boards and five assists without a turnover. Zoran Talley added 12 points for the Monarchs.

-- The ‘under’ is a perfect 3-0 for the Cardinals.

-- The ‘under’ is 2-0 for ODU.

-- This game will tip 30 minutes after the conclusion of Michigan State vs. St. John’s.