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

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Wednesday, January 11

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Trend Report
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6:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. EAST CAROLINA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games on the road
Houston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
East Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Houston
East Carolina is 3-10-2 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Houston

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JANUARY 11, 6:00 PM
GEORGE WASHINGTON vs. VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH
George Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Virginia Commonwe
George Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Virginia Commonwe
Virginia Commonwealth is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Virginia Commonwealth is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

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JANUARY 11, 6:30 PM
SOUTH CAROLINA vs. TENNESSEE
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of South Carolina's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of South Carolina's last 5 games when playing on the road against Tennessee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games when playing at home against South Carolina
Tennessee is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against South Carolina

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
TULANE vs. SOUTH FLORIDA
Tulane is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against South Florida
Tulane is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
South Florida is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
South Florida is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games at home

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
ST. BONAVENTURE vs. RICHMOND
St. Bonaventure is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of St. Bonaventure's last 14 games on the road
Richmond is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. Bonaventure
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Richmond's last 6 games when playing at home against St. Bonaventure

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
THE CITADEL vs. CHATTANOOGA
The Citadel is 2-14 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The Citadel is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Chattanooga
Chattanooga is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chattanooga's last 6 games

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. LOUISVILLE
Pittsburgh is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Pittsburgh's last 14 games on the road
Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Louisville's last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
LOYOLA OF CHICAGO vs. WICHITA STATE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Loyola of Chicago's last 5 games on the road
Wichita State is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Wichita State is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
SETON HALL vs. MARQUETTE
Seton Hall is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seton Hall's last 9 games on the road
Marquette is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Seton Hall
Marquette is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Seton Hall

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
DAYTON vs. MASSACHUSETTS
Dayton is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Massachusetts
Dayton is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Massachusetts
Massachusetts is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home
Massachusetts is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Dayton

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
FORDHAM vs. DAVIDSON
Fordham is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Fordham is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Davidson is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games at home

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. MICHIGAN STATE
Minnesota is 2-15 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Michigan State
Minnesota is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Michigan State
Michigan State is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Michigan State's last 15 games when playing at home against Minnesota

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
GEORGIA vs. MISSISSIPPI
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Georgia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Mississippi
Georgia is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Mississippi's last 23 games at home
Mississippi is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games at home

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JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM
SAINT LOUIS vs. DUQUESNE
Saint Louis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Saint Louis is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Duquesne is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
Duquesne is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

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JANUARY 11, 8:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. TULSA
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Memphis's last 16 games on the road
Memphis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Tulsa is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Memphis
Tulsa is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Memphis

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JANUARY 11, 8:00 PM
MERCER vs. SAMFORD
No trends available
Samford is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Mercer
Samford is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Mercer

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JANUARY 11, 8:00 PM
NORTH CAROLINA vs. WAKE FOREST
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of North Carolina's last 6 games when playing on the road against Wake Forest
North Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Wake Forest
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Wake Forest's last 9 games when playing North Carolina
Wake Forest is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing North Carolina

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JANUARY 11, 8:00 PM
ILLINOIS STATE vs. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Illinois State is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Illinois State
Southern Illinois is 3-9-1 ATS in its last 13 games when playing at home against Illinois State

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JANUARY 11, 8:00 PM
TCU vs. TEXAS
TCU is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Texas
TCU is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Texas's last 5 games when playing TCU
Texas is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing TCU

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JANUARY 11, 8:00 PM
EVANSVILLE vs. MISSOURI STATE
Evansville is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Evansville's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Missouri State's last 7 games when playing at home against Evansville
Missouri State is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games when playing at home against Evansville

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JANUARY 11, 8:00 PM
INDIANA STATE vs. DRAKE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana State's last 5 games on the road
Indiana State is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Drake is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Indiana State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Drake's last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana State

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JANUARY 11, 8:30 PM
LSU vs. TEXAS A&M
LSU is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Texas A&M
LSU is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Texas A&M
Texas A&M is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Texas A&M is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
FRESNO STATE vs. AIR FORCE
Fresno State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Air Force
Fresno State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Air Force's last 6 games at home
Air Force is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games at home

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
BUTLER vs. CREIGHTON
Butler is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Creighton is 15-1 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Creighton's last 6 games

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
NORTHERN IOWA vs. BRADLEY
Northern Iowa is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Northern Iowa is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Bradley is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games at home
Bradley is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
MICHIGAN vs. ILLINOIS
Michigan is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Michigan's last 9 games on the road
Illinois is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing Michigan
Illinois is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Michigan

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
IOWA STATE vs. OKLAHOMA STATE
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Iowa State's last 12 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma State
Iowa State is 3-14 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games
Oklahoma State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
UTAH STATE vs. WYOMING
Utah State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Wyoming
Utah State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Wyoming
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Wyoming's last 5 games when playing Utah State
Wyoming is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Utah State

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
NORTH CAROLINA STATE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE
North Carolina State is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
North Carolina State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boston College is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston College's last 6 games

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JANUARY 11, 9:00 PM
TEMPLE vs. CONNECTICUT
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Temple's last 6 games on the road
Connecticut is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Temple
Connecticut is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Temple

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JANUARY 11, 10:30 PM
CS NORTHRIDGE vs. LONG BEACH STATE
CS Northridge is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
CS Northridge is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Long Beach State's last 6 games when playing at home against CS Northridge
Long Beach State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against CS Northridge

[StarDust Bum]

NCAAB

Thursday, January 12

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Wednesday’s NCAAB Game of the Day: Butler at Creighton
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Butler has grinded out a number of wins over quality opponents, including victories over Arizona and Indiana as well as home triumphs against Cincinnati and Villanova.

Butler Bulldogs at Creighton Blue Jays (-4.5, 152.5)

Butler's reputation as a giant-killer has only grown this season, as the program has knocked off each of the four ranked teams it has faced in 2016-17. The 13th-ranked Bulldogs will get two more chances this week to further prove they deserve that label - the first of which will come Wednesday when they visit No. 8 Creighton.

Aside from surprising road setbacks against Indiana State and St. John's, Butler has grinded out a number of wins over quality opponents, including neutral-site victories over No. 16 Arizona and previously ranked Indiana as well as home triumphs against 22nd-ranked Cincinnati and former No. 1 Villanova. The Bulldogs, who also host No. 14 Xavier on Saturday, survived a season-worst shooting effort (39.1 percent) in another close encounter last Saturday, outlasting Georgetown 85-76 in overtime for their third straight victory. The Bluejays have bounced back nicely following their only setback of the season - a 10-point defeat at home against Villanova on New Year's Eve - with a pair of double-digit road triumphs over St. John's and Providence. Creighton ranks fifth in Division I in 3-point percentage (42.1) but hasn't shot it particularly well from long-range in Big East action (30.7), and will face a Butler team which ranks second in the conference - 21st overall - in defending the arc (29.9).

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

LINE HISTORY: Creighton opened as 4-point home favorites Tuesday night but that spread was increased to -4.5 Wednesday morning. The total hit the board at 152.5 and has yet to move. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Bulldogs - No injuries to report.

Blue Jays - C Z. Hanson (Mid Feb, ankle).

POWER RANKINGS: Butler (-14.4) - Creighton (-17.8) + home court (-3) = Creighton -6.4

ABOUT BUTLER (14-2 SU, 10-4 ATS, 6-6-2 O/U): Preseason all-conference selection Kelan Martin, who ranks eighth in the league in scoring (17.4 points) and leads the team in rebounding (5.5), is coming off his first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 boards despite a season-worst 3-for-13 effort from the field Saturday. Freshman guard Kamar Baldwin (8.4 points, team-high two steals per game) more than picked up the slack offensively, setting career highs with four 3-pointers and 16 points while adding five boards and four steals. Sophomore reserve Nate Fowler (5.6 points) is shooting 72.7 percent from the field in limited action this season and scored 11 points versus Georgetown, tying the game with a 3-pointer and again with two free throws - all in the final minute of regulation - to force overtime.

ABOUT CREIGHTON (15-1 SU, 11-4 ATS, 7-8 O/U): Maurice Watson Jr. (13.2 points, 9.1 assists) padded his Division I-best assist average with 14 versus the Friars - the fourth-highest total in school history - and surpassed 1,500 career points with 11, giving him his sixth double-double of the season. Backcourt mate Marcus Foster has scored at least 15 points in all but one game and ranks third in the Big East in scoring (18.6) - the highest mark by a Bluejay newcomer since Cyril Baptiste in 1969-70 (18.9). Freshman forward Justin Patton continues to rank third in Division I in field-goal percentage (74.3) and stands among the top five during conference play in points per game (20), rebounds (eight), blocks (1.75) and field-goal percentage (71.2).

TRENDS:

* Bulldogs are 14-3-1 ATS in their last 18 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Bluejays are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Bulldogs' last 7 overall.
* Under is 8-1 in Bluejays' last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 52 percent of users are siding with the home favorite Creighton Blue Jays and Under is picking up 63 percent of the totals wagers.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
January 11, 2017

**Minnesota at Michigan State**

-- When these teams met at The Barn on Dec. 27 in the conference opener for both teams, Michigan State (11-6 straight up, 8-8 against the spread) rallied from a 39-26 intermission deficit to force overtime and eventually capture a 75-74 win as a 5.5-point road underdog. The 149 combined points went ‘over’ the 138.5-point total thanks to the extra session. There were only 132 combined points scored during regulation. Alvin Ellis scored 20 points, including a pair of go-ahead free throws with 10.5 seconds remaining. Nick Ward had his way in the paint, finishing with a team-high 22 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Lourawls Nairn had 13 points, four boards and three assists without a turnover. In the losing effort, Nate Mason led four Minnesota players in double figures with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists.

-- These schools are in a four-way tie for first place atop the Big Ten standings with identical 3-1 records. As of early this morning, most betting shops had Michigan State installed as a 4.5-point favorite.

-- Tom Izzo’s team has won eight of its nine home games while posting a 4-4 spread record. When listed as single-digit home ‘chalk,’ the Spartans own a 2-0 spread record. They took their lone home loss 81-73 to a Northeastern team that hasn’t lost since then.

-- Michigan State saw its four-game winning streak both SU and ATS snapped Saturday in a 72-63 loss at Penn St. as a five-point road favorite. The Nittany Lions beat the Spartans on the boards by a 35-25 margin and forced them to commit 17 turnovers. Ward, the freshman forward, had 16 points and five blocked shots. Nairn was also in double figures with 13 points.

-- Michigan State star freshman forward Miles Bridges has returned from an ankle injury that caused him to miss seven straight games. In his second game back at PSU, Bridges logged 27 minutes of playing time and finished with four points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot. In his first game back last week, a 93-65 home win over Rutgers, Bridges had six points, six rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocked shots in 17 minutes of action. For the season, Bridges is averaging 14.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game.

-- Ward is MSU’s second-leading scorer behind Bridges, averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game. Eron Harris (12.6 PPG) is the only other Spartan scoring in double figures.

-- Michigan State is No. 36 in the RPI Rankings, producing a 2-4 record against the Top 50 and a 4-6 mark versus the Top 100. We should note that the four Top-50 defeats came against Top-15 foes, including Arizona, Kentucky, Baylor and Duke. The Spartans’ best wins have come at Minnesota, vs. Northwestern, vs. Florida Gulf Coast and vs. Oakland.

-- Minnesota (15-2 SU, 10-5 ATS) has won two of its three road games while compiling a perfect 3-0 spread record. In a season in which Richard Pitino’s bunch was predicted by many publications to finish 13th out of 14 teams in the Big Ten, the Gophers are No. 5 in the RPI and any thoughts of his tenure coming to an end have been vanished. They are 3-2 against the Top 50 and 8-2 versus the Top 100.

-- Minnesota’s best wins have come vs. Arkansas, at Purdue and at Northwestern. The Gophers’ only loss besides the aforementioned OT setback vs. MSU came at once-beaten FSU, a team that smashed Duke by 16 last night. They also own notable scalps over Ohio State, Vanderbilt and UT-Arlington.

-- Minnesota has been an underdog three times, going 3-0 ATS with a pair of outright victories.

-- Minnesota is off of Sunday’s 78-68 win over Ohio St. as a five-point home favorite. Amir Coffey hit 7-of-11 shots from the field on his way to a team-high 19 point effort. The freshman guard, who was Mr. Basketball in the state of Minnesota last year, also had five assists and four rebounds. Akeem Springs, a grad transfer from UW-Milwaukee, buried 5-of-8 from 3-point range and finished with 18 and five assists compared to just one turnover. Jordan Murphy contributed eight points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots.

-- Mason is averaging team-highs in scoring (14.4 PPG) and assists (5.7 APG) with a 97/32 assists-to-turnovers ratio. He is hitting 41.7 percent of his shots from 3-point range. Coffey (12.8 PPG) is averaging team-highs in field-goal percentage (46.6%) and steals (1.3 SPG). Reggie Lynch, a transfer from Illinois St., is averaging 8.6 PPG and leads the Big Ten and is fifth in the nation in blocked shots with 51 (3.2 BPG).

-- Minnesota is ninth in the nation at defending the 3-point line, holding opponents to 28.6 percent shooting from long distance. The Gophers are 13th in the country in field-goal percentage defense (38.1%).

-- The ‘under’ is 8-7 overall for the Gophers, 2-1 in their road assignments.

-- The ‘under’ is 9-7 overall for the Spartans, 4-4 in their home games at Breslin Center.

-- Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on the Big Ten Network.

**Butler at Creighton**

-- Both of these schools are in a three-way tie for second place in the Big East standings, trailing Villanova by one-half game after the Wildcats routed Xavier last night. As of early this morning, most spots had Creighton listed as a 4.5-point ‘chalk.’

-- Creighton (15-1 SU, 11-4 ATS) has won eight of its nine home games while going 5-3 ATS. The Bluejays have only been single-digit home favorites once this year, beating Seton Hall 89-75 as 7.5-point favorites. They’ve posted a 6-1 spread record in seven total single-digit favorite roles at various venues.

-- Greg McDermott’s squad has won back-to-back games both SU and ATS since suffering its lone defeat of the year at home to Villanova by an 80-70 score as a 1.5-point home underdog on New Year’s Eve. Creighton coasted to a 78-64 triumph as a 5.5-point road ‘chalk’ on Saturday. Justin Patton, a 6’10” freshman center who is from Omaha, scored a game-high 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. He also had six rebounds, three blocked shots and one steal. Maurice Watson Jr. had 11 points, four rebounds and 14 assists compared to just two turnovers. Marcus Foster, who was a second-team All Big 12 selection as a true freshman at Kansas State three years ago, added 17 points and sophomore guard Khyri Thomas had 16 points.

-- Watson leads the nation in assists (9.0) and has a 144/58 assists-to-turnovers ratio. The senior point guard is averaging 13.2 PPG and is draining 51.9 percent of his launches from downtown.

-- Foster, who sat out last season after leaving KSU, is averaging a team-high 18.6 PPG. Patton (14.2 PPG) leads the Bluejays in rebounding (6.5 RPG) and blocked shots (1.6 BPG). Patton is third the nation in field-goal percentage (74.3%). Thomas is also scoring in double figures (12.5 PPG) while also averaging 5.2 RPG and shooting at a 57.5 percent clip from the field.

-- Creighton leads the nation in field-goal percentage (53.7%) and is fifth in 3-point shooting (42.2%). The Bluejays are 11th in the country in scoring, averaging 87.5 PPG.

-- Butler (14-2 SU, 10-4 ATS) is 2-2 both SU and ATS in four road assignments. The Bulldogs have been underdogs twice this season, winning outright both times. They handed Villanova its only loss of the season last week by a 66-58 count as two-point home ‘dogs and also beat Indiana 83-78 as a 1.5-point puppy at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

-- Butler’s two losses have come by four combined points, as it lost 72-71 at Indiana St. and 76-73 at St. John’s. Since falling to the Red Storm in Queens in their Big East opener, the Bulldogs have won three in a row both SU and ATS, including Saturday’s 85-76 overtime win at Georgetown as 2.5-point road favorites. Kamar Baldwin, a six-foot freshman who averaged a triple-double for three consecutive years at Apalachee High School in Winder, GA., led the way against the Hoyas with 16 points, five rebounds and four steals. Junior forward Kelan Martin finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Andrew Chrabascz, Kethan Savage and Nate Fowler scored 11 points apiece.

-- Martin is averaging team-bests in scoring (17.4 PPG) and rebounding (5.5 RPG). Chrabascz (11.9 PPG) is Butler’s only other player scoring in double figures.

-- Butler is No. 7 in the RPI Rankings with a 4-0 record against the Top 50 and an incredible 10-0 record versus the Top 100. The Bulldogs own notable home victories over the likes of Northwestern, Cincinnati, Villanova, Vermont and Providence. They’ve also won on neutral courts against Arizona, Vanderbilt and Indiana.

-- Creighton is No. 8 in the RPI, going 5-1 vs. the Top 50 and 7-1 against the Top 100. The Bluejays have home win over Wisconsin, Seton Hall and Akron, neutral-court scalps of N.C. State and Ole Miss and road victories at Nebraska and Providence.

-- These schools split a pair of meetings both SU and ATS last year. Creighton won 72-64 as a 1.5-point home favorite in Omaha, while Butler won an 88-75 decision a 5.5-point ‘chalk’ at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

-- The ‘under’ is 8-7 overall for the Bluejays, 4-4 in their home games.

-- Totals have been an overall wash (6-6-2) for the Bulldogs, but they’ve seen the ‘over’ go 5-1-1 in their last seven outings. In addition, they’ve seen the ‘over’ go 3-1 in their four road contests.

-- The ‘under’ is 4-1 in the last five encounters between these Big East rivals.

-- Fox Sports 1 will have the telecast at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Baylor won’t be lasting on top very long. Just one day after claiming the No. 1 spot in the AP national rankings for the first time in the program’s history, the Bears went into Morgantown and got throttled 89-68 as 5.5-point underdogs. West Virginia was led by senior Nathan Adrian’s 22 points and a suffocating defense that forced Baylor into 29 turnovers.

-- FSU extended its school-record winning streak to 12 games last night by thumping Duke 88-72 as a short home favorite in Tallahassee. Xavier Rathan-Mayes scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half.

-- Florida allowed an 18-point first-half lead to get away and trailed for parts of the second half before eventually pulling away for an 80-67 win at Alabama last night. The Gators took the money as six-point road favorites. UF redshirt freshman Keith Stone scored a team-high 14 points, including a pair of crucial 3-pointers. With Mike White’s team suddenly trailing by six with 10:50 remaining, Stone hit a trey to cut the deficit to 53-50. Then with 6:49 left, Stone put the Gators in front 61-59 with another triple and they never trailed again. Kasey Hill and Canyon Barry added 13 points apiece for the winners, who have won six straight at Coleman Coliseum and are 12-1 in the last 13 head-to-head meetings with Alabama.

-- Quinndary Weatherspoon scored 25 points to lead Mississippi St. to an 84-78 win at Arkansas as a 10-point underdog last night. The Bulldogs hooked up money-line backers with a +450 return (paid $450 on $100 wagers) as they won back-to-back SEC road games for the first time since 2011.

-- Speaking of generous money-line payouts, UNLV won a 71-66 decision at New Mexico as an 11-point underdog. Jovan Mooring scored 19 points for the Runnin’ Rebels, who closed at +500 to win outright.

-- Syracuse fell to 10-7 overall and 2-2 in ACC action by losing 83-73 at Virginia Tech as a 3.5-point underdog last night. The Hokies bounced back from a lopsided loss at Florida St. to improve to 13-3 overall and 2-2 in league play. Zach LeDay paced Buzz Williams’s team with 22 points. Virginia Tech had previously lost eight in a row to the ‘Cuse.

-- Tonight’s Games to Watch: Minnesota at Michigan State, Butler at Creighton, Pittsburgh at Louisville, North Carolina at Wake Forest, Georgia at Ole Miss, South Carolina at Tennessee, Seton Hall at Marquette and Michigan at Illinois.

[StarDust Bum]

CBB SEASON RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS:

WLT Pct Units

TS Picks 702-692-25 50.36% -29600

O/U Picks 222-220-5 50.23% -10000

DAILY RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS

01/01/2017 20-20-1 50.00% -1000
01/02/2017 16-21-0 43.24% -3550
01/03/2017 6-9-0 40.00% -1950
01/04/2017 23-29-1 44.23% -4450
01/05 2017 No Plays
01/06/2017 No Plays
01/07/2017 59-43-2 57.84% +5850
01/08/2017 9-14-1 39.13% -3200
01/09/2017 3-8-0 27.27% -2900
01/10/2017 17-28-0 37.78% -6900

DAILY BEST BETS RECORD:

ATS: 31 - 45 - 2

O/U : 18 - 21 - 0

[StarDust Bum]

TOP 25 SELECTIONS:

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PITT at LOU 07:00 PM

LOU -11.0

O 140.5

MINN at MSU 07:00 PM

MINN +4.0

O 137.5

UNC at WAKE 08:00 PM

UNC -9.0

U 164.5

BUT at CRE 09:00 PM

CRE -5.5

U 152.5


BEST OF THE REST:


SELECTION LINE AMOUNT

VCU -11.5
X
GW at VCU U 141.0
X
HOU -9.0
X
HOU at ECU O 126.5
X
TENN +3.0
X
SCAR at TENN U 140.5
X
UGA +2.5
X
UGA at MISS O 148.0
X
USF -5.0
X
TULN at USF U 140.5
X
L-IL +15.5
X
L-IL at WICH U 146.5
X
DUQ -10.5
X
SLU at DUQ O 136.0
X
DAY -6.0
X
DAY at MASS O 144.0
X
SBON +4.0
X
SBON at RICH U 157.0
X
DAV -14.5
X
FOR at DAV O 141.5
X
HALL +5.5
X
HALL at MARQ O 152.5
X
MEM -4.0
X
MEM at TLSA O 142.0
X
TEX +1.0
X
TCU at TEX U 138.0
X
ILST -5.0
X
ILST at SIU O 134.5
X
EVAN +7.0
X
EVAN at MOSU U 136.5
X
DRKE +1.5
X
INST at DRKE O 153.0
X
TAM -12.0
X
LSU at TAM U 148.5
X
UNI -3.5
X
UNI at BRAD O 125.0
X
ILL +2.0
X
MICH at ILL U 137.0
X
WYO -4.5
X
USU at WYO O 154.0
X
BC +5.5
X
NCST at BC O 160.5
X
TEM +2.5
X
TEM at UCONN U 129.0
X
OKST -2.5
X
ISU at OKST U 158.5
X
AFA +2.0
X
FRES at AFA U 147.5
X
DEN -6.5
X
INDPU -5.0
X
NEOM at INDPU O 168.5
X
LBSU -6.5
X
CSN at LBSU O 156.5
X
SDAK +1.5
X
NDSU at SDAK U 141.5
X
MER +4.0
X
MER at SAM O 142.5
X
WIU at DEN U 144.0
X

[StarDust Bum]

CBB SEASON RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS:

WLT Pct Units

TS Picks 702-692-25 50.36% -29600

O/U Picks 222-220-5 50.23% -10000

DAILY RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS

01/01/2017 20-20-1 50.00% -1000
01/02/2017 16-21-0 43.24% -3550
01/03/2017 6-9-0 40.00% -1950
01/04/2017 23-29-1 44.23% -4450
01/05 2017 No Plays
01/06/2017 No Plays
01/07/2017 59-43-2 57.84% +5850
01/08/2017 9-14-1 39.13% -3200
01/09/2017 3-8-0 27.27% -2900
01/10/2017 17-28-0 37.78% -6900

DAILY BEST BETS RECORD:

ATS: 31 - 45 - 2

O/U : 18 - 21 - 0

[StarDust Bum]

Top 25 roundup: No. 8 Creighton bests No. 12 Butler
January 11, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. -- Another efficient performance from the field, paired with a better-than-usual showing at the defensive end, led No. 8 Creighton to a 75-64 Big East Conference basketball victory over No. 12 Butler on Wednesday.

The Bluejays (16-1, 4-1 Big East) are enjoying a historic week. On Monday, they moved up to No. 8 in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls, the highest rating in school history. Winning 16 of their first 17 games also matches the fastest start to a season in school history, first done by Creighton's 1942-43 team.

Maurice Watson led Creighton with 21 points. Khyri Thomas scored 14 points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. Cole Huff and Justin Patton both finished with 10 points.

The Bulldogs (14-3, 3-2) needed nearly 39 minutes to get one player into double figures. A pair of 3-pointers near the end of the game got Avery Woodson to that milestone with 14 points.

No. 11 North Carolina 93, Wake Forest 87

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Justin Jackson scored 19 points as the Tar Heels survived a big comeback from the Demon Deacons.

Joel Berry's 18 points and Kennedy Meeks' 18 points and 11 rebounds were also huge for the Tar Heels, who saw most of their 19-point lead disappear before responding.

Isaiah Hicks added 16 points, including two clutch free throws in a 1-and-1 situation with 31 seconds to play, and Kenny Williams had 10 points for the Tar Heels (15-3, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Bryant Crawford scored 22 points before fouling out with 41 seconds left for Wake Forest (10-7, 1-4).

No. 14 Louisville 85, Pitt 80

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The Cardinals overcame a 43-point effort from Pitt senior guard Jamel Artis, holding off the Panthers.

Louisville (14-3, 2-2 ACC) used a 23-4 first-half run to build a 21-point halftime lead before Pitt got close in the second half. Quentin Snider led the Cardinals with 22 points, while Deng Adel and Donovan Mitchell added 15 points apiece.

Michael Young contributed 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Pitt (12-5, 2-2).

Michigan State 65, No. 24 Minnesota 47

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Freshman Miles Bridges scored all of his game-high 16 points by halftime, and the Spartans defeated the Golden Gophers for the second time this season.

Playing in his third game since an ankle injury sidelined him for seven games, Bridges also grabbed six rebounds. Fellow freshman Joshua Langford had 13 points for the Spartans (12-6, 4-1 Big Ten), who bounced back from a road loss to Penn State on Saturday.

Minnesota's Nate Mason scored all 14 of his points in the second half. Dupree McBrayer had 11 points for the Golden Gophers (15-3, 3-2).

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday’s six-pack

Some thoughts on the Chargers moving to Los Angeles

— If they move to the Coliseum, they need to put FieldTurf down; no way will that grass field hold up with USC, the Rams and Chargers all playing home games there.

— There is a chance the Chargers could play in a 28,000-seat stadium in Carson for a couple years, until the new stadium in Inglewood is ready.

— Chargers have to pay the city of San Diego $12M to get out of their lease at Qualcomm.

— What coach is going to be willing to coach a nomadic team for two years?

— What if the Jaguars wanted to move to San Diego? If I owned the Jaguars, I would.

— I’m very curious to know how much money the Spanos family will rake in by moving to LA, as opposed to just staying in San Diego and playing in the old stadium.

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

13) News came down little while ago that the Chargers will indeed move to LA and may even change their nickname a year from now. Sad day for people in San Diego, who supported this team for 50 years but in today’s society, greed trumps loyalty and that goes for the Rams’ owner, as well. It goes for the whole NFL, but they’re rich people and I’m not, so I’ll shut up.

I’ll just say this; at some point, teams will stop moving and governments will stop shelling out ridiculous sums of money for stadiums that aren’t needed.

Elsewhere in the world…….
12) All four NFL playoff games this weekend are rematches from regular season games, though I doubt Jacoby Brissett will play for the Patriots this week, like he did in Week 3 against Houston.

11) I’m wondering what Clemson’s windfall will be from apparel sales after they won the national title Monday night? Someone in the stadium’s gift shop said Tuesday’s business was similar to an actual game day as far as how much gear they sold. People love a winner.

10) Denver Broncos hired Vance Joseph, Buffalo Bills hired Sean McDermott as their new head coaches, so Panthers, Bills are looking for new defensive coordinators.

9) I didn’t know that Wyoming is the least populated state in the country. Now I do.

8) Speaking of Wyoming, their former star basketball player Josh Adams was in a severe car accident last spring and almost died, but he’s recovered enough that he flew to Russia yesterday to begin his pro basketball career, so that is very good news.

Adams is good enough that he’ll be on an NBA roster someday.

7) Chicago Cubs are visiting the White House Monday, unusually early for a World Series champ, but the outgoing President is from Chicago and the Cubs owner despises the President-elect, so guess it makes some sense.

Can’t wait until next spring’s NBA champ declines to visit the White House. It’ll happen.

6) Upset of the Night: 15-point underdog Fordham won 60-54 at Davidson; with players from seven different countries, you think Davidson has chemistry issues? Seriously, has to be tough to get people from so many different cultures to pull together.

5) 23-year old OF Mallex Smith hit .238 in 72 games in his rookie year for the Braves LY; he was traded twice on Tuesday, first to Seattle, then quickly to Tampa Bay. Had to be a weird day for him.

4) Denver Nuggets-Indiana Pacers are playing a game in London Thursday. Remember that the Nuggets are owned by Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Rams, who get stuck playing a game in London every year. He also owns a soccer team in England. He is really rich.

3) Last night, Chris Paul became the 10th player with 15,000 points and 8,000 assists.

2) This is probably a stupid idea, but wouldn’t it be cool if a former President became a radio talk show host? He could have a studio built in his house and a couple days a week, take calls from ordinary Americans and explain to them why our government is so messed up, and how it could be better.

What better way to learn about government than to hear from a man who ran the country?

“Hello, it is 2:23 and it is 70 degrees in Washington. We’ve got Jane from Spokane on Line 3…..”

1— Hunter Renfrow was a walk-on football player at Clemson; Monday night, he caught 10 passes for 92 yards and scored two TDs for the Tigers. This kid was a 2-star recruit in HS; it is pretty rare for 2-star recruits to become such good players, but good for him.

Several times in the second half Monday night, when Clemson had big plays coming up, Boston College coach Steve Addazio said in the coaches’ studio on ESPNews, “…find number 13” and then Watson would throw him a pass.

There is not, hasn’t been and never will be a metric to measure someone’s heart, or desire, which is a big part of what makes sports great, even if the pro teams are mostly owned by greedy bastards.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Fighting Irish (14-2) at Hurricanes (11-3)I
Date: January 12, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey says his Irish had "no answer" for the intensity Miami's veteran club displayed in sweeping both meetings of the two teams last season.

"I think we have been treated kind of like boys," he said, "because we weren't able to step up to that."

But the roles will be reversed when the 20th-ranked Irish (14-2, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) and unranked Hurricanes (11-3, 1-1 ACC) square off Thursday in Coral Gables. Tipoff time for the nationally telecast affair (ESPN) is 7 p.m. ET.

"Now we're a little bit older, a little more experienced," Brey said, "and our challenge is to meet that intensity on the road on Thursday."

Brey will start two seniors and three juniors as the Irish go for a sixth consecutive win. It's a group that not only is more mature, but key players like leading scorer and rebounder forward Bonzie Colson (16.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg), senior guard Steve Vasturia (15.0 ppg), senior forward V.J. Beachem (14.6), and junior guard Matt Farrell (14.0) have been honed by the experience of back-to-back runs to the "Elite Eight" of the NCAA Tournament.

The Irish have been overpowering foes with an offense that averages over 82 points a game and shoots 47 percent from the field overall and over 40 percent from 3-point range, the latter tops in the ACC.

Vasturia is 32-of-74 (43.2 percent from behind the arc and Farrell 33-of-79 (41.8), and they don't even lead the team. Sophomore guard Matt Ryan has hit 26 of his 55 long-range tries (47.3 percent) of the bench.

"Those guys are so proficient offensively they can come down the floor and shoot from 30 feet and it's a good shot," Miami coach Jim Larranaga said. "Or they can drive to the basket and they've got a contested layup and it's still a good shot.

"Most teams don't have the offensive skills that Notre Dame's team has."

Larranaga will counter with a lineup that features two freshmen, guard Bruce Brown (10.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and forward Dewan Huell (7.1 ppg); a junior, guard Ja'Quan Newton (15.2 ppg); and two seniors, guard/forward Davon Reed (14.0 ppg) and forward Kamari Murphy (7.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg).

The Hurricanes are coming off a 15-point loss at Syracuse but have won 21 in a row at home dating back to a 78-77 loss to Northeastern on Nov. 27, 2015. They are 8-0 at home this season, including an 81-63 win over North Carolina State in their league opener, and have won their last 11 ACC outings at the Watsco Center.

It will be the only home game for the Hurricanes over a stretch of five games including last week's loss at Syracuse. They are at Pittsburgh Saturday and at Wake Forest and Duke after that.

The Irish are playing the first of three consecutive road games with a trip to Virginia Tech Saturday and Florida State next Wednesday.

"This is tough stretch for us," Brey said.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Buckeyes (10-6) at Badgers (13-3)
Date: January 12, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

MADISON, Wis. -- Ohio State and No. 18 Wisconsin appear to be on different trajectories during the early portion of the Big Ten regular season.

The Buckeyes have lost three straight and are searching for their first conference win. Wisconsin, which hosts Ohio State (10-6, 0-3 Big Ten) on Thursday night, at the Kohl Center, is in contention to claim the Big Ten title.

The Badgers (13-3, 2-1) return to their home court after a 1-1 road trip that concluded with a 66-55 loss at then-No. 20 Purdue last weekend. Wisconsin had its nine-game winning streak snapped by the defense-minded Boilermakers, who held the Badgers to 39 percent shooting from the field (23 of 59).

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard doesn't pay attention to losing streaks or records when considering Ohio State's talent. So far in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes lost a five-point road game at Illinois, suffered a one-point loss at home against Purdue and pulled within three points at Minnesota with less than five minutes to go before falling on Sunday.

Gard said Ohio State still is formidable on offense despite the absence of junior forward Keita Bates-Diop, who averaged 9.7 points through nine games before suffering a season-ending stress fracture in his left shin. Bates-Diop likely will redshirt.

"I've seen what they've been able to do, even though (Bates-Diop) hasn't been on the floor," Gard said. "They've been right there -- had a chance to beat Purdue, were right there with Illinois and made a run back at Minnesota.

"They've got guys who are very experienced and might be playing more minutes than normal, but they aren't going exceptionally deep (on the bench).

"We've already seen up and down the league, it's a tough hoe. You've got to make sure you're on point every single night."

Wisconsin needs to get back on track after a couple of elements were missing at Purdue -- success from beyond the 3-point arc and consistency with attacking the rim.

Senior guard Bronson Koenig, the team's leading scorer at 14.0 points per game, was 1 of 4 from 3-point range and made three shots during the first 34 minutes against Purdue.

No player picked up the slack when Koenig struggled. The Badgers missed their first six 3-point attempts and finished 2 of 14 from beyond the arc.

Sophomore forward Ethan Happ and senior forward Nigel Hayes were a combined 11 of 28 overall from the field for Wisconsin, which had 9 of 19 first-half baskets on shots 2 feet and closer.

Hayes (13.5 ppg) and Happ (13.4 ppg) also contribute significantly with the Badgers' success on offense.

Happ ranks second in the Big Ten in field-goal shooting percentage and is tied for second in rebounds per game with Buckeyes junior center Trevor Thompson at 9.1 rebounds per game.

Happ likely will share some responsibility in guarding Thompson, who averages 10.7 points per game, and has collected five double-doubles in the last nine games.

With 14 Big Ten games left, Ohio State coach Thad Matta remains optimistic that the Buckeyes can turn things around.

"We've had opportunities, but we've got to get where we're playing good basketball -- not so much great basketball," Matta said. "We've shown in all three games, over the course of the early season, we've played solid basketball.

"Some of the mental errors, we've got to get those corrected. We're trying to keep it on the rails as opposed to panicking, or anything like that. We've got a long way to go."

Junior forward Jae'Sean Tate paces the Buckeyes in scoring at 14.5 points per game. Tate is fresh off a solid performance at Minnesota with 20 points and 9 rebounds.

Thompson, who contributed 15 points and 15 rebounds against the Golden Gophers, told The Columbus Dispatch that he's frustrated with the Buckeyes' futility.

"Enough is enough," Thompson said. "Being 0-3 starting the Big Ten is unacceptable. We need to get better, because this can't keep happening. We're Ohio State University."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Trojans (15-2) at Utes (11-4)
Date: January 12, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

No. 25 USC will try to get back on track when it faces Utah in a Pac-12 Conference game Thursday at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

The Trojans (15-2, 2-2 Pac-12) suddenly find themselves on shaky ground after losing two of their last three games, including a disappointing home loss to Cal.

The Utes (11-4, 2-1) won four of their past five games. They are 8-1 at home this season.

After winning 14 in a row to start the season, USC lost twice in 10 days. The Trojans first tasted defeat on Dec. 30, taking an 84-61 loss to then-No. 21 Oregon. They rebounded with a 72-56 victory over Stanford last week, but then they fell 74-73 to Cal on Sunday.

The Trojans shot 50.9 percent from the field and made 7 of 12 from 3-point range against the Golden Bears, but they were just 10 of 21 at the free-throw line. Jordan McLaughlin, a 78.9 percent free-throw shooter, was 3 of 8 at the stripe.

"It was one of those nights at the line," McLaughlin said. "That's basically where we lost the game."

USC coach Andy Enfield struggled to come up with an explanation for his team's free-throw woes.

"When you have a guy shooting 80 percent from the line and he goes 3-for-8, you can't explain it," Enfield said.

USC will visit Utah and Colorado before returning to Los Angeles to begin a daunting three-game homestand. The Trojans will play host to No. 16 Arizona on Jan. 19, Arizona State on Jan. 22 and No. 4 UCLA on Jan. 25.

"We'll prepare for (the road trip) like we prepared this week," McLaughlin said following the loss to Cal. "We have to go win a couple games on the road. It'll be tough, but it should be fun."

McLaughlin averages 14.5 points and 5.1 assists for USC. Elijah Stewart contributes 13.9 points and 5.3 rebounds, Chimezie Metu averages 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds.

Utah is led by David Collette, who is averaging 15.4 points and six rebounds per game, and Kyle Kuzma, who produces 14.8 points and 9.4 rebounds.

Utah is coming off an 88-82 victory over Arizona State. Kuzma scored a career-high 26 points against the Sun Devils. He had 19 points in the second half.

Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak hurt his back late in the game against the Sun Devils. He was helped into the team's locker room, where he was evaluated by Arizona State's team doctor. Krystkowiak is expected to be back on the bench when the Utes play host to the Trojans.

Picking up a win against Utah won't be a simple task for the Trojans. The Utes have won seven straight games against USC -- most recently defeating the Trojans 80-72 in the Pac-12 Tournament last season -- and own a 21-17 lead in the all-time series.

Krystkowiak said that streak will have little significance Thursday night.

"It's a little like flipping a coin," Krystkowiak told the Salt Lake Tribune. "You do it seven straight times and it comes up heads. It has no effect whatsoever on the next outcome."

Thursday's game matches two teams with balanced offenses. Eight USC players have scored at least 13 points in a game this season, and six are averaging at least 9.5 points per game. Utah has six players averaging at least 10.6 points per game.

It has helped Utah and USC both rank high in several offensive categories in the Pac-12. The Utes are third in assists per game (15.4), and the Trojans are fourth (14.5). Utah is fourth in scoring (80.1), and USC is tied for fifth (79.9). The Utes also rank second in field-goal percentage (.502).

For its part, Utah believes having offensive balance gives it an edge against opponents who typically game-planned against a single star such as Jakob Poeltl or Delon Wright in prior seasons.

"That's good really because now you got to scout six people," Utah guard Lorenzo Bonam said. "Somebody is going to go off on you."

To thrive against teams such as USC, Utah needs that ability attack from everywhere.

"One of the things that I've heard recently in sports that kind of latched onto me is, 'Whether it's me or whether it's you, it's always we,' and I like that concept with our team," Krystkowiak said. "Sometimes, guys are going to have an opportunity to step up and make plays, and it's not like any of us have to wear that weight on our shoulders to be responsible (alone)."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Boilermakers (14-3) at Hawkeyes (10-7)
Date: January 12, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Two weeks ago, 17th-ranked Purdue began Big Ten play by throttling Iowa 89-67 at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers now look to complete a regular-season sweep when it visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena for Thursday night's rematch.

Purdue (14-3, 3-1) enters having won two straight, most recently a 66-55 home victory over No. 18 Wisconsin on Jan. 8.

Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes (10-7, 2-2) are playing their second straight home game after rallying late to defeat Rutgers 68-62 on Jan. 8.

Thursday's matchup will showcase two of the league's top three scorers with Purdue forward Caleb Swanigan and Iowa guard Peter Jok.

Earlier this week, Swanigan received his fourth Big Ten Player of the Week award after compiling 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, 13 rebounds and two blocks in the win over Wisconsin. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound sophomore leads the conference in rebounding, averaging 12.9 per game.

"I'm playing a lot with my team and not really forcing too many things," Swanigan said after the win over Wisconsin when asked about his improvement from last season to now. "Taking care of the ball is my biggest thing."

Jok enters Thursday's game leading the Big Ten in scoring with an average of 22.6 points per game, nearly four points more than the next closest player.

In the teams' first meeting on Dec. 28, Swanigan was one of five Boilermakers to reach double figures, scoring with 11 points, and he also pulled down 10 rebounds. Jok led Iowa with 13 points but was only 4 of 15 from the floor and 1 of 7 from behind the 3-point line.

While Swanigan provides a massive challenge for the Hawkeyes, it was Purdue's 3-point shooting that killed Iowa in the first meeting, as the Boilermakers drained 10 3-pointers in the first half alone.

"You've got to stop both components of their offense, if you can. Playing good low post defense, but then also closing out and getting to the 3-point shooters," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. "Their spacing is good, and their ability to move the ball and pass the ball and willingness to do that is really impressive."

With Thursday's game being in Iowa City, this is only the third true road game that Purdue has played all season and the second in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers escaped with a 76-75 victory over Ohio State in Columbus on Jan. 5.

Before departing for Iowa on Wednesday, Purdue coach Matt Painter said the most important thing his team needs to do against Iowa is take care of the ball.

"For us, we have to be able to take good shots and be able to set up our defense because they're so good in transition," Painter said. "You can't let them have a lot of opportunities in transition to score the ball."

On Iowa's end, there is one noteworthy difference from the first meeting and now. The 22-point loss to Purdue was freshman forward Tyler Cook's first game back for Iowa after surgery for a broken right index finger that kept him out an entire month.

As a result, Cook wasn't back in the starting lineup. This time around, he is expected to make his fourth consecutive start since returning from the injury.

"It's going to be a full-on effort," Cook said. "They're talented all over the place. We've got to be locked in defensively."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lions (8-7) at Bulldogs (15-0)
Date: January 12, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

Loyola Marymount plays six of its eight West Coast Conference games on the road starting Thursday night against No. 5 Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., but the Lions have an air of confidence about them.

"We have everything to gain and nothing to lose," Loyola Marymount coach Mike Dunlap said. "Every conference game is an important point, and we want to look at each game as a new chapter. We're looking forward to playing Gonzaga."

They know they are so close to having a better record than their 8-7 mark overall and 1-3 in conference play going against the Bulldogs, who are 15-0 and 3-0.

Eight of Loyola Marymount's last 12 games have been decided in the last 10 seconds of regulation. It compiled a record of 3-5 in those games. The Lions are 4-5 in games decided by less than seven points and they are 2-2 in one-point games.

Dunlap said he believes the close-game experience will translate into success later in the season because the Lions have practiced more on those pressure-filled late-game situations.

"We've had a lot of practice on single possessions, either offensively or defensively," Dunlap said. "We call it the Big Stop."

Gonzaga, meanwhile, has not needed to refine its last-minute execution, ranking first in the WCC and fourth nationally with an average winning margin of 20.5 points. Their closest margin in their three conference games is a 95-80 outcome at San Francisco on Jan. 5.

Their game at Portland on Jan. 7 was postponed because of inclement weather. Gonzaga's players and coach Mark Few don't believe the break from playing a week ago will cause them to get off track in what has been a dominating first 15 games.

"We know that we're kind of on a special ride a little bit," said guard Nigel Williams-Goss, who ranks in the top 11 in the WCC in five different categories -- points, rebounds, assists and steals per game and free-throw percentage.

"I'm reminding our guys before every game, 'Hey, this is a special season, let's not take any game or any opponent for granted. Just try to play as hard as we can every night and give ourselves the best chance to win."

After losing three consecutive conference games by a total of 18 points, Loyola Marymount defeated visiting Santa Clara decisively 66-56 on Jan. 7, which is another reason why the Lions head to The Kennel in Spokane with some resolve.

The Lions' bench outscored Santa Clara's reserves 39-2. Center Stefan Jovanovic, a transfer from Hawaii, came off the bench to lead Loyola Marymount with 14 points. Forward Kelvin Amayo and guard Jeff McClendon also combined for three steals.

"It's a testament to our depth," Dunlap said. "Morale-wise, it's a long season ... we have a spirited locker room. We could have been down and played flat, but we didn't do that."

Jovanovic, a 6-foot-11, 235-pound player, will be called on to help defend Gonzaga 7-1, 300-pound center Przemek Karnowski. Jovanovic is the second-leading scorer on his team at 11.3 points per game.

He came off the bench against Santa Clara after starting 10 times previously, including six consecutively before the win over the Broncos. Starting in his place was Petr Herman, who is 6-10 and 235 pounds and averages only 2.5 pounds and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Dunlap hopes the Jovanovic, Herman and 7-1, 240-pound post Mattias Markusson are enough to combat Gonzaga's size inside that includes Karnowski and 7-0 stretch-power forward Zach Collins.

Collins, a freshman, averages 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in roughly 17 minutes per game in a frontcourt that includes 6-9 power forward Johnathan Williams and 6-10 post player Killian Tillie.

Gonzaga's practice sessions, particularly going against Karnowski, have helped Collins develop defensively (team-high 17 blocked shots) and shooting around the hoop (conference-leading 71.2 percent from the field).

"He really does take me under his wing," Collins told the Spokane Spokesman-Review about Karnowski, a senior. "I've learned so much coming from summer to now just because of him.

"He's always in my ear, not going easy on me in practice. He's a big dude and I've been really sore a lot because of battling him in practice, but I wouldn't want it any other way."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mustangs (14-3) at Bearcats (13-2)
Date: January 12, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

CINCINNATI -- By late Thursday night, there will be one remaining unbeaten team in American Athletic Conference play after No. 22 Cincinnati and SMU meet at 9 p.m. ET in Fifth Third Arena.

When the Bearcats hosted SMU last season at Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati won despite shooting just 29.5 percent behind a stifling defense that held the Mustangs to 54 points in a seven-point loss.

Suffocating defense continues to be the Bearcats' mantra this season.

Cincinnati (13-2, 3-0 AAC) ranks second in the nation in field goal percentage defense with opponents shooting just 36 percent, and 15th in scoring defense allowing 61.4 points per game.

"We take a lot of pride in playing hard," Bearcats coach Mick Cronin said. "I hold them to a really high standard. I tell them that their effort has to be consistent."

Consistency has been there for SMU as well.

During the Mustangs' current 10-game win streak, which is tied for third longest in school history, they've held opponents to 65 points or less and an average of 54.8 points per game. SMU's opponents are shooting 37.1 percent during the past 10 contests.

Despite seven scholarship players, the Mustangs are making the most of a short bench and it has resulted in more unselfish play.

"You live on the edge when you have as few players as we do," first-year coach Tim Jankovich told the Dallas Morning News. "On one hand is the stress of foul trouble, you're living on that fine line, but when everyone's healthy, I think it does bond a team. No one's worried about not getting enough minutes, everyone's sharing the ball, and you've got guys playing with confidence."

SMU (14-3, 4-0 AAC) is led by 6-foot-7 junior forward Semi Ojeleye, a transfer from Duke who averages 17.9 points and 7.7 rebounds.

SMU and Cincinnati are meeting for the 10th time. The teams split last season's series, with each team winning on its home floor. Before joining the AAC, the series had been dormant since 1974-75.

The Bearcats have won six straight games and 17 straight at home dating to last season. They've been bolstered lately by the improved play of junior forward Kyle Washington, who was named to the AAC weekly honor roll on Monday after posting a team-high 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field with nine rebounds and two blocks in a win at Houston on Saturday.

Washington entered the week ranked among the league leaders in five categories: double-doubles (tied for fifth with five), field goal percentage (sixth at .540), rebounds (seventh at 7.5), blocks (ninth at 1.4) and scoring (11th at 13.8).

SMU thrives on the hot shooting of sophomore guard Milton Shake, who was among 20 candidates named to the 2017 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list. Shake averages 11.9 points with a team-leading 3.1 assists and 34 3-pointers. He was tabbed second team all-conference in the preseason.

An electric atmosphere is expected Thursday night with Cincinnati pushing for a sellout crowd at Fifth Third Arena, which holds more than 13,000.

Cincinnati was picked to win the AAC in a preseason coaches vote and SMU was chosen to finish third.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sun Devils (9-8) at Wildcats (15-2)
Date: January 12, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

Arizona-Arizona State hasn't been much of a basketball rivalry, but Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley did, even unintentionally, add some spice to Thursday night's game in Tucson.

A video showed Hurley, after last week's home victory over Colorado, rallying his team in the locker room by saying that if a Pac-12 team on the Arizona road swing wanted to get a win, "they better go to (expletive) Tucson."

Hurley and the Sun Devils (9-8, 2-2 Pac-12) will get their chance against the 16th-ranked Wildcats (15-2, 4-0) in a game that tips off at 9 p.m. ET.

ASU hasn't won in McKale Center since February 2010 and has just four wins there since the 1982-83, which was the season before Arizona hired coach Lute Olson from Iowa.

Hurley said this week he was just trying to motivate his team.

"Those comments were not directed at Arizona," he said. "If our travel partner was USC, I would've said to go to L.A. if you want to try to get a win."

That didn't stop Arizona fans from roasting Hurley on social media, although coach Sean Miller shrugged off the original comments.

"Bobby was a great competitor himself and the challenge as a coach is to get your team motivated, to have your team ready to play," Miller said.

"Confidence is part of that. There is a lot of different ways to go about instilling that. I don't think he meant that in a derogatory fashion toward our program or things here in Tucson, as much as making sure his guys believe in themselves."

Miller is 2-0 against Hurley. Arizona won 94-82 in Tempe last season (when Hurley was ejected late in the game) and 99-61 in Tucson.

The Wildcats enter on a nine-game winning streak and with one of the top defenses in the country. They were 12th nationally in scoring defense (60.8 points per game) after Tuesday night's game, allowing teams to shoot just 39.1 percent from the field and 28.9 percent from 3-point range.

ASU's hopes for an upset rest with its 3-point shooting in a guard-heavy lineup. The Sun Devils take more shots from behind the arc (27 per game) than any team in the Pac-12, making 36.3 percent. Guard Torian Graham is the team's leading scorer at 18.3 points per game, making 39 percent of his 3-pointers (46 of 118).

"ASU is an outstanding 3-point shooting team," Miller said. "They play with tremendous freedom, they play at a very fast pace. In transition, they thrive because they have multiple 3-point shooters on the court at once."

ASU guards Tra Holder (16.8 points per game) and Shannon Evans (15.6) are among the other shooting threats.

Arizona shoots the 3-pointer at a better percentage (38.9) than ASU but relies on it far less. The edge in this matchup is Arizona's its size and talent up front.

The Wildcats' leading scorer is 7-foot power forward Lauri Markkanen at 15.9 points, and 7-foot center Dusan Ristic is averaging 16.75 points in conference play and shooting 64.4 percent from the field.

Meanwhile, point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who has come off the bench in the four games since returning from a high ankle sprain, has 25 assists and five turnovers in conference games.

Arizona guard Allonzo Trier has not played this season because of an unspecified eligibility issue, although Miller said Monday that he "hopes" the sophomore will have a chance to return this season.