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**StarDust Bum** · 12-27-2010, 06:08 PM

Clemson looks for 4th straight win Monday

DELAWARE STATE HORNETS (4-6)

at CLEMSON TIGERS (8-4)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: TBD

Two teams headed in opposite directions meet on Monday when Clemson hosts Delaware State.

The Tigers have won three straight games, including double-digit victories over Savannah State (61-40) and UNC Greensboro (71-61) and a seven-point triumph at College of Charleston, 66-59, last Wednesday. The win streak comes on the heels of a three-game losing skid in which Clemson dropped decisions to Michigan (69-61), South Carolina (64-60) and Florida State (75-69).

Demontez Stitt, who leads the Tigers in scoring (13.2 PPG), returned against the Cougars on Wednesday after missing two games due to knee surgery. He finished with eight points on 4-of-11 shooting with six rebounds. Jerai Grant (11.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG) added 15 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double, and Andre Young (11.4 PPG, 43.9% on three-pointers) tallied eight points, but his five consecutive games of scoring in double-figures was snapped.

Meanwhile, the struggling Hornets have dropped three straight games and five of their last seven. In its last three games, Delaware State fell at then-No. 3 Pitt, 70-42, at Delaware, 61-50 and at North Carolina State, 72-70.

Freshman Casey Walker (13.3 PPG, 41.4% on three-pointers) scored 20 points and hit 4-of-8 from beyond the arc against the Wolfpack. Desi Washington (12.8 PPG, 41.9% on three-pointers) added 18 points after scoring 11 combined in his previous two games.

The Tigers are 5-1 at home, while the Hornets are a terrible 1-6 on the road, where they will be through Jan. 10, a string of eight straight road games. Expect both trends to continue on Monday as Clemson pulls out another home victory.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-27-2010, 06:09 PM

Utah looks to beat Portland for 6th straight time

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (15-15)

at UTAH JAZZ (21-9)

Tip-off: Monday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Utah -8, Total: 191.5

The Blazers play the second contest of a three-game road trip in Utah Monday night, after losing 109-102 against Golden State Christmas Night. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Blazers and marked their 11th loss in the past 13 road games. Portland is only 5-12 straight up (5-9-3 ATS) in away games this season, while averaging a minus-4.9 PPG margin of losing. Brandon Roy (16.6 PPG, 3.3 APG) didn’t join Portland on its road trip because of his knee injury, giving Rudy Fernandez (7.8 PPG, 2.1 APG) more playing time in his absence.

Portland shot horribly in its previous contest against Utah (also without Roy) in a 103-94 loss on Nov. 20, shooting a lowly 38% (35-92 FG) and an even lower 18.2% (4-22 FG) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Utah shot 48% from the field (36-75 FG) and 52.6% (10-19 FG) on three-pointers. The Blazers are playing decent defense for the season, holding opponents to 95.2 PPG, but offense remains a struggle, averaging only 95.2 PPG on 43.9% shooting.

After the win against Portland, Utah went on to win six games in a row before hitting an inconsistent stretch during the month of December (7-4 SU, 5-6 ATS). Presently, the Jazz have won three consecutive games and return home from a four-game road trip, winning most recently last Wednesday in Minnesota, 112-107. Deron Williams tied with Minnesota’s Kevin Love for a game-high 25 points (6-19 FG) and seven assists. Williams is averaging 23.1 points per contest in December, and the Jazz are 17-4 when he scores at least 20 points (he scored 12 in the first meeting against Portland).

The Jazz are scoring 102.1 PPG and holding opponents to 97.1 PPG at home, where they are 11-5 straight up and a decent 9-7 ATS. Utah has won the past five games against Portland, and is 24-8 straight up (20-12 ATS) in Utah since 1996. With Roy out and Portland struggling offensively, I pick the Jazz to win and cover the spread in this meeting.

These FoxSheets trends also pick Utah to cover the spread:

UTAH is 17-2 ATS (+14.8 Units) after a road game where both teams score 100 or more points over the last 2 seasons. The average score was UTAH 105.4, OPPONENT 96.8 - (Rating = 4*).

UTAH is 30-12 ATS (+16.8 Units) when the total is between 190 and 199.5 points over the last 2 seasons. The average score was UTAH 101.3, OPPONENT 96.6 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-27-2010, 06:09 PM

Dallas looks to stay hot in Oklahoma City

DALLAS MAVERICKS (23-5)

at OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (21-10)

Tip-off: Monday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Oklahoma City -2, Total: 203.5

The Mavericks head to Oklahoma City for the second time this season, after rallying to win 111-103 over the Thunder on Nov. 24. While trailing most of the game, Jason Terry (15.9 PPG, 4.4 APG) and Dirk Nowitzki (24.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG) combined for 10 straight points in a 57-second span to put the Mavs up midway through the fourth period and sealed the victory with a 12-0 run. Nowitzki had a game-high 34 points (9-15 FG), and Kevin Durant (28.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.1 APG) led the Thunder with 32 points (12-20 FG) and 11 rebounds.

Since winning in Oklahoma earlier this season, Dallas has gone 13-1 straight up (10-4 ATS), losing only to Milwaukee by four on Dec. 13. The Mavericks continue to play excellent basketball on the road, posting a 10-1 mark (SU and ATS). They are only scoring a middle-of-the-road 99.4 PPG, but the Mavs have been efficient on shot choices with a 47.8 FG Pct. (2nd in NBA).

The Thunder, meanwhile, have yet to win two in a row after Phoenix snapped their five-game winning streak, 113-110, on Dec. 19. Oklahoma City has a chance to do so Monday after winning 114-106 over the Carmelo Anthony-less Nuggets on Christmas Day. Durant scored a season-high 44 points (14-20 FG) in 41 minutes to lead the Thunder on 49.4% shooting.

Oklahoma City is one of the highest-scoring teams with 103.9 PPG, but it continues to struggle defensively, allowing opponents to score 101.6 PPG. Despite only scoring 99.4 PPG, the Mavericks are holding opponents to 93.5 PPG. The Thunder are a solid 11-5 at home, but they are only 8-7-1 ATS. Even with Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle missing this game due to personal reasons, the Mavericks had five days of rest and look good to win two consecutive games in the Ford Center.

These FoxSheets trends also pick Dallas to cover the spread:

Play On - Underdogs (DALLAS) - after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7 games, a top-level team (>= 75%) playing a good team (60% to 75%). (89-44 since 1996.) (66.9%, +40.6 units. Rating = 3*).

DALLAS is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) as a road underdog this season. The average score was DALLAS 101.4, OPPONENT 95.2 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-27-2010, 06:10 PM

UConn looks to stay unbeaten at Pittsburgh

CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (10-0)

at PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (12-1)

Tip-off: Monday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Pittsburgh -7, Total: 140.5

It's December 27, that time of the year to make the joyous trek back to the **** with your least favorite gift and take part in the annual ritual of “many happy returns”(unless you really WANT to keep that neon green and peach sleeveless cardigan?). After you get through with that fun (and make a dent in Aunt Ruth's fruitcake), take comfort in knowing that the college basketball schedule will have a rare early-season treat waiting for you. That’s when two of the five Big East teams presently ranked in the Top 10 will play each other at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh for a conference opener that was not expected to be this enticing this soon.

The Pittsburgh Panthers were expected to challenge for the conference crown. Just ask the Big East coaches, who picked them as the preseason favorite to win the conference. The Connecticut Huskies were tabbed by the coaches to finish 10th. Oooops. Well one out of two isn't so bad.

Jim Calhoun's young squad has been the surprise of the conference, and for that matter, the country. Their early-season surge in the Maui Invitational earned them two huge wins over Michigan State and Kentucky, en route to the Maui title. That was enough to thrust the Huskies from unranked to the Top 10, where they have remained undefeated. You need extraordinary players to pull off a feat like that, and the Huskies have maybe the most extraordinary player in the country this year in guard Kemba Walker. The junior is the country's most prolific scorer (26.5 PPG), yet also leads his team in assists (4.0 APG), minutes played (33.9 MPG), and is tied in steals (2.1 SPG). Surprisingly, for a leading scorer who is also his team's biggest threat, Walker is shooting a superb 51.5 FG% and 42.1% from 3-point land.

Overshadowed in Walker's improved overall game is the play of center Alex Oriakhi (11.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.2 BPG) who is just an eyelash shy of averaging a double-double. While the Huskies have no other players scoring in double figures, the contributions of the young Husky "puppies" have been pivotal. Freshman point guard Shabazz Napier (8.6 PPG, 2.1 SPG) has emerged as a defensive stopper, while fellow freshmen Jeremy Lamb and Roscoe Smith are each averaging over seven points and five rebounds a game. While Connecticut has been stiff defensively (43.8 RPG, 3rd nationally) the competition, outside of the Spartans and Wildcats, has not. That changes Monday night.

Jamie Dixon's Panthers seem to have picked up the pieces nicely, albeit against weak competition, since their disappointing loss December 11 to Tennessee. With the start of conference play, the Panthers will bring a familiarity to this game that Connecticut and the rest of the league know all too well. Pittsburgh knows how to do two things with the basketball: share it and get it. Pitt enters the game leading the nation in assists, and is ranked just ahead of Connecticut in team rebounding.

The Panthers scoring balance is more pronounced than the Huskies, but like Connecticut it all starts in the backcourt. Junior Ashton Gibbs (16.5 PPG) and senior Brad Wanamaker (12.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.6 APG) are the steadying force in the starting lineup, and will provide maybe the biggest defensive test of the year for Walker and Napier. Seniors Gilbert Brown (11.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG) and Gary McGhee (5.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG) should have an interesting battle in the paint with Oriakhi. Its a commonly-used cliche, but in this game between two of the nation's best rebounding teams, the cliche applies, this game could literally come down to who wins the battle of the boards. One other intangible: homecourt. Pitt has won 15 straight at home, and is 141-11 (92.8%) all-time at the Petersen Events Center.

Pittsburgh has won the past three meetings with UConn, winning by 8, 8 and 10 points. However, this FoxSheets trends sides with Connecticut to at least cover the spread, if not win outright:

Jim Calhoun is 41-26 ATS (61.2%, +12.4 Units) versus teams who average 40 or more rebounds/game on the season as the coach of CONNECTICUT. The average score was CONNECTICUT 75.7, OPPONENT 67.9 - (Rating = 1*).

The FoxSheets also like the Over on Monday night.

Jamie Dixon is 13-2 OVER (+10.8 Units) after 2 straight games where opponent grabbed 26 or less rebounds as the coach of PITTSBURGH. The average score was PITTSBURGH 76.1, OPPONENT 64.3 - (Rating = 3*).

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