Monday 12/3/2018 ... Comps / Bonus Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Requests Etc

Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NFL PREDICTIONS 30TH NOVEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off what may have been a season-saving victory while the Washington Redskins are trying to shake off back-to-back losses that cost them the lead in the NFC East. As the division rivals prepare to clash on Monday night in Philadelphia, the Redskins will hold a one-game edge on the Eagles for the conference's sixth and final playoff slot.


Reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia appeared on the verge of absorbing a knockout blow last weekend before erasing an early 16-point deficit and rallying for a 25-22 victory over the New York Giants (as the Eagles were -5 point favorite at intertops). "This was a big game for us," Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz said. "Obviously in terms of the division standings and all that fun stuff, but really mentally to show the resilience that we did. To get down early like we did, then to battle back, just really builds a lot of confidence." Washington is trying to maintain its confidence and a victory over Philadelphia could provide a huge boost in that department, particularly with the teams squaring off in the regular-season finale. "I think there should be a sense of urgency without a doubt," Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. "Anytime you can go on the road and get a key victory is very, very critical. It is also important for our confidence and our psyche down the stretch."


TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Eagles -6.5 O/U: 45


ABOUT THE REDSKINS (6-5): Washington is hoping the additional time off will pay dividends for Colt McCoy, who had only three days to get ready for his first career start in four years after Alex Smith suffered a season-ending leg injury. McCoy, who was picked off three times in a 31-23 loss to division-leading Dallas on Thanksgiving, and the offense could receive a boost with the return of running back Chris Thompson, who practiced fully for the first time Friday since suffering broken ribs on Oct. 28. Thompson also would alleviate the workload on Adrian Peterson, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury. The Redskins were burned for a pair of long touchdown passes against the Cowboys.

ABOUT THE EAGLES (5-6): Wentz bounced back from a three-interception performance in a debacle at New Orleans by throwing for 238 yards and a touchdown in the comeback win over New York. Once again his favorite target was tight end Zach Ertz, who had seven catches for 91 yards and a score to boost his season totals to a career-best 84 receptions and 895 yards. Running back Josh Adams provided much needed balance to the offense and lifted a running game in dire need of a spark with 84 yards rushing on 22 carries -- both season highs -- while scoring for the second week in a row. Philadelphia held New York to three second-half points last week but ranks 28th against the pass (276.5 yards).


EXTRA POINTS

1. Wentz has six TD passes and two interceptions in a sweep of the Redskins last season.

2. Peterson needs two rushing touchdowns to move past Jim Brown (106) for fifth place on the all-time list.

3. Ertz has 59 receptions for 620 yards in 10 games against Washington.

PREDICTION: Eagles 25, Redskins 20

Florida A&M Rattlers vs. DePaul Blue Demons Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


Guarding the 3-point line will be critical for DePaul if it wants to run its record to 5-1 when facing visiting Florida A&M on Monday in non-conference play. The Blue Demons have been scorched from beyond the arc in the last three games, including in a pair of wins, but it may not matter against the Rattlers.


Unable to survive against Notre Dame Nov. 24 after allowing the Fighting Irish to shoot 48.1 percent from 3-point territory, the Blue Demons overcame 41.9 shooting from deep by Cleveland State Wednesday mostly by being the better team. "I think it's just getting back to the drawing board," DePaul senior Eli Cain told the media. "We know how to guard against the three, we know how to guard different offenses. We just let some guys get open." Coach Dave Leitao's team didn't need to guard the line all that tightly in the season's opening two games due to inferior competition, but it will against Florida A&M of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Rattlers, who have just one player averaging double figures in points, shoots a high percentage from 3-point range (36.9) - particularly for a team that is near the bottom of the nation in two-point attempt percentage (44.9).


TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1


ABOUT FLORIDA A&M (2-6): Two players - leading scorer Justin Ravenel and Rod Melton, Jr. - are most responsible to the Rattlers' success from beyond the arc as the duo has combined to make 48.5 percent. Ravenel, a senior guard from Lithonia, Ga., went 0-of-5 from long range in a loss Saturday against South Alabama, the first time in 11 games dating back to last season that he didn't make a three and just the second time in the last 26 games. In fact, Ravenel went 0-of-9 from the field and was held scoreless against South Alabama, something that hadn't happened in 25 games.


ABOUT DEPAUL (4-1): With Max Strus held to single digits for the first time this season, Cain had to take over against Cleveland State. The 6-6 guard from Willingboro, N.J. hit for a season-high 26 points, his most points since scoring 27 points against Georgetown on Jan. 24 of last season. Cain, who has 1,255 career points - good for top 30 in school history - was the leading scorer for the Blue Demons as a sophomore, averaging 15.6 points while notching 10 20-point games and a pair of 30-point efforts, but his average fell to 11.7 points last season as he shot career-low 34.8 percent from the field.


TIP-INS


1. After shooting 40.2 percent on 3-pointers in two seasons at Illinois, Jalen Coleman-Lands sits at 25.9 percent with DePaul after going 1-of-4 against Cleveland State.


2. DePaul has won its last three games against teams from the MEAC by an average of 24.6 points, including two wins to start this season over Bethune-Cookman 80-58 and Morgan State 91-63.


3. After facing the Rattlers, DePaul will play three straight games against fellow Chicago schools in Northwestern, Chicago State and Illinois-Chicago.


PREDICTION: DePaul 85, Florida A&M 60

Troy Trojans vs. Florida State Seminoles Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


It was a challenging week for No. 14 Florida State with four games in seven days, but the Seminoles came away with some big victories, including two over ranked opponents, with the last a comeback triumph over No. 18 Purdue, 73-72. Now the Seminoles get a chance to catch their breath a bit as Troy comes to town for a Monday night matchup on the heels of its 79-74 overtime loss to Austin Peay.


The big concern for Leonard Hamilton's team will be coming into the matchup overconfident against a 3-4 team from the Sun Belt Conference, but the Seminoles can't afford to be, not after needing to rally from at least eight-point deficits in the final four minutes in two of the last three games to secure wins over LSU and Purdue. "Philosophically, that sounds good," Hamilton told reporters after the latest comeback. "But realistically coaches don't want to wait until the game is on the line to make plays to win. That is who we are right now. We are not as consistent as we need to be offensively and defensively." The Seminoles closed out the Purdue victory on a 9-0 run, capped by Trent Forrest's heroics as he hit the game-winner with 13 seconds left followed by a steal that sealed the win. "In games like these, I want to be able to affect it in whatever way I can," Forrest said. "Whether it's playing defense or scoring or whatever. Just making the right plays."


TV: ACC Network Extra, 8 p.m. ET.


ABOUT TROY (3-4): The Trojans' two-game winning streak came to a halt with their overtime loss to Austin Peay, but four Trojans scored in double figures for the third straight game. Forwards Jordon Varnado, the team leader with 16.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, and Javan Johnson (11.0 ppg) led the way with a team-high 14 points each, while senior forward Alex Hicks (12.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg) posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 of the team's season-high 49 rebounds. A big issue was the cold shooting from long range, as the Trojans hit just 4-of-26 3-point shots (.154), including just 1-of-10 in the final 25 minutes.


ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (6-1): The Seminoles have made good use of their depth this season, with their bench outscoring their opponents' in five games and matching them once. Still, guard Terance Mann remains the team's most prolific scorer and he needs only 14 points to become the 47th player in school history with 1,000 or more. Forrest's game-saving steal against Purdue wasn't an aberration as the junior finished with three in the game and is tied for seventh in the ACC with 13 steals in seven contests.


TIP-INS


1. Florida State has won the last seven meetings with Troy dating back to Dec. 15, 1948.


2. The Seminoles have a .944 winning percentage at home in the last three seasons (34-of-36).


3. The Seminoles are 50-8 against teams from the Sun Belt Conference.


PREDICTION: Florida State 81, Troy 60

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Wisconsin Badgers Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


No. 22 Wisconsin looks to continue its winning ways when it hosts Rutgers on Monday. The Badgers, who were picked to finish sixth in the Preseason Big Ten Media poll, have recorded seven victories in their first eight games, including a 72-66 road win over 15th-ranked Iowa in their Big Ten opener, and hope to exact a measure of revenge against the Scarlet Knights by avenging a 64-60 setback last season.


"I love where this team is at, just our confidence level and the way we're playing," Wisconsin guard D'Mitrik Trice told reporters. "I think December will also be a good month for us." Rutgers' three-game winning streak came to an end following a 78-67 loss to No. 8 Michigan State on Friday. The Scarlet Knights hung with the Spartans for the first 20 minutes, but were overpowered in the second half and hope to bounce back by ending their 12-game conference road losing skid. "We have to turn the page and face one of the best teams in the league in Wisconsin, who is playing as good as anybody," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell told reporters. "We have a young group but we have a good game plan here and we have to continue to move forward."


TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network


ABOUT RUTGERS (5-2, 0-1 Big Ten): Eugene Omoruyi scored 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds against Michigan State to notch the fourth double-double of his career. Peter Kiss added 11 points in his first Big Ten game after spending his freshman campaign at Quinnipiac while Caleb McConnell tallied a career-high seven points in his first taste of conference action. Geo Baker scored 10 points despite playing a season-low 28 minutes as he was plagued by foul trouble, but finished in double figures for the sixth time this season and the 26th time in his career.


ABOUT WISCONSIN (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten): Trice continued his sizzling start to his sophomore season as he scored a team-high 20 points, including a vital 3-pointer in the final 20 seconds, to lift the Badgers over Iowa. Ethan Happ narrowly missed out on his eighth straight double-double as he produced 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists before fouling out in the last minute against the Hawkeyes. Brevin Pritzl gave Wisconsin a big lift by tallying 12 points while Brad Davison added nine points as the Badgers held the Hawkeyes to 39 percent shooting.


TIP-INS

1. Trice is 15-of-21 from 3-point range over his last three games.


2. Rutgers has dropped 11 of its last 12 Big Ten games dating back to last season.


3. Happ leads the nation in double-doubles (seven).


PREDICTION: Wisconsin 77, Rutgers 65

North Dakota State Bison vs. Iowa State Cyclones Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


Iowa State managed to post six wins in seven games last month despite missing key personnel and will have more depth when it begins the December schedule with a matchup against visiting North Dakota State on Monday night. Sophomore forward Cameron Lard and senior forward Zoran Talley Jr. are expected to make their season debuts for the Cyclones after being suspended the first seven games due to off-court issues.


Coach Steve Prohm, who also could get starting sophomore guard Lindell Wigginton (foot) back at some point this month, won't want to make too many changes with an Iowa State team that is allowing 37.6 percent shooting and owns wins over Illinois and Missouri. "We haven't spent the last week putting in a bunch of new things," Prohm told the Ames Tribune. "We're gonna stick with what we think is good for this team right now and let those other guys kind of grow into what we're doing." Virginia transfer Marial Shayok has led the way for the Cyclones with 19.3 points per game and junior forward Michael Jacobson (17 points, 7.7 rebounds) posted a double-double in an 82-55 win over Omaha last time out. North Dakota State of the Summit League has lost its last three contests, including a 102-60 setback against No. 1 Gonzaga, and is 0-5 all time against Iowa State.


TV: 8 p.m. ET, No TV


ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA STATE (2-6): The Bison have connected on 9.7 shots from 3-point range per game and boast four players with at least 11 makes from behind the arc, led by junior guard Vinnie Shahid's 14. Shahid tops the balanced squad in scoring (11.1) after recording a season-high 29 points with five 3s to go along with five assists and five rebounds in the 95-88 loss to Drake on Saturday. Junior forward Deng Geu (10.9 points, 61.8 percent from the field) added a career-best 21 points last time out and junior guard Jared Samuelson scored 12 after managing 12 combined in the previous three games.


ABOUT IOWA STATE (6-1): Freshman guard Tyrese Haliburton has gained plenty of experience with increased playing time to start the season, due to the suspensions and injury, and had a season-high 16 points against Omaha last time out. "(Haliburton) just brings a lot of energy to our team," Prohm told the Iowa State Daily. "He's just got a charismatic personality that I think the fans like, that I know I like a lot. He's been fun to coach." Fellow freshman guard Talen Horton-Tucker, who scored 26 in the win over Illinois, averages 14.9 points and senior guard Nick Weiler-Babb adds 9.4 to go along with a team-best 4.7 assists.


TIP-INS


1. The 6-9 Lard averaged 12.6 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds while Talley added 7.5 points per game last season.


2. North Dakota State junior G Tyson Ward averages 9.8 points - 5.0 in the last two - and a team-high 4.9 rebounds.


3. The 6-9 Jacobson is shooting a team-best 65.2 percent from the field and reached double figures scoring in all seven games.


PREDICTION: Iowa State 78, North Dakota State 59

Northwestern St. Demons vs. Texas A&M Aggies Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


After advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years last March, Texas A&M has sputtered out of the gate with a 2-4 record. The Aggies, who snapped a four-game losing streak with a 74-62 victory over South Alabama last Friday, will try for their first win streak of the season when they host Northwestern State on Monday night.


The victory over the Jaguars was also the 350th of A&M coach Billy Kennedy's head coaching career and he improved to 139-102 in eight seasons with the Aggies. But after consecutive losses at home to UC Irvine (74-73), at No. 1 Gonzaga (94-71) and to Minnesota (69-64) and Washington (71-67) in the Vancouver Showcase in Vancouver, B.C., it was just as important for the Aggies to pick up any win before heading into a nine-day break. "Canada was pretty tough for us, but we are getting there," said sophomore guard Jay Jay Chandler, who ranks third on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game. "We are getting back to Texas A&M basketball. We won the game and we just have to keep doing it and keep working." Northwestern State limps in after a 77-47 loss at UTEP on Saturday and has lost six of its last seven games.


TV: 8 p.m. ET, SEC Network


ABOUT NORTHWESTERN STATE (2-6): The Demons, who finished 4-25 overall and 1-17 in the Southland Conference last season, fell behind 10-1 at the start and 37-20 at halftime against UTEP en route to their second straight blowout loss, committing a season-high 22 turnovers while shooting just 54.5 percent from the free throw line and 17.6 percent from 3-point range. "That was a rough night, to say the least," 20th-year head coach Mike McConathy told the school's website. "We catch the ball and at times look like a deer in the headlights. At this stage, that should not be happening." Senior center Ishmael Lane leads the team in both scoring (13.4) and rebounding (7.1) with senior guard DeAndre Love (9.8) second in points per game.


ABOUT TEXAS A&M (2-4): Savion Flagg, a 6-7 sophomore guard, had a career-high 25 points on 12-of-15 from the field in the win over South Alabama and leads the Aggies in scoring (15.5) while sitting second in rebounding (7.5). "We need him to play like that every night," Kennedy told reporters. "Just like that, aggressive offensively and attacking the basket." Sophomore point guard TJ Starks added 13 points in the win and is the only other player averaging in double figures (13.5) while also dishing off a team best 4.0 assists per contest.


TIP-INS


1. Texas A&M is 154-15 all-time at Reed Arena in non-conference games.


2. Aggies F Josh Nebo, a 6-9 junior, had seven blocks in the win over South Alabama and ranks 19th nationally in blocked shots per game (2.67).


3. Starks, who has scored in double figures in the last four games, has already committed 28 turnovers (4.7 per game) compared to just 24 assists.


PREDICTION: Texas A&M 90, Northwestern State 66

Morgan St. Bears vs. Virginia Cavaliers Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


Virginia looks to continue its perfect start to the season as it aims for eight in a row when it welcomes Morgan State on Monday evening. The fourth-ranked Cavaliers left little doubt that they belong in the Top 5 with back-to-back wins over AP Top 25 opponents in their last two games, most recently with a 76-71 victory at Maryland.


Clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch, including six straight over the final 37 seconds, allowed Virginia to hang on for the win against the Terrapins on Thursday despite blowing a 17-point lead in the second half. "We do a really good job of never really worrying or wavering from our ways. So there was never any panic or anything like that. We just knew what we had to do to pull away a little bit more," junior guard Kyle Guy told reporters after the game. Morgan State is still in search of its first road win of the season after falling 82-75 at George Mason on Wednesday. The Bears evened the game at 71 with 2:19 remaining but Patriots guard Otis Livingston II scored five of his game-high 22 in the final two minutes and George Mason finished the game on an 11-4 run.


TV: 7 p.m. ET, ACC Network


ABOUT MORGAN STATE (2-4): "I just think that we need to grow up. I thought we put ourselves in a position to win the game and we just made mistakes down at the end," Bears coach Todd Bozeman told the media after the game. Sophomore guard Kyson Rawls scored a career-high 18 off the bench on 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-6 from the 3-point line. Rawls' individual offensive performance has been a rarity for Morgan State this season as the Bears don't have a single player in double digits in scoring through six games.


ABOUT VIRGINIA (7-0): Guy scored 18 on 6-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-9 from behind the arc, on a night where 3-point shooting was ultimately the difference in the game as the Cavaliers nailed 10 to Maryland's seven. Ty Jerome made three from long range and totaled 17 points while leading scorer De'Andre Hunter added 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Maryland's 71 was the most points that Virginia has allowed this season but the Cavs still rank second in the country at 52.4 points allowed.


TIP-INS


1. Virginia is 7-0 for the third consecutive season.


2. The Cavaliers committed just two turnovers against Maryland, both coming on offensive fouls.


3. The Bears have had a different leading scorer in five of six games.


PREDICTION: Virginia 70, Morgan State 46

Liberty Flames vs. Georgetown Hoyas Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


Coach Patrick Ewing wasn't exactly singing the praises of his Georgetown squad, which will clash with visiting Liberty on Monday, following its latest victory. The Hoyas struggled to beat a Richmond team minus its top two scorers Wednesday and now must contend with another group of visitors from Virginia in the Flames, who are 7-1 for the first time since 1991.


The Hoyas, who are in the midst of their second three-game win streak this season, allowed the Spiders to do whatever they wanted and their only saving grace was that they enjoyed a large disparity in free throws made and attempted. "If we want to beat teams that I expect us to beat, we have to do a much better job." Ewing, who called his team's play terrible, told the media. "If we can't guard the paint and also the 3-point line, we're going to get beat." Despite scoring 29 - one off his career-high - and recording at least 20 points for the third time in the last four games, senior center Jessie Govan bore the brunt of Ewing's commentary after the Hoyas struggled to put away another opponent. Junior forward Scottie James pulled down a career-best 17 rebounds - the 16th double-digit rebound game of his career - as the Flames of the Atlantic Sun Conference ran their winning streak to four games by defeating Georgia State 78-52 at home Saturday.


TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 2


ABOUT LIBERTY (7-1): Sophomore guard Elijah Cuffee has been building up to a breakout performance and it finally came against Georgia State as he set or matched career-highs in points (19), field goals (six), 3-pointers (five) and assists (five). After averaging 7.8 points over the first four games of the season, the sophomore guard from Poca, W.V. has upped his production to 13.3 in the last four games - including 15 points against Alcorn State and 13 against Savannah State. Caleb Homesley also had 19 points against Georgia State and has scored in double figures in 34 games with the Flames, who fell to the Hoyas in their only meeting in 2012.


ABOUT GEORGETOWN (6-1): Freshman Mac McClung scored the most points in Virginia high school history, topping a record previously held by Georgetown great and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, but he has yet to find the touch for the Hoyas. As he has all season, the freshman from Gate City, Va. struggled with this shot against Richmond, but still managed to score a career-high 16 points. McClung is making just 33.3 percent from the field and 19.2 percent from deep and got to the line for the first times this season against Richmond, making six of eight attempts.


TIP-INS


1. Govan, who has made 29 of his last 35 free throw attempts, improved his field goal percentage to 60 percent with an 11-of-15 effort against Richmond.


2. Liberty's top four scorers - James, G Darius McGhee, Cuffee and G Lovell Cabbil Jr. - all shoot better than 35 percent from 3-point land and will be facing a Georgetown unit that has allowed its opponent to make 35.4 percent from deep.


3. Georgetown's last five wins have come by an average margin of 6.8 points.


PREDICTION: Georgetown 80, Liberty 73

Texas Southern Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


A generation after Charles Claxton earned All-SEC honors at Georgia, his son is well on his way to creating his own successful career for the Bulldogs. Nicolas Claxton leads Georgia into Monday's home game against Texas Southern, and the sophomore forward already has three double-doubles through seven games, including a 16-point, 15-rebound performance in Tuesday's 84-51 rout of Kennesaw State that grabbed coach Tom Crean's attention for another reason.


"Nic had zero turnovers, too," Crean told reporters after the Bulldogs shot 52.2 percent from the field in the opener of a four-game homestand. "He has continued to get better and better. He is attacking with his eyes up. He is seeing things so much better." The 6-11 Claxton is averaging 12.1 points and nine rebounds per contest, one season after appearing in 33 games as a freshman. Texas Southern is in the midst of playing 14 of its first 16 games away from home, but has notched a couple of impressive victories. The Tigers, led by former LSU coach Johnny Jones, have road triumphs at Baylor and No. 21 Oregon while losing by 12 points at Iowa State and at Arizona State.


TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network Plus


ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN (3-5): The Tigers feature three former Power 5 conference players on their roster, including 7-2 center Trayvon Reed, who scored 23 points on 9-of-9 shooting against Oregon. LSU transfer Jalyn Patterson leads Texas Southern in scoring at 15 points per game, while Reed is averaging 13 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. Reed only scored seven points in 17 minutes before fouling out in the 83-71 loss at Arizona State on Saturday.


ABOUT GEORGIA (4-3): Sophomore Rayshaun Hammonds, who like Claxton played in 33 games a season ago, leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 14.4 points per game and finished with 14 against Kennesaw State. Georgia still is adjusting to an up-tempo pace in Crean's first season as coach, averaging 17.1 turnovers per game, but are holding opponents to 38.4 percent shooting from the field. Forward Derek Ogbeide averages 10 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest on 53.7 percent shooting.


TIP-INS


1. The Bulldogs hit greater than 50 percent of their shot attempts against Kennesaw State, the third time this season and the first time since the opening two games Georgia has surpassed that mark.


2. Georgia limited the Owls to 27.9 percent shooting from the field and 1-of-15 from 3-point range.


3. Texas Southern, which has reached the NCAA tournament four times in the past six seasons, will play road games at Tulane and Texas A&M before opening conference play.


PREDICTION: Georgia 74, Texas Southern 68

Niagara Purple Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Panthers Preview and Predictions 12-03-2018
NCAAB PREDICTIONS 2ND DECEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE


Pittsburgh coach Jeff Capel was worried how his young team would respond after suffering its first loss in heartbreaking fashion Tuesday at No. 15 Iowa. His kids did just fine in taking down Duquesne in the "City Game" and next play host to Niagara on Monday.


Pittsburgh won its first six games of the season starting three freshmen before dropping a 69-68 verdict to the Hawkeyes, but the Panthers held Duquesne to 33.3 percent shooting in taking down the Dukes 74-53 on Friday. "I am really proud of our guys for this win. I was very worried about this game just coming off such an emotional, gut-punching loss on Tuesday, getting back so late Wednesday morning. We played so hard Tuesday at Iowa, and I knew this game was going to require a lot of emotion because of the rivalry and things like that," Capel said afterward. "Fortunately for us, our defense was good throughout so that kept us in it. In the second half, I thought we got into a little bit of a better rhythm. We were finally able to make some shots at the end and make some threes to push it out." Niagara won two of its first three games for its best start in nine seasons, but the Purple Eagles have dropped their last three contests, including a 79-75 loss at Saint Francis (Pa.) on Friday. Niagara will have its hands full, as the Panthers are 147-7 in non-conference games at the Petersen Events Center.


TV: 7 p.m. ACC Network Extra


ABOUT NIAGARA (2-4): Dominic Robb scored 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting and added eight rebounds, James Towns tallied 16 and Keleaf Tate added 15 points against Saint Francis as the Purple Eagles played without star forward Marvin Prochet for the second straight game because of a toe injury. The 6-7 Prochet, a four-year starter, leads the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in scoring (20.0), rebounds, (11.3), defensive rebounds (7.7), offensive rebounds (3.5) and double-doubles (4), and is 35 points away from becoming the 47th member of the school's 1,000 point club. The 6-8 Robb is averaging 13.8 points, six rebounds and 3.8 blocks and is ranked third on the school's all-time list with 180.


ABOUT PITTSBURGH (7-1): The Dukes shot just 33.3 percent from the floor, the fifth of seven opponents held under 40 percent by a Pitt defense that is second in the ACC and 13th in the nation in field goal percentage defense (.367). Trey McGowens scored 14 points, fellow freshman Xavier Johnson overcame early foul trouble for the third time in four games to finish with 10 points, four rebounds and five assists, and Malik Ellison reached double figures for the fourth time in five games with 13 points. Four Panthers are averaging double figures scoring -- Johnson (16.0), Jared Wilson-Frame (14.1), Ellison (10.6) and McGowens (10.0), and Johnson leads the ACC in free-throw percentage (84.4) and total assists (44).




TIP-INS


1. The all-time series is tied 2-2 and the Panthers won the last meeting in 2014, 78-45.


2. The Purple Eagles are 31-67 against the current members of the ACC.

3. Prochet is 14-for-29 (48.3 percent) from the arc this season but the rest of the team is just 25-for-109 (22.9).


PREDICTION: Pittsburgh 86, Niagara 60