Letdown Spots
Brian Edwards

Let’s go ahead and label it Letdown Tuesday.

Tennessee is No. 1 for the first time in school history thanks to Saturday’s win at previously-undefeated Memphis. The Volunteers are riding high, but they face a quick turnaround with Tuesday’s trip to Vanderbilt, which is unbeaten at home this year.

Drake knows it is a lock for an at-large berth by virtue of Saturday’s come-from-behind-win at Butler. Now the Bulldogs are back out on the road at Missouri St.

Oklahoma State is suddenly hot with three consecutive wins, including back-to-back upsets as a double-digit underdog. The Cowboys shocked Kansas 61-60 as 10½-point home ‘dogs Saturday. They go for an improbable fourth straight at Missouri.

“All three teams go on the road to face conference opponents who will be eager to bring them back down to earth,” said VegasInsider.com handicapper Pat Hawkins.

We’ll see how these teams fare as they fall into classic letdown situations – on the road, off monster wins and with minimal rest. In the case of Drake and UT, both are playing on the road for the second time in 72 hours.

**Drake at Missouri State**

--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Drake (24-3 straight up, 17-5 against the spread) as a two-point favorite. Most books has the Bulldogs at 1½ late Monday night.

--Drake stayed perfect as an underdog this season (7-0 ATS) by winning 71-64 Saturday at Butler as a 5½-point ‘dog. The Bulldogs hooked up their money-line backers with payouts in the plus 195 range. Josh Young scored 25 points to pace the winners.

Missouri State (14-15 SU, 8-17 ATS) is off a 90-76 win over Central Michigan as an 11-point home favorite. Dale Lamberth had a game-high 25 points, while Deven Mitchell added 23.

--Missouri St. owns a 13-2 SU record and 7-5 ATS mark at home.

--The ‘under’ is 13-12 overall for the Bears, 8-4 in their home games. However, the ‘over’ is on a 8-3 run for Missouri St.

--The ‘under’ is 14-9 overall for Drake, but the ‘over’ is on a 7-1 run for the Bulldogs.

**Oklahoma State at Missouri**

--Oklahoma State (14-12 SU, 8-10 ATS) has won three in a row both SU and ATS. Byron Eaton scored a career-high 26 points, including the game-winning free throw with 12.3 seconds left, to lead the Cowboys to a stunning victory over Kansas.

--Missouri (15-12 SU, 8-13 ATS) won a 60-53 decision over Colorado, but the Tigers failed to cover the number as 11½-point home favorites.

--Missouri has won four of the last five head-to-head meetings against Oklahoma St. Even better, the Tigers are 5-0 ATS over that stretch.

--The ‘over’ is 13-8 overall for Missouri, but the ‘under’ is 5-4 in its home games.

--The ‘under’ is on a 7-2 run for OSU. On the flip side, the ‘over’ is 5-1 in Missouri’s last six outings.

**Tennessee at Vanderbilt**

--LVSC opened Tennessee (25-2 SU, 14-9 ATS) as a three-point favorite with a total of 161. As of late Monday, UT was two at most spots.

--Tennessee is in the classic letdown spot, similar to a situation Florida faced a few years ago in a trip to Rupp Arena after garnering No. 1 honors for the first time in school history. On that occasion, UK absolutely destroyed the Gators.

--Vanderbilt (23-4 SU, 13-13 ATS) has won six straight games, compiling a 4-2 spread record during that stretch. Kevin Stallings’ squad is coming off an 86-74 triumph over Georgia as a nine-point home ‘chalk.’ The Commodores trailed by one at intermission, but they quickly sprinted out to a double-digit lead and cruised to the winner’s circle.

--“Tennessee already crushed Vandy this year, but the Commodores are tough at home and will be looking for payback,” said Hawkins. Indeed, UT spanked Vandy to the tune of an 80-60 count as a 16 ½-point home favorite on Jan. 17. Wayne Chism led the Vols with 18 points and 18 rebounds.

Vandy is unscathed in 17 games at Memorial Gymnasium, but the ‘Dores are a mediocre 7-9 ATS at home.

--J.P. Prince, a Memphis native who John Calipari twice called “P.J.” to the press last week, was the difference for UT at crunch time in the win over Memphis. Prince put the game away by draining a pair of free throws in the waning seconds, and he had a couple of baskets in transition during a spurt late in the second half. Prince, a transfer from Arizona, finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals in just 21 minutes of action.

--The ‘over’ is 14-12 overall for Vandy, 11-5 in its home games. Meanwhile, UT has watched the ‘under’ go 13-10.

--ESPN will provide television coverage at 9:00 p.m. ET.

vegasinsider.com

Sacramento Kings vs. Miami Heat

- The Sacramento Kings and the Miami Heat will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Kings lost to Orlando 112-93 as an 8-point underdog last time out. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (216).

Ron Artest led the Kings with 23 points and Kevin Martin had 21 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

The Heat were cooled off 101-96 by the 76ers last time out, as a slight 2-point home favorite. The 197 points made it OVER the posted total of 193.

Dwyane Wade tossed in a game-high 33 points in the loss.

Current streak:
Miami has lost 11 straight games.

Team records:
Sacramento: 26-29 SU, 30-25 ATS
Miami: 9-45 SU, 18-35-1 ATS

Sacramento most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 2-8
Before playing Atlanta are 6-4
After playing Orlando are 5-5
After a loss are 6-4

Miami most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing LA Lakers are 6-4
After playing Philadelphia are 2-8
After a loss are 0-10

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Sacramento's last 10 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Sacramento's last 10 games when playing on the road against Miami
Sacramento is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento
Miami is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento

Next up:
Sacramento at Atlanta, Wednesday, February 27
Miami at LA Lakers, Thursday, February 28

Orlando Magic vs. New Jersey Nets

- The Orlando Magic and the New Jersey Nets will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at Izod Center.

The Magic defeated Sacramento 112-93 as an 8-point favorite last time out. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (216).

Dwight Howard scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Orlando, while Rashard Lewis added 16 points in the win.

The Nets dominated from the start on Saturday, as they dumped the Pacers 102-91. The Nets covered the 4-point spread, while the 193 points fell UNDER the posted total of 203.

Richard Jefferson led the way with 36 points, and Vince Carter chipped in with 14 points.

Current streak:
Orlando has won 2 straight games.

Team records:
Orlando: 36-22 SU, 36-21-1 ATS
New Jersey: 25-31 SU, 22-33-1 ATS

Orlando most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing Philadelphia are 6-4
After playing Sacramento are 6-4
After a win are 6-4

New Jersey most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 3-7
Before playing Milwaukee are 4-6
After playing Indiana are 7-3
After a win are 5-5

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing New Jersey
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Orlando is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 5 games when playing Orlando
New Jersey is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 6 games at home
New Jersey is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando

Next up:
Orlando at Philadelphia, Wednesday, February 27
New Jersey home to Milwaukee, Thursday, February 28

Phoenix Suns vs. Memphis Grizzlies

- The fans at FedExForum will be treated to a game between the Phoenix Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies when they take their seats on Tuesday.

The Suns lost to Detroit 116-86 as a 3-point favorite last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (201.5).

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 31 points and Leandro Barbosa chipped in with 18 points in the loss.

The Grizzlies lost to Cleveland 109-89 as an 11.5-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (194.5).

Hakim Warrick led the Grizzlies with 21 points and Rudy Gay netted 19 points in the loss.

Current streak:
Memphis has lost 5 straight games.

Team records:
Phoenix: 38-18 SU, 25-29-2 ATS
Memphis: 14-42 SU, 24-32 ATS

Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing New Orleans are 6-4
After playing Detroit are 5-5
After a loss are 10-0

Memphis most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 2-8
Before playing Houston are 4-6
After playing Cleveland are 7-3
After a loss are 1-9

A few trends to consider:
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Memphis
Phoenix is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games
Phoenix is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games at home
Memphis is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Memphis's last 17 games
Memphis is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Phoenix

Next up:
Phoenix at New Orleans, Wednesday, February 27
Memphis at Houston, Friday, February 29

Utah Jazz vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

- The fans at Target Center will be treated to a game between the Utah Jazz and the Minnesota Timberwolves when they take their seats on Tuesday.

The Jazz held off a surge by the Hawks in a 100-94 win on Saturday. The Jazz could not cover the 13-point spread, while the 194 points were UNDER the posted total of 205.

Carlos Boozer had a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Kyle Korver added 13 in the victory.

The Timberwolves lost to Dallas 99-83 as an 8-point underdog last time out. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (190.5).

Al Jefferson led the Timberwolves with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Rashad McCants delivered 17 points.

Current streak:
Minnesota has lost 2 straight games.

Team records:
Utah: 36-20 SU, 29-27 ATS
Minnesota: 11-43 SU, 26-27-1 ATS

Utah most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 8-2
Before playing Detroit are 4-6
After playing Atlanta are 3-7
After a win are 8-2

Minnesota most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing Toronto are 5-5
After playing Dallas are 2-8
After a loss are 4-6

A few trends to consider:
Utah is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games
Utah is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah's last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Utah is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Minnesota's last 11 games
Minnesota is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Minnesota is 11-4-1 ATS in its last 16 games

Next up:
Utah home to Detroit, Wednesday, February 27
Minnesota at Toronto, Wednesday, February 27

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Milwaukee Bucks

- The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at Bradley Center.

The Cavaliers defeated Memphis 109-89 as an 11.5-point favorite last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (194.5).

LeBron James scored 25 points to go along with 11 assists for Cleveland, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 22 points and 13 rebounds in the win.

Michael Redd poured in a game-high 42 points to help the Bucks defeat the Nuggets 115-109 on Saturday. The Bucks won the game as 3.5-point underdogs at home, and the game's 224 points made it OVER the posted total of 213.5.

Redd also had seven rebounds and three assists, while Mo Williams added 26 in the win.

Current streak:
Cleveland has won 3 straight games.

Team records:
Cleveland: 32-24 SU, 26-30 ATS
Milwaukee: 21-35 SU, 25-30-1 ATS

Cleveland most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing Boston are 8-2
After playing Memphis are 5-5
After a win are 5-5

Milwaukee most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 2-8
Before playing New Jersey are 7-3
After playing Denver are 0-10
After a win are 2-8

A few trends to consider:
Cleveland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Milwaukee
Cleveland is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Cleveland is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Milwaukee is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Cleveland

Next up:
Cleveland at Boston, Wednesday, February 27
Milwaukee at New Jersey, Thursday, February 28

Washington Wizards vs. Houston Rockets

- The Washington Wizards and the Houston Rockets will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at Toyota Center.

The Wizards erased a fourth quarter deficit and defeated the Hornets 95-92 last time out, as 10.5-point underdogs. The combined 187 points fell UNDER the posted total of 194.

DeShawn Stevenson led the way with a game-high 33 points, and shot 11-for-21 from the field in the win.

The Rockets defeated Chicago 110-97 as a 9.5-point favorite last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (192).

Tracy McGrady scored 24 points and dished out eight assists for Houston, while Luis Scola added 17 points in the win.

Current streak:
Washington has won 2 straight games.
Houston has won 12 straight games.

Team records:
Washington: 27-29 SU, 33-22-1 ATS
Houston: 36-20 SU, 30-24-2 ATS

Washington most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing Chicago are 6-4
After playing New Orleans are 2-8
After a win are 4-6

Houston most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 5-5
Before playing Memphis are 5-5
After playing Chicago are 6-4
After a win are 10-0

A few trends to consider:
Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Washington's last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Washington's last 10 games when playing Houston
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

Next up:
Washington at Chicago, Friday, February 29
Houston home to Memphis, Friday, February 29

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers

- The Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at STAPLES Center.

The Blazers lost to Boston 112-102 as a 6-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (186).

Travis Outlaw led the Blazers with 17 points, while Brandon Roy scored only nine points before leaving with an ankle injury.

The Lakers defeated Seattle 111-91 as an 11.5-point favorite last time out. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (213).

Kobe Bryant scored 21 points to go along with 10 assists for Los Angeles, while Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 22 points in the win.

Current streak:
Portland has lost 2 straight games.
Los Angeles has won 8 straight games.

Team records:
Portland: 29-27 SU, 27-29 ATS
Los Angeles: 39-17 SU, 36-19-1 ATS

Portland most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 2-8
Before playing LA Clippers are 2-8
After playing Boston are 6-4
After a loss are 4-6

Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 5-5
Before playing Miami are 9-1
After playing Seattle are 4-6
After a win are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 5 games on the road
Portland is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Portland's last 8 games
Portland is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
LA Lakers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games
LA Lakers are 14-2 SU in their last 16 games when playing at home against Portland
LA Lakers are 12-3 SU in their last 15 games at home

Next up:
Portland at LA Clippers, Wednesday, February 27
LA Lakers home to Miami, Thursday, February 28

Seattle SuperSonics vs. Golden State Warriors

- The Seattle SuperSonics and the Golden State Warriors will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at Oracle Arena.

The Sonics lost to the Lakers 111-91 as an 11.5-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (213).

Mickael Gelabale scored 21 points to lead Seattle, while Jeff Green and Kevin Durant each had 15 points in the loss.

Baron Davis had a game-high 35 points for Golden State in their 117-110 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

The Warriors had been favored by 7.5 points at home in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the night's posted total (220).

Team records:
Seattle: 15-40 SU, 27-27-1 ATS
Golden State: 33-22 SU, 23-32 ATS

Seattle most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing Denver are 7-3
After playing LA Lakers are 3-7
After a loss are 4-6

Golden State most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing Philadelphia are 4-6
After playing Atlanta are 4-6
After a loss are 9-1

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Seattle's last 7 games
Seattle is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing at home against Seattle
Golden State is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Seattle
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Seattle

Next up:
Seattle home to Denver, Wednesday, February 27
Golden State home to Philadelphia, Friday, February 29

Tuesday’s Pregame Buzz

Orlando Magic at New Jersey Nets

* The New Jersey Nets have won 5 of 7 games after dropping 12 of the previous 14, including 2 out of 3 since trading guard Jason Kidd. EDGE: NETS
* Nets forward Jason Richardson is averaging 31 points per game while shooting 56 percent from the field in 3 games since the All-Star Break. Kidd’s replacement Marcus Williams also scored a season-high 25 points against the Bulls last week. EDGE: NETS
* New Jersey has won 4 straight at home and has been playing much better at the Izod Center lately. The Nets are outscoring their opponents by an average of 11 points during this home winning streak. EDGE: NETS
* The Orlando Magic enter this contest winning 4 of their last 5 games, with Dwight Howard leading the way. Howard is averaging 29 with 14 rebounds while shooting 78 percent from the field in his last 3 games. EDGE: MAGIC
* The Magic have defeated the Nets twice this season by an average of 20 points. Howard is averaging 18 points and 15 rebounds against New Jersey this season. EDGE: MAGIC
* Magic are 25-10-2 ATS in their last 37 road games.
* Nets are 8-17-1 ATS in their last 26 home games.
* The OVER is 12-5 in Orlando's last 17 games vs. Atlantic Division.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks

* Cavs are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games.
* Cavs are 15-4 ATS in their last 19 games vs. Central Division.
* Bucks are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. Central Division.
* The OVER is 7-3 in Milwaukee's last 10 Tuesday games.
* The OVER is 14-5-1 in Cleveland's last 20 Tuesday games.
* The OVER is 9-3 in Milwaukee's last 12 games vs. Central Division.
* The UNDER is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings.

Washington Wizards at Houston Rockets

* The Rockets are going for their 13th straight win, and they are an impressive 10-2 ATS during their current 12-game winning streak.
* The OVER is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
* The OVER is 8-2 in Washington's last 10 road games.
* The UNDER is 7-3 in Houston's last 10 games overall.

Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Lakers

* Lakers are 37-18-1 ATS in their last 56 games overall.
* Blazers are 17-5 ATS in the last 22 meetings.
* Blazers are 4-17 ATS in their last 21 games overall.
* Underdog is 18-4 ATS in the last 22 meetings.
* The OVER is 8-3 in Portland's last 11 Tuesday games.
* The UNDER is 6-2 in Portland's last 8 games overall.

CBB

Ohio State at #12 Indiana

* The Hoosiers had covered 4 of 5 before barely beating Northwestern on Saturday in the first game under interim head coach Dan Dakich. They trailed at halftime 37-35 before battling back for an 85-82 victory. Though very talented, the team's motivation is definitely under the microscope now without former head coach Kelvin Sampson around. As freshman Eric Gordon said: "He wasn't just like a coach. He was more like a father to us. We just miss him." EDGE: OHIO STATE
* The Buckeyes have dropped 3 of 4 and are coming off a 58-53 home loss to Wisconsin on Sunday. That setback means it will be an uphill battle the rest of the way for the defending NCAA finalists, who got off to a promising 12-3 start but have gone 5-7 since then. EDGE: INDIANA
* Indiana has covered 3 straight in the series despite losing twice SU. The Hoosiers had won 3 of the previous 4 meetings.
* Ohio State is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games overall.
* The OVER is 6-1 in Indiana's last 7 games overall.
* The UNDER is 9-2 in Ohio State's last 11 games overall.

Southern Illinois at Bradley

* Southern Illinois has won 4 straight games - the school's longest winning streak of the season. During the streak, the Salukis have made 40-of-83 shots from three-point range. EDGE: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
* The Salukis have averaged 10.7 fewer points on the road this season, which has translated into a disappointing 2-9 record away from home. EDGE: BRADLEY & UNDER
* Southern Illinois has won 13 of the last 16 meetings with Bradley. All 3 of the losses have come on the road (2003, 2006, 2007). SLIGHT EDGE: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
* Including a 7-2 record since his return, the Braves are 13-5 in the 18 games they have played with their healthy star Daniel Ruffin in the lineup. However, Ruffin is listed as questionable due to a suspension and missed Saturday's game. (Check status on the Pregame Wire!) EDGE: BRADLEY
* Southern Illinois is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 road games.
* Bradley is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games overall.
* Bradley is 37-16-3 ATS in its last 56 home games.
* The OVER is 8-1-1 in Bradley's last 10 Tuesday games.

#1 Tennessee at #18 Vanderbilt

* Tonight's game features the SEC's Top 2 scoring and three-point shooting teams. Tennessee leads the SEC with 83.3 points and 9.19 three-pointers per game while Vanderbilt is second with 81.0 points and 8.93 triples. EDGE: OVER
* Tennessee has outrebounded each of its last 9 opponents and owns a +6.3 rebounding advantage during those games. The Volunteers are averaging 16.9 offensive rebounds during that stretch. EDGE: TENNESSEE
* Volunteers head coach Bruce Pearl is 15-6 SU against ranked teams while at Tennessee. EDGE: TENNESSEE
* The Commodores' 17 home wins this season are the most by a Vanderbilt team since Memorial Gym was opened in 1952. Vanderbilt has won 17 straight home games and 30 of its last 31 games at home. BIG EDGE: VANDERBILT
* Tennessee is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games overall.
* Tennessee is 6-2 ATS in its last vs. SEC.
* Tennessee is 9-4-1 ATS in its last 14 road games.
* The OVER is 36-17 in Vanderbilt's last 53 home games.
* The UNDER is 9-3 in Vanerbilt's last 12 games overall.
* The UNDER is 9-3 in Vanderbilt's last 12 games vs. SEC.

Pregame.com

No. 1 Tennessee faces nasty game at Vandy
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tennessee didn't get much time to celebrate the first No. 1 ranking in school history before facing its first big challenge from that position.

Following a thrilling weekend victory, the top-ranked Volunteers visit No. 18 Vanderbilt on Tuesday night in an SEC matchup. Oddsmakers have opened the Vols as two-point road favorites and the total was set at 160 1/2.

Tennessee (25-2, 11-1) heads into Memorial Gym one day after taking over the top spot in the AP poll. The Volunteers claimed the top spot after Saturday's 66-62 road win over then-No. 1 - and unbeaten - Memphis.

"Being top-rated in the polls isn't something we anticipated. But Saturday night was a special night of basketball in the state of Tennessee," Vols coach Bruce Pearl said. "Two great teams played very hard, and it was a shame either had to lose."

It was Tennessee's first win over a top-ranked opponent since 1969, and came despite a quiet night from top scorers Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith. Lofton, who leads the Volunteers with 15.1 points per game, was held to just seven points while shooting 2-for-11 from the field. Smith, who is averaging 14.1 points, managed only nine but added 10 rebounds.

Smith's biggest points came late, as he hit a turnaround jumper with 26.5 seconds left to give Tennessee a 62-61 lead it would not relinquish.

The Volunteers' schedule isn't getting much easier. After visiting the Commodores (23-4, 8-4), Tennessee hosts Kentucky on Sunday. The Wildcats are two games behind Tennessee in the SEC East.

The Volunteers defeated Vanderbilt 80-60 at home on Jan. 17, but Pearl doesn't expect another easy win Tuesday.

"I'm not concerned with the ranking other than it makes the prize even bigger for Vanderbilt or any other team that will play us," he said. "To have the opportunity to beat the number one team in the country is an opportunity that is not extended very often. I know it was a big factor for us in our preparation for Memphis. There was almost an air of 'everything to gain and nothing to lose (mentality).'"

Tennessee has lost three of its last four visits to Vanderbilt, although the last seven meetings there have all been decided by fewer than 10 points. Three of the last four have been decided by five or fewer.

"Of course, we know we're going to get everybody's best shot," Volunteers guard Raymar Smith said. "We've got to take it and deliver and step up. That's really what it's all about right now."

Vanderbilt has won six straight, including an 86-74 win at home over Georgia on Saturday. The Commodores have also won 17 straight home games and 30 of their last 31.

Shan Foster is coming off one of his best games of the season. The senior forward had 29 points, six rebounds and four assists against the Bulldogs.

Foster is second in the SEC in scoring with 19.3 points per game and is the conference's leading 3-point shooter at 44.9 percent.

Vanderbilt shot 50.8 percent from the field Saturday, including a 12-for-26 effort from 3-point range. The Commodores trailed by one at the half, but shot 63 percent from the field in the second half to pull away.

Although the success of Tennessee and Memphis has left Vanderbilt out of the national spotlight, Commodores coach Kevin Stallings doesn't appear bothered.

"I think you get what you deserve," said Stallings, whose team is two wins shy of matching the school's regular-season best, set in 1992-93. "I think we've gotten our share of acknowledgment, notoriety and attention. ... Tennessee and Memphis have had great years. They're getting what they deserve. I don't feel we're slighted in the least."

The Commodores are 6-13 all-time against No. 1 teams.

Dyson returns to Huskies after missing 9 games,Kelly out.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

STORRS, Conn. (AP) -Jerome Dyson has been reinstated to the Connecticut basketball team after missing nine games while suspended for failing a drug test.

The sophomore guard will be eligible to play Tuesday at Rutgers, coach Jim Calhoun said.

''We'll see where he fits in,'' Calhoun said Saturday after the 13th-ranked Huskies' 67-65 loss to Villanova. ''I fully expect I would start the same team. There's no reason why I wouldn't start the same team at Rutgers that we have right now.''

Dyson had averaged over 14 points a game before his suspension, which began after he and sophomore guard Doug Wiggins were cited by campus police for possession of alcohol by a minor.

Wiggins passed a drug test and served a two-game suspension.

The Huskies lost another player Saturday.

Reserve forward Curtis Kelly is expected to be out up to three weeks after dislocating his left elbow in the first half of the game with Villanova, UConn officials said.

Ted Sevransky's NBA notes and quotes

With many of the other top contenders in the West making significant trades to bolster their roster, the Denver Nuggets inability to acquire Ron Artest at the trading deadline doesn’t bode well for their long term chances. In recent seasons, the Nuggets have been a second half pointspread powerhouse. Last year, following an 0-3 start, they went 19-9 ATS after the All Star break. In ’06, they went on a 12-4 post All Star break ATS run before tailing off late. And of course many of us remember the Nuggets remarkable ATS run to close out the 2005 regular season, with an 18-2-1 hot streak from the beginning of March through the final week of the campaign.

This year following the break, the Nuggets are trending in the opposite direction, not playing a lick of defense. In their first three games following the layoff, Denver allowed 118, 135 and 115 points and allowed Milwaukee to rally back from a 23-point deficit against them over the weekend.

“We looked like a tired team at the end of the game. We’re not playing 48 minutes on the road," coach George Karl said following the loss which dropped Denver to 11-16 on the road this season. "We’re playing good basketball for stretches, but defensively we’re giving up way too many points.” No surprise here that the Nuggets are 8-2 to the Over in their last ten games.

Since dumping Pau Gasol for pennies on the dollar, the Memphis Grizzlies have declined from ‘bad’ to ‘truly dismal.’ Memphis closed the weekend in the midst of a 1-10 SU, 3-8 ATS run, with five of their last six losses coming by double figure margins. The Grizzlies are now the single worst team in the entire league according to my power ratings.

Grizzlies head coach Marc Iavaroni isn’t very happy with the effort shown by some of his veterans during this awful campaign. “We are in a rebuilding phase," he said. "The guys are working hard but you can’t take a possession off. When you have got four guys working hard and one guy takes a possession off, that gets to you.” With three young point guards vying for playing time and no established veteran presence whatsoever on the roster, we can expect the Grizzlies to remain a ‘bet against’ team throughout the remainder of this awful season.

While Memphis crashes and burns, the equally hapless Minnesota Timberwolves are making an enormous profit for their supporters by being a bad team playing with heart, passion and pride down the stretch of a rebuilding campaign. Minnesota has gotten healthier in recent weeks. Last year’s rookie sensation Randy Foye missed 43 games with a leg injury but he’s been working back into shape. Foye played 40 minutes in Minnesota’s recent spread-covering one-point loss to San Antonio, indicating that he’s nearing full strength. And Theo Ratliff returned to the lineup following a 45-game injury layoff, improving the T-wolves low post depth.

Minnesota is in the midst of an 11-3-1 ATS run since mid-January in large part because of their stellar effort and their lack of support from the betting marketplace which has maintained their pointspread value. Point guard Sebastian Telfair: “We know we’re not going to the playoffs this year. We got to get what we can get out of the rest of these games. We need to keep learning.”

The Orlando Magic have been winning games and covering spreads on the road since Day 1 of this NBA season, with more straight up road victories than any team in the league. But the Magic’s home results have lagged noticeably behind for much of the campaign, as the Magic lost eight of their first fifteen home games in outright fashion. We’ve seen a dramatic uptick from the Magic at home in recent weeks, 8-3 SU in their last eleven home games, including a wire-to-wire blowout of the 76ers this past weekend.

“We’ve got to start winning a lot of games at home, and playing good in front of our crowd, getting our fans going, get everybody up on their feet," said emerging superstar Dwight Howard following the win over Philly. "Come playoff time, we’re really going to need our fans into the game so we can win.”

First-year head coach Stan Van Gundy added “when you’re fighting so hard to get a home-court advantage in the playoffs, we have to play better on our home court.” Expect a concerted effort from Orlando in its upcoming home games, with six of their next nine opponents at home coming in with sub .500 records.

The Phoenix Suns went into their ESPN marquee matchup against Boston last Friday with a 2-8 SU, 1-9 ATS mark in games where they failed to reach 100 points. Against the Celtics strong transition defense, Phoenix was unable to convert rebounds and turnovers into easy transition buckets, scoring only 85 points. However, the Suns own defense was truly stellar, forcing 20 Boston turnovers while holding the Celtics to 38 percent shooting and 77 points for the game.

Suns forward Grant Hill: “To win with our defense, which I thought we did tonight, it’s tremendous. We kind of played like an East Coast team.” Two-time MVP Steve Nash, talking about the impact of Shaquille O’Neal: “He gives us a big presence. We’re not the short, skinny guys anymore. It’s nice to be on that end of the battle sometimes.” If the Phoenix defense continues to exceed expectations, there should be enormous value betting the normally high scoring Suns under the total in the weeks and months to come.

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Tuesday's Tip Sheet
By Chris David

Eight games are listed on Tuesday’s docket and if you bet the NBA routinely, then you’re probably aware of the recent ‘chalk’ run. Favorites have notched an impressive 11-3 straight up and 10-4 against the spread mark the past two days. Total players should also know that the ‘under’ went 5-0-1 last night and some gamblers might’ve been able to cash the Bulls-Mavs total of 196 1/2 (102-94) if you purchased at the right time.

Will the trends continue tonight or is it time to fade the favorites? A rule of thumb that was taught to this writer is that you never bet against a team that has won three or more games in a row and never back a team that has lost three or more in a row.

If you stick with this principle, it might be tough to place a wager tonight since we’ve got a handful of teams that are streaking in opposite directions.

As my colleague Josh Jacobs pointed out in his Power Rankings, the L.A. Lakers and Houston Rockets are two of the hottest teams in the league and both clubs are on the hardwood tonight.

Do we press the favorites or expect the ‘dogs to bounce back?

We’ll leave that up to you as we break’ em down in order of rotation.

**Sacramento (26-29 SU, 30-24 ATS) at Miami (9-45 SU, 18-34 ATS)**

Sacramento continues its five-game road trip Tuesday with a trip to South Beach against a struggling Miami club. The Kings are 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five, while the Heat are 0-11 SU and 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games. The streak might come to an end tonight if the head-to-head trends continue, considering Miami has won and covered seven straight against Sacramento. The Heat’s defense has been horrendous of late, surrendering triple digits in nine of the past 11.

**Orlando (36-22 SU, 35-21 ATS) at New Jersey (25-31 SU, 22-34 ATS)**

Orlando is 20-11 SU and 21-10 ATS on the road and New Jersey has only gone 14-15 SU and 10-19 ATS at home. However, the Nets have won and covered two in a row at home without the services of point guard Jason Kidd (Traded to Dallas). The Magic are on a bit of a roll too, going 4-1 both SU and ATS in their last five, with all four wins coming by double digits. Orlando has won two of the first three meetings against New Jersey this year, including a 25-point (95-70) road win. The ‘under’ has cashed in all three of the contests.

**Utah (36-20 SU, 29-25 ATS) at Minnesota (11-43 SU, 25-28 ATS)**

This will be the first meeting between these teams this season. Last year, Utah was 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS versus Minnesota. The ‘over’ went 3-1 in the four tilts. The Jazz tend to play down to their opponents on the road, posting an inconsistent 12-17 record both SU and ATS. Nine of Minnesota’s 11 wins this year have come at Target Center.

**Cleveland (32-24 SU, 26-30 ATS) at Milwaukee (21-35 SU, 25-30 ATS)**

This Central Division rivalry has been dominated by LeBron James and company of late, watching Cleveland win seven of the past eight meetings against Milwaukee. Despite losing, the Bucks have managed to cover three in a row against the Cavaliers. The Bucks’ offense is averaging 106.3 points per game in their last four, which has helped the ‘over’ go 4-0. The total for tonight’s contest opened at 199, which is almost six points higher (193.5) than the previous two battles this year. The ‘over’ cashed in both those games.

**Phoenix (38-18 SU, 24-30 ATS) at Memphis (14-42 SU, 22-33 ATS)**

Last year, the Suns swept the regular season series (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS) against the Grizzlies. The total went 2-2. Tonight’s battle will be the first of three matchups between the two this year. Memphis is listed as a 10-point home ‘dog and hasn’t been kind to backers of late, going 0-5 both SU and ATS in its last five. Phoenix is just 1-2 both SU and ATS since it acquired Shaquille O’Neal from Miami and the offense has been held 98 PPG with the big man, almost 11 points below the team’s season average (109.2 PPG). Double-digit road favorites in the NBA have gone 50 percent (5-5) ATS this year, but Phoenix is 0-2 in this role.

**Washington (27-29 SU, 33-22 ATS) at Houston (36-20 SU, 31-24 ATS)**

The Wizards stunned the Hornets 95-92 last night as a 10 ½-point road underdog. Capturing another victory away from home on Tuesday might be a tad more difficult, considering the opponent. Houston is the hottest team in the NBA, winning 12 straight and covering 10 of the 12 games. What’s amazing is that the Rockets still sit in fourth place of the Southwest Division. Houston has won five consecutive meetings against Washington, including a 92-84 road victory on Jan. 8.

**Seattle (15-40 SU, 27-27 ATS) at Golden State (33-22 SU, 23-30 ATS)**

The Sonics have no chance to make the postseason this year, but gamblers should be aware that this team has been decent versus the number. The club is 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS after the All-Star break and is playing with more confidence. Last year’s playoff surprise, Golden State, better start learning how to play defense or it won’t be dancing anytime soon. The Warriors can’t stop anybody lately, surrendering a league-worst 108.1 PPG. Since the break, Don Nelson’s team has given up 118, 119, 117 and 117 points. The club is 1-6 ATS in the last seven games, despite going 4-3 SU. Not to be surprised, the ‘over’ is on a 14-2 run the past 16 games. Despite this trend, the previous three meetings between Seattle and Golden State have gone ‘under’.

**Portland (29-27 SU, 27-29 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (39-17 SU, 36-19 ATS)**

It appears that the wheels have finally fallen off the Trail Blazers’ wagon, watching the team from the Great North West crush gamblers recently. Nate McMillian’s team has been horrendous against the spread, going 1-14 in the last 15 games. The skid could get worse Tuesday with a road battle at Staples Center against the Lakers, who have won and covered eight in a row. Phil Jackson’s team is averaging 115 PPG during this streak and six of the victories have come by double digits. Guess that’s why the Purple and Gold are laying 15-plus points tonight.

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