Rutgers (3-0, 0-1 ATS) at Florida (3-0, 1-0 ATS)
The two-time defending national champion Florida Gators try to start 4-0 for the fifth consecutive year when they host Rutgers in a non-conference contest in Gainesville.
Despite losing a slew of key players – and nearly losing its coach – from the last two title teams, Florida has started strong, posting double-digit home wins over North Dakota State (75-65), Tennessee Tech (93-65) and North Carolina Central (105-51). The Gators, who marched through both the SEC and NCAA tournaments unbeaten, have won 13 in a row (9-2 ATS).
Like Florida, Rutgers is off to a 3-0 start, having ironically beaten the same teams as Florida, all at home. In their only lined game, the Scarlet Knights topped Tennessee Tech 70-64, but failed to cover as a 7½-point home favorite. Rutgers, which ended last season in a 2-12 SU slump, is just 6-9 ATS in its last 15 games (5-8 ATS as an underdog).
The Scarlet Knights are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 non-conference games, while Florida is 22-6-1 ATS in is last 29 non-SEC contests. The Gators have also cashed in five straight against Big East foes.
The over is 13-3 in Florida’s last 16 non-conference games and 7-2 in its last nine Saturday tipoffs. Also, the over is 3-0 in Rutgers’ last three lined games.
ATS ADVANTAGE: FLORIDA and OVER
USC (1-1, 1-0 ATS) at South Carolina (2-0, 1-0 ATS)
USC hits the road for the second time this week when it visits South Carolina in an intriguing non-conference matchup.
Coming off a rare NCAA Tournament appearance last year, the Trojans were ranked in the preseason Top 25 – then promptly got walloped by Division II Mercer in the season opener, falling 96-81 at home in a non-lined game. USC bounced back from that defeat and crushed the Citadel 74-47 as a 23-point road favorite on Tuesday.
South Carolina also crushed the Citadel as a 23-point favorite this week, rolling 103-42 at home on Monday. The Gamecocks limped to the finish line last year by losing nine of their final 11 games. However, they are on an 11-4 ATS spurt (3-3 ATS at home).
These teams met in Los Angeles last year, with South Carolina scoring an 80-74 upset victory as a 5½-point road underdog.
The Trojans are 8-2 in their last 10 non-league games, while the Gamecocks are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 non-conference contests.
USC’s much-hyped freshman O.J. Mayo is averaging 24 points, seven rebounds and 4.5 assists in his first two collegiate contests.
The over is 14-3 in USC’s last 17 games overall, including 8-2 on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Virginia (2-0, 0-0 ATS) at (17) Arizona (1-0, 0-1 ATS)
Arizona hits the floor for just the second time this season when it battles Virginia for the fourth consecutive year.
The Wildcats survived a scare in their opener on Tuesday, edging Northern Arizona 76-69 but falling way short as a 20½-point home favorite. Arizona actually got outshot (44.6 percent to 38.3 percent) and outrebounded (37-30), but they made twice as many free throws (24-12).
Going back to last December, the Wildcats are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 games, including 2-8 ATS at home.
Virginia kicked off its campaign with a pair of non-lined home routs of Vermont (90-72) and Howard (92-53). The Cavaliers are just 3-5-1 ATS in their last nine games, including 1-4-1 ATS in road/neutral-site affairs.
Virginia held off Arizona 93-90 as a 1½-point home underdog last November. The home team is 3-0 SU and ATS in the three meetings between these schools the last three years.
Both teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament last year, but neither made it out of the opening weekend, as Arizona lost in the first round and Virginia went down in Round 2.
The under is 11-4 in Arizona’s last 15 games overall, 9-4-1 in Virginia’s last 14 overall, 22-6-2 in Virginia’s last 30 road contests and 6-2 in Arizona’s last eight against ACC opponents.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Saturday's NBA matchup notes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Portland at Washington
Since opening the season with five consecutive losses, Washington has won three straight including a 105-89 victory over Minnesota on Friday behind a season-high 29 points from Butler and 27 from Arenas.
Seattle at Charlotte
Seattle is 5-1 all-time against Charlotte. The only loss was a 119-106 road defeat on Feb. 6, 2006.
Utah at Indiana
The Jazz, who have one of the league's most potent offenses, are averaging 108.1 points per game, with Carlos Boozer averaging 25.9.
Miami at New Jersey
Miami won three of four against the Nets last season, including both meetings in New Jersey.
New Orleans at Minnesota
The Timberwolves lead the all-time series 19-16, but have lost four of the last five meetings, including a 96-94 defeat on April 7 at the Target Center.
Atlanta at Milwaukee
The Bucks look to improve to 4-0 at home this season when they take on the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.
Phoenix at Houston
Phoenix improved to 7-0 this season when scoring 100 points or more with Thursday's win.
Memphis at Dallas
The Dallas Mavericks look to win their 12th straight from the Memphis Grizzlies when they play on Saturday night.
New York at Denver
New York (2-6) could have a particularly difficult time adjusting to Denver's thin air after losing its fifth straight game, 123-118 in double overtime on Friday at Sacramento.
Chicago at L.A. Clippers
The Bulls lost 97-91 to the Clippers at home on Nov. 6 and have dropped 13 of the last 15 games between the teams, including six of the last seven games on the road.
Saturday's NCAAB Top 25 matchup notes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hartford Hawks at No. 6 Louisville Cardinals
The Hawks are 1-25 all-time against Big East opponents. Louisville plays five games in eight days to start the season, the first time the Cardinals have had such a concentrated schedule since 1960.
No. 20 Stanford Cardinal at Siena Saints
Siena has lost all eight of its meetings against ranked opponents since 1996.
No. 13 Oregon Ducks at Portland Pilots
Oregon has lost two of its last three games at Portland's Chiles Center. The Pilots have had no success against ranked teams lately, however, dropping 14 straight to Top 25 opponents since 2000.
Northern Illinois Huskies at No. 21 Southern Illinois Salukis
The Salukis look to win their ninth straight opener and their ninth consecutive victory over Northern Illinois in the teams' first meeting since the Salukis won 98-70 at home on Nov. 30, 1996.
Western Illinois Leathernecks at No. 24 Kansas State Wildcats
Western Illinois (1-1) has won only four times in 54 road games over four-plus seasons under coach Derek Thomas. The Leathernecks went 1-11 away from home last season.
UC Riverside Highlanders at No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga looks to extend its home winning streak over unranked, non-conference opponents to 23 Saturday as it meets UC Riverside (0-3) for the first time.
Ouachita Baptist Tigers at No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M is 37-3 at Reed Arena since the beginning of the 2005-06 season.
Virginia Cavaliers at No. 17 Arizona Wildcats
This marks the fourth straight season these schools have met, and Arizona hopes to take advantage of playing at the McKale Center, as the home team has won each of the last three meetings. The Wildcats beat the Cavaliers 81-51 in Tucson on Nov. 27, 2005.
Pacers forward Troy Murphy returns to lineup against Raptors on Friday night
November 16, 2007
TORONTO (AP) -Indiana Pacers forward Troy Murphy returned to the lineup Friday after missing Wednesday's loss to Washington with a sore left Achilles'. It's the same injury that sidelined Murphy for the first three games of the regular season.
``It's getting better,'' Murphy said. ``I thought I'd turned a corner and then (Tuesday) I got kicked and it kind of swelled up on me.'' Murphy said he'd be slightly limited in his return to action.
``Hopefully I get through tonight and get it going back the right way,'' he said.
Murphy is averaging 12.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in four games this season, including two starts.
Guard Marquis Daniels (sore left knee) did not dress for the Pacers, who have lost five straight.
Toronto was without center Rasho Nesterovic, who sprained his right ankle in Wednesday's loss to Utah. Former Pacer Maceo Baston replaced Nesterovic and was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season.
Anthony Johnson a no-show after disagreement
On a night when the Hawks were in need of another point guard, veteran Anthony Johnson wasn't even in the building. Johnson left Friday morning's shootaround practice early after a disagreement with Hawks coach Mike Woodson. Johnson was later spotted walking out of Philips Arena 70 minutes before tipoff of Friday night's game against Seattle.
Woodson said it was an internal matter and that Johnson would accompany the team to Milwaukee for Satuday night's game against the Bucks.
Johnson started the season opener against Dallas, but played just eight minutes that night. He left the team before the Nov. 4 game in Detroit to be at his wife's side for the birth of their son and hasn't played since rejoining the team three days later. "It's an internal matter that we'll handle in-house," Woodson said.
"Nothing more and nothing less." With Acie Law IV out with an injury and Speedy Claxton nursing the sore knee that has kept him out all season, the Hawks were forced to use an assortment of different lineups to deal with the Sonics. Tyronn Lue started the game and Salim Stoudamire served as his backup and both Joe Johnson and Josh Childress spent time initiating the offense as well.
No Smith, no Law
Johnson wasn't the only player missing for the Hawks Friday night.
Starters Josh Smith and Law, both injured in the third quarter of Wednesday's win over Charlotte, did not play Friday night.
Smith (quad strain) sat on the bench in street clothes. Law, who was fitted for a walking boot on his sprained left ankle immediately after suffering the injury, was ordered to stay home and off his ankle and not make the trip to Milwaukee.
A slow down
Without the services of two of their most reliable energy players in Smith and Law, the Hawks weren't able to duplicate the fantastic start from Wednesday's win against the Sonics.
The Hawks piled up a season-high 63 first half point against the Bobcats en route to a season-high 117 points in the win. They managed only 45 points by halftime Friday night and trailed by 13 at the break.
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