COLLEGE BASKETBALL REPORT
NCAA hoops: Aggies keep rolling; tough loss for UH
Dec 18, 2017, 9:04 pm
The Longhorns picked up a win and a loss. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
TEXAS LONGHORNS (7-3)
Last week (1-1): L-Michigan 59-52, W-Louisiana Tech 75-60
This week: Monday vs. Tennessee St., Friday vs. Alabama
The root of the problems with last season’s Texas basketball team was poor shooting. The Horns had a nightmarish flashback to that in the Michigan game on Tuesday, shooting 36.5% from the field in a 59-52 loss. The offense struggled in their first game without leading scorer Andrew Jones, who Shaka Smart hopes to have back before the New Year. Dylan Osetkowski led the Horns with 17. Osetkowski would also lead them on Saturday, scoring 22 points and pulling down 7 rebounds in a 75-60 win over Louisiana Tech. Texas shot 42% from 3-point range in the win. Texas finishes their non-conference schedule this week hosting Tennessee State on Monday and a solid Alabama squad on Friday.
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (9-1)
Last week (1-0): W-Savannah State 113-66
This week: Tuesday vs. Northern Kentucky, Thursday vs. Buffalo
Texas A&M had a memorable performance against Savannah State in a 113-66 win. The 113 points were the most put up by an Aggie team since 1989, and they also set a school record for made 3-pointers in a game with 16. DJ Hogg hit 5 3-pointers as part of his team high 18 points. The Aggies should go into SEC play with a strong 11-1 mark, assuming they take care of business this week against Northern Kentucky and Buffalo.
HOUSTON COUGARS (9-2)
Last week (1-1): L-@ LSU 80-77, W-Prairie View A&M 92-72
This week: Wednesday vs. Providence
Houston had one of their most disappointing performances of the season, and still almost pulled out a victory against LSU, dropping to the Tigers 80-77 in Baton Rouge. Rob Gray put up 20 points, but shot only 1-6 from 3-point range. The Cougars were out-rebounded for the first time this season. Houston got back on track against Prairie View A&M, with a crushing 92-72 win. Armani Brooks scored 24 in the win, and the Cougars shot better than 50% from 3 in the game. Houston only has one game this week, taking on a strong, but injured Providence team.
RICE OWLS (3-8)
Last week (1-1): W-St. Edwards 91-86, L-@ Texas Tech 73-53
This week: Tuesday @ New Mexico. Friday vs. Texas State
Mixed results for the Owls this week. They got a win over St. Edwards, 91-86, but edging out a lower division school isn’t exactly screaming that things are getting better. Connor Cashew matched his career-high with 27 points in the win. Cashaw had 21 points and 12 rebounds against Texas Tech, but the Owls got hammered 73-53 in Lubbock. The Owls lost the turnover battle 26-9 and were dominated on both ends. Rice travels to New Mexico and hosts Texas State before starting a potentially rough Conference-USA schedule.
BAYLOR BEARS (9-2)
Last week (2-0): W-Texas Southern 99-68, W-Savannah State 118-86
This week: Wednesday vs. Southern
Baylor continues to punish inferior competition this season, pulling in 2 more blowout wins last week. The first was a 99-68 win over Texas Southern, that saw the return of Manu Lecomte who put in 22 points after missing a game with a sprained thumb. Nuni Omot also had 22 in the win. Sunday’s 118-86 dismantling of Savannah State was the Jo Lual-Acuil show. The Baylor center had a career high 31 points and 20 rebounds in the win. Lecomte added 25 points. The Bears just have one game left before Big XII play starts up, Wednesday night against Southern.
TCU HORNED FROGS (12-0)
Last week: IDLE
This week: Monday vs. Texas Southern, Friday vs. William & Mary
Jamie Dixon’s team will look to finish the non-conference season unbeaten with games against Texas Southern and William & Mary this week.
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (9-1)
Last week (0-1): W-Kennesaw State 82-53, W-Rice 73-53
This week: Tuesday vs. Florida Atlantic, Friday vs. Abilene Christian
The Red Raiders had little trouble this week, with blowout wins over Kennesaw State and Rice. 14 players got time on the floor in the 82-53 win over the Kennesaw State Owls. Keenan Evans led the Raiders with 16 and they doubled up Kennesaw on the glass. The Rice Owls didn’t fair much better, as the Raiders smashed their former Southwest Conference opponents 73-53. The Red Raiders shot 49% from the field and forced 26 turnovers. Wins over Florida Atlantic and Abilene Christian would send Tech into conference play with a top 20 ranking.
SMU MUSTANGS (8-3)
Last week (1-0): W-New Orleans 79-66
This week: Monday vs. Boise St., Tuesday vs. Cal Poly
Jimmy Whitt led the Mustangs with 19 points and 8 assists en route to a 79-66 win over New Orleans, improving SMU to 7-0 at home this season. The guard-heavy Ponies shot 11-22 from 3-point range. SMU will look to extend their home winning streak with back to back games against Boise State and Cal Poly on Monday and Tuesday before starting up AAC play.
LSU TIGERS (6-3)
Last week (1-1): W-Houston 80-77, L-Stephen F. Austin 83-82
This week: Tuesday vs. Sam Houston State, Friday vs. North Florida
LSU impressed with a big win over a strong Houston Cougar team, 80-77. Aaron Epps had a career-night, setting personal highs in points (26) and rebounds (16). Tremont Waters had 17 points and blocked the game-tying 3-point attempt with seconds remaining. Epps followed up his hero performance with a rough finish in a 83-82 loss to Stephen F. Austin. Epps missed a game-winning layup at the buzzer for a disappointing finish to a 16 point, 10 rebound effort. The Tigers get Sam Houston State and North Florida this week.
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Welcome to Chaos Week in the NBA. For some, anyway.
Going into Tuesday, there are 55 games left in the season — and 19 of the 20 postseason seeds still to be decided. Oklahoma City will be No. 1 in the Western Conference. Everything else is still at least somewhat up for grabs.
To give an idea, here's a breakdown of who can finish where when the regular season ends Sunday:
—East No. 1 and East No. 2: Cleveland (likely the No. 1) or Boston. The Cavs are four games up with four to play.
—East No. 3: New York has a three-game lead on Indiana.
—East No. 4: Indiana has a three-game lead on Milwaukee. The Bucks could get to No. 4, and New York could fall to 4.
—East No. 5: Milwaukee has a 1 1/2 game lead on Detroit. Indiana could fall to No. 5, and Detroit could get to 5.
—East No. 6: Detroit can’t fall past this spot. Milwaukee finishes 6th if the Pistons catch the Bucks.
—East No. 7: Orlando, Atlanta and Chicago could all finish here.
—East Nos. 8-9-10: Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami could all finish here.
—East Eliminated: Toronto, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Washington.
—West No. 1: It’s Oklahoma City.
—West No. 2: The Rockets will probably finish here. The Los Angeles Lakers can catch them, but it’s a long shot.
—West Nos. 3-4-5-6-7-8: Here’s true wackiness. Houston can’t fall past No. 3. The other six teams in contention here — the Lakers, Denver, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State, Minnesota and Memphis — could all still finish as high as third and as low as eighth. Endless possibilities.
—West No. 9: It’s probably Sacramento, maybe Dallas.
—West No. 10: It’s probably Dallas, maybe Phoenix.
—West Eliminated: Portland, San Antonio, New Orleans, Utah.
Add it up, and 21 of the 30 teams are still playing for something other than lottery odds with less than a week to go in the regular season.
Tuesday's games
Memphis at Charlotte: The Grizzlies need a win to climb out of play-in range.
Chicago at Cleveland: Bulls looking to move out of 9-10 game range, Cavs looking to clinch No. 1 seed.
Washington at Indiana: Pacers looking to wrap up home-court for Round 1.
Atlanta at Orlando: A huge matchup for East play-in positioning. Could be the first of three games between these two in an eight-day span.
Boston at New York: Celtics need 2-0 road finish to match NBA’s best road mark. Knicks looking to lock up No. 3 seed.
Minnesota at Milwaukee: Wolves trying to stay out of play-in, Bucks trying to move closer to No. 5 seed.
LA Lakers at Oklahoma City: Lakers seeking a two-game sweep of trip to OKC ... and then Luka Doncic goes to Dallas on Wednesday.
Golden State at Phoenix: Suns need a big finish to have any chance. Warriors hoping for home-court in Round 1.
San Antonio at LA Clippers: One thing to note; the Spurs’ Chris Paul is still on track to become the second-oldest player to start 82 games, which would be an amazing story.
New Orleans at Brooklyn: No playoff impact.
National TV schedule
Tuesday has a TNT doubleheader, with New York-Boston and Golden State-Phoenix. There's an ESPN doubleheader on Wednesday — Lakers-Mavericks for Luka Doncic's return to Dallas, followed by Denver-Sacramento.
Betting odds
Oklahoma City (+175) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by Boston (+200), Cleveland (+500), then the Lakers (+1000), Golden State (+1200) and Denver (+1600). Nobody else has odds shorter than 35-1.
Key dates
April 11 — All 30 NBA teams play.
April 12 — No games.
April 13 — All 30 NBA teams play, end of regular season.
April 15 — The No. 7 and No. 8 finishers in both conferences play to start the play-in tournament. Winners are the No. 7 seed for the playoffs; losers will host play-in elimination games on April 18.
April 16 — The No. 9 and No. 10 finishers in both conferences play. Winners move on to April 18; losers are finished for the season.
April 18 — The April 15 game losers play host to the April 16 game winners. Winners are the No. 8 seed for the playoffs; losers are finished for the season.
April 19 — NBA playoffs begin.
Numbers watch
—The NBA record for total 3-pointers made in a season fell on Sunday. Boston also has broken the NBA's single-season records for 3-pointers made and attempted by a team.
—For the first time, the NBA could have three players make 300 3-pointers in a season. Detroit's Malik Beasley has 305, Minnesota's Anthony Edwards has 303 and Golden State’s Stephen Curry has 294. Edwards and Beasley are the fourth and fifth players with 300 3s in a season in NBA history. Curry has five seasons of 300 3s or more, James Harden has one and Klay Thompson has one.
—There have been four instances of teammates each having 250 3-pointers in a season: Curry and Thompson did it four times when they were the Warriors' “Splash Brothers.” Boston could have three players reach that number this season: Derrick White is already there with 258, Payton Pritchard has 246 and Jayson Tatum has 243.
Stat of the day
The Thunder are on the brink of setting an NBA record for point differential. They’re winning by an average of 12.5 points per game; the record is 12.3 by the 1971-72 Lakers.
Oklahoma City has outscored teams by 977 points so far; three teams — the 1971-72 Lakers (1,007), the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks (1,005) and the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (1,004) are the only teams to enjoy a 1,000-point differential over a full season.