#and the 3-shot arc 11.5

[wall-e-gorl]

Half a comic for day one: fave arc/ roll for au! i rolled podcast au, and when i went to spotify to look at my list, i actively had Midnight Burger open and thats perfect so i had to.

What podcast do i mash with the "train traveling dimensions as she gains sentience and godhood while the staff deals with resulting problems" crew other than the "time space universe traveling diner solves problems with the power of science and friendship and jesus (but in a good way)" podcast?

edit: part two here!

[anisanews]

March Madness bracket busters 2021: Which 13 seed is best bet for a first-round upset?

Will there be a lucky No. 13 in the 2021 NCAA men’s basketball tournament?  

The track record 13 seeds in the NCAA tournaments isn’t great. The No. 4 seed is 111-29 – a winning percentage of .793 – in the first round. A total of six No. 13 seeds have advanced to the Sweet 16 – and none made it to the Elite Eight.  

That list includes Valparaiso (1998), Richmond (1998), Oklahoma (1999), Bradley (2006), Ohio (2012) and La Salle (2013). Ohio pushed No. 1 North Carolina to the limit in a 73-65 overtime thriller in that 2012 run. The Bobcats are back in the tournament this year, too, and one of the more-intriguing upset picks again. Are they the best bet to pull off another 4-13 upset?  

Sporting News takes a closer look at the four matchups to find out:  

HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED: 15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5

13 Liberty vs. 4 Oklahoma State  

FanDuel odds: Oklahoma State -9 (O/U 142)  

Why this could happen: Liberty averages just 9.7 turnovers per game – and Oklahoma State commits 15.9 turnovers per game. The Flames have the guard play necessary with Darius McGhee and Chris Parker, and this an experienced team that pulled a 5-12 upset in 2019. Liberty takes a 12-game winning streak into the tournament, and that makes them a dangerous team. Liberty does not have Cade Cunningham. The All-American averaged 20.2 points per game, and the Cowboys’ offense will pose a style challenge for Liberty – especially if the second-chance points are there. If Oklahoma shoots better than 50 percent from the field, then the Flames will have trouble keeping it within double digits.  

13 UNC-Greensboro vs. 4 Florida State 

FanDuel odds: Florida State –11.5 (O/U 145)  

Why this could happen: Senior guard Isaiah Miller is a superstar player who can go off. He averages 27.4 points per game in his last five games, and UNC-Greensboro won eight of their last 10. Florida State lost three of its last five games. The Seminoles have advanced to the second weekend in their last two tournament appearances, however, and the matchup between 7-foot centers Balsa Koprivca and Hayden Koval will go a long way in determining the tempo. The Seminoles rank eighth in the nation in three-point percentage (39.0), and leading scorer M.J. Walker shoots 44.4 percent behind the arc. He would need to have an off night for UNC-Greensboro to have a chance.  

BRACKET PICKS: DeCourcy (Gonzaga) | Bender (Illinois) | Fagan (Gonzaga)

13 North Texas vs. 4 Purdue  

FanDuel odds: Purdue –7.5 (O/U 125)  

Why this could happen: The Mean Green caught fire in the Conference-USA tournament, and North Texas has four players who averaged double figures in the regular season. The Mean Green have a top-10 scoring defense that allowed 61.5 points per game. The challenge is for 6-10 forward Zachary Simmons, who will have to be more active against a Purdue front line led by forward Trevion Williams, who averages 15.6 points and nine rebounds, and 7-4 center Zach Edey. If guard Jaden Ivey is on, then North Texas will be in trouble. Under Matt Painter, the Boilermakers are 9-2 in the first round, and they have reached the second weekend in each of their last three appearances.  

13 Ohio vs. 4 Virginia  

FanDuel odds: Virginia –8 (O/U 132)  

Why this could happen: Virginia’s biggest issues are off the court right now after COVID-19 issues forced the Cavaliers to pull out of the ACC tournament. The Cavaliers still give up just 60.5 points per game, and opponents commit 12.4 fouls per game against Virginia. They will test Ohio’s patience with that defense and their ability to limit possessions. A pair of Wisconsin natives – Virginia’s Sam Hauser and Ohio’s Ben Vander Plas – come into focus. Vander Plas will have to at least match Hauser – one of the ACC’s best players. The challenge lies on Ohio star guard Jason Preston, who averages 16.6 points, 7.2 assists and 6.8 rebounds. Ohio shot 26 of 58 from 3-point range in the MAC tournament, and that hot shooting will need to continue to have a chance against the 2019 national champions.  

REGION BREAKDOWNS: WEST | EAST | SOUTH | MIDWEST

Which 13 seed is best bet for an upset?

North Texas has the lowest point spread of the four, but we don’t like their chances against that big Purdue front line.  

UNC-Greensboro has the most-intriguing scorer in Miller, but Florida State presents too many problems on the offensive end.  

Liberty has the best of the four teams, and even with that ability to limit possessions it’s tough to pick the Flames against Cunningham and that Oklahoma State offense.  

Ohio is the best chance for an upset – and to cover the spread knowing the Cavaliers are 11-13 ATS this year – but it’s also a game that Virginia could dominate if the Bobcats have a rough shooting night.  

This might be another unlucky year for No. 13 as a result. 

from Anisa News https://ift.tt/3vqEqJ1

[teamwynn]

The Night Voice Retrospective, Pt. 5

[Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 11.5 | Part 12]

Enough of the antagonists (for now), let’s move on to how the book handled characterization for the protagonists.

Everyone is out of character the whole damn book, I don’t even have anything clever to say

I know I’m being a bit unfair with that header, because there actually was a portion of the book where some of the characters were in character (see next point), but generally speaking, this was a huge problem throughout the book. Leesil was unrelentingly snappy and bitter; Wynn was mopey and despondent for no apparent reason (at least Leesil had an external motivation for his bad attitude, as uncharacteristic as it was); Shade was a pushover; Wayfarer had a bunch of growth off-page but the nature of that growth was never made clear, leaving her just kind of ambiguously different than how she had been; any possible growth that Osha might or should have had was ignored in favor of locking him into Jaded Nice Guy ™ mode for the rest of his time in the series, which I suppose is in-character until you consider that even Osha seems like the sort to maybe learn from his mistakes every once in a while; and Magiere and Brot’an were as good as not there for how little either of them did or said anything in the plot. For the most part, the only character whose attitude and actions consistently made sense in the book was il’Sanke’s, despite him literally not being himself, and the whole “being trapped inside his own head” thing rather severely limited the scope of aforementioned attitude and actions.

And, look, I get it. It’s the final leg of their quest, everyone’s sick of being trapped in il’Sanke’s apartment, no one is in a good mood. Leesil and Wynn’s uncharacteristic attitudes made sense in the first chapter, given the ongoing stress and irritation of their situation. That doesn’t explain why Wayfarer was pushing so hard to have Osha train with the She’ith given that she straight-up stopped talking to him once they got there. That doesn’t explain why Shade didn’t push back against Wynn sending her away beyond a brief moment of the dog equivalent of foot-stomping (twice). Why Magiere went along with “il’Sanke’s” obviously terrible idea for the orbs with, like Shade, only a brief token effort of reluctance. Why Brot’an suddenly no longer cared about the elven rebellion but still, for some reason, continued working alongside Magiere and co. despite no longer having a motivation to do so. See again the point about no one calling il’Sanke out for being aggressively and tellingly shadier than usual.

And as a result, since no one is acting like themselves, all the character dynamics were completely shot. Almost every conversation in the book is wooden and soulless, even when it’s supposed to be some kind of huge emotional turning point. It’s like every character had their heads so far up their own asses that they forgot how to interact with each other. Why their heads are so far up their asses is never explained, either. Again, the stress of the Neverending Sleepover at il’Sanke’s explains it for the first chapter or so. But, in all honesty, the vampire apocalypse as it ended up playing out isn’t that big of a direct threat to any of them. So far, they’re just hearing rumors (which were fabricated by the specter, anyway) that vampires are attacking stray villagers way out in the desert. So, even when you take into account that the specter’s lie ended up being true by sheer coincidence (wow, what a fucking plot twist), the stakes are still exactly as high as they were in Dhampir, which is “some country bumpkins we don’t know might be eaten.” Which, yeah, that sucks for the country bumpkins, but doesn’t exactly explain why everyone is so distraught that they keep getting into arguments with each other over nothing and emotionally withdrawing completely at the slightest upset. It’s a shitty situation, but not “everyone forgot how to be a person”-level of shitty.

I want to get into more specifics here, but honestly, it was such a widespread issue that it’s hard to pinpoint specific examples that really encapture the scope of the problem. Ultimately, for the majority of the book, I felt like I was reading about characters I had never met before who just coincidentally all shared names with the characters who I had been hoping to read about.

The Wacky Hijinx of Chap and Chane (would be great, if they were happening in a different book)

I have something good to say! I liked this part! Did you notice a few characters that I didn’t call out in the last point? That’s because Chap and Chane were actually in-character for this part of the book, it explored an interesting character dynamic that had been largely untouched so far, and Ore-Locks was there! Ore-Locks makes everything better. So, clearly I have no complaints with this part of the book, right?

You fools, I always have something to complain about.

While the rip-roaring adventures of Chap, Chane, and Ore-Locks were delightful and as in-tune with the saga’s overall tone of humor from earlier in the series, the problem is that this is neither the place nor time. The entire series is over in 200 pages and Most Aged Father is still alive, and we’re using precious, precious word count assing around with Chap and Chane in the Mines of Moria? Get out of my face with that! There are loose threads to tie; we don’t have time for fun!

This whole part would have been fine in the second-to-last book or some supplementary short story type of content--a book DLC, if you will--but oh my god, there is so much plot that needs to happen before the end and it’s not happening in favor of these clowns?

That said, these scenes were the most enjoyable in the book and reminded me that I was, in fact, reading an actual Noble Dead book. Chap and Chane’s petty exchanges were actually pretty funny, and Chane and Ore-Locks’ exchanges were extremely gay, which I am always in favor of. (And in how many other works of fiction can you reasonably ship a vampire with a dwarf? It’s amazing.) This is also where most of the follow-up on the Seven Leaves of Life subplot comes up, which, holy shit! An ongoing series plotline that actually got resolved! Wowzers. It’s a Christmas miracle.

Tomorrow’s post will continue with the theme of characterization, focusing primarily on Osha’s character arc and how that was handled. (I hope you guys like profanity.)

[gbbpicks]

Brown vs. Columbia Friday, Feb 21, 2020 Basketball Picks, Prediction, and Preview

Brown faces Columbia on Friday, Feb 21, 2020 at 7:00 PM EST Clash.

Brown and Columbia face off in an important game for both teams. Brown with a record of 12-9 this season comes into this game as a 1.5 point favorite with a 2-7 record on the road. Columbia is a 6-18 this season and is 5-3 at home. Both have players to meet and know. So let’s meet them.

The Brown Roster

The Players to Watch for Brown Brandon Anderson – 6-1 170 pound Senior Guard Brandon Anderson has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 3.1, which puts him among the best in the conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 97.5 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Anderson is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 0.5 points. He has a usage rate of 29.5 percent, which makes him a very important player on the floor. On the offensive end, Anderson has a True Shooting Percentage of 50.8 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 44.3 percent. He takes 40.1 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 41.0 percent. Anderson is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 34.3 percent of the time and he takes 25.6 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Anderson sports a 50.5% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 33.8% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 30.2% three point shooting percentage. Anderson averages 18.5 points per game, 3.4 assists per game, and 3.8 turnovers per game. Anderson has an offensive rebounding rate of 2.7 percent. When fouled, Anderson is only able to convert at a 80.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Anderson has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 9.1 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.3 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.7 percent.

Anderson averages 0.2 blocks per game, and 1.4 steals per game. He commits 2.3 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Zach Hunsaker – 6-2 185 pound Senior Guard Zach Hunsaker has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 1.9, which makes him an above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 104.1 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Hunsaker is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 0.5 points. He has a usage rate of 17.9 percent, which makes him a player of average involvement on the floor. On the offensive end, Hunsaker has a True Shooting Percentage of 52.3 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 46.8 percent. He takes 63.2 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 26.9 percent. Hunsaker is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 13.4 percent of the time and he takes 23.4 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Hunsaker sports a 59.3% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 38.3% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 31.5% three point shooting percentage. Hunsaker averages 11.5 points per game, 1.4 assists per game, and 1.7 turnovers per game. Hunsaker has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.8 percent. When fouled, Hunsaker is only able to convert at a 90.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Hunsaker has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 10.9 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.7 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.2 percent.

Hunsaker averages 0.0 blocks per game, and 1.5 steals per game. He commits 3.1 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Tamenang Choh – 6-5 210 pound Junior Forward Tamenang Choh has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 1.6, which makes him an above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 89.3 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Choh is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -1.3 points. He has a usage rate of 28.7 percent, which makes him a very important player on the floor. On the offensive end, Choh has a True Shooting Percentage of 47.4 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 43.2 percent. He takes 21.7 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 46.4 percent. Choh is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 49.4 percent of the time and he takes 28.9 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Choh sports a 52.6% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 26.5% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 29.4% three point shooting percentage. Choh averages 13.2 points per game, 3.2 assists per game, and 3.7 turnovers per game. Choh has an offensive rebounding rate of 6.6 percent. When fouled, Choh is only able to convert at a 60.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Choh has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 22.6 percent.

Steals Rate of 0.8 percent.

Blocks Rate of 2.1 percent.

Choh averages 0.6 blocks per game, and 0.5 steals per game. He commits 3.0 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Joshua Howard – 6-6 205 pound Senior Forward Joshua Howard has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.7, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 100.8 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Howard is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -0.1 points. He has a usage rate of 15.9 percent, which makes him a player of average involvement on the floor. On the offensive end, Howard has a True Shooting Percentage of 50.0 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 48.1 percent. He takes 51.4 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 23.8 percent. Howard is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 41.9 percent of the time and he takes 6.7 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Howard sports a 59.1% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 28.6% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 27.8% three point shooting percentage. Howard averages 6.1 points per game, 0.5 assists per game, and 1.0 turnovers per game. Howard has an offensive rebounding rate of 7.7 percent. When fouled, Howard is only able to convert at a 60.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Howard has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 14.2 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.0 percent.

Blocks Rate of 1.6 percent.

Howard averages 0.5 blocks per game, and 0.7 steals per game. He commits 3.5 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. David Mitchell – 6-6 200 pound Sophomore Guard David Mitchell has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.7, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 112.2 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Mitchell is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 0.2 points. He has a usage rate of 9.3 percent, which makes him a warm body who is de-emphasized on the floor. On the offensive end, Mitchell has a True Shooting Percentage of 57.9 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 52.4 percent. He takes 31.7 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 51.2 percent. Mitchell is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 51.2 percent of the time and he takes 17.1 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Mitchell sports a 61.9% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 14.3% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 38.5% three point shooting percentage. Mitchell averages 3.2 points per game, 0.8 assists per game, and 0.8 turnovers per game. Mitchell has an offensive rebounding rate of 9.0 percent. When fouled, Mitchell is only able to convert at a 70.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Mitchell has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 18.7 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.0 percent.

Blocks Rate of 2.8 percent.

Mitchell averages 0.5 blocks per game, and 0.7 steals per game. He commits 5.9 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him among the most foul prone in the country. Perry Cowan – 6-4 200 pound Freshman Guard Perry Cowan has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of -0.4, which makes him a slightly below average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 91.1 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Cowan is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -4.5 points. He has a usage rate of 10.5 percent, which makes him a warm body who is de-emphasized on the floor. On the offensive end, Cowan has a True Shooting Percentage of 43.7 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 43.7 percent. He takes 59.5 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 0.0 percent. Cowan is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 10.1 percent of the time and he takes 30.4 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Cowan sports a 75.0% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 12.5% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 36.2% three point shooting percentage. Cowan averages 3.8 points per game, 0.4 assists per game, and 0.6 turnovers per game. Cowan has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.7 percent. When fouled, Cowan is only able to convert at a nan percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Cowan has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 5.3 percent.

Steals Rate of 0.9 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.6 percent.

Cowan averages 0.1 blocks per game, and 0.3 steals per game. He commits 3.6 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a foul prone player.

The Columbia Roster

The Players to Watch for Columbia Mike Smith – 5-11 180 pound Senior Guard Mike Smith has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 4.0, which puts him among the best in the country and conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 100.3 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Smith is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 3.5 points. He has a usage rate of 32.9 percent, which makes him a very important player on the floor. On the offensive end, Smith has a True Shooting Percentage of 52.0 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 48.0 percent. He takes 31.2 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 28.0 percent. Smith is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 35.0 percent of the time and he takes 33.8 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Smith sports a 50.0% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 40.7% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 35.8% three point shooting percentage. Smith averages 21.6 points per game, 4.6 assists per game, and 3.0 turnovers per game. Smith has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.4 percent. When fouled, Smith is only able to convert at a 80.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Smith has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 11.0 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.4 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.0 percent.

Smith averages 0.0 blocks per game, and 1.5 steals per game. He commits 1.5 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Jake Killingsworth – 6-5 205 pound Senior Guard Jake Killingsworth has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of -0.1, which makes him a slightly below average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 94.2 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Killingsworth is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -2.0 points. He has a usage rate of 13.1 percent, which makes him a role player on the floor. On the offensive end, Killingsworth has a True Shooting Percentage of 48.8 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 47.5 percent. He takes 73.1 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 10.6 percent. Killingsworth is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 10.6 percent of the time and he takes 16.2 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Killingsworth sports a 52.9% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 34.6% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 33.3% three point shooting percentage. Killingsworth averages 7.4 points per game, 1.7 assists per game, and 1.2 turnovers per game. Killingsworth has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.6 percent. When fouled, Killingsworth is only able to convert at a 70.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Killingsworth has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 16.6 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.2 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.7 percent.

Killingsworth averages 0.2 blocks per game, and 0.8 steals per game. He commits 1.7 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Maka Ellis – 6-5 190 pound Sophomore Guard Maka Ellis has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of -1.4, which makes him an below average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 72.5 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Ellis is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -6.7 points. He has a usage rate of 16.9 percent, which makes him a player of average involvement on the floor. On the offensive end, Ellis has a True Shooting Percentage of 36.8 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 36.5 percent. He takes 50.0 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 4.2 percent. Ellis is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 14.6 percent of the time and he takes 35.4 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Ellis sports a 42.9% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 41.2% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 20.8% three point shooting percentage. Ellis averages 6.0 points per game, 0.8 assists per game, and 1.2 turnovers per game. Ellis has an offensive rebounding rate of 2.0 percent. When fouled, Ellis is only able to convert at a 50.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Ellis has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 11.2 percent.

Steals Rate of 0.4 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.7 percent.

Ellis averages 0.2 blocks per game, and 0.2 steals per game. He commits 2.0 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Tai Bibbs – 6-3 177 pound Junior Guard Tai Bibbs has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of -0.3, which makes him a slightly below average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 87.9 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Bibbs is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -3.5 points. He has a usage rate of 15.5 percent, which makes him a player of average involvement on the floor. On the offensive end, Bibbs has a True Shooting Percentage of 45.5 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 42.8 percent. He takes 50.0 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 33.6 percent. Bibbs is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 30.8 percent of the time and he takes 19.2 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Bibbs sports a 53.3% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 35.7% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 26.0% three point shooting percentage. Bibbs averages 6.8 points per game, 0.8 assists per game, and 0.9 turnovers per game. Bibbs has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.8 percent. When fouled, Bibbs is only able to convert at a 60.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Bibbs has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 13.3 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.9 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.5 percent.

Bibbs averages 0.2 blocks per game, and 0.9 steals per game. He commits 2.3 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Jack Forrest – 6-5 200 pound Freshman Guard Jack Forrest has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.5, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 91.0 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Forrest is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -4.1 points. He has a usage rate of 20.0 percent, which makes him an involved player on the floor. On the offensive end, Forrest has a True Shooting Percentage of 49.6 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 48.1 percent. He takes 45.1 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 11.0 percent. Forrest is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 30.2 percent of the time and he takes 24.7 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Forrest sports a 52.7% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 33.3% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 35.4% three point shooting percentage. Forrest averages 10.0 points per game, 0.5 assists per game, and 1.1 turnovers per game. Forrest has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.1 percent. When fouled, Forrest is only able to convert at a 70.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Forrest has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 13.0 percent.

Steals Rate of 0.8 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.6 percent.

Forrest averages 0.1 blocks per game, and 0.3 steals per game. He commits 3.5 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Randy Brumant – 6-7 200 pound Junior Forward Randy Brumant has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.6, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 98.4 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Brumant is on the floor for Brown this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -0.2 points. He has a usage rate of 16.3 percent, which makes him a player of average involvement on the floor. On the offensive end, Brumant has a True Shooting Percentage of 52.2 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 50.0 percent. He takes 35.3 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 25.2 percent. Brumant is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 38.7 percent of the time and he takes 26.1 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Brumant sports a 67.4% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 38.7% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 26.2% three point shooting percentage. Brumant averages 6.2 points per game, 1.2 assists per game, and 1.3 turnovers per game. Brumant has an offensive rebounding rate of 6.1 percent. When fouled, Brumant is only able to convert at a 70.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Brumant has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 19.7 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.8 percent.

Blocks Rate of 5.2 percent.

Brumant averages 1.2 blocks per game, and 0.7 steals per game. He commits 4.6 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a foul prone player.

Brown Team Stats

Brown Offensive Stats and Metrics Brown has an offensive efficiency that is below average of 96.3. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 46.8%. Brown is a strong offensive rebounding team with a 33.9% Offensive Rebounding rate. Brown has a 22.4% Turnover Rate, which is considered very inefficient. Brown is a team that gets to the Free Throw Line at an above average rate with a 33.8 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. They are able to convert their Free Throws at a 72.2% rate. Brown’s Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 41% of all shots, 54.5% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 21.6% of all shots, 28.6% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 37.4% of all shots, 31.3% Field Goal rate.

Brown Defensive Stats and Metrics Brown has a defensive efficiency that is slightly above average of 98.1. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 48.7%. Brown is an above average defensive rebounding team with a 73.6% Defensive Rebounding rate. Brown has a 19.2% Turnover Rate and they are able to get a 9.2% steals rate. Brown allows a 30.8 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. Brown’s Opponent Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 41.1% of all shots, 57.7% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 21.9% of all shots, 34% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 36.9% of all shots, 33.2% Field Goal rate.

Columbia Team Stats

Columbia Offensive Stats and Metrics Columbia has an offensive efficiency that is poor of 94.8. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 47.3%. Columbia is a poor offensive rebounding team with a 21% Offensive Rebounding rate. Columbia has a 16.7% Turnover Rate, which is considered very efficient. Columbia is either really poor at getting to the Free Throw Line or trying to avoid getting to the charity stripe with a 22.9 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. They are able to convert their Free Throws at a 72.4% rate. Columbia’s Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 34% of all shots, 55.4% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 28.7% of all shots, 37.8% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 37.3% of all shots, 30.7% Field Goal rate.

Columbia Defensive Stats and Metrics Columbia has a defensive efficiency that is slightly below average of 100.6. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 50.4%. Columbia is a strong defensive rebounding team with a 75.4% Defensive Rebounding rate. Columbia has a 16.5% Turnover Rate and they are able to get a 7.8% steals rate. Columbia allows a 25 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. Columbia’s Opponent Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 39.9% of all shots, 59.8% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 22.1% of all shots, 39.7% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 38% of all shots, 32.7% Field Goal rate.

Brown vs. Columbia Prediction, Picks, and Odds

Total: 140 Spread: Columbia +1.5 Moneyline: Brown -125, Columbia +105 Prediction: Brown 70 Columbia 67 Spread Pick: Brown -1.5 Moneyline Pick: Brown -125 Total Pick: Under 140

The post Brown vs. Columbia Friday, Feb 21, 2020 Basketball Picks, Prediction, and Preview appeared first on gBb Picks: Sports Betting Picks.

source https://picks.georgiabasketballblog.com/basketball-picks/college-basketball-picks/brown-columbia-feb-21-2020ncaa-basketball-pick-preview/

[kansascityhappenings]

No. 4 Kansas beats Dayton 90-84 in overtime for Maui title

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Devon Dotson scored 31 points, Udoka Azubuike had seven of his 29 in overtime and No. 4 Kansas outlasted Dayton 90-84 to win its third Maui Invitational title on Wednesday.

The Flyers and Jayhawks spent much of the afternoon trading leads and highlight-reel plays in a bleacher-shaking atmosphere inside the bandbox Lahaina Civic Center.

Kansas (6-1) used a late 11-0 run to go up by three, but Dayton’s Jalen Crutcher buried a 3-pointer from about 5 feet behind the new, deeper arc with 2.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 73.

The Jayhawks went to Azubuike early in the overtime and the 7-footer delivered, scoring three baskets at the rim. A 32% free throw shooter entering the game, he also hit three from the line in overtime.

Marcus Garrett made three free throws in the final 18 seconds to seal Kansas’ second Maui title in four years.

Ryan Mikesell led Dayton with 19 points but missed two free throws with 11.5 seconds left and the Flyers (5-1) down five. Obi Toppin scored 18 points.

Toppin and the Flyers made a national name for themselves in Maui.

Toppin dominated the first two games, scoring 49 combined points while hitting 19 of 25 shots.

The Flyers took down Georgia of the SEC and Virginia Tech of the ACC in their two games.

The Jayhawks imposed their massive will on two undersized opponents to open the tournament, taking down Division II Chaminade and BYU.

As expected, Dayton and Kansas played a fast-paced, high-level game with the championship on the line, trading dunks, 3-pointers and buckets in transition.

With Kansas doubling Toppin in the post on every touch, the Flyers worked their kickout game, hitting their first five 3-pointers and eight in the first half to lead 37-36.

The Jayhawks had success getting the ball down low early for dunks and that opened things up for Dotson, who had 17 points by halftime.

The shots kept falling, the crowd kept roaring and the lead stayed tight to start the second half.

BIG PICTURE

Dayton burst into the national consciousness with its run in Maui, beating two larger-conference schools and taking Kansas to the wire.

Kansas survived a tying shot at the end of regulation and wore the Flyers down with its size in the overtime. With top-ranked Duke and No. 3 Michigan State both losing, the Jayhawks should move up in Monday’s AP Top 25.

UP NEXT

Dayton hosts Houston Baptist on Tuesday.

Kansas hosts Colorado on Dec. 7.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/11/27/no-4-kansas-beats-dayton-90-84-in-overtime-for-maui-title/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/11/28/no-4-kansas-beats-dayton-90-84-in-overtime-for-maui-title/

[jodyedgarus]

Your Guide To The 2019 NCAA Women’s Tournament

The early release of the women’s NCAA tournament bracket on Monday afternoon actually did fans a favor: If any year merits having additional time to fill out a bracket, this year is it. Three different teams were ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll this season, and a storyline has been how open the competition was for the top spots in each region. ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel wrote on Monday night that this year’s NCAA tournament “might be as wide open as any since 2006,” with as many as seven teams that could legitimately cut down the net on April 7.

Luckily, FiveThirtyEight’s March Madness prediction model is here to guide you as you make your picks. You can read about how the model works here or keep reading to learn what the model predicts for the top seeds, which teams could make an unexpected run and which squads could bow out sooner than expected. We’re also highlighting the best first-round matchups to help you schedule your Friday and Saturday around women’s hoops.

Top seeds

The four No. 1 seeds are Baylor, Notre Dame, Louisville and Mississippi State. You read that right: UConn is not a top seed for the first time since 2006. But the Huskies are still a No. 2 seed, and they still got a regional nearby, in Albany, New York. The Huskies will host the first two rounds in Storrs, and their fans have packed Albany regionals for years — so they would essentially have home-court advantage until the Final Four. That’s a tough setup for the region’s No. 1 seed, Louisville, and the FiveThirtyEight model reflects that, giving UConn a 68 percent chance and Louisville a 24 percent chance of making the Final Four. But the Cardinals did beat UConn in January, as star guard Asia Durr scored a game-high 24 points. That win should give Louisville confidence as it chases its second straight Final Four appearance.

The selection committee created a similar setup out west, where Mississippi State is the No. 1 seed and Oregon is the No. 2. With each team hosting the first two rounds and the regional rounds being played in Portland, Oregon could make its first Final Four without leaving the state. The model gives the Ducks a 51 percent chance of doing just that behind triple-double queen Sabrina Ionescu, who could be the first pick in the WNBA draft if she declares. Mississippi State, which secured its No. 1 seed after winning its first-ever SEC tournament title, has a 44 percent chance of making the Final Four and a 10 percent chance of winning a national title. The latter would be a storybook ending for the national runners-up in each of the past two seasons.

The Greensboro, North Carolina, region is a hotbed of low-post talent, starting with the No. 1 overall seed in Baylor. The Lady Bears have had a dominant season to date, running their record to 31-1 and leading the nation in blocked shots, defensive rebounds and opponent field-goal percentage. The 6-foot-7 Kalani Brown and 6-foot-4 Lauren Cox have combined to average more than 28 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocks per game. Not to be outdone, No. 2 seed Iowa has espnW’s national player of the year in 6-foot-3 Megan Gustafson. According to Her Hoop Stats, Gustafson is both the nation’s top scorer, putting up 28.0 points per game, and the nation’s most efficient scorer, recording 1.44 points per scoring attempt and shooting just under 70 percent from the field. There are several low-post standouts among the lower-seeded teams as well, but Baylor projects to be the best in Greensboro, with a 76 percent chance of making the Final Four.

Although Baylor is the No. 1 overall seed, it’s the top seed in the Chicago region, Notre Dame, that has the best chance of winning a national championship. The FiveThirtyEight model gives the defending champs a 30 percent chance of repeating and Baylor a 28 percent chance at its first title since 2012. The Fighting Irish returned all but one starter from last year’s team and then led the country in points per game while playing the nation’s toughest schedule. Notre Dame’s chief competition in Chicago will likely be No. 2 seed Stanford, the Pac-12 tournament champions and the only team to beat Baylor this season. Under head coach Tara VanDerveer, the Cardinal have a 56 percent chance to make the Elite Eight but just an 8 percent chance to advance to the Final Four.

Sleepers

A pair of 4-seeds could knock off some of the favorites in the Sweet 16. In Albany, Oregon State has a 21 percent chance of making the Elite Eight, potentially displacing Louisville, while South Carolina has a 10 percent chance of doing the same to Baylor in Greensboro. Oregon State finished third in what was perhaps the nation’s deepest conference, the Pac-12, and ranks fourth in the nation in 3-point shooting at 38.8 percent. If the Beavers, particularly star guard Destiny Slocum, get hot from deep, they could extend their stay on the East Coast to the Final Four. Under head coach and former Virginia point guard Dawn Staley, South Carolina also has electric guard play, which could set up a fascinating game of contrasts against Baylor in the Sweet 16. Don’t count Staley out as she chases her second national championship in the past three seasons.

Also in the Greensboro region, No. 3 North Carolina State has received relatively little attention compared with ACC rivals Louisville and Notre Dame despite starting the season 21-0. (NC State didn’t lose a game until February!) The Wolfpack would not have to leave their home state to make the Final Four, and the FiveThirtyEight model gives the team almost the same chances as No. 2 seed Iowa of advancing to the Elite Eight (40 percent versus 42 percent).

Busts

It’s perhaps a sign of progress that a mid-major team can even be considered for this category, but Gonzaga, the No. 5 seed in the Albany region, probably won’t see it that way if this prediction proves true. Gonzaga is vulnerable after two players suffered season-ending leg injuries in its conference tournament semifinal. The model still gives the Bulldogs an 87 percent chance of beating Arkansas-Little Rock, but a team that was ranked in the top 25 for parts of this season and had aspirations of hosting the first two rounds as a top-4 seed surely has its sights set higher than one NCAA tournament win.

No. 4 Texas A&M has also had injury concerns, although the school recently announced that leading scorer Chennedy Carter (22.5 points per game) will play in the NCAA tournament. She is returning from a hand injury, though, and if her shot isn’t falling, Texas A&M could struggle with a tough Wright State team that holds opponents to just 36.2 percent shooting, which ranks 24th in the nation.

Speaking of tough mid-major teams, the state of Florida has a couple that will start the NCAA tournament in Miami. No. 5 seed Arizona State can’t be happy about traveling all the way across the country to play No. 12-seed UCF in their backyard, and the Sun Devils have only a 69 percent chance of winning one game and a 26 percent chance of winning two games in the Sunshine State. Meanwhile, host and No. 4 seed Miami has an 82 percent chance of beating No. 13 seed Florida Gulf Coast, but there are signs of a potential upset here. FGCU is ranked only three spots behind Miami in the Her Hoop Stats ratings (the teams rank 28th and 25th, respectively) and is dangerous behind the arc: Nearly half of FGCU’s shot attempts are 3-pointers, which ranks second nationally, while Miami is letting teams score more than one-third of their points from three, which ranks 320th nationally.

Fun first-round matchups

If you’re looking for two senior stars trying to extend their careers, watch No. 8 seed California take on No. 9 seed North Carolina on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. Kristine Anigwe has had a historic season for the Golden Bears and leads the nation in rebounding with 16.3 per game, including a 32-point, 30-rebound effort against Washington State two weeks ago. North Carolina ranks in the bottom third of teams nationally in rebounding rate, so one might predict a long afternoon for the Tar Heels, but their offensive firepower can keep them in any game. (Just ask Notre Dame and NC State, which both lost to North Carolina in the span of a week earlier this year.) Guard Paris Kea is the star (17.1 points per game), but three other players average double-figure scoring and a fourth averages 9.5 points per game.

FiveThirtyEight model’s prediction: California over North Carolina (64 percent)

If you’re looking for a battle between mid-major powerhouses, don’t miss No. 6 seed South Dakota State versus No. 11 seed Quinnipiac on Saturday at 11 a.m. Eastern time. Both teams have been to the tournament before: SDSU won its ninth automatic bid in 11 years this season, while QU is in for the fifth time in seven seasons and made a Sweet 16 appearance in 2017. SDSU boasts the Summit League’s all-time leading scorer in Macy Miller, who is averaging 18.1 points per game this season while shooting nearly 55 percent from the floor. But Quinnipiac could make things tough for Miller and the Jackrabbits: The Bobcats hold opponents to just 50.5 points per game, second-best in the nation, and their 11.5 steals per game rank sixth nationally. Whichever way this game goes, the winner could be a sleeper pick to knock off No. 3 Syracuse and make the Sweet 16.

FiveThirtyEight model’s prediction: South Dakota State over Quinnipiac (65 percent)

Finally, if you’re looking for toss-ups, the three games that our model gives the most even odds are:

No. 10 Buffalo vs. No. 7 Rutgers, Friday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time (Buffalo has a 51 percent chance of winning)

No. 10 Auburn vs. No. 7 BYU, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time (Auburn has a 55 percent chance of winning)

No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Tennessee, Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern time (UCLA has a 56 percent chance of winning)

Check out our latest March Madness predictions.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/your-guide-to-the-2019-ncaa-womens-tournament/

[buddyrabrahams]

10 most impressive freshmen this college basketball season

The period between Christmas and New Years acts as a handy moment to redefine the college basketball season. Conference play for nearly every league kicks off, meaning we can really start to assess which teams are fighting for top seeds, which have a shot at an at-large tournament bid, and which are in some serious need of a turnaround.

College basketball’s increase in newcomers has been one of the main reasons it takes a few months to sort out all of those details. Transfers, both those moving as a graduate or those who looked for a new path as undergrads, are everywhere in college hoops. The rising importance of freshmen has been an even more crucial change.

One-and-done freshmen, or those who think they have a chance at a shot at the NBA this spring, are major players in the basketball landscape. Even freshmen with uncertain professional prospects are entering college more physically and mentally ready to play than ever before.

By now, it’s clear which first-year players will be factors in March and which need time to sort things out. Here is a look at 10 freshmen who have impressed this season so far:

10. Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State

Iowa State has been riddled by both injuries and suspensions early in the season, leaving coach Steve Prohm with a short bench to date. It has mattered far less than many expected thanks to the emergence of freshman Talen Horton-Tucker.

The freshman is a do-everything glue guy for the Cyclones, standing only 6-foot-4, but a solid 240 pounds. Though Horton-Tucker is averaging 14.8 points per game, it’s his all-around game that has impressed. He is adding 11.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 3.1 steals per 100 possessions. Even as a freshman, he’s been arguably the most efficient player on the floor for Iowa State.

In just his fifth collegiate game, Horton-Tucker posted 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists against Illinois at the Maui Invitational. If Prohm and his staff didn’t have Horton-Tucker at the forefront of their gameplans before that performance, they do now.

9. Devon Dotson, Kansas

Freshmen point guards have a mixed history of success. Even when they shine, there are errors to look past and overcome. Even Trae Young, while leading the nation in scoring and assists, caught flack for his high level of turnovers. It’s rare to see first-year ball-handlers display a high basketball IQ and make few mistakes.

Dotson has been a steadying presence for the undefeated Jayhawks. He initiates the offense, pushes the ball in transition, and finds teammates in areas where they can score. When he does attack the basket, Dotson has been remarkably smart about when and where to shoot the ball. That discerning attitude has led him to 52 percent shooting from the field, 43 percent from outside the arc, and 81 percent from the free throw line.

Although Dotson’s box score lines won’t make your eyes pop out of your head, he has been one of the key reasons Kansas spent time atop the polls this December.

8. Bol Bol, Oregon

There may not be another player on Earth with Bol Bol’s skillset. I don’t just mean a college basketball player – I mean anyone.

Bol, whose father Manute played in the NBA, is 7-foot-2, with a wingspan of 7-foot-8. He’s one of the nation’s best rim protectors, averaging more than 5 blocks per 100 possessions and posting the 14th-best block rate among major conference players.

Bol’s offensive game is what truly sets him apart. He is scoring 21 points per game, pouring in buckets from all over the floor. Despite his size, Bol is shooting 2.8 three-point attempts per 40 minutes, and sinking 52 percent (!) of those attempts. In the 26 years searchable on Sports Reference, Bol is one of only two players listed as a forward or center to shoot at least 2.5 threes per game and make more than half those shots. (The only other player to qualify for those thresholds, Toledo’s Luke Knapke is also doing so this season).

A stretch-five is not unheard of in 2018’s basketball landscape, yet no one in college basketball plays that role as effectively as Bol Bol. He’s not perfect and still raw, figuring things out in many respects. On the season, Bol has twice as many turnovers as assists and can look lost in certain situations.

Once he feels more comfortable on the court, his talent can lead him to great heights.

7. Luguentz Dort, Arizona State

While we’re on a run of giving high compliments to players with fun sounding names, let’s talk about the Canadian combo guard that’s making waves down in the desert. Dort plays like a 19-year-old Dwyane Wade, injected with about 20 extra pounds of muscle.

Though he stands just 6-foot-4, Dort is taking more than half of his field goals at the rim, per Hoop-Math.com. That aggressive nature leads to eight free throw attempts per game for Dort. Playing for former Duke point guard Bobby Hurley, Dort has been the driving force of the Sun Devils offense.

At times, the freshman has had a bit of tunnel vision and a tendency to force the issue. When things are going his way, that feels like proactive offensive basketball. When things start to slip out of control, Dort can struggle to get efficient shots at the basket. His ability to stay within himself and attack the right opportunities will decide how successful Arizona State can be this season. Even with Dort shooting just 3-for-14, the Sun Devils were able to knock off top-ranked Kansas. When he’s making shots, the Arizona State offense gets scary good.

6. Romeo Langford, Indiana

To date, Indiana has only faced one team that sits within the KenPom top 25. The rest of the Hoosiers’ schedule has been challenging, but that one game at Duke felt like a chance for Indiana to make a statement. Just the opposite happened, with the Blue Devils dominating for 40 minutes. Romeo Langford was bottled up by a difficult situation, shooting 3-for-15 from the field.

Aside from that game, most of what we’ve seen from Langford has been intriguing. He’s scored in double-figures every game and made some very exciting flash plays. At other times, Langford has looked like a freshman. He’s shooting almost four threes per game and barely making 20 percent of them, hitting just 10 of 47 long range attempts this season. His assist-to-turnover ratio is only a whisper north of 1-to-1.

The game should slow down as Langford gains experience, yet the gauntlet of a Big Ten schedule is approaching.

5. Cam Reddish, Duke

No player in basketball history has faced what Reddish is currently going through. Thanks to the top three ranked recruits choosing the same school for the first time in history, Reddish is the first ever top three recruit to be the third-most heralded player in his own freshman class.

At times, Reddish has truly looked like an elite prospect. He has scored 20 or more points three times and made 10 of his first 21 three-point attempts as a Blue Devil.

At other times, Reddish has felt like an afterthought behind two players still to come on this list. He has scored in single-figures on four separate occasions. He came to college billed as a knockdown shooter, and it showed early on, as Reddish shot over 43 percent from long range in his first 8 games. In Duke’s last four games, Reddish is just 5-for-29 from outside the arc, a dismal 19 percent. In two of those games, Reddish failed to reach the free throw line and twice in that four-game span, he failed to score a two-point basket.

Reddish was supposed to be a good shooter, among other things. Playing alongside a superteam has limited him and made him only a shooter, and one who has been streaky at times. His development as a slasher and creator is one of the most important things when determining Duke’s ceiling this season.

4. Coby White, North Carolina

If his 33-point outburst against Texas didn’t catch your eye, surely you’ve taken note of Coby White by now. The freshman point guard was the catalyst of the Tar Heels’ crucial win over Gonzaga, not to mention, he’s hard to miss thanks to the giant afro he sports on the court.

White has taken to Roy Williams’ up-tempo style like a fish to water, driving the high-powered Carolina offense. To date, White is the only freshman in college basketball making more than 40 percent from long range while taking more than 5 hrees per game and adding more than 3.5 assists per game. Those are some specific benchmarks but they speak to how successful White has been as both a scorer and a creator for his teammates.

3. RJ Barrett, Duke

Last year, Trae Young did absolutely everything for Oklahoma. He was both criticized and defended for his abnormally high usage rate. It led to bad shots and turnovers, but also amazing plays and got him drafted in the top five picks of the NBA Draft.

Last year, Young attempted 28.5 field goals per 100 possessions. This year, RJ Barrett is averaging 32.5 field goal attempts per 100 possessions. He is one of just five players in college basketball attempting more than 19 field goals per game. Most of the time, that’s been a good thing for Duke. Barrett is incredibly skilled and athletically gifted. He is averaging 23 points and 7 rebounds per game.

Barrett has also hampered Duke at times by looking to the rim a little too frequently. At the end of Duke’s only loss (to Gonzaga), Barrett shot the ball five times in the game’s final minute while the rest of the team managed just two shots combined, including none by Zion Williamson.

A player like Barrett shooting too much is a problem only Duke could have, yet it has been one of the only definable issues with Duke so far this season. Barrett is shooting nearly 20 times per game, converting under 50 percent from the field and under 32 percent from outside the arc. In fact, Barrett has missed his last 11 three-point attempts (and made just 3 of his last 29 long range attempts).

RJ Barrett is a spectacular basketball player on a very good basketball team. He is at his best, though, when he is not only looking to score, but using his teammates’ skills to his advantage. When Barrett stares down the rim, he is overlooking how effective the offense can be when he uses his scoring ability and court vision to create wide open shots for the Blue Devils, for him or a teammate.

2. Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan

Last March, if you’d told us that one of the teams in the national championship game started the season 12-0 and that streak included three blowout wins over top 20 teams, I think we’d all believe you. I tend to think we’d all assume it was Villanova, but even if we guessed Michigan started this season so efficiently, no one could have guessed a freshman would be leading them in scoring

For Ignas Brazdeikis to be playing like the best player on arguably college basketball’s best team this season has been nothing short of shocking. The Canadian freshman has been a seamless fit into John Beilein’s motion offense, hitting threes and attacking the glass with a swagger not seen at Michigan since the days of the Fab Five.

Michigan lost three starters from last season’s national runner-up, and Brazdeikis has been able to recreate much of what those players brought to the table. He stretches and confounds defenses like Moritz Wagner. He slashes to the bucket like Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, and he shoots like Duncan Robinson.

If he can continue to play at this level, Michigan is the team to beat in the Big Ten.

1. Zion Williamson, Duke

My argument about RJ Barrett being a little shot-heavy earlier in this post is predicated heavily on the fact that Barrett shares a lineup with Zion Williamson. College basketball hasn’t seen a physical marvel like Williamson since at least Anthony Davis or Blake Griffin, both of whom won National Player of the Year honors.

Due to Williamson’s skill set, it makes sense that he doesn’t necessarily need to lead Duke in field goal attempts. His profile works with the ball, but also attacking the offensive glass, cutting without the ball, as a screener, or simply pushing the envelope in transition. That being said, Williamson shouldn’t be attempting eight fewer field goals per game than any teammate. Barrett is taking 37 percent of Duke’s shots when he’s on the floor (12th-most in Division I), while Williamson shoots just 26 percent of the team’s looks when on the court. That needs to balance out for Duke to be at their peak offensively.

Williamson is too talented and efficient for that to be the case. He is shooting 65 percent from the field, though that stat is dragged down by Williamson’s struggles from outside the arc, where he hits under 20 percent of his shots. Inside the arc, Williamson is a runaway freight train unable to be stopped. He leads college basketball in 2-point shooting percentage among players with at least 100 attempts. Williamson is also drawing 6.4 fouls per 40 minutes. Getting him more chances in transition or in the flow of the offense will open up more shots and better scoring opportunities for Barrett, Reddish, and the rest of the Blue Devils.

Shane McNichol covers college basketball and the NBA for Larry Brown Sports. He also blogs about basketball at Palestra Back and has contributed to Rush The Court, ESPN.com, and USA Today Sports Weekly. Follow him on Twitter @OnTheShaneTrain.

from Larry Brown Sports http://bit.ly/2ETzN39

[gbbpicks]

Oral Roberts vs. Denver Thursday, Feb 20, 2020 Basketball Picks, Prediction, and Preview

Oral Roberts faces Denver on Thursday, Feb 20, 2020 at 9:00 PM EST Clash.

Oral Roberts and Denver face off in an important game for both teams. Oral Roberts with a record of 14-12 this season comes into this game as a 6.5 point favorite with a 3-11 record on the road. Denver is a 5-22 this season and is 4-8 at home. Both have players to meet and know. So let’s meet them.

The Oral Roberts Roster

The Players to Watch for Oral Roberts Deondre Burns – 6-2 185 pound Senior Guard Deondre Burns has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 3.6, which puts him among the best in the conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 112.2 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Burns is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 4.3 points. He has a usage rate of 24.8 percent, which makes him an emphasized player on the floor. On the offensive end, Burns has a True Shooting Percentage of 54.6 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 49.8 percent. He takes 20.1 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 29.9 percent. Burns is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 29.2 percent of the time and he takes 50.7 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Burns sports a 50.0% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 52.1% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 29.3% three point shooting percentage. Burns averages 16.0 points per game, 3.7 assists per game, and 2.0 turnovers per game. Burns has an offensive rebounding rate of 2.8 percent. When fouled, Burns is only able to convert at a 80.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Burns has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 10.1 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.5 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.5 percent.

Burns averages 0.1 blocks per game, and 0.8 steals per game. He commits 2.5 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. R.J. Fuqua – 5-11 170 pound Junior Guard R.J. Fuqua has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.6, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 99.9 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Fuqua is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -1.4 points. He has a usage rate of 15.4 percent, which makes him a player of average involvement on the floor. On the offensive end, Fuqua has a True Shooting Percentage of 45.1 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 39.8 percent. He takes 45.3 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 30.5 percent. Fuqua is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 41.0 percent of the time and he takes 13.7 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Fuqua sports a 41.7% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 37.5% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 26.4% three point shooting percentage. Fuqua averages 6.6 points per game, 3.7 assists per game, and 1.3 turnovers per game. Fuqua has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.2 percent. When fouled, Fuqua is only able to convert at a 80.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Fuqua has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 11.5 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.8 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.2 percent.

Fuqua averages 0.1 blocks per game, and 1.5 steals per game. He commits 3.9 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a foul prone player. Max Abmas – 6-1 160 pound Freshman Guard Max Abmas has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 2.6, which puts him among the best in the conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 110.9 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Abmas is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 2.9 points. He has a usage rate of 21.7 percent, which makes him an involved player on the floor. On the offensive end, Abmas has a True Shooting Percentage of 54.6 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 52.2 percent. He takes 60.2 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 13.9 percent. Abmas is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 19.7 percent of the time and he takes 20.1 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Abmas sports a 53.7% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 43.6% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 36.4% three point shooting percentage. Abmas averages 14.2 points per game, 1.4 assists per game, and 1.1 turnovers per game. Abmas has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.2 percent. When fouled, Abmas is only able to convert at a 80.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Abmas has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 6.0 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.2 percent.

Blocks Rate of 1.0 percent.

Abmas averages 0.2 blocks per game, and 1.1 steals per game. He commits 1.9 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Emmanuel Nzekwesi – 6-8 240 pound Senior Forward Emmanuel Nzekwesi has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 3.9, which puts him among the best in the conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 119.8 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Nzekwesi is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 5.0 points. He has a usage rate of 24.8 percent, which makes him an emphasized player on the floor. On the offensive end, Nzekwesi has a True Shooting Percentage of 60.3 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 57.1 percent. He takes 5.2 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 38.2 percent. Nzekwesi is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 60.9 percent of the time and he takes 33.9 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Nzekwesi sports a 64.8% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 44.3% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 33.3% three point shooting percentage. Nzekwesi averages 16.6 points per game, 0.7 assists per game, and 1.5 turnovers per game. Nzekwesi has an offensive rebounding rate of 10.9 percent. When fouled, Nzekwesi is only able to convert at a 70.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Nzekwesi has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 28.2 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.1 percent.

Blocks Rate of 2.5 percent.

Nzekwesi averages 0.7 blocks per game, and 1.1 steals per game. He commits 3.1 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Kevin Obanor – 6-8 225 pound Sophomore Forward Kevin Obanor has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 2.4, which puts him among the best in the conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 112.3 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Obanor is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 0.8 points. He has a usage rate of 22.4 percent, which makes him an involved player on the floor. On the offensive end, Obanor has a True Shooting Percentage of 54.9 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 48.3 percent. He takes 42.0 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 43.6 percent. Obanor is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 37.6 percent of the time and he takes 20.4 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Obanor sports a 57.4% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 29.7% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 32.9% three point shooting percentage. Obanor averages 11.5 points per game, 0.8 assists per game, and 1.5 turnovers per game. Obanor has an offensive rebounding rate of 10.8 percent. When fouled, Obanor is only able to convert at a 80.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Obanor has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 18.9 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.0 percent.

Blocks Rate of 3.7 percent.

Obanor averages 0.8 blocks per game, and 0.4 steals per game. He commits 4.3 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a foul prone player. Sam Kearns – 6-0 190 pound Senior Guard Sam Kearns has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.3, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 100.1 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Kearns is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -2.1 points. He has a usage rate of 13.3 percent, which makes him a role player on the floor. On the offensive end, Kearns has a True Shooting Percentage of 47.5 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 43.6 percent. He takes 68.1 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 18.8 percent. Kearns is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 13.8 percent of the time and he takes 18.1 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Kearns sports a 75.0% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 23.8% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 27.8% three point shooting percentage. Kearns averages 5.9 points per game, 1.7 assists per game, and 1.0 turnovers per game. Kearns has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.0 percent. When fouled, Kearns is only able to convert at a 90.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Kearns has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 8.1 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.0 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.6 percent.

Kearns averages 0.1 blocks per game, and 0.9 steals per game. He commits 3.4 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone.

The Denver Roster

The Players to Watch for Denver Jase Townsend – 6-3 175 pound Sophomore Guard Jase Townsend has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 2.5, which puts him among the best in the conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 102.0 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Townsend is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 2.1 points. He has a usage rate of 25.9 percent, which makes him an emphasized player on the floor. On the offensive end, Townsend has a True Shooting Percentage of 56.8 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 53.2 percent. He takes 40.9 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 27.6 percent. Townsend is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 22.4 percent of the time and he takes 36.8 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Townsend sports a 55.3% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 46.4% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 38.8% three point shooting percentage. Townsend averages 17.1 points per game, 1.9 assists per game, and 2.4 turnovers per game. Townsend has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.3 percent. When fouled, Townsend is only able to convert at a 80.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Townsend has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 16.9 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.5 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.4 percent.

Townsend averages 0.1 blocks per game, and 0.9 steals per game. He commits 3.4 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Ade Murkey – 6-5 200 pound Senior Guard Ade Murkey has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 3.4, which puts him among the best in the conference. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 107.4 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Murkey is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of 6.5 points. He has a usage rate of 28.2 percent, which makes him a very important player on the floor. On the offensive end, Murkey has a True Shooting Percentage of 57.0 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 53.5 percent. He takes 16.3 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 46.1 percent. Murkey is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 47.8 percent of the time and he takes 35.9 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Murkey sports a 59.8% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 41.5% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 41.1% three point shooting percentage. Murkey averages 17.8 points per game, 2.1 assists per game, and 2.0 turnovers per game. Murkey has an offensive rebounding rate of 3.8 percent. When fouled, Murkey is only able to convert at a 70.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Murkey has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 18.5 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.2 percent.

Blocks Rate of 2.6 percent.

Murkey averages 0.7 blocks per game, and 1.2 steals per game. He commits 2.9 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Taelyr Gatlin – 6-3 180 pound Sophomore Guard Taelyr Gatlin has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of -1.7, which makes him an below average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 77.7 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Gatlin is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -7.8 points. He has a usage rate of 12.2 percent, which makes him a role player on the floor. On the offensive end, Gatlin has a True Shooting Percentage of 44.4 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 42.3 percent. He takes 46.8 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 16.9 percent. Gatlin is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 12.1 percent of the time and he takes 41.1 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Gatlin sports a 33.3% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 43.1% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 29.3% three point shooting percentage. Gatlin averages 4.7 points per game, 1.1 assists per game, and 1.4 turnovers per game. Gatlin has an offensive rebounding rate of 0.3 percent. When fouled, Gatlin is only able to convert at a 60.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Gatlin has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 10.4 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.5 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.2 percent.

Gatlin averages 0.0 blocks per game, and 0.7 steals per game. He commits 3.4 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Roscoe Eastmond – 5-9 150 pound Freshman Guard Roscoe Eastmond has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of -0.7, which makes him a slightly below average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 81.8 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Eastmond is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -5.1 points. He has a usage rate of 17.3 percent, which makes him a player of average involvement on the floor. On the offensive end, Eastmond has a True Shooting Percentage of 47.6 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 42.9 percent. He takes 28.3 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 36.3 percent. Eastmond is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 30.1 percent of the time and he takes 41.6 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Eastmond sports a 50.0% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 38.3% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 28.1% three point shooting percentage. Eastmond averages 4.7 points per game, 2.9 assists per game, and 2.1 turnovers per game. Eastmond has an offensive rebounding rate of 1.4 percent. When fouled, Eastmond is only able to convert at a 70.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Eastmond has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 8.4 percent.

Steals Rate of 2.0 percent.

Blocks Rate of 0.2 percent.

Eastmond averages 0.0 blocks per game, and 0.9 steals per game. He commits 2.8 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a player who is not foul prone. Robert Jones – 6-10 225 pound Freshman Forward Robert Jones has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.4, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 90.3 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Jones is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -5.4 points. He has a usage rate of 22.3 percent, which makes him an involved player on the floor. On the offensive end, Jones has a True Shooting Percentage of 51.8 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 53.1 percent. He takes 0.0 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 51.9 percent. Jones is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 74.7 percent of the time and he takes 25.3 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Jones sports a 60.3% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 31.7% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 0.0% three point shooting percentage. Jones averages 8.2 points per game, 0.7 assists per game, and 1.9 turnovers per game. Jones has an offensive rebounding rate of 9.0 percent. When fouled, Jones is only able to convert at a 40.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Jones has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 15.7 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.8 percent.

Blocks Rate of 1.9 percent.

Jones averages 0.3 blocks per game, and 0.7 steals per game. He commits 5.1 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him among the most foul prone in the country. David Nzekwesi – 6-9 240 pound Sophomore Forward David Nzekwesi has a Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game Rating of 0.4, which makes him a slightly above average player. He has an offensive efficiency rating of 92.7 for every 100 offensive possessions. When Nzekwesi is on the floor for Oral Roberts this season, he has a Boxscore Plus/Minus impact of -6.2 points. He has a usage rate of 20.6 percent, which makes him an involved player on the floor. On the offensive end, Nzekwesi has a True Shooting Percentage of 46.6 percent and an effective Field Goal rate of 42.9 percent. He takes 18.1 percent of his shots from three point range and has a Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio of 38.6 percent. Nzekwesi is able to attempt shots in the restricted arc 45.7 percent of the time and he takes 36.2 percent of his shots between 4 feet and the three point arc. Nzekwesi sports a 53.4% Field Goal percentage in the restricted arc, a 34.8% Field Goal percentage in the less optimal mid-range region, and a 21.7% three point shooting percentage. Nzekwesi averages 5.9 points per game, 0.3 assists per game, and 0.7 turnovers per game. Nzekwesi has an offensive rebounding rate of 7.3 percent. When fouled, Nzekwesi is only able to convert at a 60.0 percent rate at the Free Throw Line. Defensively, Nzekwesi has the following metrics associated with him:

Defensive Rebounding Rate of 15.2 percent.

Steals Rate of 1.1 percent.

Blocks Rate of 2.1 percent.

Nzekwesi averages 0.4 blocks per game, and 0.3 steals per game. He commits 4.0 fouls per 40 minutes and this makes him a foul prone player.

Oral Roberts Team Stats

Oral Roberts Offensive Stats and Metrics Oral Roberts has an offensive efficiency that is among the best in the country of 110.3. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 50.2%. Oral Roberts is an above average offensive rebounding team with a 29.8% Offensive Rebounding rate. Oral Roberts has a 14.3% Turnover Rate, which is considered excellent. Oral Roberts is a team that gets to the Free Throw Line at a below average rate with a 29.7 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. They are able to convert their Free Throws at a 75.6% rate. Oral Roberts’s Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 35.3% of all shots, 56.8% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 28.2% of all shots, 42.2% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 36.5% of all shots, 32.4% Field Goal rate.

Oral Roberts Defensive Stats and Metrics Oral Roberts has a defensive efficiency that is slightly below average of 102.0. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 51.4%. Oral Roberts is an above average defensive rebounding team with a 73.6% Defensive Rebounding rate. Oral Roberts has a 18% Turnover Rate and they are able to get a 8.8% steals rate. Oral Roberts allows a 31.8 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. Oral Roberts’s Opponent Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 37% of all shots, 62.4% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 24.6% of all shots, 39.9% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 38.4% of all shots, 35.1% Field Goal rate.

Denver Team Stats

Denver Offensive Stats and Metrics Denver has an offensive efficiency that is below average of 95.2. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 49.1%. Denver is a poor offensive rebounding team with a 20.5% Offensive Rebounding rate. Denver has a 19.5% Turnover Rate, which is considered average. Denver is a team that gets to the Free Throw Line frequently with a 37.5 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. They are able to convert their Free Throws at a 68.2% rate. Denver’s Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 37.9% of all shots, 56.8% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 32.7% of all shots, 40% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 29.4% of all shots, 33.1% Field Goal rate.

Denver Defensive Stats and Metrics Denver has a defensive efficiency that is extremely poor of 106.9. They have an effective Field Goal rate of 52.6%. Denver is a strong defensive rebounding team with a 75.1% Defensive Rebounding rate. Denver has a 17.4% Turnover Rate and they are able to get a 8.0% steals rate. Denver allows a 39.5 Percent Free Throws Attempted to Field Goals Attempted Ratio. Denver’s Opponent Shooting Distribution Splits

In the Restricted Arc: 38.2% of all shots, 64.7% Field Goal rate.

In the Mid-Range: 19.7% of all shots, 39% Field Goal rate.

Three Point Range: 42% of all shots, 32.6% Field Goal rate.

Oral Roberts vs. Denver Prediction, Picks, and Odds

Total: 155.5 Spread: Denver +6.5 Moneyline: Oral Roberts -280, Denver +230 Prediction: Oral Roberts 83 Denver 74 Spread Pick: Oral Roberts -6.5 Moneyline Pick: Oral Roberts -280 Total Pick: Over 155.5

The post Oral Roberts vs. Denver Thursday, Feb 20, 2020 Basketball Picks, Prediction, and Preview appeared first on gBb Picks: Sports Betting Picks.

source https://picks.georgiabasketballblog.com/basketball-picks/college-basketball-picks/oral-roberts-denver-feb-20-2020ncaa-basketball-pick-preview/

[junker-town]

How long can the Sixers wait for Markelle Fultz to be the old Markelle Fultz?

The Sixers’ roster did not get better over the summer and it’s starting to show.

The Philadelphia 76ers don’t look like the same team that became the darling of the league with a magical, improbable 52-win season. Now, it’s time to figure out what exactly is wrong with this team and, more importantly, how to fi it.

But while many teams in the Eastern Conference improved over the summer, the 76ers seem like one that regressed. They picked up Wilson Chandler in a trade, but he’s been out with a hamstring injury. Chandler is solid, but if he doesn’t move the needle, it could spell bad news for Philly — and there might not be an answer that can elevate them to the heights they want to achieve this season.

Markelle Fultz is back, but is it working?

The 76ers needed help, and they hoped that help would come in the form of a healthy Markelle Fultz. Ben Simmons looks like the second coming of LeBron James, and Joel Embiid could be the modern-day Hakeem Olajuwon. What Philly needed more than anything was a dynamic perimeter playmaker: a consistent threat from behind the arc who can take the ball out of Simmons’ hands and the pressure off Embiid’s back.

Fultz was that threat at Washington; it’s why Philly traded the No. 3 pick in 2017 and the Kings’ pick in 2019 to move up and get him. That type of talent would have given the Sixers a third head on their monster attack. It would have pushed them into the East’s elite, right with Boston and Toronto.

But Fultz had to re-learn how to shoot a basketball after injuring his shoulder. Now, he plays timid behind the three-point line, turning down open shots outside of 15 feet. He’s also been tough to watch defensively. The 76ers get outscored by 11.2 points per 100 possessions when Fultz is on the floor. On-off numbers aren’t always gospel, but that number is eye-popping.

The NBA is driven by perimeter scoring, and the 76ers don’t have enough of it. That all doesn’t fall on Fultz’s shoulder, but the team drafted him in hopes of being the third star.

He looks far from it early on. There’s still time for him to get that glow back, but the clock is ticking quickly.

What about the Sixers’ other additions?

Philly spent most of the summer without a general manager after firing Bryan Colangelo because of his burner Twitter accounts. They lost Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova in free agency and traded for Chandler and Mike Muscala. The 76ers also drafted guards Landry Shamet and Zhaire Smith; Smith won’t play this year after breaking his foot in the preseason, and Shamet has a smooth shooting stroke who has cracked Brett Brown’s rotation.

Chandler is a versatile scoring forward and has been most of his career. At 31 years old, he’s still a shooter and scorer who adds needed offensive firepower on the wing. But as solid as Chandler has been in his career, it’s unclear — at least for now — how much he’ll impact the win column and whether he can even stay healthy enough to do it.

The biggest offseason acquisition, or so most thought, was a healthy Fultz. He appears healthy, but his struggles could more mental than anything. Philly is hoping he’s the difference. But how long can they wait before action becomes necessary?

Not very long when you consider how the top of the East improved over the summer

Save for Cleveland, the East’s best teams found a way to get better, and even the teams at the bottom are punching up for playoff spots.

The Celtics were a game away from the NBA Finals. They’ve welcomed Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, and Daniel Theis all back from season-ending surgeries, while hitting the lotto when Robert Williams slid down the draft board. They’ve also starting slowly, but did drill Philly on opening night.

The Raptors had the best season in their history, then traded DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Leonard is fully healthy and Green is what he’s always been: a reliable 3-and-D role player. Toronto looks terrific.

The Bucks put a legitimate scoring big man in Brook Lopez next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Lopez hit five threes in a row against the 76ers on Wednesday. He’s already proven to be a difference maker.

The Pacers pushed the Cavaliers to seven games in the first round, then added Tyreke Evans, Doug McDermott, and Kyle O’Quinn this summer to improve their depth.

The Wizards traded Marcin Gortat for Austin Rivers, then signed Dwight Howard over the summer. Early returns aren’t promising, but they did the best they could given their situation to shake things up

Even the Pistons look good with reigning Coach of the Year Dwane Casey at the helm and a rejuvenated Blake Griffin in the fold for a full summer. Griffin, Andre Drummond, and Reggie Jackson look poised to end Detroit’s playoff drought.

The 76ers are still one of the four best teams in the East and it’s way too early to rule them out as such, but they’re not playing for another second-round exit. Philadelphia wants to compete for something bigger, but if they’re going to make a deeper run into the postseason while other teams in their conference have improved, the Sixers might eventually have to shake things up.

What are their options?

There aren’t many, but it’s possible to add a difference maker — possibly an all-star. Philadelphia isn’t a championship contender, not with this roster as currently constructed, not with the talent-stacked Celtics, or stingy Raptors, or Giannis’ Bucks in the same conference.

The Sixers are a talented young team with two building blocks for the future. They need to find a third block. There might be one out there if they look hard enough.

They could let Fultz ride it out

It’s only been five games, and this is really the first consistent basketball action of his NBA career. Every rookie deserves to go through his ups and downs, and Fultz is no different.

But the Sixers are tangibly worse when he’s on the floor, and there’s no indication — at least not yet — that it’s going to get any better.

Another issue: Fultz also has little-to-no trade value at this point. He’s on a rookie scale contract that pays out $8.3 million this season, $9.75 million next year and $12.3 million in Year 4. That’s a good chunk of cap space to commit to a player who might not be ready to contribute right away.

There’s one thing: The 76ers do hold a team option on Years 3 and 4 of Fultz’s rookie contract. Is there a world where Philly declines that option and we see a No. 1 overall pick released by his team? Or do they trade Fultz as an expiring contract?

Anything is possible in the NBA in 2018. It would be a terrible look for the 76ers, though, after essentially trading Jayson Tatum and likely top-5 pick in 2019 to get him.

Philly could trade for Jimmy Butler

If there’s one thing Butler wants, it’s to win, and that’s a vision that aligns with the 76ers’. He didn’t mesh well with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, but a change of scenery to a bigger market could be what Butler needs.

If it doesn’t work out, Butler only has one year on his deal anyway, which means Philly will free up $20 million in cap space to sign additional free agents. They already project to have the space to sign one max free agent. Adding Butler via trade — so long as they ship out equal salary as they take in — still gives the 76ers the cap flexibility to do so.

Tom Thibodeau, though, has been stingy in trade negotiations and is shaking teams down for every penny they’ve got. He’s running teams’ pockets, and they’re not meeting his asking price.

Does Philly have what Thibs wants in a Butler trade? Young, promising players, a current impact player and a draft pick? The closest the Sixers could offer is some combination of Robert Covington or Wilson Chandler, Jerryd Bayless or Markelle Fultz (both have around $8 million salaries, both can be considered expiring contracts), Shamet, and their first-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. They could even throw Dario Saric in the mix, too, for the right package in return.

They could reach out about Kemba Walker

Walker is committed and dedicated to Charlotte, but it’s unclear if the Hornets are loyal to him. They have the option to lock him up to a five-year max contract worth $188 million. But will they pay him that much knowing their team’s ceiling is well below Boston, Toronto, and Milwaukee’s floor?

The answer could be no, and if so, there are several realistic trade destinations for Walker. The 76ers could use him: He’s an immediate pressure release for Simmons — the Kyrie Irving to LeBron James. He also deserves to be paid, and if Philly does it right, they can pay him and still add an all-star in free agency.

The Hornets, though, said a season ago they would only trade Walker if they received an all-star player in return. They also want to dump one of their unfavorable contracts in any Walker trade.

Philly doesn’t have a star to offer, nor should it compromise future cap space to land him. The best they can do is make an offer similar to what they’d make for Butler, while roping in the Sacramento Kings as a third team to help facilitate the deal.

This probably won’t be enough to get a response.

A smaller, but interesting trade idea: Alec Burks

He’s not a point guard, but Burks was once a pretty reliable scorer for a budding Jazz team. He’s fallen out of the rotation but could see a revival if the Jazz opt to move him elsewhere.

Burks is in a contract year, making $11.5 million this season. The 76ers, though, won’t want to trade anyone of serious value in this deal. They have a slew of second-round picks, each of their own first-round picks plus Miami’s 2021 first-rounder.

They’ll also have to match salary and make this deal worth Utah’s while. One of either Chicago or Sacramento’s second-round picks should do the trick.

There aren’t very many trade avenues for the 76ers to get better. Either they’re swinging for the fences on Jimmy Butler or Kemba Walker, or they can try to get on base with a guy like Alec Burks.

It’s early into the season, and Fultz could still reclaim that talent he had at Washington and step into the shoes waiting for him as Philly’s third star. But he could also continue to struggle, and if he does, the 76ers are in trouble.

The rest of the East’s elite has improved, but the Sixers appear to be in limbo: Solid enough to make noise in the playoffs, but lacking the firepower to compete for a championship. There are some options for them to explore if they want to get there quicker.

Or, they could wait it out. A star-studded 2019 free agent class is only one summer away.