Front Page NCAAB Picks (Thu, Nov 20)

[Willie Bee]

UCLA Bruins -11 too much for Michigan Wolverines

Game Time: 11/20/2008 09:00 PM -
By: Marc Lawrence | playbook.com

Ranked No. 4 in both polls, the UCLA Bruins should have no trouble covering 11 points against the Michigan Wolverines tonight at Madison Square Garden in the 2K Classic.

The UCLA Bruins battle the Michigan Wolverines in the Semifinal Round of the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden Thursday evening with a lot of support on their side.

For openers, UCLA is 21-9 ATS in game under head coach Ben Howland when they are off a win-no-cover. In addition Michigan is 1-12 ATS in games off a win of five or more points when facing a Pac-10 opponent and 0-7 ATS with revenge against Pac-10 foes.

Look for the Bruins' stifling defense to shut down the Wolves here tonight.

Free Pick: UCLA -11 (-110)

[Willie Bee]

Memphis Tigers -21 vs. Tennessee Chattanooga Mocs

Game Time: 11/20/2008 04:30 PM -
By: Bob Harvey | bobharvey.mysbrforum.com

Freshman Tyreke Evans has picked up where Derrick Rose left off for Memphis, and the Tigers should have no trouble covering the number against Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Against U-Mass, Memphis shot 39% from the field including 2 of 19 from downtown. That was officially the Tigers' worst shooting performance in three years.

Memphis comes into the San Juan tip-off in Puerto Rico with two victories by a combined 49 points. And while Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts and company have left for the NBA, Coach C has just re-loaded, bringing in a batch of multi-talented blue-chippers.

Freshman guard Tyreke Evans led the way Monday with 19 points in his first start, while Robert Dozier had 18 and Antonio Anderson added 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Evans leads Memphis with 19.0 points over the first two games, hitting 48.3 percent of his shots, and is also adding 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest.

Shawn Taggart is the only Memphis player averaging a double-double. He's fourth on the team with 10.5 points and leads the Tigers with 11.5 rebounds a game.

Chattanooga has been blown out in its first two games, both on the road. The Mocs lost 114-75 to Tennessee in their opener Saturday before falling 103-75 against Missouri on Monday. That’s two lopsided victories and now their staring down the barrell of a third consecutive spanking.

There’s no reason to think the Mocs will give Memphis much of a fight. Look for the Tigers to keep playing shutdown defense while they’re outside shooters adjust to the slightly longer three-point shot. There’s way too much talent on this team for this game to even be close.

The line opened at Memphis -21 and it’s climbing. I’m planning a first-half play as well.

Free Pick: Memphis -21 (-110)

[jtuck]

Freshman Tyreke Evans has picked up where Derrick Rose left off for Memphis