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No. 3 Houston hosts Battle and West Virginia

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

West Virginia Mountaineers (5-8) at Houston Cougars (13-0)Houston; Saturday, 2 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: West Virginia visits the No. 3 Houston Cougars after Raequan Battle scored 24 points in West Virginia’s 78-75 overtime loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes.The Cougars have gone 8-0 at home. Houston leads the Big 12 in team defense, allowing 49.4 points while holding opponents to 34.5% shooting.The Mountaineers play their first true road game after going 5-8 to begin the season. West Virginia is 2-2 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 10.7 turnovers per game.Houston’s average of 8.0 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.5 fewer made shots on average than the 8.5 per game West Virginia allows. West Virginia averages 6.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than Houston gives up.The Cougars and Mountaineers match up Saturday for the first time in Big 12 play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: J’wan Roberts is averaging 7.5 points and 7.1...

Georgia visits Missouri following Bates’ 25-point game

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

Georgia Bulldogs (10-3) at Missouri Tigers (8-5)Columbia, Missouri; Saturday, 1 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Missouri plays the Georgia Bulldogs after Tamar Bates scored 25 points in Missouri’s 92-59 win against the Central Arkansas Bears.The Tigers have gone 6-2 at home. Missouri is ninth in the SEC scoring 76.5 points while shooting 45.3% from the field.The Bulldogs are 1-0 on the road. Georgia ranks seventh in the SEC shooting 34.4% from 3-point range.Missouri averages 9.1 made 3-pointers per game, 1.9 more made shots than the 7.2 per game Georgia allows. Georgia averages 75.4 points per game, 4.1 more than the 71.3 Missouri gives up to opponents.The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season for the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: Sean East is scoring 17.1 points per game and averaging 2.8 rebounds for the Tigers. Nick Honor is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Missouri.Justin Hill is averaging 8.7 points and 3.2 assists for the Bulldog...

Osobor leads Utah State against No. 13 Colorado State

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

Colorado State Rams (13-1, 1-0 MWC) at Utah State Aggies (13-1, 1-0 MWC)Logan, Utah; Saturday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Utah State takes on the No. 13 Colorado State Rams after Great Osobor scored 32 points in Utah State’s 88-60 win over the Air Force Falcons.The Aggies have gone 6-0 at home. Utah State is the top team in the MWC averaging 43.3 points in the paint. Osobor leads the Aggies with 13.0.The Rams are 1-0 in conference matchups. Colorado State ranks third in college basketball with 20.6 assists per game led by Isaiah Stevens averaging 7.4.Utah State makes 50.5% of its shots from the field this season, which is 6.9 percentage points higher than Colorado State has allowed to its opponents (43.6%). Colorado State averages 8.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.0 more made shots on average than the 5.5 per game Utah State gives up.The Aggies and Rams match up Saturday for the first time in MWC play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Osobor is scoring 18.4 points per game wit...

Almonor, Fairleigh Dickinson Knights host the Le Moyne Dolphins

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

Le Moyne Dolphins (5-9) at Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (6-9, 0-1 NEC)Teaneck, New Jersey; Saturday, 2 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Luke Sutherland and the Le Moyne Dolphins take on Ansley Almonor and the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in NEC play Saturday.The Knights are 3-2 in home games. Fairleigh Dickinson has a 2-6 record in games decided by 10 points or more.The Dolphins are 1-9 in road games. Le Moyne has a 4-5 record against opponents over .500.Fairleigh Dickinson is shooting 43.4% from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point lower than the 44.4% Le Moyne allows to opponents. Le Moyne averages 9.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.9 more makes per game than Fairleigh Dickinson allows.The Knights and Dolphins match up Saturday for the first time in NEC play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Almonor is scoring 16.9 points per game and averaging 5.9 rebounds for the Knights. DeVante Jamison is averaging 1.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Fairleigh Dickinson.Sutherland avera...

Johnson, Southern Illinois Salukis to visit Foster, Illinois State Redbirds

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

Southern Illinois Salukis (10-4, 2-1 MVC) at Illinois State Redbirds (8-6, 2-1 MVC)Normal, Illinois; Saturday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Illinois State plays Southern Illinois in a matchup of MVC teams.The Redbirds have gone 6-1 at home. Illinois State is 1-1 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.The Salukis are 2-1 in MVC play. Southern Illinois is 1-2 in games decided by less than 4 points.Illinois State averages 6.6 made 3-pointers per game, 1.7 more made shots than the 4.9 per game Southern Illinois allows. Southern Illinois has shot at a 47.2% clip from the field this season, 3.6 percentage points above the 43.6% shooting opponents of Illinois State have averaged.The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: Darius Burford is shooting 43.8% and averaging 13.7 points for the Redbirds.Clarence Rupert is averaging 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Salukis.LAST 10 GAMES: Redbirds: 5-5, averaging 68.7 points, 35.2 reb...

Charles, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns square off against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (4-9, 1-1 Sun Belt) at Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (7-7, 0-2 Sun Belt)Lafayette, Louisiana; Saturday, 8 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Joe Charles and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns host John Ojiako and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in Sun Belt action Saturday.The Ragin’ Cajuns have gone 4-1 at home. Louisiana averages 75.9 points while outscoring opponents by 4.6 points per game.The Chanticleers are 1-1 in conference games. Coastal Carolina is 1-1 in games decided by 10 or more points.Louisiana’s average of 8.8 made 3-pointers per game is 1.8 fewer made shots on average than the 10.6 per game Coastal Carolina allows. Coastal Carolina has shot at a 45.8% rate from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points higher than the 45.2% shooting opponents of Louisiana have averaged.The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: Kobe Julien is averaging 18.4 points for the Ragin’...

Staton-McCray and Samford host Citadel

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

Samford Bulldogs (12-2, 1-0 SoCon) at Citadel Bulldogs (8-6, 0-1 SoCon)Charleston, South Carolina; Saturday, 1 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Samford visits the Citadel Bulldogs after A.J. Staton-McCray scored 29 points in Samford’s 89-74 victory over the Chattanooga Mocs.The Citadel Bulldogs are 4-2 on their home court. Citadel has a 3-5 record against opponents above .500.The Samford Bulldogs are 1-0 in conference play. Samford is eighth in the SoCon allowing 74.9 points while holding opponents to 41.7% shooting.Citadel makes 45.9% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.2 percentage points higher than Samford has allowed to its opponents (41.7%). Samford scores 23.6 more points per game (90.1) than Citadel allows to opponents (66.5).The matchup Saturday is the first meeting this season for the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: AJ Smith is scoring 16.3 points per game with 4.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists for the Citadel Bulldogs. Elijah Morgan is averaging 14.4 poi...

Hawaii visits CSU Northridge following Bostick’s 21-point showing

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (9-5, 1-1 Big West) at CSU Northridge Matadors (11-3, 2-0 Big West)Northridge, California; Saturday, 8 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: CSU Northridge hosts the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors after Dionte Bostick scored 21 points in CSU Northridge’s 84-68 victory against the Long Beach State Beach.The Matadors are 5-1 on their home court. CSU Northridge leads the Big West in rebounding, averaging 43.8 boards. Keonte Jones leads the Matadors with 7.3 rebounds.The Rainbow Warriors are 1-1 against Big West opponents. Hawaii ranks fifth in the Big West with 24.6 defensive rebounds per game led by Justin McKoy averaging 5.1.CSU Northridge averages 80.6 points, 14.4 more per game than the 66.2 Hawaii gives up. Hawaii averages 73.5 points per game, 3.8 more than the 69.7 CSU Northridge allows.The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season for the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: Bostick averages 1.9 made 3-pointers per game for the Matadors, scoring 16.6 poi...

Howie Carr: Harvard, the Bud Light of universities

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

I am today announcing my candidacy for the Harvard Corporation – the board that has totally run Hamas on the Charles into the ground these past few decades.You may say, Howie, you have none of the necessary qualifications – you didn’t inherit billions of dollars and you never had the luxury of checking the right boxes and having everything handed to you without ever having to break a sweat, or even crack a book.All true, but there is an opening, apparently, for a 14th member of the Corporation, although it’s seldom, if ever reported.From the Wall Street Journal last month:“One faculty member, citing a carve-out in the Massachusetts Constitution that reserves authority over Harvard to the state Legislature, asked Massachusetts lawmakers to consider installing a government official on the board to provide more transparency and public accountability.”Transparency? Public accountability? No wonder state-run media in Boston have no interest in this story.“A spokeswoman for Gov. Maura Hea...

Stock market today: Global shares mostly slip, while oil prices advance

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:27:06 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares retreated on Friday although export-related Tokyo stocks got a boost as the dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen. U.S. futures edged lower while oil prices rose nearly $1. Investors are awaiting the release of a comprehensive report on the jobs market from the U.S. Labor Department later Friday. Economists expect it to show U.S. hiring slowed to 160,000 jobs last month from 199,000 in November. The hope is that the economy will remain just strong enough to stave off recession without reversing progress in taming inflation. The Federal Reserve is watching to see if current trends continue as it weighs the possibility of cutting interest rates.Rate cuts give a boost to prices for stocks and other investments, while also relaxing the pressure on the economy and financial system. “Sentiments are back on some wait-and-see, given that we may have to see a substantial weakening of the U.S. labor market to justify market pricing of a rate cut,” said Yeap J...