Bruce's Picks (7 Live)
If we had a ballot for Coach of the Year, we might give Kennesaw's Jerry Mack a vote. That the Owls could win 10 games and the C-USA title in just their second year of FBS action should garner Mack a few votes. Even Indiana's Curt Cignetti didn't inherit a task so daunting, as Mack was able to improve Kennesaw's athleticism, with foot speed to unnerved conference foes. Meanwhile, Wofford transfer QB Amari Odom developed into a dual-threat playmaker responsible for 25 TDs. No knocks on Lance Taylor's MAC champ Broncos., but WMU didn't face this sort of defensive quickness since maybe the Illinois loss on September 13, and not sure any smashmouth tactics succeed at Myrtle Beach. Play Kennesaw State (at Conway, SC)
Not much glory in being one of the best 2-9 teams, but signs of progress nonetheless from the Beach. Four straight spread covers for Chris Acker's troops, who have narrowly missed road wins at UCSB and San Jose State (both in OT) and pushed a 10-1 UCSD side to the wire in the past couple of weeks. Improvement from last year is palpable with frosh G Gavin Sykes (17.1 ppg) & Syracuse transfer F Petar Majstorovic (14 ppg) likely to be popular portal targets in the offseason. Meanwhile, despite a better record, Pep hasn't impressed regional observers, missing the sharp edge that transferred G Moe Odum (now ASU) provided last term, while the Waves aren't helping themselves with subpar three-point shooting (29.1%). Play Long Beach.
Though Dallas has lost in his last two starts, Jake Oettinger has been performing well in goal for the Stars. To wit: in five starts this month, Oettinger has posted a 1.81 GAA and .930 saves, though he has been betrayed by his offense in his last two starts as Dallas scored a combined two goals in losses to the Wild and Panthers. The Stars continued to look sluggish for most of Tuesday vs. the Kings, too, before scoring twice in the last four minutes to finally put the game away. Meanwhile, prior to a pair of high-scoring wins, the Sharks had played five straight unders, and Thursday starter Alex Nedeljkovic faring decently in goal this month (2.42 GAA in four appearances). Play Stars-Sharks Under
The marketplace remains a bit slow to buy on San Jose even as the Sharks continue to surprise. The win streak is three; six goals in each of the past two wins. Against Pittsburgh last Saturday, the Sharks scored four times in the 3rd period to rally from a 5-1 deficit to force OT before winning; on Tuesday, it was a 6-3 romp past Calgary when Macklin Celebrini's now-expected magic (great "spin-o-rama goal vs. Calgary!) scored twice and matched by vet Barclay Goodrow's brace. Meanwhile, Dallas has looked a bit flat lately, scoring just two goals across losses to the Wild and Panthers before scoring twice in the last four minutes to finally pull away from the Kings on Tuesday. Play Sharks on Money Line
Not a dull moment at Mizzou State, where HC Ryan Beard recently moved to Coastal Carolina, and where SMU OC Casey Woods was just hired as his replacement. For tonight, OC Nick Petrino will serve as interim coach. Worth noting, perhaps, that both of these sides will have their regular-season QBs available in Frisco, as Jacob Clark for Mizzou State and Jaylen Raynor for Arkansas State have decided to stay and play. The venue tonight suggests the sort of conditions that could help the offenses, indoors at the climate-controlled Ford Center in Frisco, at the Dallas Cowboys complex. Both teams were involved in high-scoring games late in the season and expect some of the same tonight. Play Missouri State-Arkansas State Over (Xbox Bowl at Frisco)
Short price, to be sure, but should the Rams really be getting points anywhere these days? That might hold especially true in Seattle, where Sean McVay has enjoyed great success across the years, especially vs. the spread, where the Rams have covered five straight. They'll almost have to win tonight for the points to work, but they've done that the past two seasons at Lumen Field, too. The Seahawks almost let one slip away last week vs. Philip Rivers and the Colts, as the offense repeatedly stalled in the red zone. We are yet to be convinced that Sam Darnold can outgun Matthew Stafford, though he did come close last month at SoFi in a 21-19 LA win. Play Rams
MVC sources have alerted to keep an eye on action-packed Murray State. Now at 91 ppg after running away from Akron in a 115-100 shootout at Henderson, first-year HC Ryan Miller (via Greg McDermott's Creighton staff) has assembled a new team of Racers via transfers and frosh. Ex-UIC G Javon Jackson (16.5 ppg) now flourishing in a go-go offense, while hybrid 6-9 frosh point-forward Roman Domon has scored double-digits in six straight. Meanwhile, Drake is still looking to gain some traction for new HC Eric Henderson, off of a good run at South Dakota State, but on its third coach in as many years after the portal cleaned out last year's overachievers for Ben McCollum (many now at Iowa). Play Murray State.
A bit maddening lately for the Rockets, who have lost three straight away, but playing for just the second time in a week, the batteries should be charged for tonight at Smoothie King. Nothing wrong with the effort on Monday at Denver, however, when Houston was unfortunate not to have won regulation time. Getting Alperen Sengun back on the floor after missing a recent loss at Dallas has been a plus, and the Rockets' big lineup has been able to extend many margin this season vs. lesser opposition. That category fits the Pels, despite two wins on the spin, even with and Zion Williamson (knock on wood) back in action. Note NO has ten losses by DD margins already this campaign. Play Rockets