Bruce's Picks (7 Live)
Bruce's Past Picks
If there's one team that doesn't mind playing on the road, it's the Rangers. In a way, an inside-out season for Mike Sullivan's troops, who are a sparkling 11-4-1 on their travels, so maybe it's good news that they're away at the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa's outskirts tonight. Overall, New York has now won four of five, so perhaps things are stirring, with Artemi Panarin getting scoring help lately from the likes of Will Cuylle, Vincent Trocheck, Vladislav Gavrikov among those also pitching in during the recent uptick. Meanwhile, the Sens return home after almost three weeks away in a historically-tricky scheduling situation. Play Rangers on Money Line
West Ham has had Man U's number, winning three of the last four matches, though the odds are stacked against the Hammers tonight Old Trafford. Should they be? Nuno's side was on a heater, unbeaten in three with two wins included, before running into desperate Liverpool last weekend and hanging in the match until Cody Gakpo finally secured the win for the Reds in stoppage time. As issue for Nuno might be the suspension of orchestrator Lucas Paqueta, sent off last weekend with two yellows, and thru whom most West Ham attacks flow, but the Hammers have found other ways in the past month and still have Jarrod Bowen to score goals. Can erratic Man U extend a margin? Play West Ham.
UCLA can be glad last week's loss at Cal wasn't a conference game. (Ditto for an earlier loss to former Pac-12 foe Arizona...again, outside of league play these days). For the second time already, Mick Cronin has reportedly read the riot act to his Bruins, though better news is that high-priced transfer PG Donovan Dent is expected to be ready to go after a recurrence of his leg injury in the game vs. the Golden Bears. No doubt, Cronin needs better from Dent, scoring only 11 ppg while shooting just 36% from the floor (and a woeful 9% beyond the arc). U-Dub isn't in the greatest shape, either, with various frontline maladies, exposed in last week's loss to Colorado in Palm Springs. Play UCLA
Let's see if UVU can begin to function away from Orem, where the Wolverines have played most of their games this season. Not tonight, however, back to a Mountain West destination which has proven a problem for UVU, having lost at Fresno and (big) at Boise State. The Aztecs might welcome a chance to face a foe that might be at a disadvantage after slugging it out with heavyweights at the Players Era event last week, and in retrospect walking away 1-2 in Las Vegas wasn't all that bad, especially how SDSU looked when on more-even terms against Oregon. Brian Dutcher's team is hitting almost 41% beyond the arc and is getting solid contributions from several, including 6-5 wing Reese Dixon-Waters (14 ppg). Play SDSU.
Tricky bit of scheduling here for the Caps, in LA last night where they downed the Kings 3-1 behind another stellar night in goal from Logan Thompson. As it's now a back-to-back situation tonight, It's Charlie Lindgren (3.12 GAA, .886 saves) time in goal. Edge in the nets, then, to the surging Sharks and Yaroslav Askarov, expected in goal once again after recording yet another win on Monday vs. Utah after a stellar November in which he posted a 1.88 GAA and .947 saves on top of winning in eight of ten starts. Play Sharks on Money Line.
WAC favorite Cal Baptist has shown enough the past month to trust the Lancers getting this sort of price in Provo. Monday's loss at Colorado was CBU's first of the season, but the Lancers made it close and stayed well within the double-digit spread at Boulder. Allowing only 64 ppg as it controls the pace, CBU makes it difficult for opponents to stretch the lead. Rick Croy also has some established offensive weapons such as G Dominique Daniels (18 ppg) when CBU needs a bucket. After a rousing November and success at Disney World last week, this looks a potential flat spot for the Cougars, who don't play next until December 9 vs. Clemson. Play Cal Baptist (at Salt Lake City)
Northwestern never seems to go away in its games...only twice since last season have the Cats lost by more than the 10.5 spread in this game tonight at Madison. That's mostly because NU has enough offense to rarely lose contact, thanks in good part to high-scoring 6-7 F Nick Martinelli, maintaining a similar scoring pace (20.6 ppg) as a year ago (20.5 ppg). Chris Collins has the added bonus this season of a legit post scoring threat in Cincy transfer Arrinten Page (15 ppg). Wiscy couldn't shake the Cats in either of their matchups last season and returns to Kohl Center having lost 2 of 3 on its travels, including an 11-point loss vs. TCU in San Diego last Friday. Play Northwestern
It was just last Wednesday in Charlotte that the Knicks ran up a 129-101 margin, the game effectively over by halftime as NY had cruised to a 72-46 lead. Jalen Brunson scored 33 despite taking off most of the 4th Q as Mike Brown's troops shot 57% from the floor. The Knicks continue to effectively compensate for the absence of OJ Anunoby, out since mid-November. Note, too, how NY (lost at Boston last night) has also won immediately after its previous four losses. Meanwhile, the Hornets' road trip got off to a bad start on Monday when whipped by the Nets in Newark. Prior to the preceding 2-game mini-uptick, Charlotte had dropped seven in a row, and LaMelo Ball's numbers remain decidedly down. Play Knicks