Bruce's Picks (4 Live)
Facing Iowa looks a bad idea for Bucknell, which has sorely missed last year's Patriot MVP 7-0 Noah Williamson, now at Alabama. The 3-9 Bison have taken some real lumps , as their very-subpar 40% FG shooting has left them stranded more than once this season. A recent nine-game skid, halted only by an unsightly 51-38 win over punchless Rider, included heavy defeats by 34 (vs Pitt), 48 (vs St. John's), and 29 (vs. Cornell). Ben McCollum's Hawkeyes can be merciless vs. this category of foe, as Western Michigan found out in a 91-51 blowout loss last Sunday when McCollum cleared his bench early. A chance to showcase for the fans in Des Moines should help charge Iowa as well. Play Iowa (at Des Moines)
Having had a chance to get used to the rims and shooting background at home-neutral Santa Cruz (at the Warriors' G-League Kaiser Permanente Arena) in the midweek win over North Texas, expect a better offensive showing from the Broncos, who can shoot 3s much better than the 7 for 25 vs. the Mean Green, when top scorer G Christian Hammond also had an off-night (just 2 for 9 FGs). Slashing wing Elijah Mahi, however, is off back-to-back 17-point efforts. The other attraction here is to go against a struggling 3-9 Ramblers side that ever after welcoming 6-9 Wisconsin transfer Xavier Amos (17.5 ppg) two games ago, has continued to lose, with Loyola bowing to Chicago State and USF. Play Santa Clara (at Santa Cruz)
The hot team in the NHL at the moment? We could give a worse answer than Minnesota! It's six wins on the trot for the Wild, who are gathering even more momentum since stealing Quinn Hughes from the Canucks last week. One of the best puck-moving defenders in the league, Hughes adds just what John Hynes needed for Minnesota to better challenge heavyweights like Colorado and Dallas in the Central Division. Meanwhile, though Edmonton has won four of five, it is scrambling in goal again and back to Cal Pickard (3.91 GAA) this afternoon after Tristan Jarry, recently added from the Pens in exchange for Stuart Skinner, was just put on the IR with a lower-body injury. Play Wild on Money Line
It's been results in three straight for Leeds, as Daniel Farke has removed the handbrake and had the All-Whites playing on the front foot. That style, supposes Farke, is what can keep Leeds out of the drop zone, and efforts like two weeks ago vs. Liverpool, fighting back from a 2-0 deficit, suggest Farke is onto something. No arguments, we're sure, from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a scorer of some repute not long ago at Everton and now having converted in four straight matches for Farke. Meanwhile, Oliver Glasner's Crystal Palace will welcome any uptempo tactics by Leeds, suggesting a good chance this scoreline clears 2.5 at Elland Road. Play Leeds-Crystal Palace Over
It's old-school, "Moyes-ian" football at Everton as preferred by the sage David Moyes, who still prefers his tried-and-true 4-4-2 sets for his sometimes-plodding but usually resolute side, which has elevated to the top half of a crowded EPL table entering this weekend. Everton might be catching Arsenal at the right time, too, as recent efforts suggest something of a rut (but Gunners standards) after fortunate to escape with 3 points vs. Wolves and a loss at Aston Villa. One issue: key offseason add Viktor Gyokeres, yet to settle as Mikel Arteta envisioned. If Beto and others up front can convert chances from the wings by Jack Grealish & Company, Everton has a chance. Play Everton on Spread
It's a special game for Rick Pitino vs. former employer Kentucky, as St John's looks to continue a recent rally that has seen it win three in a row after three losses vs. ranked foes in November. The pieces, however, are starting to fit for Pitino, whose balanced squad features six double-digit scorers. Portal adds F Bryce Hopkins (ex-Providence) and G Ian Jackson (ex-North Carolina) are both tallying at 14 ppg and pacing a Red Storm offense scoring at an 88 ppg clip. Meanwhile, Mark Pope still looking to gain traction with the Cats, who've suffered a couple of heavy losses vs. Michigan State and Gonzaga, and still seeking proper combinations after losing four double-digit scorers from last year. Play St John's (at Atlanta)
Many teams are kicking themselves after the Red Wings beat them to the punch to acquire GK John Gibson during the offseason. After getting little help the past couple of years in Anaheim, Gibson is now flourishing in Detroit, pushing Cam Talbot to second fiddle as Gibson enjoys a big December. How big? Gibson is 6-0-0 this month, with two shutouts in his last four starts, stopping 115 of the 120 shots (.958 saves) he's faced during that span. Meanwhile, the Caps did snap a three-game skid when Logan Thompson (slated in the nets today) blanked the Leafs on Thursday, but Washington has lost three straight prior, scoring just three times that span. Play Red Wings on Money Line
Don't be fooled by the EPL table...West Ham is playing much better than its 18th-place standing would suggest. The Hammers might have been unfortunate not to get at least a point out of last week's visit from red-hot Aston Villa, and Nuno's men had achieved results in five of the six previous matches. A recent return-to-form by reliable Jarrod Bowen (goals in two straight) bodes well as the Hammers are going to need at least one score to make this hefty spread work vs. in-form Man City. Play West Ham on Spread
It's been a while since we've seen a clean sheet in a Man City-West Ham match and doubt we see one on Saturday at the Etihad, either. Indeed, this has been one of the more-lively matchups lately in the Prem, with scorelines reaching at least four goals in four straight clashes the past two seasons. City, of course, sometimes seem like they're scoring for fun, as their 38 goals make them runaway scoring leaders in the EPL, and now others besides Erling Haaland are joining in the fun (Phil Foden six goals the past four). Yet Nuno's West ham might chase this one as old reliable Jarrod Bowen is back in form with goals in the last two. Play Man City-West Ham Over
Goals have been flying into the net in games lately involving these two and see no reason why that should change on Saturday. Union Berlin offered one of the shockers of last week in Europe when cooling down a surging Leipzig 3-1, but there had been at least four goals in FCU's previous two matches as well, and top scorer Ilyas Ansah (on the scoresheet again last week) has been getting ample chances to do damage in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Koln recently featured a four-match stretch of at least four goals scored in each game, as top scorer and teenage sensation Said El Mala continues to turn heads, recently scoring vs. Wolfsburg & St. Pauli. Play Koln-Union Berlin Over
Belmont has been flying under the radar and hits Orange County with an 11-1 mark, though a quick look under the hood and at the schedule to date create some doubts about the Bruins. Belmont has taken advantage of a very soft pre-MVC slate, recently barely surviving upset bids vs. modest opposition, and a long trip in the week before the Christmas break would unnerve many foes. Meanwhile, though Russell Turner's UCI has been a bit more erratic than expected. The Anteaters have won four on the spin, and a crackling perimeter led by G Jurian Brown (5.3 ppg) has enough weaponry to trade points if nothing else at the Bren Center. Play UCI.