Bruce's Picks (3 Live)
In the Battle of the Palouse, keeping pace with the nearby Zags and their 92 ppg offense might be a chore for Wazzu in Pullman...but the Cougs likely try. WSU is scoring better than 80 ppg its last three, with frosh G Ace Glass (19 ppg that stretch) emerging, and the two meetings last season had a familiar look, double-digit Gonzaga wins as the Zags scored at an 86 ppg clip. If anything, this season's Gonzaga plays with a sharper edge thanks to late transfer add G Tyon-Grant Foster, and it's a tough matchup for WCC foes against Mark Few's frontline punch of 6-9 Graham Ike and 6-10 Braden Huff (both 17.8 ppg). Play Gonzaga-WSU Over.
WCC observers continue to praise the Toreros, whose efforts the past month-plus would likely keep USD inside of this number at Seattle. Steve Lavin's Toreros are only 2-4 in conference action but performing a bit better than expected in the WCC, with the signature effort at home vs. Gonzaga when pushing the Zags into the last minute of a 99-93 loss. Lavin continues to receive big efforts from Wake Forest transfer G Ty-Laur Johnson, scoring at a near 20 pg clip across the past five outings. Meanwhile, Seattle has occasionally impressed in its WCC debut, though the Redhawks enter having lost four of five, and off arguably their worst effort of the season in last Saturday's 68-55 loss at Oregon State. Play USD.
It's a logjam in the Big West, with tight margins up and down the table. In this context, CS Northridge must be viewed warily, as the Matadors have some bite featuring four double-digit scorers led by Saint Louis transfer Larry Hughes II, who gave it a go at Pop's alma mater but needed to find a new home to increase his minutes, and is showing what he can do for CSUN by dealing at a team-best 18.7 ppg clip. He's one of four Matadors scoring double digits. Meanwhile UCSD still rates as one of the Big West favorites but not as pronounced as last season for new HC Clint Allard, already upset in league play by Cal Poly and CS Fullerton. Play CS Northridge.
Mostly, the Big West is tightly-bunched, but one disappointment this season has been UCR, which impressed in November but has been sliding since under new HC Gus Argenal after Mike Magpayo left the Inland Empire for the Bronx and Fordham. Five straight losses for the Highlanders, the last three in league play, have sunk them to the bottom of the Big West table, the offense barely registering at a 60 pg clip across the last four of those setbacks. UCR has been hampered by little help from its bench in recent defeats. As for the Beach, Big West observers continue to see something worth backing, especially with star frosh G Gavin Sykes scoring 21+ in three of the last four games. Play Beach
In order to make this more of a fair fight tonight, maybe the Warriors should have to play without Steph Curry. Unfortunately for the Knicks, Steph is available this evening for Steve Kerr. The problem for Mike Brown tonight is no Jalen Brunson, who figures to miss some time after rolling an ankle last night at Sacramento. But the Knicks were playing poorly regardless last night while losing at Golden 1 Center, as has been mostly the case since winning the NBA Cup, and frontliner Mitchell Robinson is also sidelined. Though not always trustworthy, Golden State has won three of four, and the Dubs are mostly healthy. Also expect Steph to be very focused tonight after an uncommon 7-point effort vs. the Blazers. Play Warriors
Lots of fireworks in the Big Sky, which is especially true of potent State, which has been playing games at top speed and landed on the over side in seven straight games. The Bengals' calling card has been balance, with five averaging double-digit points for HC Ryan Looney. A help to the offense has been a legit post threat in bruising 6-8, 255-lb. PF Caleb Van De Griend, scoring better than 13 ppg as he does most of his work around the bucket. Note the rival Vandals' first three Big Sky games have all exceeded this 149.5 "total" with Gs Biko Johnson (ex-Omaha) and Kolten Mitchell (onetime ISU) both scoring 23 in last Saturday's 92-89 shootout win over Montana State. Play Idaho-Idaho State Over.
Maybe one player can make a difference...ask Charleston HC Chris Mack. Campbell transfer F Colby Duggan was activated in late December, just in time for conference play, and has provided an extra boost to an already capable lineup, with recent efforts including 17 points vs. William & Mary and 22 points vs. Hampton in the last two games as Charleston has won four straight. Meanwhile, though it's still early in conference play, Pat Skerry's Tigers probably rate as the disappointment of the CAA, at 1-4 in loop action and only 9-9 overall from what was regarded as a league favorite. Perhaps too much being asked of top scorer G Tyler Tejada, whose efforts have become inconsistent. Play Charleston.
Okay, the Jets are winning again (three straight). Yet those were at home, now it's on the road where they've lost nine straight, as well as 14 of 15 overall before this latest brief revival. Despite wins in his last two, Connor Hellebuyck hasn't looked his usual self in goal, confirmed by January numbers (3.80 GAA and .866 saves), and Hellebuyck recently lost ten straight starts. Curiously, Minnesota has lost its last four as host after being one of the NHL's premier home teams the first two months of the season, though a recent seven-game road trip (including a win at Winnipeg) was spliced in between. Note GK Jesper Wallstedt is also 2-0- vs. the Jets this season. Play Wild on Puck Line
Perhaps we can partly (and we emphasize "partly") excuse West Georgia getting stooped in its tracks by Jacksonville on the weekend, as the Dolphins are one of the few A-Sun entries that focus on defense and a slower pace. The Wolves, however, might be able to get back to their preferred uptempo tonight in DeLand, as the host Mad Hatters haven't been as concerned as Jacksonville about pace and defense, allowing almost 81 ppg. Expect a bounce-back effort from WGU F Shelton Williams-Dryden (19.1 ppg), who was on a four game-heater scoring at a 27.5 pg clip before one of his worst efforts of the season on Saturday vs. the Dolphins, hitting just 1 of 5 from the floor. Play WGU-Stetson Over.
Maybe a return home to the Wolstein Center will help the cause of Cleveland State, which has found no traction in recent Horizon League road trips. Perhaps not, as recent double-digit Horizon home losses to Detroit and Milwaukee suggests the Vikings are simply fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. As a result of often playing with five-out and looking to push the pace, CSU, similar to many teams, simply doesn't play enough defense; the Vikings rank a poor 347th nationally in scoring D at 84.9 ppg. Not good! This should create opportunities for Doug Gottlieb's surging Fighting Phoenix, who have won four straight, with transfer G Justin Allen scoring 21 or more in three of the past four games. Play Green Bay.
Does this big of a gap exist between any entries in the Coastal? Especially William & Mary? Recent evidence says no, as that fast start for the Tribe now looking like a false alarm, though supporters are excused for dreaming about a Big Dance appearance, which would be a first-ever. League action has proven sobering, however, as W&M is now on a three-game skid as Coastal foes have not been accommodating the Tribe's preference to play at a fast pace. Visiting A&T isn't having much success, either, but the Ags have been close in their Coastal losses, with impressive 6-6 frosh F Lewis Walker (17.4 ppg) sure to draw interest should he opt for the portal after the season. Play North Carolina A&T.
While chasing a European spot is looking increasingly difficult, this still seems a worthwhile risk with Union Berlin, which has settled comfortably into the Bundesliga's mid-table and stretched its current unbeaten streak to three out of the holiday break with a lively 2-2 draw vs. Mainz. Wins over Koln and Leipzig preceded, and there's a Peter Crouch-like weapon in gangly striker Ilyas Ansah, who leads UB with five goals. Meanwhile Augsburg is falling dangerously close to the Bundesliga drop zone (just two points beneath), and an offense blanked four times in the past five games offers little in the form of encouragement at the moment. Play Union Berlin on Money Line