Bruce's Picks (6 Live)
Bruce's Past Picks
It's the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout in Cincinnati tonight, and we wonder if the local eateries are giving away free cheese coneys if the X hits ten or more triples in a game. After a slow start in early November, the Musketeers are raining in 3-balls en masse of late (including a 16 for 25 beyond the arc in Charleston vs. WVU) to up their accuracy to 38% from tripleville, with Valpo transfer G All Wright now raining triples at a 50% rate. With wins in three straight, Richard Pitino's side now looks in gear, while we're not so sure about the Bearcats, whose offense has lurched in recent weeks as it tries to incorporate 6-11 ex-FAU frontliner Baba Miller into the mix. Play Xavier.
Already there are signs that Iona could be a go-with entry in the Metro-Atlantic. Dan Geriot's collection of transfers have already hit stride, with the offense scoring at a brisk 85.1 ppg clip. The Gaels are also demonstrating proficiency from deep, hitting 39% of their triples. The prize of the portal has been G CJ Anthony, who got little playing time at Cincinnati but has been flourishing in New Rochelle, leading the way for Iona at 16.6 ppg. As for the Q, it has absorbed three double-digit losses already, including a pair of blowouts vs. St John's & Yale, and G Jaden Zimmerman (16.5 ppg) & F Amarri Monroe (15.9 ppg) are a good 1-2 punch, not sure the Bobcats keep pace. Play Iona
Not exactly "no Luka, no LeBron...no problem" for the Lakers, but maybe that's the case. No Doncic or King James tonight at TD Garden would seem to put the Lake Show at a major disadvantage, except the Lakers have plenty of experience minus LeBron, and won last night in Toronto without Luka. Critics maintain the Lake Show has feasted upon a lesser schedule but the win in Toronto might dispel that notion, for a moment, at least. LA runs into the teeth of a Celtics hot streak as Boston has impressively won three in a row, including a 45-point wipeout of the Wiz on Wednesday, but LA knows know how to circle the wagons and is unlikely to meet a similar fate. Play Lakers
The suddenly-streaky Devils have been alternating three-game lose and win streaks the past couple of weeks but another surrender tonight vs. VGK would give Sheldon Keefe's side its longest slump of the season. The offense, however, had been functioning decently until running into a hot Jake Oettinger on Wednesday night, scoring at least three in its six previous games, and Jake Allen (likely in nets tonight; 2.48 GAA) has been outperforming Jacob Markstrom lately in goal. VGK's two-game win streak has come by the narrowest margins, and Arika Schmid (the likely starter) has lost his last three starts in the crease. Play Devils on Money Line
Scorelines are apt to expand in pre-league play but once conference play begins, the pace seems to slow...witness IU-Indy vs. Detroit last night, landing well beneath the 183 total in the Horizon. Something similar perhaps in the Big West, as CSF has been running to its heart's content in pre-league play, scoring at a brisk 88.1 ppg, but not too efficiently, hoisting nearly70 shots pg and connecting on barely 30% of its triples. Cal Poly has been involved in some racehorse-like games, too, and is hitting its triples (35%) better than the Titans, but the Mustangs don't have an especially-efficient offense, either (just 42% FGs), and almost all of the scoring comes from the perimeter in Mike DeGeorge's effective 5_G lineup. Play Cal Poly-CSF Under
As they play at a tedious pace for Russell Turner, the Anteaters haven't had the look of a margin team yet this season. Three-point shooting continues to be a concern for UCI, which is hitting just above 28% beyond the arc, as its overall stats have been bloated by early wins over lower-division foes like Bethesda and Lincoln. Across the past five games (three of those being outright losses), the Anteaters are scoring roughly 64 ppg, with top scorer soph G Jurian Dixon hitting only 31% from the floor across the last three. UCR has been representative for first-year HC Gus Argenal, whose far-flung collection of transfers includes some under-the-radar specials like former D-II G Andrew Henderson (17.4 ppg). Play UCR
The Blackhawks have only one win in seven but their form hasn't been all that bad, including Tuesday at Vegas when losing in a shootout vs. the Golden Knights. That result followed a gallant fightback for a 5-3 win over Anaheim and the latest reminder that nothing is wrong with the Chicago offense, which can always count upon Connor Bedard (three goals past two games) and Tyler Bertuzzi for goals. Meanwhile, lots of meh lately for the Kings, in fact losing five of seven as goal-scoring has once again hit a dry patch. Such as in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the visiting Caps, when another good effort in goal from Darcy Kuemper (22 saves on 24 shots) was in vain. Play Blackhawks on Money Line
Various Big West onlookers believe it will be UCSB emerging from what looks like a real scrum in the conference. Joe Pasternack's side survived a couple of close calls last week in the Resorts World Tourney at Las Vegas and has held its own vs. a moderately-challenging pre-league slate., Portal add G Miro Little (via Utah) is turning into a useful component at 13 ppg, and former St Mary's & UConn G Aidan Mahaney had a string of three straight 17-point games in early November. The Beach's 76-72 win over UCSD on the weekend is likely more an indictment of the Toreros, as regional sources suggest Chris Acker's team is no better than last year's 7-25 entry. Play UCSB
The Flames' offense is back on the blink, just one goal across the past two games (losses to Carolina & Nashville). Hardly the best prep for a visit from Minnesota, whose defensive numbers are among the league's best in recent weeks and who enter the Saddledome having won eight of nine. Of their last nine wins since November 9, five of those have been shutouts, and GK Filip Gustavsson is off of a hot November in which Minnesota was 5-1-0 in his starts while he posted a solid 2.06 GAA and .923 saves. Kirill Kaprizov (17 goals) and Matt Boldy (15 goals) have been providing the firepower lately as the Wild hit Calgary very hot...something the struggling Flames definitely aren't. Play Wild on the ML.