Bruce's Picks (1 Live)
Home court has often meant something in the Big Sky and case in point is Sac State, which earlier only played twice at the new Hornet Pavilion in a two-month span but has won three straight at home for Mike Bibby since last week. That puts the Hornets 5-0 at home in Big Sky action as Bibby has adjusted from the loss of 6-11 Bear Cherry in November, now a perimeter-oriented attack around Gs Prophet Johnson (61 points across last two) and Mikey Williams. Note PSU is setting the pace in the Sky and won handily in the first meeting, but don't see the Vikes dominating the glass as they did or hitting 55% from the floor as last month. Play Sac State
Slowly moving to the safe side of the Big Dance cut-line, the Bruins have won four of five and could easily have five in a row if not for a gnawing OT loss last week vs. Indiana. Mick Cronin's bunch did bounce back smartly earlier this week vs. Rutgers at Pauley Pavilion in arguably one of their better showings of the season, hitting 57% from the floor with 6-11 Xavier Booker playing the game of his career with 24 points on 10-for-11 FG shooting. The Huskies have made a habit of losing close games and UCLA took the Huskies' best shot in Seattle on December 3 when emerging with an 82-80 win, overcoming 29 points by UW's star frosh F Hannes Steinbach. Play UCLA
Steve Alford's Wolf Pack has been growling at home in Mountain West action and expect that to continue tonight vs. beatable Fresno. Nevada will be on alert after a 1-point escape at the Save-Mart Center last month, but has won and covered four straight and five of six in Mountain West play at Lawlor Center. The Pack also has the hottest scorer in the MW in UTEP transfer wing Corey Camper, who has went for 30_ in the last two games (more specifically 33.5 ppg). Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have recovered slightly in recent weeks but have too often gone cold, and not particularly accurate with their 3-balls (barely 32%), while not far removed from an earlier six-game losing streak. Play Nevada
Not often focusing upon Steve Lavin's USD, but upon inspection his Toreros haven't offered bad spread value, actually covering 8 of 12 despite off of back-to-back losses to Oregon State and Saint Mary's. On the WCC trail USD has covered three of five, not great but not bad, and the last two games have featured subpar production from top scorer, Wake Forest transfer G Ty-Laur Johnson (15.3 ppg), held to single digits in the losses to the Beavers and Gaels. At its own level, USD hasn't been outclassed this season, and has put up good fights vs USC and Gonzaga this season. Simply not sure we want to lay points with LMU, which had lost six straight prior to Thursday's win at USF. Play USD
San Jose actually played its best game in a while when making New Mexico work for a 90-80 win at the Event Center last Saturday, but it's been apparent since early this season that Tim Miles was working on shorter rations with this roster. The portal continues to take a bit out of SJSU, though Longwood transfer G Colby Garland (18.2 ppg; 23 vs Lobos) has proven a nice addition. Still, the Spartans have lost contact often, and CSU has had a week to stew over a poor effort at border rival Wyo. Ali Faroukmanesh's Rams also recently got key frontliners Kyle Jorgensen and Rashaan Mbempa back to active duty. Play Colorado State
We suspect the Vivid Seats or Stub Hub ticket prices for this game have dropped considerably with both Steph Curry (knee) and Luka Doncic (hamstring) sitting out tonight. Jimmy Butler was already sidelined for the season for the Warriors, and with Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga both shipped out at the deadline, Steve Kerr might need to suit up himself to give Golden State some offense tonight. Meanwhile, though Luka is in LA's dry-dock tonight, Austin Reaves has returned to active duty this week (and scored 35 in the Thursday win over Philly), and LeBron has saved some big efforts in the past for the Dubs. Play Lakers
It was perhaps CBU's worst shooting night of the season (just 31% FGs, and 20% triples) when barely surviving a 56-55 root canal vs. shorthanded Tarleton on Thursday in Riverside. ACU, however, has seen its season jump the rials, especially after the federal investigation news broke 23 days ago. The Wildcats haven't won since as the offense has stalled, held to 58 points or fewer in three of the past five games. Some close calls lately for CBU but the Lancers are actually atop the WAC at the moment, and expect top scorer G Dominique Daniels to bounce back after a subpar 5-16 FG shooting effort vs. the Texans (Daniels had scored at a 34 ppg clip in the three previous games). Play CBU
Oral Roberts himself is no longer around to bestow his miracles on the Golden Eagles hoopsters, in the midst of a numbing 12-game losing streak into tonight at St. Paul. Winless, in the Summit, losses in 12 straight overall and no covers the last seven makes ORU a prime go-against candidate, as the Golden Eagles have started to lean too heavily upon Youngstown transfer G Ty Harper, who's scored 49 points across the past two games but the Golden Eagles continue to lose. Meanwhile the Tommies are battling NDSU for first place in the Summit and with their own hot scorer in soph G Nolan Minessale (19.9 ppg; 26 on Wed win win vs. SDSAU). Play St Thomas
Lots of nip-and-tuck in the Big Sky and Dan Monson's EWU has been involved in many of those, including the last five games all decided by single-digits. Included was Thursday's rousing 82-74 win at Missoula vs. Montana when the Eagles hit 52% from the floor and didn't even need a big game from star G Isaiah Moses (17.8 ppg), who had an off-night by his standards when making just 4 of 12 FGs as 6-9 Miami transfer Kiree Huie (15 points) continued his recent surge. Note the Bobcats are battling Portland State for top spot in the Sky, but needed Christian King's 27 points off the bench to complete a late rally to squeeze a 68-64 win at Cheney on January 8. Play EWU
Whoever said "when you've got a big gun, fire it!" applies to the red-hot Hornets, who are closing in on an East play-in spot after seven straight wins. On Thursday was a comfy win over the Rockets, also the fifth straight road success for Charlotte, as the Hornets have flourished with almost all hands on deck, ex-Duke Kon Knueppel making a Rookie of the Year push, and soon to add ex-Bulls G Coby White (not until after the All-Star break, however) for more backcourt depth. Meanwhile the Hawks are in a bit more of a transition phase after their recent deals, and have won two straight, but will have to wait for key deadline add Jonathan Kuminga (knee) to make his ATL debut. Play Hornets
Orlando wasn't as active at the deadline as many expected, and key cog Franz Wagner remains out. Still, that was an encouraging 118-98 romp past the Nets on Thursday as G Jalen Suggs recorded his first NBA triple-double (15-11-11) as the Magic had a rare easy night. Desmond Bane led the way with 23 points in the romp. Acknowledge the three straight Utah covers on this current road trip, but the Jazz have mostly been a go-against this season, dropping seven of eight in their latest downturn. Recent trade adds including ex-Griz Jaren Jackson Jr could make their Utah debuts tonight. Play Magic
Here's your new WCC leader as SCU holds an 0.5 lead over Gonzaga after the Zags lost at Portland on Thursday. Still, even now appearing into the field of 68 in bracketology forecasts, the Broncos' Selection Sunday prospects remain up in the air unless they keep winning, which they've done now done seven straight and eleven of twelve. SCU's win margin in the WCC is almost 20 ppg and yet another different leading scorer (this time F Jake Ensminger with 13 points) in Thursday's win at UOP for Heb Sendek's balanced roster. These matchups last season were all-SCU which won by 28 and 30, respectively, and the Cougs lost momentum in the second half at Oregon State on Thursday when outscored 51-30! Play Santa Clara
Perhaps the Lumberjacks have a letdown from their rousing showdown win over McNeese on Monday...a better guess might be that they won't. Now in clear pole-position for the top seed in next month's Southland Tourney, the 'Jacks have won eight straight and 15 of 16, and will be on alert tonight as Lamar pushed SFA at Beaumont two weeks ago in an 88-81 SFA escape. That was one of five straight games when former UMass G Keon Thompson (17.8 ppg) has led the Jacks in scoring. As for Lamar, much more inconsistency, as modest shooting numbers (just 43.8% from the floor) has proven a recurring issue, and the defense couldn't slow SFA in the first meeting when conceding 53% from the floor. Play SFA
Tricky times for Nantes, stuck in the Ligue Un drop zone and beginning to lose contact with 15th-place Le Havre, now six points ahead in the last safe position. A brief rally sandwiching wins around New Year's has been followed by four straight losses, as Nantes only has three wins all season, and its defensive record one of the worst in France. Not the time to be running into hot Lyon, either, sparked by the recent addition of on-loan Endrick from Real Madrid, and 12 total goals scored across the last four games (including Endrick's hat-trick vs. Metz). Lyon is now safely into a Champs League qualifying spot and into the round of 16 in the Europa League. Play Lyon on Asian Line