The Niagara Purple Eagles will be getting no respect when they host the Iona Gaels today in an early one at Gallagher Center, and that suits me just fine. The Purple Eagles are no push over and especially at home. In Lewiston, they are 8-2, 4th in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and 9-5 in conference play. The Gaels are a good team – that is a given. They are 2nd in the MAAC, 10-3 in conference play but just 4-4 on the road. Niagara is hot. They have won 5 straight, are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 overall, and the home team is 4-0-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
TODAY’S PICK: NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES +7½
Saturday Men’s NCAA Basketball Pick
The Cornell Big Red will be a road favorite today when they visit the Brown Bears. Cornell is 15-7, 3rd in the Ivy League and 6-6 on the road. Brown is 12-10, 4th in the Ivy League and 6-4 at home. Cornell has lost their last two so they are due for a win. The Big Red can score, averaging 84.8 points per game as opposed the Bears’ 68.3. They also beat Brown, 80-73, back on January 28th. Cornell is currently laying 2 with a money line of only -132.
TODAY’S PICK: CORNELL BIG RED M/L
Friday Men’s NCAA Basketball Pick
The Nevada Wolf Pack are still perfect at Lawlor Center and tonight they will go for their 13th straight home victory when they host the Fresno State Bulldogs. Not only do the Pack win in Reno, they cover. Nevada is 11-2-1 ATS in their last 14 home games. Fresno State is just 3-7 on the road and have not won at Lawlor Center since January 21, 2017. Nevada is averaging 78.7 points per game at home and allowing 64.7. On the road, Fresno State is averaging 63.2 points per game and allowing 69.8. The Pack is laying a lot of chalk. The current line is Nevada -9 but don’t let the number scare you. If they feel like blowing out the Bulldogs tonight they will.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEVADA WOLF PACK -9
Thursday NHL Pick
The Vancouver Canucks lost another one on the road last night, falling to the New York Rangers at MSG, 4-3, and have now lost 9 of their last 10 away from Rogers Arena. It won’t get any easier tonight when they make the short trip to UBS Arena for a matchup with the red hot New York Islanders. New York is 16-9-5 on Long Island. They have won 4 straight, are 9-3 in their last 12 against the Pacific, and won the last meeting with the Canucks in Vancouver on January 3rd, 6-2. Expect a stellar performance tonight from newly acquired All-Star Bo Horvat, who will be extra motivated when he faces his old team Vancouver for the first time since being traded on January 30th. The Islanders are hot, ride them ’til they are not.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Wednesday Men’s NCAA Basketball Pick
The Fordham Rams will look to bounce back from a tough loss on Sunday to the Richmond Spiders, a game they could have and should have won, when they host the Massachusetts Minutemen tonight at Rose Hill Gymnasium. The Rams have been a tough opponent at home. They are 14-2 in the Bronx, where they average 73.1 points per game and allow an average of 65.2. The Minutemen are just 2-5 on the road where they are averaging 66.1 points per game, allowing 75.1, and are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 road games. On the other hand, Fordham covers. They are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 overall, 23-7-1 ATS in their last 31 home games, and following an ATS loss they are 12-4-1 ATS in their last 17. The current line is Fordham -6 and if they want to cover the number they will.
TONIGHT’S PICK: FORDHAM RAMS -6
Tuesday NHL Pick
The Tampa Bay Lightning should have the rust and too much South Beach out of their system after last night’s thumping by the Florida Panthers. Tonight they head home to the friendly confines of Amalie Arena to host the San Jose Sharks. Tampa’s home record speaks for itself, at 20-4-1, and a win tonight will make their 13th straight home victory. The Sharks are better on the road than they are at the Shark Tank, at 10-13-4, but have struggled against the Bolts, going 0-6 in the last 6 meetings overall and 0-4 in their last 4 in Tampa. The Sharks have not played since before the break and are 1-7 in their last 8 with 3 or more days’ rest.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Monday NHL Pick
Going into the All-Star break, the Tampa Bay Lightning were clicking on every cylinder. Tonight they will be playing their cross-state rival, the Florida Panthers, in Sunrise. The Lightning have owned the Panthers, winning the last 7 meetings, and are 4-0 in their last 4 trips to FLA Live Arena. Barring any post-break hangover, Tampa Bay should get this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING