The Davidson Wildcats showed why they are the best in the Atlantic 10 when they steam rolled the Fordham Rams yesterday, 74-56. Today they will play an imposing foe, the St. Louis Billikens, but I expect the Cats will come out on top. The Billikens were lucky to eke one out yesterday over the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, 57-56, and were blown out by the Wildcats on February 19th, 79-58. Why should today be any different?
TODAY’S PICK: DAVIDSON WILDCATS M/L
Friday NHL Pick
The Vegas Golden Knights are having trouble finding the back of the net and have now lost two straight after falling to Buffalo last night, 3-1. Vegas has recorded just two tallies against two of the worst teams in hockey, Philadelphia and Buffalo, and it won’t get any easier tonight when they travel to PPG Paints Arena to face the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh has also lost a couple but they were against elite teams, Florida and Carolina, and both were close, losing to the Panthers, 4-3, and Carolina in OT, 3-2. The Penguins won the first meeting this season, 5-3, in Vegas and are 15-9-5 at home. They will also will be facing a Vegas team that is playing back-to-back games so fatigue could be an issue for the Golden Knights while Pittsburgh is well rested and are 7-1 in their last 8 on two days rest.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Thursday NHL Pick
When you are fortunate enough to draft a superstar like Jack Eichel the last thing you do is trade him, but that is exactly what the Buffalo Sabres did when they sent him to the Vegas Golden Knights. Tonight Eichel will make his return to Key Bank Center for the first time in a Golden Knight uniform and he will be out to prove to the Sabres that they made a big mistake. Eichel is already paying dividends for Vegas, notching 3 goals and 4 assists, as he has been shaking the rust off over his first 10 games as a Golden Knight. Buffalo showed a glimmer of hope when they won a rare two in a row against Toronto and Minnesota but are right back to doing what they do best and that is lose, dropping their last 2 and 8 of their last 10. Vegas is 16-9-1 on the road, won the last meeting with Buffalo on February 1st, 5-2, and should prevail tonight against the lowly Sabres, who are a pathetic 9-16-4 at home.
TONIGHT’S PICK: VEGAS GOLDEN NIGHTS
Wednesday Men’s NCAA Basketball Pick
The Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas will be the venue tonight when the Fresno State Bulldogs take on the San Jose State Spartans. The Bulldogs are currently laying 13½ points and if they want to cover it they will. In the two meetings with the Spartans this season, the Bulldogs destroyed them each time, knocking them off 73-43 on February 1st and 79-59 on January 11th. When favored, the Bulldogs are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 and should have no problem covering the number tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS -13½
Tuesday NHL Pick
The best team in hockey, the Colorado Avalanche, were on a rare 2-game skid but that came to an end yesterday with a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Tonight they will make the short trip to Prudential Center for a meeting with the New Jersey Devils. We know it, the Devils know it, they will be not be going to the post-season and had better be on their A-game plus if they want to make it two wins in a row. The Devils are coming off a 3-2 OT win on Sunday over the St. Louis Blues but they rarely win back-to back-games. The 41-11-5 Avs are 18-8-2 on the road, 20-7-1 in their last 28 meetings with the Devils, and 5-2 in their last 7 in Newark. Next up for Colorado is Carolina so if they don’t take this one for granted and look ahead to Thursday’s matchup with the Canes they should cruise to a victory.
TONIGHT’S PICK: COLORADO AVALANCHE
Monday Men’s NCAA Basketball Pick
Conference tournament play will take us to Indiana Farmers Coliseum tonight for a matchup between the Cleveland State Vikings and the Wright State Raiders. The Vikings are 1st in the Horizon League and average 75.6 points per game, allowing an average of 69.5. The Raiders are 4th in the Horizon and have similar numbers, averaging 75.4 points per game and allowing 71.5. This will be a nail biter but Cleveland State should come out on top. The Vikings know they can beat the Raiders, after winning both meetings this season, 71-67 on January 28th and 85-75 on December 4th. The Vikings are currently laying 1 and are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 at a neutral site but the money line is -115 so forget about the point and consider Cleveland State on the M/L.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS M/L
Sunday NHL Pick
The St. Louis Blues were scoring at will, but have now lost 2 straight with just 4 tallies during their skid. Expect them to come out swinging today when they visit the New Jersey Devils in an early one at Prudential Center. New Jersey is having a season they would like to forget, at 19-31-5, with a home record of 11-13-3. St. Louis, who resides in the second spot in the Central, is 32-16-6, with a road record of 13-10-4, and will have payback on their minds after losing to the Devils at home back on February 10th, 7-4. The Devils reside near the bottom of the league on defense, allowing an average of 3.6 goals per game. They are expected to have Jon Gillies between the pipes and this guy can’t stop a basketball. St. Louis is 16-5 in the last 21 meetings with New Jersey and 5-1 in their last 6 trips to Prudential Center.
TODAY’S PICK: ST. LOUIS BLUES