DAVE COKIN
OILERS AT LIGHTNING
PLAY: OILERS +105
One of the indicators that a team is pretty good is when they’re able to find ways to win even when they don’t play especially well.
I’m not about to crown the Edmonton Oilers as the team to beat in the West, but there’s no doubt in my mind this team is heading in the right direction. The Oilers were far from outstanding in each of their last two games. But they managed to get two points at home against the Flyers, and then got two more on Saturday as they opened a road trip with a win at Chicago.
The Oilers of the past would almost certainly have lost each of these games. But this Edmonton entry found a way to come out on top each time, and that to me is a sign of a team that’s really starting to figure things out. I also like the fact that while the team was happy to get the wins, they seemed eager to point out that their play has to improve if the wins are going to keep on coming.
That attitude has me looking Edmonton’s way as they continue their journey tonight with a stop at Tampa Bay. The Lightning are returning home off an okay four-game road trip where they went managed to garner six important points.
The Lightning have a favorable schedule the rest of the way with 15 of 24 games at home. They’re really going to have to make the most of that advantage if they’re to rally to make the playoffs. I just don’t see that as a likelihood as the Lightning have simply not been able to find that desired level of consistency all season.
As for tonight, it’s advantage Edmonton from a situational standpoint, and I’d rather have the team finding ways to win games as opposed to one that has done more of the opposite. I’ll side with the Oilers tonight.
OILERS AT LIGHTNING
PLAY: OILERS +105
One of the indicators that a team is pretty good is when they’re able to find ways to win even when they don’t play especially well.
I’m not about to crown the Edmonton Oilers as the team to beat in the West, but there’s no doubt in my mind this team is heading in the right direction. The Oilers were far from outstanding in each of their last two games. But they managed to get two points at home against the Flyers, and then got two more on Saturday as they opened a road trip with a win at Chicago.
The Oilers of the past would almost certainly have lost each of these games. But this Edmonton entry found a way to come out on top each time, and that to me is a sign of a team that’s really starting to figure things out. I also like the fact that while the team was happy to get the wins, they seemed eager to point out that their play has to improve if the wins are going to keep on coming.
That attitude has me looking Edmonton’s way as they continue their journey tonight with a stop at Tampa Bay. The Lightning are returning home off an okay four-game road trip where they went managed to garner six important points.
The Lightning have a favorable schedule the rest of the way with 15 of 24 games at home. They’re really going to have to make the most of that advantage if they’re to rally to make the playoffs. I just don’t see that as a likelihood as the Lightning have simply not been able to find that desired level of consistency all season.
As for tonight, it’s advantage Edmonton from a situational standpoint, and I’d rather have the team finding ways to win games as opposed to one that has done more of the opposite. I’ll side with the Oilers tonight.
Sleepyj
Ottawa +101
I can't trust the Devil's one bit even at home...These two teams are night and day apart from each other...This might be the squarest play on the board, but I'm almost certain we are getting the best line possible....Ottawa will go off as the favorite for this contest so we are getting some good value here....Mark Stone took a nasty hit and is listed as day to day...That's a big miss for Ottawa if he in fact sits out....I won;t be shocked if he plays or he doesn't...Still the Sens have plenty and will have the services of Craig Anderson in the net I would assume.....Condon could go on short rest and he shut out the Devils just a few days ago in New Jersey...I'm comfortable with either tonight...Schneider will be back in net tonight for sure....Devil's has a tough test this weekend though and i'm worried they are a little beat up and tired...Back to back games against the Islanders on Saturday and Sunday....They also won the contest on Sunday, so maybe they are a bit fat and happy here...Plus the Devil's get the Rangers on tap next a team they haven't beat all season...Small Play for me...NHL this year is 6-2...I don't make many plays, but this one gets the nod tonight.
Ottawa +101
I can't trust the Devil's one bit even at home...These two teams are night and day apart from each other...This might be the squarest play on the board, but I'm almost certain we are getting the best line possible....Ottawa will go off as the favorite for this contest so we are getting some good value here....Mark Stone took a nasty hit and is listed as day to day...That's a big miss for Ottawa if he in fact sits out....I won;t be shocked if he plays or he doesn't...Still the Sens have plenty and will have the services of Craig Anderson in the net I would assume.....Condon could go on short rest and he shut out the Devils just a few days ago in New Jersey...I'm comfortable with either tonight...Schneider will be back in net tonight for sure....Devil's has a tough test this weekend though and i'm worried they are a little beat up and tired...Back to back games against the Islanders on Saturday and Sunday....They also won the contest on Sunday, so maybe they are a bit fat and happy here...Plus the Devil's get the Rangers on tap next a team they haven't beat all season...Small Play for me...NHL this year is 6-2...I don't make many plays, but this one gets the nod tonight.
Tennis Insiders
Nikoloz Basilashvili vs. Tommy Haas
Pick: Tommy Haas
Very difficult turnaround for Basilashvili here. He suffered an emotionally draining defeat on Sunday, losing the Memphis final 6-1/6-4 to Ryan Harrison. The match was much closer than the scoreline suggests, with Basilashvili the better player overall. He was 0-12 on break point opportunities! To make the situation worse he was a combined 6-36 with a staggering 42 break point chances from the quarter final onwards. He faces a tough opponent in Tommy Haas, a crowd favorite who makes yet another return to the ATP World Tour following injury. His return in Australia was cut short with an injury problem during his first round match v Benoit Paire, but he forced the Frenchman to a first set tiebreak & could easily have won the contest had he not been hampered by shortness of breath. This is likely the 38 year olds final season on the tour, but he retains plenty of shot making ability & expect him to win at least a set here, Basilashvili's game often spouts unforced errors & is likely to get ugly quickly if has any hangover from Sundays meltdown. Take the veteran to cover the spread.
Nikoloz Basilashvili vs. Tommy Haas
Pick: Tommy Haas
Very difficult turnaround for Basilashvili here. He suffered an emotionally draining defeat on Sunday, losing the Memphis final 6-1/6-4 to Ryan Harrison. The match was much closer than the scoreline suggests, with Basilashvili the better player overall. He was 0-12 on break point opportunities! To make the situation worse he was a combined 6-36 with a staggering 42 break point chances from the quarter final onwards. He faces a tough opponent in Tommy Haas, a crowd favorite who makes yet another return to the ATP World Tour following injury. His return in Australia was cut short with an injury problem during his first round match v Benoit Paire, but he forced the Frenchman to a first set tiebreak & could easily have won the contest had he not been hampered by shortness of breath. This is likely the 38 year olds final season on the tour, but he retains plenty of shot making ability & expect him to win at least a set here, Basilashvili's game often spouts unforced errors & is likely to get ugly quickly if has any hangover from Sundays meltdown. Take the veteran to cover the spread.
Jimmy Boyd
Northwestern vs. Illinois
Play: Northwestern -1½
I really like the value here with the Wildcats as a short road favorite against the Illini. These two teams just recently played at Northwestern, with Illinois pulling off the upset in a 68-61 win as a 6-point dog. That loss came in the Wildcats second game without leading scorer Scottie Lindsey and fresh off a 21-point loss at Purdue in their first game without him. Lindsey returned in Northwestern's last game and I look for the Wildcats to get their revenge.
Illinois comes in off a win at Iowa, but are still just 5-9 in Big Ten play. They have lost 3 straight at home, losing by 13 to Penn State, 9 to Minnesota and 14 to Wisconsin. Northwestern is 9-5 in Big Ten play, which doesn't jump off the paper. However, they are 8-2 with Lindsey in the lineup. Wildcats are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games off a home win where they failed to cover the spread and 6-0 ATS in their last 6 as a road favorite of 6 points or less. Illinois is 7-20 ATS in their last 27 as a home dog of 3 points or less and 0-6 ATS in their last 6 off an upset win as an underdog.
Northwestern vs. Illinois
Play: Northwestern -1½
I really like the value here with the Wildcats as a short road favorite against the Illini. These two teams just recently played at Northwestern, with Illinois pulling off the upset in a 68-61 win as a 6-point dog. That loss came in the Wildcats second game without leading scorer Scottie Lindsey and fresh off a 21-point loss at Purdue in their first game without him. Lindsey returned in Northwestern's last game and I look for the Wildcats to get their revenge.
Illinois comes in off a win at Iowa, but are still just 5-9 in Big Ten play. They have lost 3 straight at home, losing by 13 to Penn State, 9 to Minnesota and 14 to Wisconsin. Northwestern is 9-5 in Big Ten play, which doesn't jump off the paper. However, they are 8-2 with Lindsey in the lineup. Wildcats are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games off a home win where they failed to cover the spread and 6-0 ATS in their last 6 as a road favorite of 6 points or less. Illinois is 7-20 ATS in their last 27 as a home dog of 3 points or less and 0-6 ATS in their last 6 off an upset win as an underdog.
Power Sports
Purdue vs. Penn St.
Pick: Penn St
Purdue has emerged as the team to beat in the Big 10 this year. But the Boilermakers sure do look a little overvalued for tonight's road tilt w/ Penn State. Especially considering they were asked to lay only 12 points to the Nittany Lions earlier in the season in West Lafayette. Admittedly, they won that game by 25 points, but as we've seen, it's much tougher to win on the road in College Basketball. I recommend grabbing the points in this one (and the number seems to be dropping!).
It wasn't too long ago that Penn State upset Maryland right here in State College. They followed that by upsetting Illinois (on the road!) as well. Their most recent game ended up being a 16-point loss at Nebraska, but that was a week ago. So they are better rested for tonight's matchup than their opponent, who hosted Michigan State over the weekend. The Nittany Lions are 30-15 SU their L45 home games and this being their first in two weeks should have the faithful fired up. It's not an exaggeration to call this PSU's biggest home game of the year.
I expect the shooting percentages to be a lot more even tonight than they were in the first meeting. Last month in West Lafayette, Purdue shot a blistering 56% from the field compared to 31.2% for Penn State. That's despite relatively even three-point shooting numbers! Penn State was actually only 12 of 43 on two-point attempts, which is borderline unfathomable. Admittedly, they aren't a great shooting team to begin with, but they also play much better defense at home. Look for the home dog to keep this one close.
Purdue vs. Penn St.
Pick: Penn St
Purdue has emerged as the team to beat in the Big 10 this year. But the Boilermakers sure do look a little overvalued for tonight's road tilt w/ Penn State. Especially considering they were asked to lay only 12 points to the Nittany Lions earlier in the season in West Lafayette. Admittedly, they won that game by 25 points, but as we've seen, it's much tougher to win on the road in College Basketball. I recommend grabbing the points in this one (and the number seems to be dropping!).
It wasn't too long ago that Penn State upset Maryland right here in State College. They followed that by upsetting Illinois (on the road!) as well. Their most recent game ended up being a 16-point loss at Nebraska, but that was a week ago. So they are better rested for tonight's matchup than their opponent, who hosted Michigan State over the weekend. The Nittany Lions are 30-15 SU their L45 home games and this being their first in two weeks should have the faithful fired up. It's not an exaggeration to call this PSU's biggest home game of the year.
I expect the shooting percentages to be a lot more even tonight than they were in the first meeting. Last month in West Lafayette, Purdue shot a blistering 56% from the field compared to 31.2% for Penn State. That's despite relatively even three-point shooting numbers! Penn State was actually only 12 of 43 on two-point attempts, which is borderline unfathomable. Admittedly, they aren't a great shooting team to begin with, but they also play much better defense at home. Look for the home dog to keep this one close.
Larry Ness
Mississippi vs. Mississippi St.
Pick: Mississippi St.
Ole Miss is 16-11 overall (7-7 in SEC play) as it travels to Starkville to take on in-state rival Mississippi St. The Bulldogs are just 14-12, including 5-9 in league play and have little to play for here other than there is always something special about beating a bitter rival. As a bonus, a win over Ole Miss would deal a major blow to the visiting Rebels' at-large NCAA hopes.
Ole Miss is 4-2 in its last six games and needs a strong finish to keep flickering hopes alive for a spot in the Big Dance. The Rebels have scored 80-plus points in five of their last six and average 78.1 PPG on the season. Guards Burnett (16.9) and Davis (14.7 & 5.5) are joined in double figures by the 6-9 Saiz (15.0 & 11.0), who has produced 17 double-doubles on the season plus leads the SEC in rebounding. However, 80 points wasn't good enough to win the last time out, as the Rebels allowed Arkansas to score 98 points. I'm not even a little bit sold on Ole Miss, as the team allows almost as many points as it scores (76.4 PPG, which ranks 274th in the nation).
The Bulldogs had a promising start to the season, opening 12-5, including 3-1 in SEC play. However, they have now lost four straight games and eight of their last 10 (1-8 in SEC play!). Sophomore guard Weatherspoon (16.7 & 5.0) is the team's best player and is joined in double figures by two freshman. Guard Peters averages 11.8 PPG and 3.5 APG plus the 6-7 Kegler adds 10.2 PPG and 5.5 RPG. The 6-10 Holman (8.6 & 6.2) and guard Ready (8.1) are also solid contributors.
Miss St was hardly at its best when these teams met in Oxford back on Jan 31, as Ole Miss gave up its fewest points in an SEC game this season plus forced 19 turnovers in an 88-61 victory. However, Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland has shown his coaching chops in previous stops at Pittsburgh and UCLA. The Rebels can easily be 'had' away from home and I'm taking the home team in this rivalry game
Mississippi vs. Mississippi St.
Pick: Mississippi St.
Ole Miss is 16-11 overall (7-7 in SEC play) as it travels to Starkville to take on in-state rival Mississippi St. The Bulldogs are just 14-12, including 5-9 in league play and have little to play for here other than there is always something special about beating a bitter rival. As a bonus, a win over Ole Miss would deal a major blow to the visiting Rebels' at-large NCAA hopes.
Ole Miss is 4-2 in its last six games and needs a strong finish to keep flickering hopes alive for a spot in the Big Dance. The Rebels have scored 80-plus points in five of their last six and average 78.1 PPG on the season. Guards Burnett (16.9) and Davis (14.7 & 5.5) are joined in double figures by the 6-9 Saiz (15.0 & 11.0), who has produced 17 double-doubles on the season plus leads the SEC in rebounding. However, 80 points wasn't good enough to win the last time out, as the Rebels allowed Arkansas to score 98 points. I'm not even a little bit sold on Ole Miss, as the team allows almost as many points as it scores (76.4 PPG, which ranks 274th in the nation).
The Bulldogs had a promising start to the season, opening 12-5, including 3-1 in SEC play. However, they have now lost four straight games and eight of their last 10 (1-8 in SEC play!). Sophomore guard Weatherspoon (16.7 & 5.0) is the team's best player and is joined in double figures by two freshman. Guard Peters averages 11.8 PPG and 3.5 APG plus the 6-7 Kegler adds 10.2 PPG and 5.5 RPG. The 6-10 Holman (8.6 & 6.2) and guard Ready (8.1) are also solid contributors.
Miss St was hardly at its best when these teams met in Oxford back on Jan 31, as Ole Miss gave up its fewest points in an SEC game this season plus forced 19 turnovers in an 88-61 victory. However, Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland has shown his coaching chops in previous stops at Pittsburgh and UCLA. The Rebels can easily be 'had' away from home and I'm taking the home team in this rivalry game
David Banks
South Carolina @ Florida
Pick: Florida -10
The Florida Gators (22-5, 12-2) have been a pleasant surprise in the SEC challenging perennial powerhouse Kentucky for conference supremacy. South Carolina (20-7, 10-4) also looks like a lock for the NCAA tournament and another win over the Gators would add their tourney resume. Florida has won eight games in a row, its longest winning streak since the Gators won 30 straight back in the 2013-14 season. Florida played in the Final Four that season.
For the Gators, it’s all about balance. Head coach Mike White plays ten consistently led by 6-6 guard Canyon Barry who averages 13.4 points per game. Barry, son of legendary Rick Barry, set a Florida record for consecutive free throws shooting them underhanded, just like his father used to do years ago. While he is a very good free throw shooter, he is also very good in the open floor as is KeVaughn Allen who adds 13.2 points per game to a Gators’ offense that averages nearly 80 points per game.
The Gamecocks are led by one of the SEC’s best players, Sindarius Thornwell, a 6-5 senior guard who averages 20.2 points per game. Thornwell and his teammates have not played very well as of late. Last Saturday night’s 71-62 loss to Vanderbilt was the Gamecocks’ third defeat in their last four games. South Carolina beat Florida 57-53 back on Jan. 18 in a game where both teams shot poorly. The Gators did not hit one 3-pointer and had 16 turnovers.
South Carolina @ Florida
Pick: Florida -10
The Florida Gators (22-5, 12-2) have been a pleasant surprise in the SEC challenging perennial powerhouse Kentucky for conference supremacy. South Carolina (20-7, 10-4) also looks like a lock for the NCAA tournament and another win over the Gators would add their tourney resume. Florida has won eight games in a row, its longest winning streak since the Gators won 30 straight back in the 2013-14 season. Florida played in the Final Four that season.
For the Gators, it’s all about balance. Head coach Mike White plays ten consistently led by 6-6 guard Canyon Barry who averages 13.4 points per game. Barry, son of legendary Rick Barry, set a Florida record for consecutive free throws shooting them underhanded, just like his father used to do years ago. While he is a very good free throw shooter, he is also very good in the open floor as is KeVaughn Allen who adds 13.2 points per game to a Gators’ offense that averages nearly 80 points per game.
The Gamecocks are led by one of the SEC’s best players, Sindarius Thornwell, a 6-5 senior guard who averages 20.2 points per game. Thornwell and his teammates have not played very well as of late. Last Saturday night’s 71-62 loss to Vanderbilt was the Gamecocks’ third defeat in their last four games. South Carolina beat Florida 57-53 back on Jan. 18 in a game where both teams shot poorly. The Gators did not hit one 3-pointer and had 16 turnovers.
