Free Picks for Tuesday, February 28th, 2017, from some of the nations best and worst handicappers
Dave Cokin
Vancouver -111
Detroit is off its bye week, and I wonder about what's left in the motivational tank for the Red Wings. Barring an absolute miracle, this franchise will miss the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century. It's no fluke as this is a bad hockey team. I just can't see how the time off is a plus for a team going nowhere. It's also worth noting that while it's clearly a small sample, Detroit is 0-3 this season when swinging into action off three or more days rest. As for the Canucks, they're likely on the outside looking in come playoff time. But Vancouver has performed pretty well at home for the most part, and I expect them to win this game. The price is certainly not an obstacle, so I'm on the Canucks for my Tuesday free play.
Scott Spreitzer
Lafayette vs. Loyola Maryland
Play: Loyola Maryland -10
Loyola has dropped three in a row, losing one game in OT and the other two by a grand total of just three points. But they're getting "just what the doctor ordered," in my opinion when hosting Lafayette on Tuesday night. The Leopards have been pretty bad on the defensive end this season, especially on the road where they allow 76 ppg on 47% shooting, while averaging just 63 ppg, themselves. Lafayette has a horrible rebound margin of minus-7.3 per game on the road and just one player averages over 4.1 rpg. Loyola-Maryland clobbered the Leopards on the glass in their 70-62 win in late January and I expect an even wider margin win tonight. Guards Jared Jones & Andre Walker combine for more than 30 ppg and Jones & Cam Gregory combine for nearly 14 rpg. I believe the Greyhounds will make it a season sweep and by a spread-covering margin.
Ben Burns
Indiana vs. Purdue
Play: Purdue -10½
The Hoosiers are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Three times since the start of December, the Boilermakers played a home game, after losing their previous game. They were 3-0 SU/ATS in those games and they won them by scores of 80-59, 91-68 and 90-56. Not surprising, given their overall dominance on this floor. For the season, they're outscoring visiting teams by an 81.7 to 61.4 margin here. They should bounce back with another big win.
Marc Lawrence
Hornets vs. Lakers
Play: Lakers +3½
Edges - Lakers: 14-9-1 ATS versus Eastern Conference foes this season, including 5-1-1 ATS the last seven; and 10-5-1 ATS home on Tuesdays. Hornets: 1-4 ATS on Tuesdays. With the Hornets 0-12 SU and 1-11 ATS in games following the Clippers - including 0-8 SUATS away - we recommend a 1* play on the Lakers.
Jim Feist
Oklahoma St vs. Iowa St
Play: Over 162
A pair of uptempo offensive teams clash with electric guard play. Oklahoma State is tops in the Big 12 in scoring, last in points allowed. Iowa State is home with guard Monte Morris running the attack, fourth in scoring, third in three-point shooting. Iowa State is on a 4-0 run over the total, and the Over is 15-6-1 in the Cyclones last 22 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Bruce Marshall
Oklahoma St at Iowa St
Pick: Oklahoma St
We didn't see this coming with OSU, especially after the Cowboys dropped their first six out of the gate in Big 12 play. But OSU has evolved into an impressive UCLA-like offensive force now winging its way toward the Big Dance for first-year HC Brad Underwood (formerly SF Austin), as the Stillwater bunch has captured 9 of 10 SU with last Wednesday's recovery from a slow start at K-State. Surging soph G Jawun Evans has really caught fire, scoring 24 ppg in recent wins over Oklahoma and KSU. It's a different OSU than the one that lost at home to Iowa State back on Jan. 11, when the Cowboys were in the midst of their slow start in league action.
Jesse Schule
Fresno St at Boise St
Pick: Boise St
Boise State will play it's final home game versus the Fresno State Bulldogs Tuesday, and a win will bring the Broncos within a half a game of first place in the Mountain West. The Bulldogs are a few games back in the standings, and might be looking ahead to their final home game versus UNLV this weekend. Home court has been key in this series, as the road team has picked up just one win in the last 10 meetings. That was a 72-63 win for the Broncos at Fresno State in 2013. The Bulldogs have lost five straight trips to Boise, by an average margin of more than 10 points. The Broncos are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games as a favorite of 0.5-6.5, while the Bulldogs have failed to cover in five of their last seven on the road. Boise State hasn't had any trouble scoring points lately, averaging 80.4 points on 45 percent shooting over it's last five games.
David Banks
Oklahoma St @ Iowa St
Pick: Iowa St. -3.5
Two teams on the cusp of making it into the NCAA tournament meet on Tuesday night with a chance at making their case a little stronger for the selection committee. The Cowboys, who are 10-1 in their last 11 games, take on the streaking Cyclones, who have won five in a row including a weekend upset of No. 9 Baylor. Both teams can fill it up and the difference will likely come down to who plays better defense and who rebounds better.
The Cyclones (19-9, 11-5) are likely in the tourney. Head coach Steve Prohm’s team does have nine losses, but five are to ranked teams. Iowa State sports a huge win over Kansas earlier this year. That win ended the Jayhawks 51-game home winning streak. The Cyclones are a veteran bunch, too, that just two years ago won the conference tournament. They are led by guard Monte Morris (16.3 ppg, 6.0 apg) and big, bruising forward Deonte Burton (14.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg).
Oklahoma State (20-9, 9-7) is led by guard Jawun Evans who averages 18.2 points and 6.0 assists per game. The Cowboys are ninth in the nation in scoring average 85.7 points a night. While they do have 20 wins, Oklahoma State lacks a signature win and beating the Cyclones would give them a quality win. The Cowboys lost to Iowa State the first time around, 96-86, when Morris scored 30 points. Oklahoma State shot well but did not defend well, which has been their nemesis all season.
Executive Sports
Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech
Play: Pittsburgh +2.5
Both teams are having disappointing seasons, and both are coming off back to back losses. Tech is coming off a tougher loss to swallow, as they were expected to lose on the road to Notre Dame, as they were an 11.5 point underdog. They only lost by 4 in a hard fought game. It will be tougher for Tech to get back up for Pitt tonight who only has 4 wins in their conference to date.
Cal Sports
Ohio State at Penn State
Play: Penn State -1.5
Ohio St and Penn St come in tied at 6-10 in conference action. While the Nittany Lions were picked to finish near the bottom of the standings the Buckeyes season has been a major disappointment as they were projected to be an upper-half team. This is their only scheduled game for this season and Ohio St has won the last 4 games including knocking Penn St out of last years. Big 10 Tournament.
Ohio St is coming off an upset of Wisconsin as they were a 7 point underdog and won 83-73. They are however 2-5 SU/ATS on the conference road. Penn St is off 3 straight losses but in their last game at home they took Purdue to the wire in a 4 point loss which they covered. The Lions have cashed 5 of their last 6 at Bryce Jordan Center.
Penn St has a clear goal and that is to win their final two games of the regular season making them 16-15 into the conference tournament. With the home/road dichotomy clearly favoring the host, this being the final home game for the Penn St seniors and the visitor off a huge upset with their final home game against Indiana on deck the call goes to Penn St to get the win.
Buster Sports
Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres
Play: Nashville Predators -135
The Nashville Predators go to Western New York tonight and play the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center. These clubs are going in opposite directions of late as the Predators have won 3 in a row and the Sabres have lost 3 in a row. Real nice situation for Nashville here as they have a revenge angle for a 5-4 OT loss on January 24th. In that game Nashville had a 4-2 lead and gave it up late in the game to go on and lose in OT. Also the Sabres are coming home from a road trip and now play the Predators less than 48 hrs later. The Predators are 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Buffalo and we will lay the price with them tonight.
Mike Rose
Indiana vs. Purdue
Play:Indiana +10.5
It hasn’t been all doom and gloom in Bloomington. Though the Hoosiers had dropped five straight heading into Saturday’s tilt with Northwestern, the team has gotten healthier and it showed in the one-point loss at Minnesota and the overtime loss at Iowa. James Blackmon Jr. had his two biggest scoring performances in those games since returning from injury. Most notable is Indiana allowing an average of just 71.2 points in its last five games when you omit the overtime session versus the Hawkeyes.
I keep waiting for Indiana to start clicking. I still believe they’re a much better team than their overall record dictates. Indiana has lost each of the four times it went off the board dogged on the road this season, but covered its last two games under that scenario at Minnesota and Wisconsin. With Indiana playing some real competitive ball of late and needing to win the B1G Tourney just to get into The Dance, I foresee it going all out here in an attempt to snap the Boilermakers six-game win streak when favored in front of the hometown faithful.
Wunderdog
Penguins at Stars
Pick: Over 6
Don't look for any defense with two fast-skating, offensive-oriented clubs flying around the ice. Pittsburgh is tops in the NHL in goals scored, seventh on the power play, #17 in goals allowed. Pittsburgh is on a 36-17-2 run OVER the total, 33-16-4 OVER when their opponent allows five or more goals in their previous game. Dallas is #13 in goals scored but the defense continues to be dismal at #29 in goals allowed, and last in penalty killing. They come off a 6-3 home loss to Boston as part of a 13-3 run OVER the total at home, as well as 8-2 OVER when playing on one day of rest.
John Fisher
Florida State at Duke
Play: Florida St +6.5
Game time decisions will be made for C Jefferson and G Allen in today's game. This will be last game for Jefferson and Jones but also for Kinnard and Allen if they choose to leave early. After this game a eager and angry UNC team looks to avenge earlier loss to Duke. So if Duke losses they could be staring at a 4 game skid. Jefferson looked better in practice then Allen but I see both of them suiting up. Florida State is a different team on the road but 6.5 points has value here. They will have several seconds chance points and will be able to be fresher as their bench minutes will double Dukes.