Mid-Week Picks (Dec. 8th)
Michigan State @ Minnesota
The Pick: MINN +7
Last year, the Gophers were one of the best home teams in the country. Five wins were achieved over top 25 teams, the most in the nation. What made these victories all the more impressive was that the Gophers were routinely spanked when going on the road. So far this year under their new head coach, Ben Johnson, the Gophers are 7-0 with solid wins against Pittsburgh, Western Kentucky, and Mississippi State. Minnesota will have a chance to grab their first big win when Michigan State rolls into town. The Spartans have losses to Kansas and Baylor with tight wins over Loyola and Connecticut. The Spartans may be the superior team, but the Gophers are playing well enough right now to keep the game close.
South Dakota State @ Idaho
The Pick: 164.5 OVER
Always ride the over when the Jackrabbits play, the team boasts the third-best scoring offense in the country with 91.1 points per game. Idaho is literally one of the worst teams in the nation and their defense is bottom ranks 355th out of 358. All signs point to the over hitting.
Wyoming @ Arizona
The Picks: 151 OVER
WYO +16.5
A battle of undefeated teams awaits on Wednesday night when Wyoming and Arizona cross swords. The Wildcats are putting up the most points per game this season with 91.3 and are the 10th ranked offense in the country. Wyoming may not be as potent as Arizona, but the team is still putting up close to 80 points a game. We are looking at a potential shootout in Tucson. Wyoming is also better than we give them credit for as the team is 8-0 with nice wins over Washington and Grand Canyon. 16.5 points is a colossal spread for the Wildcats to cover and the Cowboys are well-positioned to stay within that margin. I rode Wyoming a lot last season and am feeling it in this matchup, go with the over and the Cowboys to cover.
Avalanche @ Rangers
The Pick: NYR +145
The Rangers are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now with seven-straight wins. Now the team will be tested by a Colorado team that is scoring a ton of goals right now but is also giving up scores in bunches. Adam Huska will be making his debut in the net for New York tonight, adding a bit of risk to the profile of the Rangers. However, I believe that this only adds value to the bet. Huska has a 2.20 GAA in the minors this year and will benefit from the hot offense that is in front of him. I think the Rangers will extend the win streak and get Huska his first NHL win.
Bruins @ Canucks
The Pick: BOS -135
The Bruins have had a hard time finding their footing this season as they have not had a winning streak beyond three games. The team has still found ways to win big games when needed though, a 2-0 win on the road versus Nashville last week is a prime example of this. Now the Bruins will take on the Canucks again, a team they beat 3-2 only a few weeks ago. Vancouver is having an underwhelming season and has been lacking intensity at times. Extended losing streaks have plagued the team and there are few positives of note. Jeremy Swayman has performed admirably in the net for Boston this season with a 2.29 GAA and a .918 save percentage. Swayman will shut down the Canucks and Boston will win this game.
