Here are free and premium picks from three of the OffshoreInsiders.com handicappers.
The first is from Bill Tanner, the winningest basketball handicapper off all-time going back to his scorephone days.
Michigan Wolverines @ Purdue Boilermakers
Out of the Big Ten, the Michigan Wolverines will visit West Lafayette and take on the Purdue Boilermakers. The Wolverines are 15-5 overall and 5-2 in conference play. That places Michigan in a three way tie for first place in the conference. Purdue comes into the game 14-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play.
Purdue is coming off a blow-out road loss at Michigan State. The Boilermakers are led by Robbie Hummel, who is scoring 15.4 points per game and grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game. Purdue has not won two straight games since the end of December when they won at Iowa and at home against Illinois.
The Michigan Wolverines are coming off their non-conference loss against Arkansas on Saturday. The Wolverines before that had beaten Michigan State by a point. Tim Hardaway Jr is the top scorer for Michigan with just under 15 points per game. The Wolverines are in the middle of a three game road trip.
Michigan is 9-7-1 against the spread this season. The Wolverines have struggled a bit on thee road; losing all four games. Michigan is also 9-7-1 against the over/under as well. For the Boilermakers, they have been great at home, winning 10 of 11. Against the spread, Purdue is 8-9. We like the Wolverines to buck the trend and win a road game.
Tanners Tip: Michigan Wolverines -4.5
Now to the wunderkinds of The Canadian Crew:
Boston Bruins (-170) at Washington Capitals – Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET
The Bruins (31-13-2) escaped Philadelphia with a 6-5 win on Sunday night. Despite the victory, the Bruins have lost two of their past four games. After dominating for most of the season, Tim Thomas has cooled off in January. The veteran netminder is 4-3-0 with a 2.70 goals against average and .914 save percentage—well below his season totals of 2.12 and .933, respectively. Overall, Boston has surrendered 21 goals in its past six games. Thankfully, the offense (and stellar back-up goalie Tuukka Rask) continue chugging along. Still, doing a better job on the penalty kill is a major point of interest for the Bruins; they allowed three goals in eight power plays against the Flyers.
Washington (25-19-3) continues to frustrate fans with an underwhelming attack. The Capitals lost 4-3 in overtime against Pittsburgh on Sunday, giving them three losses in four games—including getting shut out twice. Injuries have played a minor role, as center Niklas Backstrom and defenseman Mike Green are both sidelined with injuries. Backstrom leads the club in points while Green is a former 70-point man. And, of course, Alexander Ovechkin is no longer dominating opponents. Ovechkin has 39 points in 47 games this season, well off his typical numbers. But he did record a goal and two assists on Sunday, so perhaps he's finally due for a breakout.
But we'll believe it when we see it. The book is out on Ovechkin, and his teammates seem incapable of stepping up. The Bruins are a more complete team, even with Thomas struggling.
Pick: Boston
Finally to the newest addition to OffshoreInsiders.com Vic Duke:
Iowa State (+8) for 2 Units **
Iowa State/Texas 9:00: Iowa State has been impressive this season. They have a multitude of good shooters that can hit the trey, play good defense, and tough to stop in transition. They also show strength on the road, especially in Texas where they destroyed both TX A&M and, most recently, Texas Tech last Saturday.
The Cyclones have a dominant player in Royce White and he has an improving supporting cast. Texas, which is on an 0-3 SU slide, is talented but young; consequently, they're having trouble with doing the right things to win on a consistent basis. They have their moments of spark but mistakes and inconsistency is hurting them. Sure, they're seeking revenge from the earlier 77-71 beating in Ames; however, I like the Cyclones confidence now and their bench—which is always a boon on the road.
Technically, Texas is just 1-5 ATS as a home favorite in this spread range. Iowa State, however, has gone 4-1 ATS in this series and in Texas. Iowa State the call.
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