Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAB, MLB, NHL and NBA Previews and Odds 03/30/2023

Thursday, Mar 30, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and MLB.The National Basketball Association has two games on its docket, with a doubleheader on TNT. The Milwaukee Bucks host the Boston Celtics at 7:30 PM ET as a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 236 (all odds from DraftKings). The Denver Nuggets play at home against the New Orleans Pelicans at 10 PM ET as a 7-point favorite. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Boston Bruins are at home against the Columbus Bluejackets as a -450 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Florida Panthers travel to Montreal to play the Canadiens as a -225 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils host the New York Rangers as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at home against the Nashville Predators as a -200 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Ottawa Senators are at home against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -150 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Washington Capitals as a -190 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Carolina Hurricanes visit Detroit to play the Red Wings at 7:37 PM ET as a -215 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The St. Louis Blues play in Chicago against the Blackhawks at 8:37 PM ET as a -150 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Edmonton Oilers are at home against the Los Angeles Kings at 9:07 PM ET as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Seattle Kraken play at home against the Anaheim Ducks at 10:07 PM ET as a -320 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are in San Jose to play the Sharks at 10:37 PM ET as a -165 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule features the finals of the National Invitational Tournament at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. UAB battles North Texas on ESPN2 at 9:30 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 128.It is Opening Day in Major League Baseball, with 15 games on the Thursday schedule. The MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:05 PM ET. The New York Yankees are at home against the San Fransisco Giants as a -190 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Atlanta Braves travel to Washington to play the Nationals as a -255 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles at 2:10 PM ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers play in Chicago against the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Detroit Tigers at 3:10 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Philadelphia Phillies at 4:05 PM ET as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Four MLB games start at 4:10 PM ET. The Cincinnati Reds are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins play in Kansas City against the Royals as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets are in Miami to play the Marlins as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Houston Astros host the Chicago White Sox on ESPN at 7:08 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 9:40 PM ET as a -210 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Oakland against the A’s at 10:07 PM ET as a -210 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. Two games complete the MLB card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the Arizona Cardinals as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners host the Cleveland Guardians as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5.

MLB 2023: NL West Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Thursday, Mar 30, 2023

NL West Division Preview for MLB 2022Arizona Diamondbacks – Well it is tough being in a division with the Dodgers and Padres but here is the team that should finish #3 in the division. The Diamondbacks have some solid top arms at the front-end of their rotation and if the more unproven guys at the back-end pan out this team has a real shot to make noise in the division. Respectable batting lineup and solid bullpen too. Organization is run on a tighter budget than the big-market teams yet is still scrappy and ultra-competitive and that can make them a good team to ride at times from a betting standpoint. Colorado Rockies – This team continues to fall and is likely to be solidly in the basement of the division this year. The lineup just does not have enough, especially when you play at hitter-friendly Coors Field. The Rockies have some decent pitching on paper but it never seems to pan out on the field. Also, year after year, this team tends to be so bad on the road and again last season they lost 2/3 of their road games. Keep that in mind when looking to invest on this team which did play .500 ball at home last season. Los Angeles Dodgers – Great team, great organization and could play out this season with a chip on their shoulders after being knocked out of the playoffs by the Padres last season. If the pitching staff stays healthy, this rotation certainly looks like it could be a gem and the bullpen is solid and they have a dangerous lineup that is hard to find holes in for opposing pitchers. It is the depth of the lineup that makes them so tough to face and the pitching looks solid again. San Diego Padres – Adding Xander Boegarts is huge for this team and they have a dangerous lineup. Also, strong pitching rotation especially with the top 3 but can Josh Hader bounce back in the bullpen? This team will challenge the Dodgers again in the regular season and perhaps, just like last season, also challenge them in the post-season. This division will be fun to watch another power struggle between these two teams for top billing in the NL West but the key for me is how the #4 and #5 guys in the pitching rotation pan out. What kind of production will they get from those guys? San Francisco Giants – Not a good team defensively (outside of Brandon Crawford) and that costs them when you have guys on the mound that are inducing ground balls but don’t have the best of support behind them in the field. I was shocked at how well this team played under manager Gabe Kapler in 2021. Sure enough in 2022 they came back down to reality and were a .500 team. They will fall even further this season most likely as just can not trust their lineup and they also made some changes to the rotation and bullpen this season. But the changes are with adding guys coming off tougher recent seasons that may not be a fluke either. In other words, these are guys that over-achieved in the past. The reality is that is the case for this team overall. 2021 was an overachievement and the descent that began in 2022 continues in 2023.

Final Four Breakdown/Thoughts

by AAA Sports

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

March Madness this year has exceeded all expectations and has been nothing short of amazing. From FDU upsetting Purdue in the first round, to Virginia getting upset by Furman. It has been the Tournament for "underdogs." In fact, since 1979 when the NCAA Tournament was first seeded, there’s never been a Final Four without a #1, #2, or #3 seed; until this year. The Final Four consists of #4 UConn, #5 Miami, #5 San Diego State, and #9 FAU.I will be previewing the Final Four teams in the order which I BELIEVE have the most value based on their current odds on DraftKings.San Diego State (+400)I really like San Diego State to win this whole tournament. The biggest component of San Diego State is that its head coach, Brian Dutcher keeps them all composed and confident every minute his team is on the floor. SDSU has the highest adjD among the remaining teams and the second hardest Strength of Schedule (SOS) keeping them in very close-knit games. SOS plays a big factor here as their last 6 games have all come against teams in KenPoms Top 100, and FAU is ranked 17. Lastly, SDSU has the oldest D-1 Experienced team among these 4 teams and that experience will matter down the stretch. Miami FL +(450)I did not expect Miami to make it this far however here they are. James Larrañaga has centered his team around a group of players who never give up and put that on full display this tournament. Miami has trailed by 5+ points at Halftime in 2/4 games in March Madness and went on to win both by 7 points - at one point they were down 13 against Texas. The key to Miami’s success is its offensive ability to create something out of nothing. They are getting assists on 50% of made FGs and are grabbing 31% of their offensive rebounds. They are weak defensively however they are the second oldest D-1 Experienced team and their willingness to keep fighting in games when they down show that.FAU (+650)FAU comes into the Final Four riding the longest active win streak in College Basketball with 11 wins. This is largely due to their excellent ability to play at both ends of the court. They are ranked 24th in AdjO and 30th in adjE. They are shooting 53.9% from 2PT range and 36.5% from 3PT. The issue with FAU is outside of Johnell Davis no one on the team shoots over 79% from the FT line which can really haunt them in close games. Lastly, I believe FAU’s inexperience can play a big role in the Final Four. UConn (-125)I have UConn so low because there is little to no value in this bet at this point. However, UConn is the best team in the Final Four. They are ranked 4th in adjO and 11th in adjD. A big issue I have with UConn is that they are only averaging 66 Possessions per game and that puts them 3rd among the Final Four. Theirs no denying that UConn has an elite offense where they are shooting with an effective FG of 54% however in March Madness upsets happen - and UConn should be on HIGH ALERT.Overall, this has been an amazing March Madness that will be talked about for years to come. Above are the teams IN ORDER where I believe they have the most value to win the Tournament (outright). Best of luck and enjoy the Final Four!

MLB 2023: NL Central Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

NL Central Division Preview for MLB 2023Chicago Cubs – This team appears to be heading for another tough finish and their lineup appears to be lacking. However, the starting pitching could surprise because it is filled with pitchers who give reason for optimism. But if these guys fall short this team could really struggle because the bullpen has some question marks and this lineup is just not what it use to be. Cincinnati Reds – Reds have fallen off dramatically. Last year was a disaster and this year shapes up for more of the same. Just too much missing from this roster. Take a look at their lineup and it is just a lot of unproven guys at that this level and then the rotation does not really have high-end guys. Decent starting staff but just not the kind of guys that dominate very often on their turns in the rotation. Not enough to trust through the lineup and the bullpen is decent but not as good as others in the division for sure. Milwaukee Brewers – Decent lineup and will be particularly solid if Yelich can resume some of the past magic he had. Yelich has just not been the same guy in recent seasons. The strength of this team though is a very strong pitching rotation. The starting pitching for Milwaukee is great but the Hader departure from the team that occurred last season really hurt these Brewers. Still a solid bullpen but still not quite the same as it was previous to that trade last year. Pittsburgh Pirates – The Pirates are still a struggling team but trying to be more competitive and they are getting there and, thanks to how bad the Cubs and Reds are, they should be able to slip into the #3 spot in the standings this season. I liked the off-season they had. Of course they did not bring in studs as this is not the Yankees we are talking about yet they did bring in solid guys that can contribute and help this team keep trying work its way back the .500 team they use to be. Concern with pitching rotation here as the top-2 very solid but the rest involves major question marks with each guy. St Louis Cardinals – Such a solid organization that just continues to be solid year after year. They again should be the class of the NL Central this season as well. Couple of guys in starting rotation with injury concerns but if they stay healthy, the Cards will be particularly strong. The bullpen looks solid. The lineup has a lot of strong contributors and in the field they have some gold glovers. Just a great all-around team that, if stays healthy, could be in the mix for representing the NL in the World Series.

National League Contenders: Additions and Updates

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

In the National League East, the Braves look to be first in the running in 2023. Their biggest addition was Sean Murphy at catcher. They lost Danby Swanson to the Cubs and also multi-outfielder Duval. The Braves have offensive star firepower in six of nine batting positions. Rosario is something of a question mark in left field. The shortstop position seems to be filled for the moment by lighter hitting Arcia, but the Braves have minor league options. D’Arnaud is likely the best back-up catcher in the MLB. First, second, third and the two remaining outfielders are as good as it gets. First baseman Olson had had a spectacular spring, as had Austin Riley at third. Ozuna at DH has had two poor seasons, but if he is healthy, he hits for power. Elite left hander Max Fried anchors the rotation, with Strider right behind him. Kyle Wright had a career year in 2022 and will need to show the same stuff. Master curve-baller Morton is not getting any younger and wasn’t as effective last year, but has had a great spring, as have youngsters Dodd and Shuster, who have made their case(s) for the fifth starter position. Atlanta has some depth starters, but two of them, Soroka and Ynoa, will open the season on the disabled list. Lat year’s closer Jansen has moved on, and Raphael Iglesias was the heir-apparent. He will start the season on the IL, to be replaced by AJ Minter, with everyone else stepping up a notch. With the Bullpen a bit of a work in progress at the moment, it is likely the Braves’ weakest element. I like Atlanta’s team, and expect them to finish at the top in the NL this season. Next on the list is the Mets, who were very active in the off-season, signing Verlander and Quintana and bringing in Japan’s Kodai Senga. They also lost three quality starters in DeGrom, Bassitt, and Taijuan Walker. They re-signed closer Diaz to a monster contract only to loose him for the season. They also had and lost Carlos Correa. The power in the Mets’ line-up cannot match the Braves or the Padres. They are very well set with Alonso, McNeill, and Lindor. At first, second, and short. Escobar re-surfaced in September last year, and could possibly be steady at third, with young hard-hitting Brett Baty waiting in the wings. The outfield of Canha, oft-injured Nimmo and Marte is solid but not exceptional. The Mets will platoon Navarez and Nido at catcher, with Alvarez waiting in the wings. I don’t like Vogelback at DH, but the Mets have some depth strength in Pham and Guillorme. Verlander and Scherzer, a couple of aging stars, will top the rotation. Potentially both could be still great but there is an increased risk of injury. The Mets brought in Senga as the third man up, but he will have some adjustments to make. They have lost Quintana for the foresee-able future, but have some depth starters in Carrasco, David Peterson, and Tylor McGill. The Mets’ bullpen took a huge hit with the loss of Diaz, likely for the season. They do have other closing options in Robertson and Ottavino and have added Brooks Raley. As with the Braves, this is still a bullpen that is yet to be settled. The Phillies made a great if slightly unlikely run last year and have made many changes this year, including the addition of the jewel of the off-season, Trea Turner, at shortstop. Gone are Jean Segura, as well as pitchers, Eflin, Syndergaard, Robertson and Brad Hand. They have added Taijuan Walker and a stack of effective relievers. The injury bug has, however, hit them very hard. Hoskins, their backbone at first, is done for the season, and Brice Harper could lose up to half the season. Ranger Suarez and Andrew Painter are also out, cramping the starting rotation. Derek Hall will try to fill a big hole at first base, unless the Phillies are forced into acquiring someone better. Stott at second is just in his second year but projects to very average with a bit of pop in his bat. Turner is a massive addition at short, and a legit MVP candidate. Bohm has high upside, with plenty of strikeouts, and could break out this year. The Phillies are set at catcher with one of the best in the league. Harper will likely DH when he returns, so the outfield is not strong. Schwarber has massive power but could also DH until Harper returns. Castellanos has huge upside on offense but will need to improve on last year. Otherwise it is Marsh and Cave, neither inspiring on offense. The starting rotation, even in spite of injuries, is strong. Zack Wheeler is the ace, a tough, dependable starter who is healthy this year. Nola is in his contract year, and could have a big season. Ranger Suarez has, I think, huge upside, and is not expected to be out long. Enter Taijuan Walker, a very solid 3rd or 4th option. Bailey Falter finished last season on a positive note and will likely fill in at 5th with the loss of Andrew Painter. Matt Strahm was signed as a reliever, but will likely start, at least in the early season. This year’s bullpen is a rare event in recent Phillies history. The pen was upgraded at the deadline last year, and has added some solid arms this year, giving them a settled and good (on paper) relief corps for 2023. It may be closer by committee; the Phillies have at least four options, including newcomers Kimbrell and Soto. This year’s Phillies have question marks at first base and in at least one outfield position and depth, especially early in the season, is an issue. I like their pitching staff, both starters and relievers. They have some star power at short, at catcher, and in Harper, when he returns. They may be playing catch up after a tough early start, but I expect them there at the finish this season. I will finish up with the rest of the NL in my next article.

Euro Cup Qualifying 2024

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

The qualifying matches for the 2024 Euro Cup have already started with this last international break passing and every team has already played at least 1 or 2 of their 6-8 matches depending on the team and the group they are in. Not every group has value in it with some of the powerhouse teams in these groups being leagues above the rest of the group, but there is still plenty of value to be found in some of these. After watching these first 2 matchdays it is time to see which teams have some value when it comes to group betting in these qualifiers. Group Betting Props Group D Winner - Croatia -138: Croatia is currently tied with Wales in their group at 4 points after 2 matches but they are coming off of a very good World Cup campaign where they won the bronze medal and they have already looked very fierce in these first 2 matches. They allowed a late goal in their 1st match against Wales which gave them the 1-1 draw but they followed up with a dominant performance in Turkey with a 2-0 win and they are by far the best team in this group. Wales is tied for 1st place right now but they are not a very good team as they have a weak attack that struggles to score goals and it really showed in their last match with just a 1-0 win at home against Latvia. Turkey has a much stronger team than Wales does so Wales will be lucky to even qualify as Turkey is the better team and more deserving of the 2nd place spot, only 1 point behind Wales as well. Turkey was not able to compete with Croatia on their own home pitch though and that is going to be huge as it shows Croatia is still the strongest and most dominant team in this group both defensively and with their attack. Group E Winner - Czechia -110: Czechia is a slight favorite to top this group right now as they currently lead with 4 points after 2 matches and they already have a 3-1 win over Poland who is the next best team in the group as it stands. Czechia looked really good in their home match against Poland but struggled to score at all in their away match against Moldova. Lucky for them though, Poland has also struggled to score goals in their matches as they are coming off of a very poor World Cup campaign and they struggled to score in their home match against Albania as well as they only won 1-0 in what should have been a better match for them. Czechia and Poland do play again near the end of the group stage but it may not even matter by then and Czechia already has a big advantage with the win in case it does get close. Czechia may have the same scoring troubles as Poland in their away matches but they have shown many times that they can score goals at home and they are going to really take advantage of their home matches in this group. Poland has already shown their struggles on attack in these last 2 matches as well as in the World Cup and besides Lewandowski striking they really have no support around him. Poland has been on the decline recently and Czechia has a much better team overall making them the best candidate to win this group. Group F Top 2 Finish - Sweden +137: Sweden is currently sitting in 3rd place in their group as they are tied with Belgium at 3 points but they have a very good chance at coming back in this group and taking one of those qualifying spots. Sweden has 3 points from their 2 matches as they were embarrassed at home by Belgium in their 1st match but they followed up with a dominant performance against Azerbaijan, winning that match at home 5-0. Austria is currently leading the group right now with 6 points from 2 matches but they also had the luxury of playing the 2 worst teams in the group to start off and both of those matches were at home as well. They beat Azerbaijan 4-1 at home and beat Estonia 2-1 at home but even in these home matches where they should be a better team, they allowed the 2 worst teams in the group to each score a goal on them. That is going to be troublesome for Austria as they still have 2 matches left against the 2 tougher teams in the groups as well as 2 away matches against each of the weaker teams so their schedule only gets tougher from here. Sweden did not allow Azerbaijan to score on them at home and they were also able to score 5 goals in that match which shows how strong their attack can be but also how their defense is much better than Austria and that will be key in this group. Belgium is the obvious favorite to win this group and they will likely do so leaving just the 2nd place spot up for grabs but regardless, Sweden will finish higher in the group than Austria and they will be the team to qualify. Belgium is not the team they used to be either so there is always a chance that they collapse and finish out of the top 2 but Sweden will definitely be one of the teams to finish in the top 2 in this group. Group G Winner - Serbia -125: Serbia is the slight favorite to win this group and they are currently sitting in 1st place with 6 points from 2 matches. Hungary is the only real threat in this group as they are the slight underdog here but are also sitting in 2nd place in the group with 3 points from only 1 match played. Hungary still has more matches to play including 2 matches against Serbia still and it is going to be very close but this will come down to whoever can steal some points from their away matches. Lithuania and Bulgaria are both teams that are not very good but Montenegro is not nearly as bad and they play teams tough when they are at home. Serbia dominated their match in Montenegro and still struggled to score goals in that match but eventually they found the net twice to pull off the 2-0 win and that could be huge in this group as Hungary has only played 1 of their 8 matches and that 1 match was at home as well. Serbia also has a very strong attack that can score goals in their matches and their defense has really been improving a lot. Serbia was also in the last World Cup while Hungary missed that competition and the talent level on Serbia is also just better. This will be a very close group in the end but Serbia is the better team here and they will win this group. Group H Top 2 Finish - Slovenia -138: Slovenia is currently leading this group with 6 points from 2 matches and even though they will likely not keep that spot at the top of the group, they have given themselves a great advantage with this strong start and are in a great position to stay ahead of the pack and qualify. They are in one of the larger groups with 6 teams instead of 5 but their group is also filled with a lot of mediocre teams. Denmark is the clear favorite here and even though they have only collected 3 points from 2 matches, they still looked like the best team in the group and will likely make a turnaround. The rest of the group is wide open though with teams like Finland, Northern Ireland, Kazakhstan, and San Marino. None of these teams are very good teams and they all have a similar issue of troubles with their attack when it comes to scoring goals and struggling in their away matches as well. Other than Denmark, all of these teams are going to play more defensive styles in their matches as they all struggle to score goals and play well in their away matches, and that is going to be a huge issue as it will lead to more draws with each other so the big lead that Slovenia has with their 6 points right now could really help them in the future of this group. Slovenia has also been improving over the last year as they are winning more matches and have been climbing in the UEFA competitions so they really do have the best chance of finishing in the top 2 here and qualifying from this group. Group J Top 2 Finish - Bosnia & Herzegovina +100: Bosnia is currently sitting in 3rd place in their group with 3 points from 2 matches and they have 2 teams ahead of them right now but still have a very good chance of making a comeback in this group. Portugal is leading the group with 6 points from 2 matches and no team will likely be catching them with the talent they have so that only leaves 2nd place up for grabs as Slovakia is currently occupying that spot with 4 points from their 2 matches. Slovakia did earn 3 points from their match at home against Bosnia and that is going to be huge in this group, but they also struggled to score against Luxembourg at home as they came away with a 0-0 draw in that match and they have yet to play an away match in this group. Slovakia does not have a very strong team and they have actually been slipping more and more over the last year. They are going to fall flat on their face in some of these away matches which will leave the door open for Bosnia to take advantage of these matches against some of the weaker teams and they will also be able to get that 3 points back against Slovakia at home. Bosnia has the better team with more talent and they have the best chance in this group at finishing in 2nd place and qualifying.

Copa Libertadores Futures 2023

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

The Copa Libertadores has finished with their qualifying stages and now the groups are set as the group stage will be starting on April 4th. Flamengo is the defending Champions of this competition but there are many good teams across South America this year and it is very difficult to win this competition B2B as it has only happened 1 time in the last 20 years. With the group stages set it is now time to see which teams have a real shot at making a deep run in this tournament.To Win Outright Flamengo +333: Flamengo is the defending Champions of this competition from last year and they have a very good record in recent years as they have won 2 of the titles in the last 4 years and have made the finals in 3 of those years as well. They did not have a great season in Brasil though as they only finished in 5th place and they were awful in the Club World Cup as they lost in the semi finals. This team still has a lot of quality players in the squad but they are also an aging team and are definitely not what they were in past years. Flamengo always has a chance to go deep in this tournament as they are a very big club in Brasil and they also tend to really focus on their matches in this competition, but there are still plenty of better teams than them and it will be tough for them to repeat this year. Palmeiras +350: Palmeiras is coming into the group stage as the next biggest favorite to win the whole thing and even though they fell short last year, they have still had a lot of success in this competition over the last few years. They have actually won the title in 2 of the last 3 years, being the only team to win it in B2B years over the last 2 decades, and they will be hungry to make a deep run this year after failing to make the finals for a 3rd straight year last season. Palmeiras also had a great season in Brasil as they won the Brasileiro Serie A Title and it was not even close as they were 8 points ahead of the 2nd place team. Palmeiras still has a lot of quality players on their team and they are easily the best team in Brasil this year which is also the toughest league to play in when it comes to playing in South America. Palmeiras will also be focused more on this competition after winning the league title last year and they have a very good chance at making a deep run and winning it all. River Plate +700: River Plate is coming into this game as the 3rd biggest favorite to win this competition and the biggest favorite in the competition for clubs from Argentina. This competition has been heavily dominated by Brasilian clubs over the last few years but River Plate has had plenty of success themselves as they were the last club from Argentina to win the title back in 2018 and they even made the finals again in 2019 as they lost to Flamengo but have been the only club from Argentina to make it to the finals in this competition since then. They are coming off of a season last year where they finished 3rd place in Argentina but they did make some moves and have improved a lot already as they are off to a much better start in their domestic league this year, leading the league in points after 8 matches. This is a competition that River Plate will be heavily focused on this season after years of Brasilian dominance in the competition. They have the history in this competition as well as a very good team this year that is going to dominate Argentina so they could very well see themselves in the finals this year. River Plate has a great chance to make a deep run in this competition. Atletico Mineiro +850: Atletico Mineiro is coming into this tournament as the next biggest favorite on the board but they have been a very disappointing team over the last year. They were expected to make a much deeper run in this competition last season as they were on fire at the beginning of the year, but they fizzled out of the competition and things took a turn for the worse in their domestic league as well as they fell out of form finishing 7th place in the league. They even had to play in qualifying matches just to get to this group stage but they have been a team that has struggled away from home and has also struggled to score goals against better defenses which is going to be a problem for them in this tournament. They were trending in the wrong direction near the end of last season and they have not done much to really improve their team for this year. There are too many good teams in Brasil alone that they will struggle to get by and they will not have a great chance of making a deep run in this competition. Boca Juniors +1000: Boca Juniors are coming into this competition as the next favorite on the board but they have not had a lot of success in this tournament over the years. They had a great season in their domestic league as they finished in 1st place but they have only made it to 1 Copa Libertadores finals over the last decade which they lost to River Plate as well. The last time Boca Juniors actually won this competition was back in 2007 and they have only made 3 appearances in the finals since then, losing every time. They are going to have a tough time getting past some of the clubs in Argentina that are better than they are and they will definitely struggle against the Brasilian powerhouses as well. Boca Juniors still has a good team but they always perform better in their domestic league than they do in this competition and they do not have a great chance of turning things around this year and making a deep run. Corinthians +1400: Corinthians are coming into this competition as the next team on the board to win it all but they are another team that is going to struggle in this competition and will not be able to make a deep run. They only finished in 4th place in their domestic league last season as they were really starting to slip near the end of the season. They are a very good defensive team as they do not allow many goals in their matches but defense will only take you so far in this competition as these teams cannot rely on scoreless draws and hope to advance on penalties every round. Their attack is simply not strong enough to make a deep run in this competition as there are plenty of other great teams with great defense and they will struggle to break those clubs down with their attack. Their super defensive play and inability to score goals will come back to bite them in this competition as they will likely see an early exit in one of the Knockout Stages. Fluminense +1600: Fluminense is coming into this competition as the next club on the board to win the whole thing and they are coming off of a very good season where they finished in 3rd place in Brasil but were really starting to surge near the end of the season. This team has improved a lot from previous years and they are a team that really takes advantage of their home matches which will be important in this competition. Even more important though, they had one of the best away records in Brasil last year which is going to be very important when traveling to different countries to play in these matches. They have also been a very good defensive team but also have a very potent attack and they have shown that they can hang with some of the best teams in Brasil. They do not have a good history in the competition over the last few years but they have also been a very bad team over that time as they are just starting to re-emerge as a dominant power in Brasil now. Fluminense has a very good team and they are a darkhorse in this competition to win the whole thing as they are coming off of their best season in years and are only going to get better this year. Internacional +2000: Internacional is coming into this competition as the next team on the board to win this competition and they are coming off of a very good season where they finished in 2nd place in Brasil. Internacional was also one of the better away teams in Brasil last season with the 5th best away record but they really take advantage of their home matches as they had the best home record in Brasil with a +26 goal differential as they were averaging over 2 goals scored per match there and were allowing under 1 goal per match as well. Internacional also made a pretty deep run in Copa Sudamericana as they were eliminated in the quarter finals but that really propelled them to be better as they finished their season in Brasil playing very well. Now that they are in Copa Libertadores they will be a lot more focused on winning this competition and they are a darkhorse to make a deep run here with the talent they have. RecommendationsThere are plenty of good teams in this competition but when betting on an outright winner it is best to go with a Brasilian club as they do have the strongest domestic league in South America and they have also dominated this competition over the last few years with the last 4 straight titles as well as 5 of the last 6 being won by a Brasilian club, and the last 3 years have seen 2 Brasilian clubs in the finals every time. Flamengo is not the club they used to be and Palmeiras still has one of the best teams in South America so there is some value in Palmeiras winning this competition at +350 with the recent success they have had. Argentina does have some good clubs as well though and considering how the last 3 years have all been Brasilian clubs, River Plate will be very focused on this competition with their previous success and they have the best chance of winning the whole thing for a club from Argentina so there is value in River Plate at +700. If looking for a darkhorse to win the competition, Fluminense at +1600 and Internacional at +2000 are both great options considering how good they were last year in the toughest league in South America and they have also shown the ability to win matches away from home which is very important in these competitions. Palmeiras +350, River Plate +700, Fluminense +1600, and Internacional +2000 are the best options to go with for futures in this competition.

2023 MLB Futures: National League

by Nelly's Sports

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

2023 MLB Futures: National LeagueWritten by Nelly’s Sportsline contributor Forrest AllenLike baseball teams in spring training, hope springs eternal for bettors at the beginning of a baseball season for futures bets. While futures can be a difficult market because there isn’t another side to offset the risk, the allure and fun of picking a team a riding with it all season is incomparable. Futures also help insulate you from the randomness associated with a single game in a 162-game season. We have highlighted 2 teams below we believe to have a bright future (yep, it was intentional, but no more) with respect to the 2023 season. Atlanta Braves: Braves general manager, Alex Anthopolous, either knows Jedi-level mind control, has dirt on all of his players, or created a magnetic clubhouse culture. Irrespective of what superpowers he may or may not have, the core of players he’s locked up (well below market value no less) is the envy of every team. The Braves enter 2023 off the heels of a 101-win season and a 5th straight division title in the unquestioned toughest division in baseball. They accomplished this despite losing their best player and team leader in Freddie Freeman the year before, and will look to repeat the feat again after Dansby Swanson signed with the Chicago Cubs. This success came with 2x All-Star Ozzie Albies on playing 64 games and Ronald Acuna Jr. missing over 40 games and clearly still recovering from ACL surgery performed in July 2021. Their reemergence could realistically result in the Braves having the best offense. Austin Riley and Matt Olson finished in the top-10 in MVP voting in 2022 and 2021 respectively. Michael Harris is the reigning rookie of year, and Sean Murphy put up 5.1 WAR last year; a total good for second in baseball. The rotation will be led by Max Fried who finished second in Cy Young voting last year and Spencer Strider who broke the rookie record for strikeouts in a single season with 202 despite just 131.2 IP. Charlie Morton will provide proven veteran leadership to go with a projected ERA under 4, and Kyle Wright looks to be fulfilling his potential as a top-5 overall draft pick after a top-10 finish in Cy Young voting. The battle for the 5th spot will likely go to another first round draft pick in Jared Shuster or Ian Anderson whose 35.2 postseason IP resulting in a 1.26 ERA and an average of more than a strikeout per inning. Proven relievers AJ Minter, Joe Jimenez, and Colin McHugh will serve as the bridge to closer Raisel Iglesais, who allowed just 2 runs in 26.1 innings after coming over from the Angels in a trade. Lefties Dylan Lee and Lucas Luetge can get hitters from both sides of the plate out. The biggest question marks will be two former stars who’ve battled injuries, Nick Anderson and Kirby Yates. If either can regain a fraction of their greatness from 2019 (both averaged over 15 K/9 and Yates had 41 saves and 1.19 ERA), the Braves would be thrilled. Fangraphs gives the Braves a 15.5 % to win it all this year; the highest odds of any team and 25% higher than the next highest team (San Diego). At +900, there’s real value here as the Fangraph’s odds suggest the number should be closer to +545. Pick: Braves to win World Series +900, Braves to win NL East +140 San Diego Padres: The Padres will win the NL West in 2023. I’m not sure if that is a “hot take” as the kids today say, but it’d be the first time in 17 years that has happened. It would be the first time in 9 years someone other than the Dodgers won it. Last year, the Dodgers finished 22 games ahead of the Padres. So what has changed such to cause such a seismic shift in what will be one of baseball’s most watched division races? The Padres have an expected payroll that that now exceeds the Dodgers for the first time in history (probably…I didn’t source 75 years’ worth of payroll data). Peter Seidler, the Padres’ owner, has given GM AJ Preller the directive to assemble a roster than can win the World Series, and he’s done exactly that. The Padres brought in Xander Bogarts on an 11-year, $280 million deal to play shortstop and lead off for a lineup whose 1-4 may be the best in baseball with Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr. when he’s eligible to return from his PED suspension on April 20th. The rest of the lineup features 2-time All-Star Jake Cronenworth, former KBO star Ha-Seong Kim, and Gold Glover Trent Grisham. A resurgent Matt Carpenter will start out in RF and replace Nelson Cruz at DH when Tatis returns. While not as deep as other rotations, the star power at the top is real. I can assure you no lineup would be excited to see Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and Blake Snell in a playoff series. After a a few bumps in the road after being traded, Josh Hader righted the ship late in the year returning to his status as one of the most feared pitchers in baseball. He will lead a bullpen that should be able to close out any game the Padres lead after 5 or 6 innings. Robert Suarez, Luis Garcia and Drew Pomeranz are all strikeout artists projected to average 11 K/9; a key trait for any good bullpen. The Padres’ ascent pairs nicely with the Dodgers taking a step back. Trea Turner left for the Phillies, and his intended replacement, Gavin Lux, tore his ACL in spring training and will miss all of 2023. Despite Turners departure, the Dodgers still have star power in Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Will Smith. However, the team’s depth will be tested in a real way. Roster Resource projects 4 (JD Martinez, Trayce Thompson, Miguel Rojas, and David Peralta) of the 9 batters to have a WAR less than 2, the threshold for what is considered league average. One of the players not included in this group is rookie 2B Miguel Vargas who fractured his pinky finger in early in spring and was still playing but instructed not to swing at any pitches until medically cleared. The pitching staff will miss starter Walker Buehler who had Tommy John surgery last August and relivers JP Feyereisen and Blake Treinen who had shoulder surgery and Daniel Hudson who had knee surgery. Pick: Padres to win NL West +120Forrest Allen has a Masters of Science in Business Analytics from NYU specializing in the development of machine learning models for sports application.

2023 MLB: Division Winner Predictions

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

The 2023 MLB season is upon us as plenty of new faces in new places not to mention a number of new rules draw the attention of even the most casual baseball fans on Opening Day. Even if you're not interested in betting MLB futures, it's a good time to take stock of each division, even in a year where divisional play will be less of a factor (teams will play fewer games against divisional opponents than in previous years). Here's my take on which team is the best bet (not necessarily the most likely) to win each division crown. All odds taken from Bet365.American League EastTampa Bay Rays +380I'll skip past the supposed top two A.L. East contenders in the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays as I feel both teams have their flaws, not to mention are overpriced in my opinion. That's not to say the Tampa Bay Rays don't have their own warts, most notably offensively, but I really like the way they're set up from a pitching perspective. I also favor them at these odds with the new scheduling system that will see them play far fewer games against their own division. Tampa Bay has a number of young players that figure to be entering their prime, most notably Wander Franco and Brandon Lowe. Third baseman Isaac Parades is a less talked about player that will also be one to watch this season. Keep in mind, this is a Rays club that is just one year removed from winning the division in 2021. American League CentralChicago White Sox +150I'm higher on the Chicago White Sox than some as I feel they get an immediate boost with the departure of Tony Larussa. Consider the impact similar to what we saw in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars following the Urban Meyer debacle. There's a potential 'sling-shot' effect that I don't believe is being properly factored into the division odds. The Cleveland Guardians are perennial favorites in the division and they'll be difficult to contend with again this season. However, I think the ceiling is extremely high for the White Sox as they figure to stay healthier than they did during a disastrous 2022 campaign. Like the Rays, the White Sox have significant young talent that projects to hit its stride. Pitching may be a touchy subject but I'm confident the White Sox can slug their way to plenty of victories in games that just didn't go their way a year ago.American League WestSeattle Mariners +300While there's no question I'm in the minority, I do think there's a path for the Seattle Mariners to not only win the A.L. West but finish with the best record in the American League and dare I say the entire Majors. Everything is breaking right for the M's as they enter the campaign loaded with optimism but perhaps not the same pressure or expectation level as say the Yankees, Astros or Blue Jays. This is a Mariners club that is built for the ballpark it plays in. Don't sleep on the Seattle pitching staff either, with an underrated starting rotation led by last year's big pre-trade deadline acquisition Luis Castillo and book-ended by a pair of shutdown arms that could arguably hold down the closing job for any team in baseball. National League EastAtlanta Braves +135I think the Atlanta Braves are a steal at the price quoted but you'll need to shop around as you can find them as generous as +135 but as unfavorable as -110. Regardless of the price, I think the potential is there for the Braves to run away with the division. All of the pieces are there for the Braves to take another run at a World Series title after ascending to that peak in 2021. Health issues plagued the club last year but that's not something that can be properly projected or assessed moving forward. We can assume we'll get a bounce-back year from Ronald Acuna Jr. among others and we know what we're going to get from a loaded Atlanta pitching staff that will only get stronger as its younger arms come into their own. Neither the Mets or Phillies scare me all that much in this division and certainly won't intimidate the Braves.National League CentralMilwaukee Brewers +160I simply feel it's 'one of those years' for the Milwaukee Brewers - in a good way. The Brew Crew have few flaws and should be able to front-run in a ho-hum Central Division where I only consider the St. Louis Cardinals to be a serious threat (sorry Cubs fans). That's not to say I'm all that high on the Brewers - I don't anticipate them going on a deep playoff run, for instance. This prediction has perhaps more to do with my dislike for the Cardinals long-term prospects heading into the campaign. I have them as one of the more overrated and overvalued teams in baseball with a pitching staff that will need additional help as the season progresses. The N.L. Central as a whole doesn't pique much interest for me. National League WestArizona Diamondbacks +4000I know this one sounds crazy but hear me out. The Los Angeles Dodgers aren't going to get any of my money at -120. Nor are the San Diego Padres at +110. I don't think the San Francisco Giants have a high enough ceiling to go in on them with a futures bet while the Colorado Rockies figure to challenge for the worst record in baseball. That leaves the Arizona Diamondbacks, a young club with a ton of upside but very low expectations entering the 2023 campaign. I think folks are going to be surprised by the offense the Snakes are going to put up early in the season. I mentioned the potential 'sling-shot' effect with the White Sox earlier. I think the D'Backs are set up to enjoy the same, albeit for different reasons. They boast a number of young players that are in line for breakout campaigns, with catcher Gabriel Moreno being one of my favorites of the bunch (he's not talked about nearly enough in my opinion). With a Cy Young candidate in Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly at the front of the rotation and what I consider to be an underrated bullpen, the Snakes could surprise and at such a generous price, I'm biting.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 03/29/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 29, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA and NHL.The National Basketball Association has ten games on its docket. The Milwaukee Bucks travel to Indiana to play the Pacers at 7:10 PM ET. The Bucks won for the fourth time in their last five games with their 126-117 victory as a 13-point favorite on Monday. Milwaukee is an 11.5-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings). Three NBA games tip off at 7:40 PM ET. The New York Knicks host the Miami Heat. The Knicks ended a three-game losing streak with a 137-115 victory against Houston as a 13.5-point favorite on Monday. The Heat have lost two games in a row after their 106-92 loss at Toronto as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. New York is a 4-point favorite. The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Dallas Mavericks. The 76ers are on a three-game losing streak after their 116-111 loss at Denver as a 7-point underdog on Monday. The Mavericks ended a four-game losing streak with a 127-104 victory at Indiana as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. Philadelphia is a 5-point favorite. The Brooklyn Nets are at home against the Houston Rockets. The Nets lost for the sixth time in their last seven games with their 119-106 loss to Orlando as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. The Rockets are on a six-game losing streak after a 137-115 loss at New York as a 13.5-point underdog on Monday. Brooklyn is a 12-point favorite with the total set at 230. Four NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Memphis Grizzlies host the Los Angeles Clippers. The Grizzlies are on a seven-game winning streak after a 113-108 victory against Orlando as a 6-point favorite on Tuesday. The Clippers won for the second time in their last three games in a 124-112 victory against Chicago as a 4.5-point favorite on Monday. Memphis is a 4.5-point favorite. The Los Angeles Lakers visit Chicago to play the Bulls. The Lakers were on a three-game winning streak before a 118-108 upset loss to Chicago as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. The Bulls were on a two-game winning streak before a 124-112 loss in Los Angeles to the Clippers as a 4.5-point underdog on Monday. Los Angeles is a 2-point road favorite. The Oklahoma City Thunder play the Detroit Pistons. The Thunder lost for the third time in their last four games with their 137-134 loss to Charlotte as a 10-point favorite on Tuesday. The Pistons are on a three-game losing streak after their 126-117 loss to Milwaukee as a 13-point underdog on Monday. Oklahoma City is an 11-point favorite. The Utah Jazz are in San Antonio against the Spurs. The Jazz are on a four-game losing streak after a 117-103 loss to Phoenix as an 8-point underdog on Monday. The Spurs are on a four-game losing streak after a 132-93 loss at Boston as a 16.5-point underdog on Sunday. Utah is a 4-point road favorite. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Phoenix Suns host the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Suns have won two games in a row after their 117-103 victory at Utah as an 8-point favorite on Monday. The Timberwolves are on a four-game winning streak after a 119-115 victory at Sacramento as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. Phoenix is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 235.The Sacramento Kings play in Portland against the Trail Blazers. The Kings’ two-game winning streak ended with a 119-115 loss to Minnesota as a 6.5-point favorite on Monday. The Trail Blazers are on a three-game losing streak after their 124-90 loss to New Orleans as an 11.5-point underdog on Monday. Sacramento is a 12.5-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:37 PM ET. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Florida Panthers. The Maple Leafs won for the second time in their last three games with a 3-2 win at Nashville on Sunday. The Panthers are on a four-game losing streak after a 5-2 loss at Ottawa on Monday. Toronto is a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The New York Islanders play in Washington against the Capitals on TNT. The Islanders won for the fourth time in their last six games with their 5-1 victory against New Jersey on Monday. The Capitals lost for the fourth time in their last five games after a 4-3 loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday. Both teams are priced at -110 with an over/under of 6.The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the Minnesota Wild on TNT at 10:07 PM ET. The Avalanche are on a three-game winning streak with nine victories in their last ten games after a 5-1 victory at Anaheim on Monday. The Wild won for the fourth time in their last five games with a 5-1 victory against Seattle on Monday. Colorado is a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 6.

MLB 2023: NL East Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

NL East Division Preview for MLB 2023 Atlanta Braves – Looking very strong again and already their division title possibilities increased with Mets losing closer Edwin Diaz to injury and Phillies losing star first basemen Rhys Hoskins to injury. The Braves have great pitching including Strider and Fried and Wright as starters and a superb bullpen. Very solid lineup too and just such a solid organization from top to bottom and some extra motivation coming into this season after last season’s surprising post-season exit. Miami Marlins – Couple of good starting pitchers but weak lineup and a bullpen that I really can’t trust. The lineup is the biggest concern again in Miami. They do have some great starting pitching and that is what allows them to be as competitive as they are but only a very bad Washington team is insuring they stay out of the basement in this division this year. New York Mets – Tough loss with top reliever Edwin Diaz lost to a season-ending injury. But still this team was already strong and then made some huge offseason acquisitions. You still have to like the Mets chances of challenging the Braves for the top spot in the division. Other bullpen arms can step up and this New York team was different was Showalter was brought in. Can aging arms in the rotation hold u? Definitely a very dangerous lineup that opposing team do not relish facing. Philadelphia Phillies – Another team dealing with a tough injury loss with star first baseman Rhys Hoskins lost to a season-ending injury. The fact Phillies made it to World Series last year was no fluke. However, Bryce Harper also going to miss time to start the season. This Phillies team could struggle until Harper comes back but at least Trea Turner is a huge addition to the lineup. Still plenty of pop on this team and really like the speed of Turner at the top of the lineup also. Plus solid rotation and strong bullpen here in Philly. Definitely should be an intriguing battle between the Phillies, Mets, and Braves for the top spot in the division. Washington Nationals – Going to be a long season in DC. The Nationals have fallen dramatically in the last 3 seasons and have question marks everywhere. Starting pitching, bullpen, lineup, all have concerns. The rebuild is on in DC. They have added some young arms to the pitching staff and look to build for the future but this season when you look at what they have and this rebuilt lineup, this looks like a team that is going to again lose the majority of its games. Will look to fade this team often with run line plays or when we get solid money line value.

NCAA Final Four Breakdown

by ASA, Inc.

Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

CONNECTICUT – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 3rd / Defensive Efficiency – 11th Strength of Schedule – 25thOverall Record – 29-8 SU / 25-11-1 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 17-8 SUOver/Under Record – 20-17 UCONN BREAKDOWN - Most balanced team remaining ranking into the top 11 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency. No other team remaining ranks in the top 25 in each. Defense has been outstanding in the tourney allowing just 59 PPG thus far. The Huskies have held their 4 NCAA tournament opponents (Iona, St Mary’s, Arkansas, & Gonzaga), a combined 74 points below their season scoring average which equates to 18.5 PPG below their average per team. That includes holding the nation’s top scoring offense, Gonzaga, to just 54 points which is 34 points below their average. The UConn offense has done their part as well scoring at least 82 points in 3 of their 4 tourney games. They are shooting 49.5% in the Big Dance and they have out rebounded their opponents by 49 or +12.25 boards per game. The Huskies do have a few weaknesses to note. They foul too much with 24% of their opponent’s points coming from the FT line (7th most nationally) and they turn the ball over quite a bit (almost 19% TO rate). They have won each of their NCAA tournament games by at least 15 points and their average scoring margin in the Dance is +22.5. FAU – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 24th / Defensive Efficiency – 29th Strength of Schedule – 114th Overall Record – 35-3 SU / 24-11-1 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 9-1 SUOver/Under Record – 18-17-1 FAU BREAKDOWN – The Owls are quite balanced as one of only 2 teams remaining that rank in the top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency (UConn is the other). They have had 4 tight games in the tourney with all of their wins coming by single digits. The Owls average scoring margin in the Big Dance is +4.75 and they trailed with under 10 minutes remaining in all 4 of their games. They rely very heavily on shooting the 3 with 37% of their points coming from deep (25th most nationally) and they shoot it well at 36.5% from beyond the arc. FAU is a deep team with 9 players averaging double digit minutes on the season and they have only 1 senior in their regular rotation. Their weaknesses would include not getting to the FT line very often (302nd nationally in points from the charity stripe) and the Owls don’t create many turnovers defensively (181st). Their strength of schedule is the lowest remaining, however Conference USA has proven to be better than most anticipated. As of Monday, CUSA is 15-1 SU and 13-3 ATS in post-season tournament play with FAU, Charlotte, UNT, and UAB all playing in the NCAA, NIT, or CBI. MIAMI FL – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 5th / Defensive Efficiency – 104th Strength of Schedule – 65th Overall Record – 29-7 SU / 22-14 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 17-5 SUOver/Under Record – 17-18-1 MIAMI BREAKDOWN – This is a veteran team that made it to the Elite 8 last season so they know what a deep run in the tourney is all about. Their guard play is among the best in the country with Isaiah Wong (16 PPG) and Nigel Pack (14 PPG) both able to score from deep each hitting over 38% from 3 point land. The Canes had the toughest run through the Sweet 16 / Elite 8 having to take out both Houston (the #2 overall seed in the tournament) and Texas (the #6 overall seed in the tournament). This is a high level offensive team averaging 80 PPG on the season along with being one of the most efficient teams in the country (5th). They have scored at least 85 points in each of their last 3 games vs Indiana, Houston, and Texas with the last 2 opponents each ranking inside the top 15 in defensive efficiency. The obvious weakness for the Canes is on the defensive end. They are the only team remaining that does not rank inside the top 30 in defensive efficiency and the actually fall outside the top 100 in that statistic. Miami isn’t a big team with no starter taller than 6’7 and opponents have been able to score both midrange (277th) and at the rim (96th) on this team. They have been a bit unlucky with opponents making nearly 75% of their FT’s this season. The Hurricanes have been a fantastic underdog going 20-5 ATS in that role the last 2 seasons. SAN DIEGO STATE – Stats per KenPom Offensive Efficiency – 75th / Defensive Efficiency – 4th Strength of Schedule – 35thOverall Record – 31-6 SU / 19-15-2 ATSRecord vs Top 100 Teams – 17-6 SUOver/Under Record – 14-22 SAN DIEGO STATE BREAKDOWN – The Aztecs live and die with their defense which is one of the best in the country ranking 4th in efficiency while allowing 64 PPG. Because of that defense this team has been an Under machine down the stretch with each of their last 12 games going Under the total. The strength of their outstanding defense is at the 3 point line where they hold opponents to just 27% shooting on the season (2nd nationally). SDSU has allowed only 57 PPG in the Big Dance with 3 of their 4 opponents failing to reach 60 points. Their 4 opponents in the NCAA tournament have attempted a combined 94 three pointers and made only 16 of those shots (17%). They’ve held their opponents to just 34% shooting overall in the Big Dance. The Aztecs defense needs to be very good because their offense isn’t great. They rank outside the top 200 nationally in eFG% and they are making less than 42% of their shots in the tourney thus far. SDSU is a deep, veteran team with 9 players averaging more than 10 minutes per game and all are upperclassmen. They play at a slow tempo and really make teams work for good shots with opponents averaging nearly 19 s

Articles

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAB, MLB, NHL and NBA Previews and Odds 03/30/2023

MLB 2023: NL West Division Preview

Final Four Breakdown/Thoughts

MLB 2023: NL Central Division Preview

National League Contenders: Additions and Updates

Euro Cup Qualifying 2024

Copa Libertadores Futures 2023

2023 MLB Futures: National League

2023 MLB: Division Winner Predictions

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 03/29/2023

MLB 2023: NL East Division Preview

NCAA Final Four Breakdown

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