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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 03/15/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 15, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Basketball Association has four games on its docket. Two games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Memphis visits Indiana as a 7.5-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Brooklyn plays at Orlando as a 9.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231. Miami hosts Detroit at 7:40 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite. Phoenix is at New Orleans at 8:10 PM ET as a 5-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:07 PM ET. Toronto plays at home against Dallas as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 6. Montreal hosts Arizona as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Rangers are at home against Anaheim as a -230 money line favorite with a total of 6. Washington is at home against the New York Islanders as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two more NHL games begin at 8:07 PM ET. Pittsburgh travels to Nashville as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Winnipeg plays at home against Vegas as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Boston is at Chicago at 8:37 PM ET as a -175 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Edmonton hosts Detroit at 9:07 PM ET as a -310 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Vancouver plays at home against New Jersey at 10:07 PM ET as a -160 money line favorite with a total of 6. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 10:37 PM ET. Colorado visits Los Angeles to play the Kings as a -215 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Florida plays at San Jose as a -230 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5.The Tuesday college basketball card includes ten games on national television. The first four of the NCAA tournament has two games on truTV taking place at the UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Texas Southern plays Texas A&M Corpus Christi at 6:30 PM ET at the Texas Southern is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136. Indiana faces Wyoming at 9:50 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with a total of 132.5. Eight games are on national television in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament. Three NIT games tip-off at 7 PM ET. VCU hosts Princeton on ESPNU as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 138. Vanderbilt plays at home against Belmont on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 145. Oklahoma is at home against Missouri State on ESPN as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Three games in the NIT start at 9 PM ET. Xavier hosts Cleveland State on ESPNU as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 145. Texas A&M plays at home against Alcorn State on ESPN2 as a 20-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Utah State is at home against Oregon on ESPN as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 143.5. Two NIT games conclude the NCAAB card at 11 PM ET. Washington State hosts Santa Clara on ESPNU as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 150. Colorado plays at home against St. Bonaventure on ESPN2 as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 138.The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League continues with two matches in the second leg of the round of 16 on Paramount+ and fuboTV at 4 PM ET. Manchester United hosts Atletico Madrid as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. These teams settled for a 1-1 draw in the first leg on February 23rd. Ajax plays at home against Benfica as a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. The first leg finished in a 2-2 draw.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/14/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Mar 14, 2022

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. Cleveland hosts the Los Angeles Clippers at 7:10 PM ET. The Cavaliers are on a two-game losing streak after their 101-91 loss at Chicago as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Their record has dropped to 28-29. The Clippers come off a 106-102 victory as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. Los Angeles’ record improved to 36-34. Cleveland is a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 211.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Atlanta plays at home against Portland at 7:40 PM ET. The Hawks won their second straight game with a 131-128 victory against Indiana as a 12.5-point favorite on Sunday. They raised their record to 33-34. The Trail Blazers ended a six-game losing streak with a 127-118 upset victory against Washington as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. Portland improved their record to 26-40. Atlanta is a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. Philadelphia is at home against Denver on ESPN at 7:40 PM ET. The 76ers come off a 116-114 win in overtime in Orlando as a 10.5-point favorite on Sunday. They now have a 41-25 record. The Nuggets are on a two-game losing streak after losing to Toronto, 127-115, as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Denver’s record dropped to 49-28. Philadelphia is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 220.5. Charlotte visits Oklahoma City at 8:10 PM ET. The Hornets ended a two-game losing streak with a 142-120 victory at New Orleans as a 3-point favorite on Friday. Their record improved to a 33-35 mark. The Thunder are on a six-game losing streak after their 125-118 loss to Memphis as an 8-point underdog on Sunday. Oklahoma City has a 20-48 record. Charlotte is an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 230.5. Minnesota travels to San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET. The Timberwolves won their seventh game in their last eight with a 113-104 upset victory at Miami as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. They raised their record to 39-30 with the win. The Spurs lost their sixth game in their last eight with a 119-108 loss to Indiana as a 1.5-point favorite on Friday. San Antonio has a 26-42 record. Minnesota is a 5-point road favorite. Golden State is at home against Washington at 10:10 PM ET. The Warriors are on a three-game winning streak after their 122-109 upset victory against Milwaukee as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. They improved their record to 46-22 with the win. The Wizards are on a three-game losing streak after their 127-118 loss at Portland as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Washington’s record dropped to 29-37 with the setback. Golden State is a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 225.Chicago plays at Sacramento at 10:10 PM ET. The Bulls won their second-straight game with their 101-91 victory at Portland as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. They have a 41-26 record. The Kings are on a four-game losing streak after their 134-125 loss at Utah as a 10.5-point underdog on Saturday. Sacramento has a 24-45 record. Chicago is a 4.5-point road favorite. Milwaukee travels to Utah in the nightcap on ESPN at 10:10 PM ET. The Bucks had their six-game winning streak end with their loss at Golden State on Saturday. Their record fell to 42-26. The Jazz won their second game in their last three with their victory against Sacramento on Saturday. Utah has a 42-25 record. Milwaukee is a 1.5-point road favorite. Toronto plays in Los Angeles against the Lakers at 10:40 PM ET. The Raptors are on a three-game winning streak with their 127-115 upset victory at Denver as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Lakers lost their third game in their last four in a 140-111 loss at Phoenix as a 7.5-point underdog on Saturday. Toronto is a 4.5-point road favorite. One game is on the slate in the National Hockey League. Ottawa is at home against Arizona at 7:35 PM ET. The Senators had their two-game winning streak end in a 6-3 loss to Chicago on Saturday. The Coyotes were on a four-game winning streak before their 3-2 loss at Boston on Saturday. Ottawa is a -170 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.Matchweek 29 in the English Premier League continues with one match. Manchester City visits Crystal Palace on the USA Network at 1 PM ET. Man City last played on Wednesday when they settled for a nil-nil draw with Sporting Lisbon in the second leg of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, which clinched their advancement to the quarterfinals. Their last English Premier League match was on March 6th when they beat Manchester United at home by a 4-1 score. The Eagles return to the pitch after defeating Wolverhampton on the road on March 5th by a 2-0 score. Man City is a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/13/2022

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Mar 13, 2022

The Sunday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. Brooklyn hosts New York at 1:05 PM ET on ABC as a 6-point favorite, with the total set at 225.5. The Los Angeles Clippers play at Detroit at 3:10 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 218. Boston is at home against Dallas at 3:30 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 212.5. Philadelphia travels to Orlando at 6:10 PM ET as a 12-point road favorite with an over/under of 223. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Atlanta plays at home against Indiana as a 12-point favorite with a total of 238. New Orleans hosts Houston as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 231. Memphis visits Oklahoma City as a 13.5-point road favorite with a total of 229.5. Phoenix is at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN at 9:10 PM ET as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 230.The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Pittsburgh plays at home against Carolina at 1:08 PM ET as a -145 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Toronto plays Buffalo on TNT at 4:08 PM ET in Heritage Classic in Ontario, Canada as a -260 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The puck drops at 7:08 PM ET for four NHL games. Philadelphia plays at home against Montreal as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6. St. Louis hosts Winnipeg as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Minnesota is at home against Nashville as a -160 money line favorite with a total of 6. Vegas visits Columbus as a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Islanders are at home against Anaheim at 7:38 PM ET as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Colorado plays at home against Calgary at 8:08 PM ET as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:08 PM ET. Tampa Bay visits Vancouver as a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Florida plays at Los Angeles as a -210 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The Sunday college basketball card has five conference tournament championship games on national television. Princeton plays Yale on ESPN2 at noon ET in the Ivy League championship game. The Tigers are a 3-point favorite with a total of 145. Tennessee goes against Texas A&M on ESPN at 1 PM ET in SEC championship game. The Volunteers are a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 131.5. Davidson faces Richmond on CBS at 1 PM ET in the Atlantic 10 championship game. The Wildcats are a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 138.Houston battles Memphis on ESPN at 3:15 PM ET in the American Athletic Conference championship game. The Cougars are a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Purdue plays Iowa on CBS at 3:30 PM ET in the Big Ten championship game. The Boilermakers are a 2-point favorite with a total of 151.Matchweek 29 in the English Premier League continues with six matches. Five matches begin at 10 AM ET. Chelsea hosts Newcastle United on Peacock. Wolverhampton visits Everton on Peacock. Leeds United plays at home against Norwich City on Peacock. Southampton is at home against Watford on Peacock. West Ham United hosts Aston Villa on the USA Network. Arsenal plays at home against Leicester City on the USA Network at 12:30 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/12/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Mar 12, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. Three games tip-off at 8:05 PM ET. Miami hosts Minnesota as a 6-point favorite with the total set at 224.5. Chicago is at home against Cleveland as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 221. San Antonio plays at home against Indiana as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 234.5. Milwaukee visits Golden State on ABC at 8:35 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 232.5. Two more NBA games start at 9:05 PM ET. Denver hosts Toronto as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 225. Utah is at home against Sacramento as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 231.5. Washington travels to Portland at 10:05 PM ET as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 218.5.The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Nashville pla6. ys at home against St. Louis at 12:38 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Carolina is at home against Philadelphia on ABC as a -320 money line favorite with a total of 6. Five more NHL games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Calgary is at home against Detroit as a -370 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Boston plays at home against Arizona as a -380 money line favorite with a total of 6. Montreal hosts Seattle at -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Chicago is at Ottawa in a pick ‘em contest with a total of 6. New Jersey plays at home against Anaheim as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Dallas hosts the New York Rangers at 8:08 PM ET as a -130 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Los Angeles visits San Jose at 9:38 PM ET as a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Tampa Bay is at Edmonton at 10:08 PM ET as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Saturday college basketball conference tournament card has 25 games on national television. Two games tip-off the card at 11 AM ET. Princeton plays Cornell on ESPNU as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. Vermont faces Maryland-Baltimore County on ESPN2 as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Four more games begin at 1 PM ET. Arkansas battles Texas A&M on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Iowa plays against Indiana on CBS as a 6-point favorite with a total of 144. Norfolk State goes against Coppin State on ESPN2 as a 7-point favorite. Saint Louis battles Davidson on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Yale plays Pennsylvania on ESPNU at 2 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 145.5. Houston goes against Tulane on ESPN2 at 3 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134. Three more NCAA-B games tip-off at 3:30 PM ET. Kentucky faces Tennessee on ESPN as a 2-point favorite with a total of 139.5. Dayton battles Richmond on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Purdue plays Michigan State on CBS as a 6-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Saint Peter’s goes against Monmouth on ESPNU at 4 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 124.5. Memphis battles SMU on ESPN2 at 5 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 141.5. Three NCAA-B conference tournament games begin at 6 PM ET. Kansas plays Texas Tech on ESPN as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Texas Southern battles Alcorn State on ESPNU. San Diego State goes against Boise State on CBS. Kent State faces Akron on ESPN2 at 7:30 PM ET. Northern Colorado plays Montana State on ESPNU at 8 PM ET. Two NCAA-B games start at 8:30 PM ET. Duke plays Virginia Tech on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with a total of 138.5. UAB battles Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. UCLA battles Arizona on Fox at 9 PM ET. Texas A&M Corpus Christi goes against Southeast Louisiana on ESPN2 at 9:30 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with a total of 149. Abilene Christian faces New Mexico State on ESPNU at 10 PM ET. Cal-State Fullerton plays Long Beach State on ESPN2 at 11:30 PM ET.Matchweek 29 of the English Premier League begins with three matches. Liverpool visits Brighton and Hove Albion on Peacock at 7:30 AM ET as a -1 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 3. Brentford hosts Burnley on the USA Network at 10 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2. Manchester United plays at home against Tottenham on Peacock at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Play Ball!

by Ben Burns

Friday, Mar 11, 2022

I'm sure you heard the good news. It's Go Time! It really didn't look promising. However, the two sides came together and figured things out. Only hours before the agreement was reached, I remember thinking: "I'd be happy just to have a shortened season start by June 1st. That's better than nothing ..." Instead, a full 162-game season will start much sooner. Here are some of the details.When Is The First Pitch?They're moving fast. By the time you're reading this, spring training may have already begun. The games begin Sunday, March 13. That will allow the regular season to begin on April 7th. After all the fuss, that's only one week later than was originally planned. In a way, it's not bad at all. College hoops will wrap up on the 4th. Then, only a couple of days before Opening Day. What's Different?In order to make up the missed week, the teams will play three extra games at the end of the regular season. The other missed games will be made up by playing double-headers. Those will be of the 9-inning variety, too. Gone are the 7-inning DH's. Speaking of "DH's," another difference this year is that the National League will now be using designated hitters. Also , there will no longer be a runner on second base to begin extra innings. Additionally, the playoff format has changed; 12 teams will now make it, instead of 10. Top Free AgentsThere are some pretty big names out there and they're likely to start finding new homes quite quickly. Remember, teams and players haven't been able to talk. Carlos Correa tops the list. Needless to say, he'll be getting a huge deal. Coming off a strong 2021, Carlos Rodón is likely the top free agent starting pitcher. Naturally, the Yankees are reported to be in the mix for both. Some other notable names include: Story, Soler, Schwarber, Jansen, Freeman, Castellanos, Kikuchi and Bryant. Seiya Suzuki, a 27-year old power hitter from Japan, is another name you're likely to hear. Who's Expected To Be Good?The Dodgers are favored to win the World Series. Other contenders include the Astros, Yankees, Mets, White Sox, Blue Jays and Braves. To say that I was relieved by the news would be an understatement. Baseball is one of my very favorite sports to watch and handicap. Not just because I'm coming off back-to-back really strong baseball campaigns either. March Madness will have the bulk of my attention over the next few weeks but I'll also be keeping a close eye on spring training. While I don't plan to attend any games this year, I'll still be digesting as much info as possible. Bring on Opening Day!

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NBA Stock Rising and Falling

by Sean Murphy

Friday, Mar 11, 2022

As we approach the final month of the NBA regular season it's a good time to take stock of teams that are on the rise and those on their way down in this week's edition of NBA Stock Rising and Falling.Stock risingMinnesota TimberwolvesDon't look now but the T'Wolves have won six straight games both SU and ATS, scoring 124 or more points in all six of those contests. Sure, they've benefited from a favorable schedule recently but it doesn't get that much tougher until March 19th, when the Wolves begin a stretch that will see them face the Mavericks (twice), Suns, Celtics, Raptors and Nuggets in succession. For now, Minnesota will aim to keep rolling with a trip that includes stops in Orlando, Miami and San Antonio before a home date with the reeling Lakers. While I wasn't necessarily a buyer earlier in the season, I do think Minnesota can continue to make some noise down the stretch, provided it can get a little healthier. One thing's for sure, the T'Wolves are unlikely to fit the bill as a 'public darling' anytime soon and that's a good thing for their backers.New York KnicksProving just how quickly things can improve, the Knicks find themselves in the 'stock rising' category after previously residing at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. It took a while, but it seems like the Knicks have finally figured out that it's their defense that needs to fuel their offense. They enter Friday's matchup with the Grizzlies in Memphis after holding seven straight opponents to fewer than 89 field goal attempts, limiting four of those opponents to 83 or less. You would have to go back eight games to find the last time New York allowed an opponent to knock down 40 or more field goals. After wrapping up their long road trip with stops in Memphis and Brooklyn, the Knicks will return home for a four-game homestand beginning next Wednesday against Portland. Stock fallingNew Orleans PelicansAfter a brief surge, the Pelicans have gone back in the tank with consecutive losses against Denver, Memphis and Orlando. Worst of all, they'll be without Brandon Ingram, who had been making big strides forward this season, for multiple weeks due to injury. The depth simply isn't there for New Orleans to withstand such a blow. It does get its next three games at home but it's still a difficult stretch considering it will have played eight games in 14 nights by the time the homestand wraps up. Riding what I would consider an unsustainable streak of 11 consecutive games scoring more than 100 points, I will be looking for opportunities to play the 'under' in upcoming Pelicans games, noting that they have been doing a good job of limiting opponents scoring opportunities in recent weeks. Sacramento KingsSitting 20 games under .500 in 13th-place in the Western Conference, the Kings have nothing but pride and contracts to play for down the stretch. They head into Saturday's game in Utah riding a three-game losing streak, having won just twice going back to Valentine's Day. Even their once-explosive offense has gone cold lately, scoring 95, 115, 113, 115 and 100 points over their last five games. Frustrations boiled over earlier this week with pre-trade deadline acquisition Domantas Sabonis striking an official and earning a one-game suspension. While Sacramento will get four of its next five games at home it's not as if that has meant much this season as it has won just 15 times in 35 games as host. Picking favorable spots to back the Kings is a real chore these days and I don't see that changing in the final month of the season. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/11/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Mar 11, 2022

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has ten games on its docket. Minnesota visits Orlando at 7:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 232.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two more games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Atlanta plays at home against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5. Boston is at home against Detroit as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 216. Three NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. Miami hosts Cleveland as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 210. Dallas travels to Houston as an 11-point road favorite with a total of 225. Memphis is at home against New York as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 230. Charlotte plays at New Orleans as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 229. Utah visits San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 229.5. Phoenix is at home against Toronto as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 221. The Los Angeles Lakers host Washington at 10:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 228.The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Pittsburgh plays at home against Vegas as a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Minnesota visits Columbus as a -210 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The New York Islanders are at home against Winnipeg at 7:38 PM ET as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Vancouver is at home against Washington at 10:08 PM ET as a -110 money line favorite with a total of 6.The Friday college basketball conference tournament card includes 26 games on national television. Two televised games tip-off at noon ET. Auburn plays Texas A&M on ESPN as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Davidson goes against Fordham on the USA Network as an 11-point favorite with a total of 130.5. Louisiana Tech goes against North Texas on the CBS Sports Network at 12:30 PM ET. Houston faces Cincinnati on ESPN2 at 1 PM ET as a 12-point favorite with a total of 133.5. Two television NCAAB games begin at 2:30 PM ET. Arkansas battles LSU on ESPN as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Saint Louis plays against St. Bonaventure on the USA Network as a 2-point favorite with a total of 139. Two more NCAAB games tip-off at 3 PM ET. UAB faces Middle Tennessee State on the CBS Sports Network. Tulane goes against Temple on ESPN2 as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Toledo plays Akron on the CBS Sports Network at 5 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5. At 6 PM ET, two more college basketball games are on national television. Rider faces Monmouth on ESPNews. Dayton goes against Massachusetts on the USA Network as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Providence plays Creighton on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 132.5. Three more televised games begin at 7 PM ET. Kansas battles TCU on ESPN2 as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140. Duke faces Miami (Florida) on ESPN as a 9-point favorite with a total of 150. SMU goes against Tulsa on ESPNU as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Ohio battles Kent State on the CBS Sports Network at 7:30 PM ET. Two televised NCAAB games start at 8:30 PM ET. Richmond plays VCU on the USA Network. Quinnipiac faces Saint Peter’s on ESPNews. Two more televised college basketball games tip-off at 9 PM ET. Central Florida plays Memphis on ESPNU. Connecticut goes against Villanova on FS1. Three more NCAAB games begin at 9:30 PM ET. Oklahoma battles Texas Tech on ESPN2. Virginia Tech goes against North Carolina on ESPN. Boise State plays Wyoming on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 129. Three televised NCAAB games conclude the card at 11:30 PM ET. USC faces UCLA on FS1. Hawaii plays Cal-State Fullerton on ESPNU. San Diego State goes against Colorado State on the CBS Sports Network. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/10/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Mar 10, 2022

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has two games on its docket with a doubleheader on TNT. Philadelphia hosts Brooklyn at 7:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Golden State travels to Denver at 10:10 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:08 PM ET in eight games. Boston plays at home against Chicago as a -275 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5. Vegas visits Buffalo as a -230 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Toronto is at home against Arizona as a -400 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Ottawa hosts Seattle as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Minnesota plays at Detroit as a -190 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Florida is at home against Philadelphia as a -370 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Winnipeg travels to New Jersey as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Colorado is at Carolina as a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Islanders host Columbus at 7:38 PM ET as a -160 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Two more NHL games start at 8:08 PM ET. St. Louis plays at home against the New York Rangers as a -200 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Nashville is at home against Anaheim as a -200 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Tampa Bay visits Calgary at 9:08 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Los Angeles hosts San Jose at 10:38 PM ET as a -230 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.The Thursday college basketball conference tournament card has 24 games on national television. Three televised games tip-off the card at noon ET. Duke plays Syracuse on ESPN as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 150. Providence goes against Butler on FS1 as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 128. George Mason battles Fordham on the USA Network as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 130. Texas faces TCU on ESPN2 at 12:30 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 125.5. Cincinnati plays East Carolina on ESPNU at 1 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Three televised NCAAB games begin at 2:30 PM ET. Miami (Florida) plays Boston College on ESPN2 as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 139. St. Louis goes against LaSalle on the USA Network as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Marquette battles Creighton on FS1 as a 3-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Three more NCAAB games tip-off at 3 PM ET. Wichita State plays Tulsa as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 133. Kansas battles West Virginia on ESPN as a 9-point favorite with a total of 148. Boise State faces Nevada on the CBS Sports Network as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. UNLV goes against Wyoming on the CBS Sports Network at 5:30 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with a total of 136. Massachusetts plays George Washington on the USA Network at 6 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. Four televised NCAAB games start at 7 PM ET. Notre Dame faces Virginia Tech on ESPN2 as a 1-point favorite with a total of 130.5. Baylor battles Oklahoma on ESPN as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Central Florida goes against South Florida on ESPNU as a 9-point favorite with a total of 127. Villanova plays St. John’s on FS1 as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 149. Richmond faces Rhode Island on the USA Network at 8:30 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with a total of 134. Colorado State battles Utah State on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Three televised NCAAB games begin at 9:30 PM ET. Texas Tech goes against Iowa State on ESPN2 as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 125.5. North Carolina plays Virginia on ESPN as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 133.5. Seton Hall goes against Connecticut on FS1. Two more televised NCAAB games tip-off at 11:30 PM ET. San Diego State faces Fresno State on the CBS Sports Network as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 113. Washington battles USC on FS1.Matchweek 28 in the English Premier League concludes with four matches on Peacock. Three matches start at 2:30 PM ET. Chelsea visits Norwich City as a -1.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 3 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Southampton hosts Newcastle United as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Wolverhampton plays at home against Watford as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2. Aston Villa travels to Leeds United in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 3.

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Preview: UFC Vegas 50

by Ben Burns

Wednesday, Mar 09, 2022

After Covington beat up on Masvidal at the T-Mobile Arena last weekend, the MMA spotlight shifts to UFC Apex this Saturday. Same city. Different venue. While UFC Vegas 50 may not have the star power that last week's card did, there are still some interesting and potentially exciting fights. Here are a couple to keep an eye on. Thiago Santos (22-9) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (16-1)This may be the featured fight of the night but its unlikely to be the most competitive. Santos is off a win last time out. However, he's in over his head here. The odds reflect that. Ankalaev opened as roughly a 4:1 favorite and the line has climbed even higher. He's now laying in the -550 range. Santos has taken on some of the best in the business, as he fought the likes of Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira. So, he's not going to be intimidated. Still, he's 38 years old and he'll be taking on a determined and more well-rounded 29-year old. Santos hasn't been the same fighter since the Jones loss. While I wouldn't suggest laying the high price, expect the younger fighter to take this one. Khalil Rountree (9-5) vs. Karl Roberson (9-4)The odds suggest that this light heavyweight battle will be considerably closer than the main event. Rountree opened as a small favorite. However, Roberson is currently priced in the -125 to -135 range. In addition to the similar records, these guys have quite a few things in common. They're each southpaws. They're both 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, each with a 74-inch reach. They're both American and they're very close in age. Roberson is 31, Rountree is 32. Both fighters have power. Roberson is a former pro kick-boxer. Rountree, who got into MMA later in his life, trained in kick-boxing in Thailand. Rountree had this to say: "I feel good. This camp has been tough. I purposely came into this camp and pushed myself as hard as I possibly could so I can get the result that I am looking for. And I'm happy with the growth that I've made from the last camp. Just ready to put it all together now." With all the similarities and with both fighters in need of a victory, this one could be interesting. Another KO?Last week, I successfully backed Spivak against Hardy. He was a little expensive but I was quite confident that Hardy was outclassed. Here's an excerpt of what I said, prior to that fight: "Hardy is in over his head. Again. He's lost b2b fights and this is not a good matchup for him. These two were supposed to fight at UFC 270. At the time, Hardy was orginally scheduled to face Olenyk. However, Olenyk backed out and it was then supposed to be Spivak vs. Hardy. That probably wouldn't have gone well for Hardy but at least Spivak would have been fighting with less prep time. Hardy remains an elite athlete and he's got bigtime power. He's not a good wrestler though and he's far from elite when exchanging strikes. Consider one of their common opponents in Tuivasa. Hardy hurt Tuivasa a bit early on but then got KO'd. Spivak, on the other hand, took Tuivasa down six times before choking him out with an arm triangle. I see Spivak getting Hardy off his feet and winning by either ground and pound or submission." Spivak came through for me, making short work of Hardy. This week, I've got my eyes on another fight which may not last long ... 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 03/09/2022

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 09, 2022

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Two games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Boston travels to Charlotte as a 7-point road favorite with the total set at 226.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Chicago plays at Detroit as a 6.5-point road favorite. Miami hosts Phoenix in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN at 7:40 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite. Four more NBA games begin at 8:40 PM ET. Milwaukee plays at home against Atlanta as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 237. The Los Angeles Lakers play at Houston as a 3.5-point road favorite. Minnesota is at home against Oklahoma City as a 14-point favorite. New Orleans hosts Orlando as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 7.5. Two NBA games start at 8:40 PM ET. Dallas is at home against New York as a 7.5-point favorite. Toronto travels to San Antonio as a 1-point road favorite. Two more NBA games tip-off at 10:10 PM  ET. Denver plays at Sacramento as a 4.5-point road favorite. Utah hosts Portland in the nightcap on ESPN as an 18-point favorite. The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against Washington at 10:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 220.The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. Edmonton is home against Washington in the first game of a doubleheader on TNT at 8:08 PM ET. The Oilers are a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Vancouver plays at home against Montreal in the second game on TNT at 10:38 PM ET as a -210 money line favorite with a total of 6.The Wednesday college basketball card includes nine conference tournament games on national television. Florida State plays Syracuse on ESPN at noon ETas a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5. Boston College plays Wake Forest on ESPN at 2:30 PM ET. Xavier goes against Butler on FS1 as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 131. Three more NCAAB games start at 7 PM ET. Clemson faces Virginia Tech on ESPN2. Kansas State plays West Virginia on ESPNU as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. St. John’s faces DePaul on FS1 as a 5-point favorite with a total of 153.5. Colgate hosts Navy at 7:30 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network in the championship game of the Patriot League tournament as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 129. Louisville plays Virginia on ESPN2 at 9:30 PM ET. Seton Hall battles Georgetown on FS1 as a 10-point favorite with a total of 143.5. The second leg of the round of 16 matches in the UEFA Champions League continues with two matches at 3 PM ET. Real Madrid hosts Paris Saint-Germain on CBS after losing the first leg in Paris by a 1-0 score. PlayMGM lists this match as a pick ‘em with an over/under of 3. Manchester City plays at home against Sporting Lisbon on Paramount+ and fuboTV after winning 5-0 in the first leg. Man City is a -2.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.5 at PlayMGM.

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Big 10 Tournament Preview

by ASA, Inc.

Tuesday, Mar 08, 2022

With selection Sunday less than a week away, the Big 10 looks to have six teams locked up to join the field of 68. With so many good teams, it is sure to be a bloodbath for the Big 10 tournament championship.  BIG 10 Tournament Championship Odds: Purdue: +220 Illinois: +370Iowa: +400Wisconsin: +750Ohio State: +1000Michigan: +1200Rutgers: +1300Michigan State: +2500Indiana: +2500 Besides the top teams, Rutgers, Michigan, and Indiana are all on the bubble and need to have strong showings in the BIG 10 tourney in order to sneak in. Rutgers earned the double bye so they get a probable matchup with Iowa on Friday. Back in January, Rutgers won their only matchup with the Hawkeyes 48-46. This entire game was at a crawling pace that saw both teams shoot a combined 29% from the floor and went 56.5 points under the total (150.5). If Rutgers can just win one game in the conference tournament, they have to feel great about their chances to get into the NCAA field. Michigan and Indiana matchup as the 8 and 9 seed on Thursday in what could be an NCAA elimination game. The winner may determine who gets one of the last “at large” bids to the big dance.   With Wisconsin’s loss to Nebraska on Sunday, it allows a possible rematch of some recent games. Wisconsin could play Purdue in the semifinals and Illinois could play Iowa.  The Badgers just beat the Boilermakers for the 2nd time this season, so it does seem that Wisconsin is being undervalued by oddsmakers. Purdue has dominant big men in Edey and Williams, but lacks a true guard threat besides Jaden Ivey. Guard play wins championships and Ivey cannot do it alone. The Badgers have been snubbed by the analytics experts all season long because they have had a number of close games and won the vast majority of those games. Despite winning the Big 10 Title (tied with Illinois) they are rated as the 5th or 6th best team in the conference when it comes to the analytics people.  That’s why they have solid +750 odds to win the Big 10 tourney.  Solid value in our opinion if Johnny Davis plays which it sounds like he will.    Iowa has been blazing down the stretch and took Illinois to the wire a few days ago. Unfortunately +400 doesn’t return as much value.  Neither does +370 for the Illini.  Ohio State nearly won the tourney as a five seed last year, so look for E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham at +1000 as a better option.  They've beaten both first place teams this season (Wisconsin & Illinois) and the Buckeyes have as good a chance as any at a seemingly unpredictable time of year.  We’d have to say OSU at +1000 is the best value in the field.   

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 03/08/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 08, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Brooklyn travels to Charlotte as a 3.5-point road favorite with the total set at 241.5. Cleveland plays at Indiana as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 222.5. Philadelphia is at Orlando as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 224. Memphis hosts New Orleans in the opening game of a doubleheader on TNT at 7:40 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 231.5. Milwaukee visits Oklahoma City at 8:10 PM ET as a 14.5-point road favorite with a total of 231. Golden State hosts the Los Angeles Clippers in the nightcap on TNT as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 220.5. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:08 PM ET for three games. Colorado travels to New Jersey as a -210 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Vegas plays at Philadelphia as a -175 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Florida is at Pittsburgh as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more games start at 7:38 PM ET. Toronto plays at home against Seattle as a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Detroit is at home against Arizona as a -165 money line favorite with a total of 6. Four more NHL games begin at 8:08 PM ET. St. Louis hosts Ottawa as a -300 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Nashville plays at home against Dallas as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Minnesota is at home against the New York Rangers as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Tampa Bay plays at Winnipeg as a -165 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Chicago is at home against Anaheim at 8:38 PM ET as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Calgary hosts Washington at 9:08 PM ET as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 6. The Tuesday basketball card has six games on national television. Jacksonville hosts Bellarmine on ESPN2 at 5 PM ET in the championship game of the Atlantic Sun conference tournament as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 123. Three more NCAAB games begin at 7 PM ET. Bryant hosts Wagner in the championship game of the Northeast Conference tournament on ESPN2 as a 4-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Delaware plays UNC Wilmington on the CBS Sports Network in the championship game of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington DC on the CBS Sports Network. Wright State goes against Northern Kentucky on ESPN in the championship game of the Horizon League tournament at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Two more televised games tip-off at 9 PM ET. North Dakota State plays South Dakota State on ESPN2 in the championship game of the Summit League tournament at Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Saint Mary's faces Gonzaga in the finals of the West Coast Conference tournament at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The second leg of the round of 16 matches in the UEFA Champions League begins on Tuesday with two matches at 3 PM ET. Liverpool hosts Inter Milan on CBS after winning 2-0 in the first leg of this knockout stage contest. The Reds are a -1 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 3. Bayern Munich plays at home against RB Salzburg on Paramount+ and fuboTV after settling for a 1-1 draw in the first leg of this knockout stage contest. The Bavarians are a -2 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with a total of 3.5.

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