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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/18/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Mar 18, 2022

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Philadelphia hosts Dallas at 7:10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 225.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Five games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Memphis visits Atlanta as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 236. Brooklyn is at home against Portland as a 14-point favorite with a total of 225. Denver plays at Cleveland as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 221.5. New York hosts Washington as a 5-point favorite with a total of 224.5. Toronto is at home against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 225.5. Two NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. Miami plays at home against Oklahoma City as a 16-point favorite with a total of 219.5. Indiana travels to Houston as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 238.5. San Antonio is at home against New Orleans as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 236.5. Utah plays at home against the Los Angeles Clippers at 9:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 217.5. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. Phoenix hosts Chicago as a 6-point favorite with a total of 229.5. Boston visits Sacramento as a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. The puck drops for two games at 7:07 PM ET. Ottawa plays at home against Philadelphia as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Carolina is at home against Washington as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Boston travels to Winnipeg at 8:07 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Calgary hosts Buffalo at 9:07 PM ET as a -330 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Florida plays at Anaheim as a -215 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Colorado visits San Jose at 10:37 PM ET as a -250 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The Friday college basketball card has 16 games on national television for the second day of the first round of the NCAA tournament. Loyola-Chicago plays Ohio State on CBS at 12:15 PM ET in a pick ‘em contest with a total of 133. Auburn battles Jacksonville State on truTV at 12:40 PM ET as a 15-point favorite with an over/under of 138. Texas Tech faces Montana State on TNT at 1:45 PM ET as a 15-point favorite with a total of 131.5. Purdue goes against Yale on TBS at 2 PM ET as a 16-point favorite with an over/under of 144. Villanova faces Delaware on CBS at 2:45 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 133.5. USC plays Miami (Florida) on truTV at 3:10 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Alabama goes against Notre Dame on TNT at 4:15 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with a total of 152. Texas faces Virginia Tech on TBS at 4:30 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 123.5. Illinois goes against Chattanooga on TNT at 6:50 PM ET as an 8-point favorite with a total of 135.5. Duke battles Cal-State Fullerton on CBS at 7:10 PM ET as an 18.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. LSU faces Iowa State on TBS at 7:20 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with a total of 128.5. Arizona plays Wright State on truTV at 7:27 PM ET as a 20.5-point favorite with an over/under of 156.5. Houston faces UAB on TNT at 9:20 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 136. Michigan goes against Davidson on CBS at 9:40 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 141. Wisconsin plays Colgate on TBS at 9:50 PM ET as an 8-point favorite with a total of 139.5. Seton Hall battles TCU on truTV at 9:57 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 129.Matchweek 30 in the English Premier League kicks off with one match on the USA Network at 4 PM ET. Wolverhampton hosts Leeds United as a -0.5 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/17/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Mar 17, 2022

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association has one game on its docket. Orlando hosts Detroit at 7:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite, with the total set at 219 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:07 PM ET. Toronto plays at home against Carolina as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Dallas visits Montreal as a -205 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Nashville is at Philadelphia as a -175 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Washington plays at Columbus as a -220 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Rangers are at home against the New York Islanders as a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Pittsburgh travels to St. Louis at 8:07 PM ET with both teams priced as a -110 money line favorite with a total of 6. Edmonton hosts Buffalo at 9:07 PM ET as a -265 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games begin at 10:07 PM ET. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against San Jose as a -170 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Vancouver plays at home against Detroit as a -205 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Florida visits Vegas at 10:37 PM ET as a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Thursday college basketball card has 16 games on national television for the first day of the first round of the NCAA tournament. Michigan plays Colorado State on CBS at 12:15 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Providence goes against South Dakota State on truTV at 12:40 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 147.5. Memphis battles Boise State on TNT at 1:45 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 133.5. Baylor faces Norfolk State on TBS at 2 PM ET as a 20.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Tennessee goes against Longwood on CBS at 2:45 PM ET as an 18-point favorite with an over/under of 133. Iowa plays Richmond on truTV at 3:10 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with a total of 150. Gonzaga faces Georgia State on TNT at 4:15 PM ET as a 23-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. North Carolina battles Marquette on TBS at 4:30 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 152.5. Connecticut faces New Mexico State on TNT at 6:50 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Kentucky goes against Saint Peter’s on CBS at 7:10 PM ET as a 17.5-point favorite with a total of 132. Saint Mary’s battles Indiana on TBS at 7:20 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 126.5. San Diego State plays Creighton on truTV at 7:27 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 120.5. Arkansas battles Vermont on TNT at 9:20 PM ET as a 5-point favorite, with an over/under of 140. Murray State plays San Francisco on CBS at 9:40 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 137.5. UCLA goes against Akron on TBS at 9:50 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 128.5. Kansas faces Texas Southern on truTV at 9:57 PM ET as a 22-point favorite with a total of 145. Matchweek 29 in the English Premier League concludes with one match on Peacock at 3:45 PM ET. Newcastle United travels to Everton in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's NBA, NHL, NCAAB, EPL, and UEFA Champions League Previews and Picks - 03/16/2022

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 16, 2022

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, EPL, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Charlotte hosts Atlanta as a 2.5-point favorite. Philadelphia visits Cleveland as a 4-point road favorite with the total set at 219 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Denver plays at Washington as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 228.5. Two NBA games begin at 7:40 PM ET. New York is at home against Portland as an 11-point favorite with a total of 225. Dallas travels to Brooklyn in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN as a 1.5-point road favorite. Two more NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. Phoenix plays at Houston as an 11-point road favorite. Minnesota hosts the Los Angeles Lakers as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 237. San Antonio is at home against Oklahoma City as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 234.5. Utah plays at home against Chicago at 9:10 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite. Two more NBA games start at 10:10 PM ET. Golden State hosts Boston in the nightcap on ESPN as a 3.5-point favorite. Milwaukee plays at Sacramento as a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 240.5. Toronto travels to Los Angeles to play the Lakers at 10:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 218.5. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. The puck drops for two games at 7:37 PM ET. Minnesota plays at home against Boston in the first of two games on TNT as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Ottawa is at home against Columbus as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. The final two NHL games conclude at 10:07 PM ET. Calgary hosts New Jersey as a -320 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Tampa Bay travels to Seattle in the second game on TNT as a -310 money line road favorite with a total of 6.The Wednesday college basketball card has four games on national television. The first four games in the NCAA tournament conclude with two games on truTV at the UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Wright State plays Bryant at 6:40 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 155. Notre Dame faces Rutgers at 9:10 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Two games in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament are on national television. Virginia hosts Mississippi State on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 124. Florida plays at home against Iona on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Matchweek 29 in the English Premier League continues with two matches on Peacock. Tottenham travels to Brighton and Hove Albion at 3:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.5 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Liverpool plays at Arsenal at 4:15 PM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 3. The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League concludes with the final two matches in the second leg of the round of 16 on Paramount+ and fuboTV at 4 PM ET. Juventus hosts Villarreal as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw between these teams last month. Chelsea travels to Lille as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. The Blues won the first leg at home at Stamford Bridge by a 2-0 score.

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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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