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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NFL and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 09, 2021

The Saturday sports card features a loaded slate in college basketball along with action in the NBA and a Super Wild Card Weekend tripleheader in the NFL playoffs.The NFL card kicks off at 1:05 PM ET with Buffalo hosting Indianapolis. The Bills claimed the second seed in the AFC playoffs last week by winning their sixth game in a row by beating Miami, 56-26. The Colts have won four of their last five by defeating Jacksonville, 28-14, last Sunday. Buffalo is a 6-point favorite with the total set at 51 (all odds from BetOnline). CBS has the broadcast.Fox has the NFC West showdown between the Los Angeles Rams at Seattle that kicks off at 4:40 PM ET. The Seahawks have won four games in a row after defeating San Francisco on the road last week by a 26-23 score. The Rams snapped their two-game losing streak last Sunday in an 18-7 win against Arizona. Seattle is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 42.The nightcap has Washington hosting Tampa Bay on ABC and the ESPN networks. The Football Team won the NFC East and the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs last Sunday night in their 20-14 win at Philadelphia. The Buccaneers have won four games in a row to claim the top wildcard spot in the NFC with a 44-27 victory against Atlanta last week. Tampa Bay is an 8-point road favorite with a total of 44.5. Kickoff is at 8:15 PM ET.The nationally-televised college basketball schedule tips off at noon PM ET. Creighton hosts St. John’s on FS1. The Bluejays are ranked seventh in the AP poll laying 13.5-points with the over/under at 159. Richmond is a 6-point road favorite at George Mason, with the total at 143.5 on the CBS Sports Network. On ESPN2, Alabama is a 5-point road favorite at Auburn with an over/under of 150. West Virginia hosts Texas in a battle of ranked Big 12 teams on ESPN at 1 PM ET. The Mountaineers are 14th in the AP poll, with the Longhorns ranking 4th. West Virginia is a 1.5-point favorite with the total at 140.At 2 PM ET, Tennessee visits Texas A&M on ESPN2. The ninth-ranked Volunteers are 10.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 129. On FS1, Seton Hall is laying 4 points on the road at DePaul, with the total set at 147.5. VCU plays at home against Rhode Island as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 139 on the CBS Sports Network. Duquesne hosts Fordham on the NBC Sports Network as a 13.5-point favorite with the total at 127.5.Baylor travels to TCU at 3 PM ET on ESPN. The second-ranked Bears are 12.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 143.5.At 4 PM ET, 11th ranked Houston is laying 18.5 points against Tulane on ESPNU with the total set at 129. 18th ranked Texas Tech is a 7.5-point road favorite at Iowa State on ESPN2 with the total at 133.5. Butler is a 3-point favorite at home against UConn on the CBS Sports Network with an over/under of 128. Colorado State hosts UNLV as a 7-point favorite on FS1, with the total at 145. UMass is at home laying 5 points against LaSalle on the NBC Sports Network with an over/under of 146. UTSA hosts North Texas in the second game of their back-to-back on ESPNU.CBS has sixth-ranked Kansas hosting Oklahoma at 4:30 PM ET. The Jayhawks are 6.5-point favorites, with the total set at 144.5. At 5 PM ET, Florida plays at home against Kentucky on ESPN as a 4.5-point favorite with the over/under at 141. Oklahoma State travels to Manhattan to play Kansas State as a 7.5-point favorite on ESPN2 with the total at 139.5 at 6 PM ET.At 7 PM ET, Syracuse hosts Georgetown on ESPN as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5. The CBS Sports Network has Saint Mary’s hosting Santa Clara as a 9-point favorite with the total at 127. UCLA travels to Arizona at 9 PM ET on ESPN. The Wildcats are 3-point favorites with an over/under of 138.5. The CBS Sports Network has San Diego State playing at home at 9 PM ET laying 11 points against Nevada with the total set at 135.The NBA card has eight games on the docket. Denver plays at Philadelphia to tip things off at 3:05 PM ET. The schedule concludes at 10:05 PM ET with Portland playing at Sacramento. None of the games are on national television.

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Ness Notes: Friday, Jan 8

by Larry Ness

Friday, Jan 08, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."CBB: There are no matchups between ranked opponents on Thursday but FIVE games between ranked and unranked ones. No. 1 Gonzaga (10-0) hosted 9-2 BYU, No. 5 Iowa (9-2) was at Maryland, No. 8 Wisconsin (9-2) was home to Indiana, No. 12 Illinois (8-3) was at Northwestern and No. 17 Oregon (8-1) was at Colorado. Oregon was the lone ranked team to lose, as the Ducks lost at Colorado, ending their eight-game winning streak. BYU had not played since Dec. 23 and it showed. No. 1 Gonzaga promptly opened a 23-2 lead and led by as much as 32 points in a 17-point victory (closing line was 17 points!). No. 5 Iowa rolled at Maryland but No. 8 Wisconsin needed two OTs to win 80-73 at home vs Indiana (non-cover). No. 12 Illinois was down 43-28 at the half at Northwestern but made 16 of 31 shots in the second half in a dominating 53-13 performance. Northwestern did not make a single field goal in the final seven-and-a-half minutes!Ranked teams went 4-1 SU but 2-2-1 ATS. No top-25 matchups on Friday (higher ranked team are 22-10, .686 SU but just 17-15, 53.1% ATS in meetings between ranked opponents Y-T-D) while ranked teams are now 142-28 (.844) SU but only 92-85-3 (52.0%) ATS when taking on an unranked foe. No. 3 Villanova was scheduled to play at Marquette but the Wildcats have postponed all games until a Jan 15 date at UConn. No. 23 Michigan St has won back-to-back Big Ten games after opening 0-3 in league play for the first time since the 2001-02 season. The Spartans welcome the 7-5 Purdue Boilermakers to Breslin Center on Thursday, where they are favored by 4 1/2-pointsNBA: In the first game of Thursday's TNT doubleheader, the Nets were without Kevin Durant due to COVID-19 safety protocols and also played without Kyrie Irving, who sat out due to unspecified personal reasons. No problem. Brooklyn beat Philadelphia, which entered with an NBA-best 6-1 record, 122-109. However, the bigger story may be that Seth Curry returned a positive test for the coronavirus, which the team learned of near the start of  the game. The Sixers are staying overnight in New York and will commence contact tracing Friday morning, sources said. The team will do a new round of testing Friday in accordance with the NBA's health and safety protocols. "Fingers crossed." In the nightcap, the Mavs went toe-to-toe in Denver against the Nuggets, prevailing 124-117 in OT. Doncic had 38-13-9 for Dallas and Jokic 38 & 11 for Denver. No national TV cameras were around to see the Spurs win 118-109 at the Lakers, snapping LA's four-game winning streak. How about those Spurs? They won Tuesday night at Staples Center as well, 116-113 over the Clippers. ESPN features a doubleheader on Friday, as the Hornets are in New Orleans to take on the Pelicans at 7:35 ET (Pelicans are favored by 6 1/2-points). Then at 10:05 ET from San Francisco, it's the Clippers at the Warriors with LA favored by  six points. The defending champion Lakers look to bounce back from last night's home loss to the Spurs when they host the 4-5 Chicago Bulls. LA is favored by 10 points and I'm using the Lakers as "free play" in the game. In researching the game I noticed this. SIX Chicago Bulls are averaging double digits in points and ALL six are 1st round picks (quite remarkable). View my free pick for all the details. Sunday's NFL Wild Card games: ABC/ESPN will televise the first of three NFL wild card games at 1:05 ET, as the 11-5 Ravens (No. 5 seed) are in Nashville to take on the 11-5 Titans (No. 4 seed). The then 14-2 Ravens were unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs last season, losing 28-12 at home to the Titans as 10-point favorites, as Derrick Henry ran for yards. These teams met in Week 11 of the 2020 season (again in Baltimore) and even with that playoff revenge, the Ravens blew a 21-10 third-quarter lead in a 30-24 OT loss. The Ravens were just 6-5 after their Week 12 loss to Pittsburgh but would go on a 5-0 SU & ATS run to finish 11-5 and earn the AFC's No. 5 seed. The Titans battled the Indy Colts all season long for the AFC South title but clinched the division (via a tiebreaker) with a 41-38 win at Houston in Week 17. Derrick Henry rushed for a career-high 250 yards and became the eighth player in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards in a season, in Tennessee's Week 17 win. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson became the first QB in NFL history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in multiple seasons in Baltimore's 38-3 win at Cincinnati in Week 17. Jackson rushed for 97 yards on 11 carries to give him 1,005 yards for the season. The Ravens finished with 404 rushing yards, which was the fourth most by a team since 1950. Is the THIRD time going to be the charm for Baltimore vs Tennessee? Baltimore is favored by three points and the over/under is 54 1/2.CBS will carry the 8-8 Chicago Bears (No. 7 seed) visiting New Orleans to face the 12-4 Saints (No. 2 seed). The Saints beat the Bears 26-23 in overtime at Chicago back on Nov 1, Alvin Kamara had 163 yards from scrimmage, including a 20-yard run to set up Wil Lutz's winning FG. The NFL schedule makers gave the New Orleans Saints a break by scheduling this game on Sunday, not Saturday. Had the Saints been scheduled to play on Saturday, Kamara would not have been eligible to return after testing positive for COVID-19. As ALL will remember, Kamara tied an NFL record with six TDs in a victory over Minnesota on Christmas Day. Mitchell Trubisky will NEVER be mistaken for Drew Brees but since he regained his starting position, he has completed 70 percent of his passes for 1,495 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. Chicago has averaged 30.2 PPG in that stretch, even after the 35-15 loss to Green Bay last Sunday ended a four-game streak of scoring at least 30 points. Trubisky's return has also seemed to rejuvenate Chicago's running game. The Bears were averaging 78.2 rushing yards before Trubisky returned to the lineup but they are averaging 144.2 rushing yards since. New Orleans is favored by 10 points and the over/under is 47.The Browns clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2002 with a 24-22 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, snapping the NFL's longest current playoff drought. Pittsburgh had clinched the AFC North and a playoff spot in Week 16, so they rested Ben Roethlisberger. Mason Rudolph got the start and completed 22 of 39 passes for 315 yards with two TDs and one INT. Now, one week later, the third-seeded Steelers (12-4) and sixth-seeded Browns (11-5) will "do it all over again" Sunday night in Pittsburgh (NBC at 8:15 ET). Mayfield  (26 TDs and 8 INTs for a 95.9 QB rating) and "Big Ben (65.6% for 3,803 yards with 33 TDs and only 10 INTs in 15 games) each had excellent seasons but while Cleveland running game comes in averaging 148.3 YPG on the ground (3rd-best), Pittsburgh's running game ranks last in the NFL (84.4 YPG). The defensive edge clearly goes to Pittsburgh, which allows 19.5 PPG (3rd) on 305.8 YPG (3rd), while the Browns are allowing 26.2 PPG. The Steelers have dominated this series dating back to 2004 (Big Ben's rookie year) with a 28-5-1 SU record! However, this is NOT your father's Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh is a six-point favorite (over/under is 47 1/2).Good luck...Larry

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NFL Wild Card Saturday Player Props

by Sean Murphy

Friday, Jan 08, 2021

Betting opportunities abound with an unprecedented six NFL Wild Card showdowns on tap this weekend. Here's a look at one player prop to consider from each of Saturday's three playoff contests (lines taken from BetOnline but widely available, with numbers varying, at most sportsbooks).Colts vs. BillsColts RB Jonathan Taylor over 77.5 rushing yardsWhile game script could certainly work against super rookie Taylor in this game (the Bills are favored by nearly a touchdown), I don't expect the Colts to stray away from him even if they do fall behind. Outside of Derrick Henry, few running backs were more dominant than Taylor down the stretch as he ripped off north of 130 rush yards per game over his last six contests. The strength of the Bills defense is in their secondary - they're relatively soft against the run, ranking 26th in yards per rush allowed (4.6). Also note that the Bills rank an identical 26th in opponent's rushing first down percentage. Expect Taylor to rip off enough big gains to get up and over this relatively low rushing yardage total. Rams vs. SeahawksSeahawks WR D.K. Metcalf under 62.5 receiving yardsSeattle QB Russell Wilson is likely going to have to look away from big play machine Metcalf in this one as D.K. will likely draw shadow coverage from Rams elite CB Jalen Ramsey. Note that Metcalf has surpassed 59 receiving yards just once in four career meetings with the Rams. We saw the Seahawks offense settle down as the season progressed, with far less being asked of Wilson compared to earlier in the campaign when the 'Let Russ Cook' talk reached a fever pitch. Metcalf topped out at six catches and went over 61 receiving yards just once over the regular season's final five games. Should the Seahawks build a lead as expected in a favored role at home, his likelihood of seeing a sudden increase in targets is diminished.Buccaneers vs. Washington Football TeamWashington RB J.D. McKissic over 32.5 receiving yardsIf there's one area in the Bucs defense that Washington's offense can exploit it's in the short passing game where RB McKissic was a force all season long. With Washington's two legitimate game-breakers in RB Antonio Gibson and WR Terry McLaurin both dealing with late season injuries, McKissic needs to be a part of the gameplan on Saturday night. Should WFT be playing much of this game from behind (as is expected as an eight-point underdog) it will be yielded the middle of the field by a Bucs defense that will be focused on taking away big splash plays through the air. With QB Alex Smith nursing a calf strain, he'll be looking to get the ball out quickly and McKissic should be a benefactor. 

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NCAA Friday Night Basketball: Michigan State/Purdue Preview

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 08, 2021

A college basketball doubleheader on FS1 tips off at 7 PM ET in a battle between perennial Big Ten powers.Michigan State has underachieved this season, but head coach Tom Izzo may have pushed the right button to get his team going again. The Spartans had lost three straight games to begin their conference campaign for the first time since 2001-02 with losses to Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. But Michigan State rebounded to defeat Nebraska on the road on Saturday by an 84-77 score. The Spartans then crushed Rutgers at home on Tuesday, 68-45, as a 3-point favorite. Izzo got his best defensive effort from his team all season in limiting the Scarlet Knights to just 45 points on 30.5% shooting from the field. Michigan State had allowed their previous five opponents to make at least 47.6% of their shots, which resulted in at least 77 points in all five of those games. The Spartans rank an uncharacteristic 54th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom for an Izzo-coached team.Izzo’s more impactful move might have been shifting Rocket Watts back to his more comfortable shooting guard role two games ago against Nebraska. Watts began the year by filling the big shoes of the graduated Cassius Winston at point guard. Foster Loyer started the game against the Cornhuskers with freshman A.J. Hoggard playing 23 minutes off the bench at the point, which was the longest he had played all season. Hoggard’s solid effort with five assists persuaded Izzo to start him against Rutgers, where he played 25 minutes and posted six assists in the victory. Hoggard’s ability to operate as a pass-first facilitator has helped Aaron Henry score 27 and 20 points in his last two games. Henry’s 27 points against Nebraska were a career-high for the junior. Michigan State is 27th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They are scoring 78.0 points-per-game with five players averaging at least 8.2 points-per-game. The Spartans’ best two victories this season were against Duke and that win against Rutgers in their last time on the court that improved their record to 8-3.Purdue has lost two straight games, along with three of their last four after losing at Illinois by a 66-58 score on Saturday as a 5.5-point underdog. The Boilermakers are 7-5, with all five of those losses being on the road away from Mackey Arena in games against Clemson, Miami, Iowa, Rutgers, and the Fighting Illini, in their last game. Their highest-profile victories are against Ohio State and Maryland.Head coach Matt Painter returned the top-three scorers from his team last year that finished 16-15. But this team had holes to fill from last season. Painter has gone young with five freshmen averaging double-digit minutes per game in his ten-man rotation. Once again this year, Painter has two big men who are in timeshare playing in the post. 6’10 junior Trevion Williams is scoring 14.1 points-per-game and adding 9.6 rebounds-per-game. 7’4 freshman Zach Edey adds 9.1 points-per-game along with 4.1 rebounds-per-game in his 14.3 minutes per game. Guards Sasha Stefanovic and Eric Hunter are both scoring over ten points-per-game. The Boilermakers make 40th in the nation by converting 37.9% of their 3-pointers. They are 32nd in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom while ranking 47th in defensive efficiency.BookMaker lists Michigan State as a 4-point favorite with the total set at 143.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 08, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in college basketball and the NBA.The college basketball card begins at noon PM ET with Milwaukee hosting IUPUI as a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 143 (all odds from BetOnline).The nationally-televised college basketball card starts at 6:30 PM ET with Toledo playing at home against Ohio on the CBS Sports Network. The Rockets improved their record to 9-3 on Tuesday with their 84-82 upset win at Kent State as a 3-point underdog. The Bobcats are 6-4 this season after they upset Northern Illinois as a 4.5-point underdog. Toledo is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 148.The only ranked team playing on Friday goes at 7 PM ET, with Michigan State playing at home against Purdue on FS1. The Spartans are 23rd in the Associated Press poll. They have won their last two games to raise their record to an 8-3 mark after their 68-45 victory at home against Rutgers as a 3-point favorite on Tuesday. The Boilermakers have dropped three of their four to fall to 7-5 after their 66-58 loss at Illinois as a 5.5-point underdog. Michigan State is a 4.5-point favorite with a total at 143.Youngstown State travels to Wright State on FS1. The Raiders had their seven-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 81-71 upset loss at home to Oakland as an 11-point favorite. The Penguins are 6-4 after defeating Carlow University, 109-56, on Monday. Wright State is laying 13 points as the favorite with the over/under at 144.North Texas visits UTSA on ESPNU. The Mean Green fell to 4-4 on Saturday with their 57-49 loss at Loyola-Illinois as a 7-point underdog. The Roadrunners are now 4-5 with two straight losses after losing at Rice by an 84-69 score as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. North Texas is a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 144.At 9 PM ET, Davidson plays at home against Dayton on ESPN2. The Wildcats have won three of their last four games to reach their current 6-4 record. They come off a 61-48 win at Duquesne as a 2-point favorite on Tuesday. The Flyers are now 5-3 after losing two of their last three games with their 55-54 upset loss at Fordham as a 12-point favorite on Tuesday. Davidson is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 129.The college basketball card concludes at 10 PM ET with Utah State playing at New Mexico on FS1. These two teams played on Wednesday, with the Aggies winning as a 12.5-point favorite, 77-45. The win raised their record to an 8-3 mark while the Lobos fell to 3-5. Utah State is a 15.5-point favorite with the total at 138.Ten games are on the NBA featuring a doubleheader on ESPN. New Orleans hosts Charlotte with a 7:35 PM ET start in the opening game on ESPN. The Pelicans have lost two games in a row to fall to 4-4 on the season after getting upset on Wednesday at home to Oklahoma City as an 8-point favorite. Charlotte snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 102-94 upset victory at Atlanta as a 5.5-point underdog. New Orleans is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 216.5.The nightcap on ESPN has the Los Angeles Clippers playing at Golden State for the second time in three days. The Clippers defeated the Warriors on Wednesday by a 108-101 score as a 5-point favorite to improve their record to 6-3. Golden State’s setback left them 4-4 on the new season. The Clippers are 4-point favorites in the rematch with a total of 231.5.

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Ness Notes: Thursday, Jan 7

by Larry Ness

Thursday, Jan 07, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."Wednesday CBB: The lone top-25 matchup on Wednesday was No. 10 Michigan hosting No. 16 Minnesota. Michigan's freshman center Hunter Dickinson scored a career-high 28 points and the Wolverines shot 56.9 percent from the floor while holding the Golden Gophers to 32.4 percent shooting. Michigan pounded Minnesota 82-57. The now 11-0 Wolverines should get consideration to be ranked higher in the AP Top-25 with SEVEN teams ahead of them that have at least one loss, including FOUR with two setbacks. Saturday's game vs Penn St has been postponed, so Michigan is next scheduled to play on Tuesday, Jan 12 at home vs current No. 8 Wisconsin, one day after the new poll is released. SEVEN Wednesday games featured ranked and unranked opponents, as the ranked teams went 6-1 SU but only 3-4 ATS. The lone SU loser was No. 19 Va Tech, which lost by two points at Louisville but did cover. Checking in on the Y-T-D numbers we find the higher ranked team going 22-10 (.686) SU but just 17-15 (53.1%) ATS in meetings between ranked opponents, while ranked teams are 148-27 (.846) SU but only 90-83-2 (52.0%) ATS when taking on an unranked foe.Thursday CBB: There are no matchups between ranked opponents on Thursday but FIVE games between ranked and unranked ones. No. 1 Gonzaga (10-0) will host 9-2 BYU, No. 5 Iowa (9-2) is at Maryland, No. 8 Wisconsin (9-2) is home to Indiana, No. 12 Illinois (8-3) at Northwestern and No. 17 Oregon (8-1) is at Colorado. BYU is the last team to defeat Gonzaga, recording a 91-78 victory on Feb. 22, 2020 in Provo. The Bulldogs have won 14 straight since that loss and are favored by 17 points. Iowa averages 92.7 PPG (5th in the nation) and Luka Garza's 27.5 PPG leads the nation. Maryland (6-5 / 1-4 in Big Ten) seems ill-equipped to pull off the upset. We'll see. Iowa is favored by 5 1/2-points. The Badgers haven't played since New Year's Eve, as their scheduled game against Penn State on Sunday was postponed due to coronavirus issues with the Nittany Lions. The last time out, Wisconsin defeated Minnesota 71-59 by holding the Golden Gophers to 31.3 percent shooting. Wisconsin is favored by eight points.NBA Update: The 76ers won a 141-136 shootout with the Wizards, starving Bradley Beal's 60-point effort. Philly owns the NBA's best record at 7-1 (5-3 ATS). At the 'bottom of the barrel,' the Suns moved into a tie with the Lakers for the West's best record (6-2 SU & ATS) with a 123-115 win over the badly struggling Raptors. Toronto owns the NBA's worst record at 1-6 (also 1-6 ATS). It's a TNT doubleheader on Thursday, with 7-1 Philadelphia visiting 4-4 Brooklyn at 7:35 ET. The 76ers are a 1 1/2-point favorite. The nightcap is Dallas at Denver (10:05 ET), two teams that are both off to disappointing 3-4 starts. Denver is favored by 2 1/2-points. The defending champion Lakers are 6-2 (4-4 ATS) and looking to break a tie with the 6-2 Suns for the West's best record when they host the 3-4 Spurs. LA is favored by 6 1/2-points.NFL Wild Card games (Saturday): The 11-5 Colts (No. 7 seed) will be in Buffalo to take on the 13-3 Bills (No. 2 seed) at 1:05 ET on CBS). The Colts are led by veteran QB Philip Rivers who is in his first season with the Colts but this contest could also be his last, either with the team or for his career. As for Buffalo QB Josh Allen set franchise records of 4,544 yards and 37 TDs as well as helping provide a new identity to a rising team that posted the franchise's best victory total since 1991 The Bills won the AFC East for the first time since 1995 but enter this game having lost their last SIX playoff contests since last winning a postseason game following the 1995 season. Buffalo is favored by 6 1/2-points (over/under is 51).Up next, it's the 10-6 Rams (No. 6 seed) and the 12-4 Seahawks (No. 3 seed) meeting for a third time this season in Seattle at 4:40 ET on FOX. The teams split their two meetings this season, with Los Angeles winning 23-16 on Nov 15 at home (Week 10), while the Seahawks 'returned the favor' with a 20-9 win in Seattle (Week 16). Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay was asked whether he had a timetable to determine his starting QB and replied, "Yeah," he said. "Saturday at 1:39." Jared Goff suffered a fractured right thumb in a 20-9 loss at Seattle on Dec.27 and had surgery the following day. John Wolford replaced Goff last weekend against Arizona, helping the Rams clinch a playoff berth with an 18-7 victory. Wolford completed 22 of 38 passes for 231 yards and rushed for a team-high 56 yards, becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for 200 and rush for 50 in their debut. Seattle has no QB concerns with Russell Wilson (4,212 yards / 40 TDs / 13 INTs) plus two excellent WRs in Lockett (100 catches / 10 TDs) and Metcalf (83 catches / 10 TDs). LA's defense ranks 1st in scoring (18.5 PPG) and first in total D (281.9 YPG) but Seattle's defense has allowed just 15.0 PPG over it's last seven games. Seattle is favored by 3 1/2-points and the over/under is 42 1/2. Saturday's final contest finds the 11-5 Tampa Bay Bucs (No. 5) visiting 7-9 Washington (No. 4 seed) at 8:15 ET on NBC. Six-time Super Bowl-winning QB has led the Bucs to their first playoff appearance since 2007 and he and the Bucs draw Washington, which was able to 'earn' a playoff spot by winning the NFC 'Least' with a sub-.500 record. Brady's had an excellent season (4,633 yards with 40 TDs and 12 INTs). He's thrown for at least 341 yards in FIVE of the last seven games, with 20 of his franchise-record 40 TDs coming in that span. Washington was once 2-7 but ended the season on a 6-1 run, including going 5-1 with Alex Smith as its starting QB. More notably, Washington's defense has allowed just 14.9 PPG over it's regular season-ending 6-1 run. The Bucs are favored by 8 1/2-points and the over/under is 45. There have been FOUR teams to enter the postseason with a sub-.500 or 8-8 record since 2002 (when the NFL expanded to 32 teams) and ALL four won their first playoff game.Friday's Notes will preview Sunday's three games.Good luck...Larry

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NCAA Thursday Night Basketball: UCLA/Arizona State Preview

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jan 07, 2021

The college basketball doubleheader on ESPN concludes at 10:30 PM ET in a battle of Pac-12 teams with NCAA Tournament aspirations.UCLA has won two in a row and seven of their last eight games after their 65-62 win at home against Colorado on Saturday. That win for the Bruins in a pick ‘em matchup represents their highest-profile victory of the season. The triumph raised their record to a 7-2 mark.It was not all good news of Saturday for head coach Mick Cronin as he was alerted before the game that his 6’9 senior forward Chris Smith would miss the rest of the season with the torn ACL he suffered in the previous game against Utah. Smith was scoring 12.6 points-per-game while adding 6.4 rebounds-per-game this season. Cronin still has plenty of talent available to him on his roster. The Bruins returned all five starters plus most of his bench players from the team that won eleven of their last fourteen games last season. The team also added Kentucky transfer Johnny Juzang who missed the first four games of the season with an injury but has averaged 11.0 points-per-game since returning to action. Jaime Jacquez leads the team by scoring 13.3 points-per-game while adding 5.8 rebounds-per-game.UCLA has a balanced offensive attack with four players that average double-digits even after the loss of Smith. The Bruins rank 11th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency according to the metrics at kenpom. This group established a defensive identity in their good second-half run last season that was akin to Cronin's teams in his tenure at Cincinnati. This team has taken a step back defensively as they rank just 67th in adjusted efficiency by kenpom. They are effectively defending the perimeter, with opponents making only 29.7% of their 3-pointers. Yet opponents are finding success inside the arc as they are nailing 52.2% of their 2-point shots, 239th in the nation. Arizona State plays for the first team since December 16th when they were upset at home by a 76-63 score as a 13-point favorite against UTEP. COVID has since canceled their two scheduled games with the Washington schools in conference play. They bring a 4-3 record into this game.Head coach Bobby Hurley returned three starters from the team that was 20-11 last year. He added two impact freshmen in five-star recruit Josh Christopher and four-star Marcus Bagley to give the Sun Devils one of the most talented starting five units in the nation. Senior guards Remy Martin and Alonzo Verge, Jr. bypassed the NBA in the spring to return this season. Martin is scoring 16.9 points-per-game while adding 3.6 assists-per-game with Verge, Jr. contributing 15.4 PPG along with 3.0 APG.Arizona State ranks 49th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 76th in adjusted defensive efficiency using kenpom numbers. Bagley has missed three games with a calf injury, and Verge, Jr. missed two games in December due to contract tracing for COVID. The Sun Devils’ best victory was against Rhode Island. Their three losses were against UTEP, Villanova, and San Diego State by an 80-68 score on their home court. UCLA also lost on the road to the Aztecs, 73-58, in their first game this season. The Bruins’ second loss was to Ohio State, while their most impressive wins are against Marquette and Utah. BookMaker lists UCLA as a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 147.5.

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NHL Hockey Futures Bet: Colorado Avalanche to Win 2021 Stanley Cup

by Al McMordie

Thursday, Jan 07, 2021

The NHL season will start next week, so it's time for our Stanley Cup futures wager.  Last season, we cashed the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7-1 odds, which continued our jaw-dropping success on our futures selections.  Over the last few years, we have cashed:  2020 - Lightning (7-1), Dodgers (4-1); 2019 - Nationals (18-1), Virginia (22-1); 2018 - Warriors (-160); 2017 - Astros (10-1); 2016 - Warriors (5-1); 2014 - Spurs (14-1).  We also have three futures selections ongoing:  Baylor (12-1) in NCAA Basketball, Milwaukee Bucks (+650) in NBA Basketball, and the New Orleans Saints (10-0) in NFL Football.Let's now turn our attention to this upcoming NHL season.  Our futures selection to win the 2021 Stanley Cup is the Colorado Avalanche, currently at +700 odds at BetAnySports.  The season that the NHL is about embark on will look quite a bit different than those in the past.  There will be a shortened schedule of 56 games and the teams have been realigned into four new divisions, including an all-Canada group (the North Division).  The Avalanche are an improving team, having gone from 90 points (in a regular 82-game schedule) in 2018-2019, to 92 points in just 70 games last year, which projects to about 108 points in a full season.  The Avs finished second in the Central Division to the Blues, but they had by far the largest point differential in the Western Conference at +46.  This, despite a shortened season that included several stretches where the Avs were shorthanded due to injuries to key players.  Already the most potent offense in the West, the Avs acquired winger Brandon Saad from Chicago over the off-season and the 27-year-old will likely debut on the Avs' second line, making this team even scarier to defenses than it already is.  Perhaps most important to their chances at a high seed and a deep playoff run is the fact that teams will only play within their division this season and the Avs were a combined 4-2 against the Blues and Golden Knights last season.  Those two clubs figure to be Colorado's main competition in the months ahead.  The Avs won't have to worry about the Stars -- who knocked them out last Fall -- as Dallas has moved to a new division.  If they were a little soft on the blue line last season the Avs could very well have plugged that hole with the acquisition of young D-man Devon Toews from the New York Islanders.  They will also likely be debuting #1 pick (2019) Bowen Byram, considered to be one of the best young defensive prospects in the game.  If the goalie tandem of Francouz and Grubauer can stay healthy and get hot in the post-season, the Avs could very well hoist the Cup for the third time in their history.  Take Colorado at +700 odds.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jan 07, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in college basketball and the NBA.The nationally-televised college basketball card begins at 5 PM ET, with Colorado hosting Oregon on FS1. The Buffaloes’ record dropped to 7-3 this season with their 65-62 loss at UCLA in a pick ‘em contest on Saturday. The Ducks rank 17th in the Associated Press poll with an 8-1 record. They won their eighth straight games on Saturday with a 73-56 win against Stanford as a 6.5-point favorite. Colorado is a 1-point favorite with the total set at 140.5 (all odds from BetOnline).At 7 PM ET, Iowa visits Maryland on ESPN2. The Hawkeyes are ranked 5th by the AP with a 9-2 record after a 77-75 win at Rutgers on Saturday as a 0.5-point favorite. The Terrapins fell to 6-5 after their 63-55 loss at Indiana on Monday as a 5-point underdog. Iowa is a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 155.Wisconsin plays at home against Indiana on FS1. The Badgers rank 8th by the AP with a 9-2 mark after they defeated Minnesota at home by a 71-59 score as an 8-point favorite last Thursday. The Hoosiers are 7-4 after their 63-55 win against Maryland on Monday. Wisconsin is an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 130.5.SMU is at home against Cincinnati on ESPNU. The Mustangs lost their first game in seven contests this year on Sunday in a 74-60 loss to Houston as a 2-point underdog. The Bearcats are 2-6 with five straight losses after their 70-66 loss to Tulsa on Saturday as a 5.5-point favorite. SMU is a 6-point favorite with a total of 143.5.At 8 PM ET, Colorado State hosts UNLV on the CBS Sports Network. The Rams lost their second game of the season in eight games on Monday with their 78-65 loss at San Diego State as a 9-point underdog. The Runnin’ Rebels return to the court for the first time since December 5th when they won for the first time in their five games with a 68-58 win at Kansas State as a 3-point underdog. Colorado State is an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5.The number one ranked team in the nation plays at 8:30 PM ET on ESPN with Gonzaga at home against BYU. The Bulldogs improved their record to 10-0 on Saturday with their 85-62 win against San Francisco as an 18.5-point favorite. The Cougars have won four in a row to raise their record to a 9-2 clip after an 87-79 win against Weber State as a 3-point underdog on December 23rd. Gonzaga is a 17-point favorite with a total of 163.At 9 PM ET, Stanford plays at home against Washington on FS1. The Cardinal is 6-3 with five wins in their last six contests after their 81-71 victory at Oregon State on Monday as a 5-point favorite. The Huskies are 1-7 after their 80-53 loss to Arizona as a 9-point underdog last Thursday. Stanford is a 10-point favorite with the over/under at 136.5.USC visits Arizona on ESPN2. The Trojans improved to 6-2 with a 62-46 win against Utah as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Wildcats’ four straight wins give them a 9-1 record after they defeated Washington State on the road by an 86-82 score as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Arizona is a 3-point favorite with the total at 140.5.San Francisco hosts Portland on ESPNU. The Dons are 7-5 after their 85-82 loss to Gonzaga on Saturday. The Pilots are now 6-3 after their 84-68 loss at Seattle as a 4.5-point underdog last Wednesday. San Francisco is a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147.San Diego State plays at home against Nevada on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET. The Aztecs are 7-2 after their 78-65 win against Colorado State as a 9-point favorite on Monday. The Wolf Pack raised their record to 7-3 with their 84-74 win at New Mexico as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday. San Diego State is a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5.The Thursday card concludes at 10:30 PM ET with Arizona State hosting UCLA on ESPN. The Sun Devils return to action for the first time since December 16th when they were upset by a 76-63 loss to UTEP as a 13-point favorite. The Bruins improved their record to a 7-2 mark on Saturday with a 65-62 win against Colorado as a pick ‘em. Arizona State is 4-3 this season and is a 1-point favorite in this game with an over/under of 149.The NBA card features five games, including a doubleheader on TNT.The opening game on TNT has Philadelphia visiting Brooklyn for a 7:35 PM ET tip. The 76ers improved to 7-1 this season last night with their 118-101 victory against Washington as a 6.5-point favorite. The Nets snapped a two-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 130-96 upset victory against Utah as a 5-point underdog. That win evened Brooklyn’s record at 4-4. They will be without Kevin Durant tonight as he continues to quarantine due to his exposure to COVID. Philadelphia is a 2.5-point favorite with the total at 224.The nightcap on TNT starts at 10:05 PM ET with Denver hosting Dallas. The Nuggets raised their record to 3-4 with a 123-116 win against Minnesota as a 10-point favorite on Tuesday. The Mavericks also have a 3-4 record after upsetting Houston on the road as a 113-100 victory as a 4-point dog. Denver is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 225.

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Ness Notes: Wednesday, Jan 6

by Larry Ness

Wednesday, Jan 06, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."As a freshman, DeVonta Smith caught the game-winning pass in overtime of the 2018 College Football Playoff title game against Georgia (note: it was the 2017 season), as the iconic play was coined, "2nd-and-26!" Smith captured college football's most prestigious award last night, becoming the first receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991. Smith beat out three other finalists, all of whom were QBs; Alabama's Mac Jones, Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and Florida's Kyle Trask. Smith won the award with 477 first-place votes to finish with 1,856 points. Lawrence was second with 222 first-place votes and 1,187 points. Smith was CFB's best wide receiver and its most accomplished overall player, leading the FBS in receptions (105), receiving yards (1,641) and receiving TDs (20). Some may be surprised to learn that he's just the THIRD player in Alabama's storied football history to capture the Heisman. For all his wins (323) and national championships (six), Bear Bryant never coached a Heisman winner. Nick Saban has coached all three of 'Bama's Heisman winners, as Mark Ingram won in 2009 and Derrick Henry in 2015. Saban has already matched Bear's six national titles and is it a 'sign of things to come' to note that Alabama won national titles in each of the previous two seasons in which one of its players won the Heisman? CBB: There was just one game between ranked opponents, as No. 15 Rutgers visited No. 23 Michigan St. Rutgers forced 18 turnovers (had 13 steals) but shot 30.5% overall (including 3 of 12 on threes) plus made just 6 of 17 FTs. MSU ended the game on a 17-5 run and won 68-45. Is Izzo's team back on track? The Spartans opened 0-3 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 2001-02 season. FIVE ranked teams met unranked opponents and went 4-1 SU but just 1-4 ATS. The lone SU loser was No. 13 Missouri getting beat badly 78-63 at Mississippi St. Updating the Y-T-D numbers we find the higher ranked team going 21-10 (.677) SU but just 16-15 (51.6%) ATS in meetings between ranked opponents, while ranked teams are 142-26 (.845) SU but only 87-79-2 (52.4%) ATS when taking on an unranked foe.Wednesday's CBB: The lone game between ranked opponents is No. 10 Michigan hosting No. 16 Minnesota. Michigan is 9-0 and the only other teams from major conferences without a loss, Gonzaga and Baylor, hold the top-two spots in the AP rankings. Also note that two other Big Ten schools, Iowa and Wisconsin (both 9-2), are still ranked above Michigan in the AP poll (Iowa is No. 5 and Wisconsin is No. 8). The Wolverines are favored by 7 1/2-points. SEVEN ranked teams are in action tonight against unranked opponents, including three top-10 teams. No. 2 Baylor (-12) is home to Oklahoma, No. 7 Creighton (-5) hosts Seton Hall and No. 9 Tennessee (-8.5) is home to Arkansas. Note that both the Vols and Razorbacks lost for the first time this season last Saturday but while 7-1 Tennessee is ranked in the AP's top-10, 9-1 Arkansas is unranked. One last thing. No. 21 Duke has played just five games (3-2) and will take the court for the first time Duke since a 75-65 victory at Notre Dame back on Dec. 16. The Blue Devils canceled all non-conference games after the ND contest but then also saw ACC games vs Pittsburgh and at Florida State postponed. Duke will host Boston College tonight (hopefully) and is listed as a 12-point favorite.NBA Update: The season just passed its two-week mark yesterday (season tipped Dec 22). The defending champion Lakers have won FOUR in a row and are atop the West with a 6-2 record (just 4-4 ATS). LA also owns the West's best point-differential (plus-10.0), always a great indicator of the strength of a team. Sitting at 5-2 are the Phoenix Suns, who are off to the team's best seven-game start since the Suns opened 6-1 in 2009-10, the last time the franchise made the postseason. Remember the Suns' 8-0 SU & ATS performance in last season's Orlando 'bubble?' It may just have been a sign of things to come. FIVE teams which made last season's Western Conference postseason are currently sub-.500. Portland, Dallas and Denver have all opened 3-4, while Houston is 2-3 and OKC 2-4. Note: Portland currently owns the No. 8 seeded in the West.Moving to the East, the Philadelphia 76ers are an NBA-best 6-1 (5-2 ATS). Orlando and Indiana check in at 5-2. Where's Milwaukee, the team with the NBA's best record in each of the previous two seasons? The Bucks have opened just 4-3 but beware, Milwaukee owns an NBA-best plus-13.5 point-differential. Recent 'dead beats' like the Knicks, Cavs and Hawks have all opened 4-3. I'll close with the Toronto Raptors, who were the 2019 NBA champions and last season, entered the postseason as the East's No. 2 seed with a 53-19 record, despite losing Kawhi Leonard to the Clippers as a free agent. Note that the Raptors' record last season put them just 2 1/2-games back of the Bucks and was a half-game BETTER than the West's No. 1 seed, and eventual NBA champion Lakers! How QUICKLY things can change. The Raptors lost Monday night to the Celtics at their temporary home in Tampa 126-114, falling to 1-5 SU & ATS. NFL Wild Card weekend previewed Thursday (Saturday games) and Friday (Sunday games). Good luck...Larry

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NCAA Wednesday Night Basketball: Baylor/Oklahoma Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 06, 2021

The nightcap in the Wednesday night college basketball doubleheader on ESPN2 at 10 PM ET involves two Big 12 teams that will make the NCAA Tournament.Baylor hopes to make a deep run in the Big Dance in March. The Bears returned six players from their rotation that went 26-4 before the March shutdown. They have won their first nine games of the season after their 76-65 victory at Iowa State on Saturday as a 15.5-point favorite. Preseason All-American Jared Butler is averaging 16.0 points-per-game while adding 5.8 assists-per-game. MaCio Teague is the team’s second-leading scorer with a 15.9 points-per-game scoring mark. Baylor’s four-guard small-ball lineup has another two players averaging double-digits in points. UNLV transfer Jonathan Tcharmwa Tchatchoua is contributing 8.0 rebounds-per-game. The Bears rank second in the nation in the Associated Press poll. Their best win was a 13-point triumph against Illinois. COVID has postponed a handful of their games, with a showdown with Gonzaga in December being the most notable cancellation. Head coach Scott Drew has a balanced team that ranks third in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom while ranking fifth in adjusted defensive efficiency in those metrics. Baylor had scored at least 82 points in their first eight games before their 76 points on Saturday against the Cyclones. The Bears are fifth in the country in forcing turnovers in 27.3% of their opponent’s possessions. They also rank fifth in the nation by rebounding 40.5% of their missed shots. Baylor is also second in the country, with a 3-point shooting percentage of 43.8%. The Bears are scoring 92.9 points-per-game while outscoring their opponents by 30.3 points-per-game.Oklahoma has won four of their last five games, with their 75-71 win against West Virginia on Saturday as a 1.5-point favorite. That was the highest-profile win for head coach Lon Kruger’s team, with a victory against TCU being their second-best accomplishment. The Sooners lost by just two points against Texas Tech while suffering a 22-point loss at Xavier to account for their 6-2 record. Kruger had over 70% of the production return last year's 19-12 team. Austin Reaves leads the way this year with a 15.0 points-per-game scoring average while adding 5.4 assists-per-game and 5.0 rebounds-per-game. Forward Brady Manek is adding 12.6 points-per-game along with 4.6 rebounds-per-game. Oklahoma is 21st in the nation adjusted offensive efficiency and 64th on defense at kenpom. The Sooners have been tough to score on inside the arc, with opponents making only 42.2% of their 2-point shots. But Oklahoma is allowing opposing shooters to convert 39.6% of their 3-pointers. This contest continues a brutal stretch of games for Kruger’s team after playing ranked teams in Texas Tech and West Virginia before following up facing the second-ranked team in the country in Waco with a date in Lawrence against a Kansas team ranked sixth in the nation. The Sooners are scoring 81.7 points-per-game and outscoring their opponents by +10.8 points-per-game. BookMaker lists Baylor as an 11.5-point favorite with the total set at 151.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 06, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in college basketball and the NBA.The college basketball card tips off at 1 PM ET with two games. Tulsa visits South Florida as a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 127.5 (all odds from BetOnline). St. Bonaventure plays at home against Saint Joseph’s as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 145.At 6 PM ET, Richmond hosts Rhode Island on the CBS Sports Network. The Spiders have lost two of their last three games after their 69-66 loss to St. Bonaventure on Saturday to lower their record to a 7-3 mark. The Rams are 5-5 after winning their last two games with a victory against Saint Joseph’s on Saturday by an 85-77 score as a 12-point favorite. Richmond is a 4-point favorite with the total at 145.At 7 PM ET, Tennessee plays at home against Arkansas on ESPN2. The Volunteers lost their first game in eight games on Saturday in a 71-63 upset loss to Alabama as a 10-point favorite. The Razorbacks also suffered their first loss in ten games on Saturday in their 81-68 upset loss to Missouri as a 6.5-point favorite. Tennessee ranks ninth in the AP poll, and they are an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5.Butler hosts Georgetown on FS1. The Bulldogs are just 2-5 after losing on Saturday at Seton Hall, 68-60, as an 8.5-point underdog. The Hoyas have lost three in a row to drop to 3-6 with their 64-60 loss to Marquette as a 4.5-point underdog. Butler is a 4.5-point favorite with the total at 141.Xavier plays at home against St. John’s at 8 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network. The Musketeers dropped to 8-2 with two straight losses after their 85-68 upset loss to Seton Hall as a 3-point favorite last Wednesday. The Red Storm take the court with their 6-4 record for the first time since December 20th when they defeated Georgetown by a 94-83 score as a 4-point favorite. Xavier is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 155.5.Baylor hosts Oklahoma at 9 PM ET on ESPN2. The Bears improved their record to a 9-0 mark on Saturday with their 76-65 win at Iowa State as a 15.5-point favorite. The Sooners have won four of their last five games with their 75-71 victory against West Virginia as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday. Baylor is an 11.5-point favorite with the total at 151.Creighton is at home against Seton Hall in a game broadcast on FS1. The Bluejays are 8-2 with four straight wins after they won at Providence by a 67-65 score as a 4-point favorite. The Pirates have won three in a row to improve their 8-4 mark with their 68-60 win against Butler. Creighton is a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5.Texas A&M visits South Carolina on ESPNU. The Gamecocks are 2-2 after they beat Florida A&M by a 78-71 score as a 19-point favorite on Saturday. The Aggies are 6-2 with three wins in their last four games after they defeated Auburn on Saturday by a 68-66 score as a 1-point favorite. South Carolina is a 4-point favorite with the total at 137.5.At 10 PM ET, Utah State plays on the road against New Mexico on the CBS Sports Network. The Aggies have a 7-3 record with six straight wins after they defeated Air Force on the road by a 72-53 score as a 14.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Lobos are 3-4 with four straight losses after their 84-74 setback against Nevada on Saturday as a 5.5-point underdog. Utah State is a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5.The college basketball card concludes at 11 PM ET with Boise State hosting Air Force on FS1. The Broncos won their seventh game in a row to raise their record to a 7-1 mark with their 87-86 win at San Jose State as a 26-point favorite on Saturday. The Falcons are 3-5 after their loss at home to Utah State on Saturday. Boise State is an 18-point favorite with the total set at 132.5.The NBA card features 11 games featured by a doubleheader on ESPN. The opening contest on ESPN tips off at 7:35 PM ET with Miami playing at home against Miami in a rematch of their Eastern Conference Finals series. The Heat won  Game 7 of that series by a 125-114 score on September 27th in the bubble as a 3-point underdog. Miami raised their mark this season to a 3-3 record on Monday when they crushed Oklahoma City by a 118-90 score as a 9-point favorite. Boston has won four of their last five games to improve their record to 5-3 with their 126-114 upset win at Toronto on Monday as a 6-point underdog. The Heat are 2.5-point favorites with an over/under of 218.The ESPN doubleheader concludes with the Los Angeles Clippers visiting Golden State for a game starting at 10:05 PM ET. The Warriors have pulled off two straight upset victories to improve to 4-3 after their 137-106 win at home against Sacramento as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. The Clippers fell to 5-3 on Tuesday when they were upset at home against San Antonio by a 116-113 score as a 7.5-point favorite.

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