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Soccer: A Look At Europe's Big 4 Leagues

by Power Sports

Tuesday, Feb 22, 2022

I’m back with a look at Europe’s “Big 4” soccer leagues and what you should be looking for when wagering on the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A. Premier LeagueAs it has been known for some time now, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are destined to finish as the top three. Liverpool has closed the gap on Man City to six points and they have a match in hand. Both GD (goal differential) and xPts (expected points) say it will be a tight race for the title with Chelsea (by their own manager’s admission) likely ending up off the pace. None of this information is at all Earth-shattering.But the big question is still who will finish fourth and grab the last Champions League spot for next season? It’s a five-horse race with Manchester United, West Ham, Arsenal, Wolverhampton and Tottenham all vying. I believe there’s a gap between those first three sides and the last two with Wolverhampton in particular lagging behind in xPts. Tottenham has a GD of 0 and that’s after the stunner against Man City on Saturday. Right now, I’d bet on Arsenal to finish fourth, just in front of Man U. The Gunners have THREE matches in hand over United, which is key. Remember that West Ham made the jump from 16th to 6th place last season, thus I still think there’s some regression there.Brighton, Southampton, Leicester City, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are all solid mid-table sides that shouldn’t have to worry about relegation. I do think CP is much better than its current position while Leicester and Villa deserve to be lower. The relegation battle has gotten a lot more interesting over the last few weeks. The X-factor is Burnley having played only 22 matches (most everyone else has played 24) and whether or not they can accrue enough points to get out of the drop zone. I do think Norwich City, whose -38 GD is by far the worst in the EPL, is destined to be sent back to the second tier. Newcastle seems to have spent enough where you think they may be safe. If so, expect Watford (like Norwich) to be one and done in the top flight. Leeds United is the team that could fall hard as well, especially if Burnley pulls itself out of the hole.La Liga This is the league where I have the most questions about the top. Real Madrid has certainly looked like the best team thus far and would be my pick to finish first. Certainly, they are the lone guarantee for the top four at this point. Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal (who are 4th-6th respectively) are coming for the other spots though. I consider all three to be better than Sevilla and Real Betis, though Sevilla may have built up a big enough cushion where they are likely to remain top four. Beyond the top six, Real Sociedad (-1 GD) seems to have really fallen off while Athletic Bilbao could still contend for the Europa League. After that, the middle of the table is occupied by the likes of Celta Vigo, Osusana, Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Espanyol. None of these teams should have to worry about relegation.The relegation battle here is very wide open. Last year, none of the bottom three in xPts (Granada, Cadiz, Elche) ended up relegated due to some good luck. Those three same sides are again the bottom three in xPts in 2021/22! But again, of the three, only Cadiz (18th) is currently in the drop zone. Elche is 14th (nine points clear) while Granada is on shakier ground in 17th (only four points clear). I don’t think Cadiz (who is currently last in xPts) can escape relegation again. What’s really interesting is Levante, who is last in the league with 15 points and needs at least nine more to guarantee safety, is ahead of EIGHT teams in xPts! Can they prove the metrics right and escape relegation? If so, Alaves and Granada are most likely to join Cadiz in the Segunda Division next season.BundesligaOver in Germany is where I am most confident in who will finish in the top four: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig. Out of that quartet, it is third place Leverkusen that I am least certain about. They are only sixth in xPts.It should be a very interesting battle for the rest of the European spots between Hoffenheim, Freiburg, FC Union Berlin, FC Koln and Mainz. All of those sides are currently separated by just three points, plus Hoffenheim and Freiburg are actually tied with Leipzig for fourth. But GD shows there’s a gap between the top four and everyone else. Hoffenheim and Freiburg (+10 each) have the best GD of the rest, but the former is actually last in xPts among this group. The reverse is true for FC Union Berlin, who has the worst GD of the bunch, but running fourth in the league in xPts. I can’t call who will finish fifth or sixth right now (maybe Freiburg and Mainz?)I’m just going to skip over the middle of the table and move to the bottom where the relegation battle has gotten interesting. Greuther Furth remains a solid choice to be one of the two sides automatically relegated at season’s end. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Arminia Bielefeld actually has the fewest xPts in the league, but has moved to 14th place and their -7 GD is better than all the teams they are competing against. I think Hertha Berlin (-26 GD) is in serious trouble and will finish second from the bottom. Augsburg and Stuttgart will be vying to avoid the relegation playoff (whomever finishes third worst). Serie AThis is the one league where I am confident we are going to see a change at the very top. Look for either Inter (the current Scudetto holders) or Napoli to unseat AC Milan for first. Juventus should be the ones to round out the top four, leaving Atalanta on the outside looking in for the Champions League next season. Roma should finish sixth and get the Europa League qualifying spot.The reason I like Roma more than Lazio is that no team has exceeded its xG (expected goal) total in all of Europe more than Lazio has. There’s got to be some regression forthcoming.Looking at the middle of the table, Sampdoria and Udinese should move up a few spots, passing Empoli and Bologna (and Spezia in the case of Udinese).  The relegation battle in Italy seems a lot more cut and dry. Salernitana and Genoa both look doomed to be in Serie B next season. I think Cagliari fights its way out of the drop zone, which would leave Venezia as the most likely third candidate for relegation. 

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NCAAB Top 25: Overrated and Underrated

by Power Sports

Tuesday, Feb 22, 2022

After skipping this exercise in the month of January, I’m back with another look at the current Top 25 in College Basketball. This will probably be the final time I do this prior to the start of the Conference Tournaments.For those who may have missed previous editions, this is pretty simple. Here are my views on which College Basketball teams are rated too high, too low, or maybe shouldn’t be rated at all. There is also a team that I feel should be in the Top 25, but failed to make the latest poll. Ranked Too HighProvidence (#11 AP/#10 Coaches) - I’ve talked about this group before. Obviously, at 22-3 straight up and leading the Big East, the Friars do deserve to be ranked. But it’s worth pointing out that KenPom has them at #46, which is one spot below where they are in my own personal power ratings. The Friars have the top luck rating at KenPom and are an unfathomable 10-1 SU in games decided by five points or less. In their last game, they came back from 19 down (in the second half!) to defeat Butler in overtime. It was Providence’s second OT win in the last three games and five of their last six wins have been by four points or less. I have them as only the SIXTH best team in the Big East! Be willing to consider an early exit from the Big East Tournament for this lucky group and I will certainly be looking to fade them in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.Wisconsin (#13 AP/#12 Coaches) - Same thing as Providence here. The Badgers have been extremely lucky in close games this season as they are 12-1 SU in games decided by six points or less. They have the #7 luck rating at KenPom, who has them at #25 overall. So it’s not quite the discrepancy that exists with Providence. My own ratings are a little lower on Wisconsin, putting them at #30 and calling them just the SEVENTH best team in the Big 10. Note they were recently underdogs in a win at Indiana, who is not one of the six I have ahead. Again, look to fade when appropriate.USC (#16 AP/#16 Coaches) - KenPom has the Trojans at #28 while I’ve got them at #25. They just pulled off a close one at home vs. Washington State on Sunday night, winning in the final second, 62-60. Thankfully, for me, Wazzu was still a winner plus the points. USC is now 7-1 SU in games decided by five points or less, so there’s a running theme in this “ranked too high” category. Eventually, these teams’ “luck” WILL run out.Ranked Too Low Houston (#14 AP/#15 Coaches) - I had the Cougars in this spot back in December. They are a Top 7 team according to both KenPom and my own power ratings. ESPN’s BPI ratings have them at #3. I’d be stunned if the Cougars, who were a Final Four team last year, didn’t steamroll through their conference tournament (American) and earn a high seed.Tennessee (#17 AP/#17 Coaches) - This isn’t too bad, but I thought it was harsh for the coaches to drop the Vols four spots in their latest poll. This is a Top 12 team in my eyes and KenPom’s. They just beat Kentucky last week (only to then lose at Arkansas). The Vols are #4 in the country in defensive efficiency.Iowa (#25 AP/NR Coaches) - The Hawkeyes are top five in offensive efficiency and don’t turn the ball over very often. I think they’re a Top 16 team in the country and the third best team in the Big 10 (not that far off from Purdue and Illinois). KenPom agrees! It was rather shocking that they were 4-6 SU to start conference play. Expect a strong finish.Should Be RankedLSU - The Tigers have fallen out of both polls, but are considered top 18 by both KenPom and my ratings. There are six SEC teams that I feel belong amongst the Top 20 in the country (it’s a very strong league this year) and this is one of them. LSU is #3 in the country in defensive efficiency, which will serve them well come March. 

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Few and the 'Zags: Back to One

by Larry Ness

Tuesday, Feb 22, 2022

In April of 1999, Don Monson, who had just finished his second year as Gonzaga head coach, promoted Mark Few to associate head coach. This came on the heels of the just completed 1998-99 college basketball season in which Gonzaga became the nation's basketball darlings. The Bulldogs had just made a run through the NCAA tournament, defeating Minnesota, Stanford, and Florida, to advance to the Elite Eight in the West Regional finals, where Gonzaga lost to eventual national champions UConn by five points. As fate would have it, the Minnesota head coaching job opened in late July and Monson left to take that job. Few, who had been designated as Monson's successor, was promoted to head coach to begin the 1999-2000 season. Right before the season began, in September of 1999, Brian McKnight released a song called "Back to One," and that is where I got the title for my latest article. Let me explain.Mark Few's Bulldogs would reach the Sweet 16 that season, finishing with a 26-9 record. Since that first season, Few has led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament EVERY season (except 2019–20, when the team had secured an automatic bid but the tournament was canceled), a stretch that has turned Gonzaga into a major basketball power, despite playing in a mid-major conference. I don't have the time to go into detail regarding all that Few and Gonzaga has accomplished over the last two-plus decades but I'm sure all are aware that despite Few's incredible records at "The Little School that Could," the glaring missing piece is the absence of a national championship banner hanging in the rafters of the McCarthey Athletic Center.Mark Few has led Gonzaga to 21 straight NCAA berths in his 22 years (2020 tourney was cancelled), entering this season doing everything BUT win a national championship. However, he's led the Bulldogs into the title game TWICE in the last four seasons. Last year's loss was a 'killer,' as Gonzaga was No. 1 wire-to-wire and at 31-0, was looking to match Bob Knight's 1975-76 team, which was the last team to go unbeaten (32-0) and win the title. However, 73 years after it last played for a national title, Baylor 'jumped all over' the Bulldogs early in the game and never looked back in an 86-70 victory. It was Baylor's first national title and extinguished Gonzaga’s ambitions for wire-to-wire perfection. However, to no one's surprise, Gonzaga was ranked No. 1 in the AP's preseason poll to open the current season (defending champion Baylor was ranked eighth).The Bulldogs would open 6-0, including impressive wins over then-No. 5 Texas (86-74) and then-No. 2 UCLA (83-63. However, on the day after Thanksgiving, Gonzaga would lose 84-81 to Duke (the game was played in Spokane, Wa) and when the new AP poll was released (Monday, Nov 29), Gonzaga dropped to No. 3, while Duke jumped from No.  5 to No. 1. Duke only stayed at No. 1 for one week, when an 8-0 Purdue team became the AP's No. 1-ranked team on Dec 6, for the FIRST time in school history. However, just like with Duke, Purdue's 'reign' lasted only one week. Rising to No. 1 on Dec 13 was defending champion Baylor, which had opened 9-0, while sporting a 15-game winning streak that included the team's 6-0 run in last season's NCAA tourney. Baylor was a unanimous No. 1 (got all first-place votes) and stayed No. 1 for five straight weeks (four times, earning all 61 first-place votes!). Baylor's winning streak reached 21 straight (15-0 in the current season), before the Bears lost back-to-back home games to Texas Tech on Jan 11 (65-62) and to Oklahoma St on Jan 15 (61-54). That ended the team's run at No. 1 and the AP's new No. 1 team became 14-2 Gonzaga, but with an asterisk. Auburn actually received 36 first-place votes to Gonzaga's 25, but  the Bulldogs were able to eke out more overall points, as some voters placed Auburn lower than any reasonable person would be expected to. By the following week, Auburn, 18-1 and on a 15-game winning streak, got 45 first-place votes to Gonzaga's 15 (Arizona snared one), as the Tigers earned the school's first-ever No. 1 ranking on Jan 24, while becoming the FIFTH school this season to be ranked at No. 1.Auburn's stay at No. 1 lasted three weeks, as the Tigers extended their winning streak to 19 straight games. However, Auburn lost 80-76 (OT) at Arkansas on Feb 8 and when the new AP poll came out on Valentine's Day,  Auburn fell to No. 2 and Gonzaga ('America's Sweetheart') returned to No. 1 for the THIRD time this season with 54 first-place votes. Lopsided wins over Pepperdine and Santa Clara last week clinched a 10th straight WCC regular-season title for Gonzaga and on Monday (Feb 21), Gonzaga was "Back at One," as the unanimous No. 1 in the latest AP poll. The 23-2 Zags haven't lost since Dec 4 and have now won 16 in a row.Let me add a few notes here about Gonzaga. With its back-to-back No. 1 ranking the last two weeks, Gonzaga has now been ranked No. 1 in 32 of the last 73 AP polls.  Duke has 11 No. 1 rankings in that same time frame and Baylor 10. The Bulldogs are averaging 89.5 PPG (tops in the nation) and are looking to lead the nation in scoring for the FOURTH consecutive year (note: Gonzaga is making 52.9% of its FG attempts this season, which also ranks No. 1). Let me take a quick look at Gonzaga's domination of the West Coast Conference. Gonzaga is winning its WCC games by an average of 27 points, one of the most dominant conference seasons in the past 25 years, according to KenPom.com. Gonzaga is on pace to match the 2019 team for the largest margin of victory in conference games. The Bulldogs own FOUR of the top five spots on that list in the last 25 years, joined by the 1999 Duke team. Gonzaga is truly "Back at One" but of course, needs to "win it all" in 2022. Is this finally the season when college basketball's one-time 'Cinderella,' turned elite basketball power, stands atop the podium come April 4th?Some closing thoughts. How about Arizona? The Wildcats were picked to finish tied for fourth in the Pac-12 Conference in a preseason poll but under first-year head coach Tommy Lloyd (a 22-year assistant under Few at Gonzaga!), 24-2 Arizona (No. 2 to Gonzaga in Monday's poll) is 14-1 in the Pac-12, giving them a 2½-game lead over No. 16 USC, which is 23-4 overall (12-4 in the Pac 12). Gonzaga's 'tentacles' are reaching out. Sticking with a WCC theme, is anyone else amazed that entering the final week of February, the WCC has two top-25 teams (St Mary's is ranked No. 23), while the all-powerful ACC has just one ranked team in No. 7 Duke?  How about a couple of 'shout outs' to 26-2 Murray State of the OVC. The Racers have won 16 straight games, tied with South Dakota St of the Summit (25-4 / 16-0), for the nation's longest-active winning streak. In the case of Murray St, the Racers entered the AP rankings back on Feb 7 at No. 22 (1st time since a one-week stay back in March of 2015) and opened the new week ranked for the THIRD consecutive week (up to No. 19). However, for every Yin, there is a Yang! The 'Yang' goes to Michigan, which was No. 6 in the AP's preseason poll (coming off a 23-5 season), but with its Sunday loss at Wisconsin, Michigan checks in at 14-11 (8-7 in the Big Ten).  Making matters worse was this press release on Monday which stated that Juwan Howard, the head coach of the University of Michigan men’s basketball team, was suspended for the rest of the regular season for his part in a postgame fracas in which he appeared to strike a University of Wisconsin assistant coach in the head. Has anyone seen the tape? Did it look to you like Howard "appeared" to strike a University of Wisconsin assistant coach in the head? And so it goes. Good luck...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 02/22/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 22, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. The puck drops in four games at 7:05 PM ET. St. Louis visits Philadelphia as a -205 money line road favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Minnesota is at Ottawa as a -230 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Florida plays at home against Nashville as a -195 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Toronto travels to Columbus as a -190 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NHL card concludes with two games starting at 10:05 PM ET. Anaheim plays at home against San Jose as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6. The New York Islanders visit Seattle as a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Tuesday college basketball card includes nine games on national television. Arkansas travels to Florida on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET. The Razorbacks won their 11th game in their last 13 with a 58-48 victory against Tennessee as a  2-point favorite on Saturday. They raised their record to 21-6 with the win. The Gators won their fifth game in their last seven with a 63-62 upset victory against Auburn as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday. Florida improved to 17-10 with the win. Arkansas is a 1-point road favorite with a total of 136. Iowa hosts Michigan State on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Hawkeyes won their fourth game in a row with their 75-62 upset victory at Ohio State as a 5-point underdog on Saturday. They have an 18-8 record. The Spartans lost their fourth game in their last five in a 79-74 loss to Illinois as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. Michigan State’s record dropped to 18-8. Iowa is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. St. Bonaventure is at home against Rhode Island on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Bonnies are on a five-game winning streak after their 81-55 victory against Duquesne as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. They have a 17-7 record. The Rams lost eight games in their last nine with a 72-61 upset loss at George Washington as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. Rhode Island’s record fell to 13-12 with the setback. St. Bonaventure is an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 133.Texas A&M plays at home against Georgia on ESPNU at 7 PM ET. The Aggies lost their ninth game in their last ten in a 72-67 loss at Vanderbilt as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday. They have a 16-11 record. The Bulldogs are on a seven-game losing streak after their 85-68 loss to Mississippi as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. The Rebels’ record dropped to 6-21 with the defeat. Texas A&M is an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5.Connecticut is at home against Villanova on FS1 at 8 PM ET. The Huskies won their third-straight game with a 72-61 victory against Xavier as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. UConn raised their record to 19-7. The Wildcats have won five straight games after their 74-66 victory against Georgetown as a 19.5-point favorite on Saturday. Villanova improved to 21-6 on the year. Connecticut is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 136.Kansas hosts Kansas State on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Jayhawks won their third game in a row with a 71-58 victory at West Virginia as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. They have a 22-4 record. The Wildcats had their two-game winning streak end in an 82-79 loss at Oklahoma State as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday. Kansas State’s record dropped to 14-12. Kansas is a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. Boise State plays at home against San Diego State on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET. The Broncos won their fourth game in their last five with a 68-57 victory against Utah State as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. They have a 21-6 record. The Aztecs are on a five-game winning streak with their 61-44 win at Fresno State as a 2-point favorite on Saturday. The Aztecs improved their record to 17-6 with the win. Boise State is a 2-point favorite with a total of 120. Utah State is at home against New Mexico on FS1 at 10 PM ET. The Aggies are on a four-game losing streak after their loss to Boise State on Saturday. They have a 15-13 record. The Aztecs lost their second-straight game in a 71-55 upset loss at San Jose State as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. New Mexico’s record fell to 11-16. Utah State is a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Nevada hosts UNLV on the CBS Sports Network at 11 PM ET. The Wolf Pack are on a three-game winning streak with a 90-60 victory as an 8-point favorite on Thursday. They raised their record to 12-13 with the win. The Rebels won their third game in their last four with their 72-51 upset victory against Colorado State as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday. UNLV has a 16-12 record. Nevada is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 145. The first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 continues with two matches at 3 PM ET. Chelsea plays at home against Lille on CBS as a -1.5 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 2.5.Juventus visits Villarreal on Paramount+ and fuboTV in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 2.5.

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Finding Hidden Value: Maryland-Eastern Shore

by Hollywood Sports

Monday, Feb 21, 2022

Don’t sleep on the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament coming up in about two weeks. After being one of ten Division I programs that did not play a single game last season because of the COVID pandemic, many college basketball prognosticators projected Maryland-Eastern Shore to be the worst team in the country this season. Not so — this group beat Fordham in double-overtime earlier this season. They lost by just nine points at Connecticut. Granted, this is a team that was still just 3-7 in conference play going into their game at North Carolina-Central on Monday (February 21st) — but head coach Jason Crafton has done a fine job with his squad. And his team does some things that make them intriguing road warriors. For starters, they are one of the best teams in the nation in forcing turnovers. The Hawks rank 15th in the nation by forcing turnovers in 23.3% of their opponent’s possessions. In Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play, they lead the league by forcing turnovers in 26.3% of their opponents' possessions. In concluding that Maryland-Eastern Shore playing as an underdog at North Carolina-Central in their February 21st contest would be my 25* CBB Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Game of the Year, I was intrigued by how vulnerable the Eagles are very vulnerable in the turnover department. They ranked 238th in the nation by turning the ball over in 23.8% of their opponent’s possessions going into that game. In conference play, North Carolina-Central turns the ball over 24.3% of the time. This defensive pressure helps Maryland-Eastern Shore boast the best Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in conference play using one of the analytics formulas I track — and they are second in the MEAC in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency on the road using those metrics. The Hawks also do a couple of things that make them dangerous. They are third in the conference by rebounding 31.7% of their missed shots when playing on the road. They also nail 36% of their 3-point shots on the road in conference play. Maryland-Eastern Shore had covered the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games on the road. And while it was their second game since last Monday, the Hawks have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 road games when playing second games in seven days. Furthermore, Maryland-Eastern Shore is 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 road games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 5 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home.North Carolina-Central won the first meeting between these two teams by a 75-63 score as a 3-point favorite on the road. The Eagles made 11 of their 25 shots (44%) from behind the arc which is a number they are not likely to replicate since they rank 276th in the nation by making only 31.6% of their 3-point shots. Tellingly, North Carolina-Central committed 18 turnovers in that game while turning the ball over in 27.3% of their possessions against the Hawks’ pressure. Maryland-Eastern Shore has covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games when avenging a double-digit loss.We were rewarded with a 79-66 victory by Maryland-Eastern Shore at North Carolina-Central where much of the handicapping was vindicated. Although the Hawks went into the locker room at halftime trailing by a 43-31 score, they outscored the Eagles by a 48-23 margin to pull the upset and easily cover the +6.5 point spread. Once again, the Maryland-Eastern Shore pressure played a big role as they forced 22 turnovers representing 31.0% of the Eagles’ possessions. The Hawks did not create many more scoring opportunities from second-chances as they only pulled down five boards on the offensive glass. Then again, it is harder to pull down offensive boards when you make 52.8% of your shots. The x-factor for Maryland-Eastern Shore was their 3-point shooting as they nailed 14 of their 24 shots (58.3%) of their shots from distance. That 36% clip from behind the arc on the road in conference play pointed to a possible hot-shooting like this. And it overcame North Carolina-Central once again shooting well from 3-point land against the Hawks once again as they made 7 of their 18 shots (38.9%) of their 3-pointers.This was a nice win for us since it embodied so many of the elements of what we are looking for during March Madness. Teams that create more scoring opportunities rather it be from forcing turnovers or from pulling down offensive rebounds (or both) provide a Plan B if their shots are not falling. And teams that shoot the 3-ball well can always steal games by shooting great from distance. Moving forward, Maryland-Eastern Shore is a team to keep an eye for some point spread value in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament. Best of luck — Frank.

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NCAA Tournament Bubble Prospects: ACC

by Nelly's Sports

Monday, Feb 21, 2022

The ACC has sent seven teams to each of the past two NCAA Tournaments and had nine in the field in both 2017 and 2018. The conference has fallen in stature in a big way this season as many projections call for five or fewer teams making the bracket this year. Here is a look at the remaining path and prospects for the ACC squads that are likely to land near the bubble on Selection Sunday.  Duke is really the only ACC team firmly in the NCAA Tournament field right now, projecting as a likely #2 seed at 23-4. While three of the final four are on the road for Duke to close the regular season, it is a reasonable path as the Blue Devils look likely to hold that line. It would take quite a lot for Duke to climb to the #1 line in the current projection as the Blue Devils are currently much closer to a #3 spot than a #1.  Beyond Duke there are only five other teams with winning records in ACC play (as of Feb. 21) as the powerhouse basketball conference may have another quiet March. Last season only two of seven ACC teams in the field won their first games with Florida State and Syracuse reaching the Sweet 16 for the best performances. No ACC team was seeded better than a #4 last season however as Duke is capable of being in a better position and would likely land a favorable Greenville placement for its opening game(s). Here are seven ACC teams on a generous consideration of the current NCAA Tournament bubble.  Notre Dame: Second place in the ACC belongs to Notre Dame for the moment, even after last week’s loss to Wake Forest. Mike Brey’s team has delivered a great turnaround from starting the season 4-5 but there is not a great margin for error for the Irish. The home win over Kentucky in December continues to provide a huge boost to the profile but that is one of only two top 50 caliber wins all season. The ACC schedule for Notre Dame has been favorable and will continue to be favorable as the Irish should be in a safe position projecting to finish with at least 14 wins, which would clearly warrant inclusion in the field.  Miami, FL: The Hurricanes have been a surprise performer in the ACC reaching 11-5 with four games to go. With games against Pittsburgh and Boston College remaining, a 13-win ACC campaign should be enough to keep the Hurricanes on the right side of the cut line. Miami did not accomplish many noteworthy wins in the non-conference schedule, but this team has quality wins in ACC play at Duke and at Virginia Tech, home against North Carolina, and sweeping Wake Forest. They were swept by both Florida State and Virginia but ultimately winning at Duke is likely to carry enough weight for the Hurricanes barring a major collapse.  Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons have one of the weakest non-conference profiles in the nation as this is a squad that could be more at risk of falling out of the field than some of the others on this list. Wake Forest went 11-1 in non-conference play but lost by 14 against LSU in the most meaningful contest. Overtime wins over Oregon State and Northwestern don’t carry as much weight as they did earlier in the season and the 11-6 ACC record is a bit empty, with the only notable results being home wins over North Carolina and Notre Dame plus a road win at Virginia Tech in the December ACC opener. The win over the Irish last weekend was a huge result that likely keeps Wake Forest in the field but avoiding multiple losses in a favorable three-game stretch to close the season would be advised.  North Carolina: The Tar Heels took on a heavyweight schedule but the only win in an early season quartet facing Purdue, Tennessee, Michigan, and Kentucky, came against the Wolverines team that is also bound for the bubble as one of the nation’s biggest disappointments. A sweep of Virginia Tech is really all the success the Tar Heels can point to in an 11-5 ACC path through a favorable conference schedule. North Carolina is 0-4 against the teams above them on this list but they will get a rematch opportunity against Duke in the regular season finale. Getting to 14-6 in ACC play without beating Duke would be enough for the Tar Heels in most scenarios but a slip-up in an upcoming game against Louisville, NC State, or Syracuse could be damaging.  Virginia Tech: The metrics like the Hokies better than a casual glance at the resume would as the Hokies get credit for a solid non-conference path even without winning any of the important games while producing a few lopsided wins vs. similar caliber teams has helped the cause. The current form with a 6-1 run in the past seven games has Mike Young’s team trending upward but three of the final four in the regular season are on the road including toss-up games with Miami and Clemson. The offensive efficiency for the Hokies is impressive but only one win has come against a team that would earn an at-large tournament spot, beating Notre Dame at home in January. With the possible exception of losing at Boston College, there aren’t bad losses for the Hokies, but there are 11 and counting as this squad feels like a group that will have plenty of reasons for exclusion unless they put together a very strong finish.  Virginia: The Cavaliers are not a NCAA Tournament team right now, but the case could get there if they are able to beat Duke for a second time this week. Virginia has a solid 11-6 record in ACC play including the road win at Duke plus four other ACC road wins. Sweeping Miami is also a positive boost on the resume depending on where the Hurricanes wind up in the final standings. Virginia also won at Syracuse for a head-to-head trump card against another potential bubble team. The ACC record includes going 4-0 vs. Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Georgia Tech and Virginia will have a hard time overcoming multiple bad losses, falling in the season opener vs. Navy and at James Madison, in addition to dropping an ACC game at NC State.  Syracuse: The Orange under Jim Boeheim routinely weasel their way on to the bubble with enough quality wins to offset a high loss count. The path is there for a similar outcome for Syracuse this season, and last year after barely being included the Orange were able to win two games. 5-1 in the past six, Syracuse is trending upward and while the final four games on the schedule are all difficult, it will provide the quality Syracuse may need. The big fish will be the home game with Duke next weekend before closing with games against North Carolina and Miami, as getting to 12-8 through remaining path would make a compelling case. Syracuse has three losses to teams outside the top 100 right now and while the non-conference schedule was challenging, the only notable win over Indiana has diminished in value of late.  The ACC is having a rough season overall and hopes for a swan song campaign for Coach K’s final run may be the conference’s best path to having a team make a deep March run. There are a few teams trending upward down the stretch that could have a chance to climb into the field, however. Meaningful action with the season on the line could provide good experience to propel one of those teams to be tournament-ready, hoping to deliver an upset or two from a #9-#10 seed line where several ACC teams currently project to land. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/21/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 21, 2022

The Monday sports card features NHL and NCAAB action.The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. Colorado visits Boston at 1:05 PM ET as a -165 money line road favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings). Carolina plays at Philadelphia at 3:05 PM ET as a -205 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Calgary is at home against Winnipeg at 4:05 PM ET as a -220 money line favorite with a total of 6. Toronto travels to Montreal at 7:05 PM ET as a -350 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Vancouver plays at Seattle at 10:05 PM ET as a -175 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.The Monday college basketball card has seven games on national television. Ohio State hosts Indiana on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Buckeyes had their two-game winning streak end in a 75-62 upset loss to Iowa as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. Their record fell to 16-7 with the setback. The Hoosiers are on a four-game losing streak after their 74-69 upset loss to Wisconsin as a 3-point favorite on Tuesday. Indiana’s record dropped to 16-9. Ohio State is a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5.Coppin State visits Howard on ESPNU at 7 PM ET. The Eagles are on a four-game losing streak after an 89-59 loss to Norfolk State as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. Coppin State has a 5-20 record. The Bison are on a six-game winning streak after a 68-66 victory against Morgan State as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Howard improved their record to 14-10. North Carolina plays at home against Louisville on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Tar Heels won their third game in their last four with their 65-57 upset win against Virginia Tech as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday. They raised their record to 19-8 with the victory. The Cardinals ended a seven-game losing streak with a 70-61 upset win against Clemson as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Louisville has a 12-14 record. North Carolina is a 10-point favorite with a total of 146. Maryland is at home against Penn State on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET. The Terrapins ended a five-game losing streak with a 90-74 victory at Nebraska as a 2-point favorite on Friday. They improved their record to 12-14. The Nittany Lions are on a two-game winning streak with a 67-46 victory as a 5-point favorite on Thursday. Penn State has an 11-12 record. Maryland is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 129.5. Baylor travels to Oklahoma State on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Bears won their third game in their last four with a 72-62 victory against TCU as an 11-point favorite on Saturday. They have a 22-5 record. The Cowboys won their second game in their last three with an 82-79 victory against Kansas State as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oklahoma State evened their record at 13-13 with the win. Baylor is a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 139.UCLA hosts Arizona State on FS1 at 9 PM ET. The Bruins won their second game in their last three with a 76-50 victory against Washington as a 16.5-point favorite on Saturday. They raised their record to 19-5 with the win. The Sun Devils won their third straight game with a 73-53 victory against Oregon State as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. Arizona State improved their record to 10-15 with the win. UCLA is a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 133.Alabama State is at Bethune Cookman on ESPNU at 9 PM ET. The Hornets dropped their fourth straight game in an 86-83 loss at Florida A&M as a 5-point underdog on Saturday. Alabama State has a 7-20 record. The Wildcats lost their second-straight game in a 62-60 loss to Alabama A&M as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. Bethune Cookman has a 7-19 record. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/20/2022

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 20, 2022

The Sunday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The NBA All-Star Game takes place at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland at 8 PM ET on TNT and TBS. Team LeBron is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 320.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise)The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. Pittsburgh hosts Carolina at 1:05 PM ET as a -130 money line favorite with the total set at 6. The New York Islanders are at home against Montreal at 2:05 PM ET as a -260 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Florida visits Chicago at 3:05 PM ET as a -225 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Rangers play at Ottawa at 5:05 PM ET as a -190 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Columbus is at home against Buffalo at 6:05 PM ET as a -155 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Dallas travels to Arizona at 7:05 PM ET as a -240 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 8:05 PM ET. Vegas plays at San Jose as a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Minnesota is at Edmonton in a game where both teams are priced as a -110 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Sunday college basketball card includes ten games on national television. Three games tip-off at 1 PM ET. Providence visits Butler on FS1 as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 129. Houston plays at Wichita State on ESPN as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Wisconsin is at home against Michigan on CBS as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5. Two more NCAAB games begin at 2 PM ET. Cincinnati hosts Temple on ESPN2 as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Northern Iowa plays at home against Missouri State on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with a total of 143.5. George Mason travels to Fordham on the USA Network at 2:30 PM ET as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 132. Creighton is at home against Marquette on FS1 at 3 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5. New Mexico State travels to San Jose State on the CBS Sports Network at 4 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Purdue hosts Rutgers on FS1 at 5:30 PM ET as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5. USC plays at home against Washington State on FS1 at 7:30 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 133. Matchweek 26 continues in the English Premier League with two matches on the USA Network. Manchester United visits Leeds United at 9 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 3. Wolverhampton is at home against Leicester City at 11:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.  

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/19/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 19, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate. Colorado visits Buffalo at 1:05 PM ET as a -350 money line road favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Edmonton plays at Winnipeg at 4:05 PM ET as a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more games drop the puck at 7:05 PM ET. Boston is at Ottawa as a -185 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Toronto hosts St. Louis as a -175 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Los Angeles travels to Arizona at 9:05 PM ET as a -200 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:05 PM ET. Calgary plays at home against Seattle as a -290 money line favorite with a total of 6. Vancouver is at home against Anaheim as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Saturday college basketball card has 28 games on national television. Four games on national television begin at noon ET. Baylor hosts TCU on ESPN2 as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Illinois plays at Michigan State on ESPN as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Connecticut is at home against Xavier on Fox as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 140. Syracuse plays at home against Boston College on ESPNU as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Texas hosts Texas Tech on ABC at 12:30 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 127.5. Kentucky is at home against Alabama on CBS at 1 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 154.5. Colgate plays at home against Boston University on the CBS Sports Network at 1:30 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 146.5. Three NCAAB games on national television start at 2 PM ET. Auburn visits Florida on ESPN as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 140. Morgan State is at Howard on ESPN2. Oklahoma State hosts Kansas State on ESPNU as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 131.5. Ohio State is at home against Iowa on Fox at 2:30 PM ET as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. Davidson plays at home against Saint Louis on the CBS Sports Network at 3:30 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 144. Two more NCAAB games tip-off at 4 PM ET. Arkansas hosts Tennessee on ESPN as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 140. Virginia Tech is at home against North Carolina on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 145. Villanova plays at home against Georgetown on Fox at 5 PM ET as a 20-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Four nationally-televised NCAAB games tip-off at 6 PM ET. Duke hosts Florida State on ESPN as a 15-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Loyola-Chicago is at home against Drake on ESPN2 as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 133.5. St. Bonaventure hosts Duquesne on ESPNU as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 135. Boise State plays at home against Utah State on the CBS Sports Network as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 131.5. Four more NCAAB games begin at 8 PM ET. Arizona State hosts Oregon State on ESPN2 as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 138. Seton Hall is at home against DePaul on FS1 as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. UNLV plays at home against Colorado State as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 141.5. Kansas visits West Virginia on ESPN as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Five NCAAB games are on national television at 10 PM ET. Saint Mary’s is at home against BYU on ESPN2 as a 6-point favorite with a total of 134.5. Stanford plays at home against Colorado on ESPNU as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134. Arizona hosts Oregon on ESPN as a 13-point favorite with a total of 149.5. San Diego State travels to Fresno State on the CBS Sports Network as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 116.5. UCLA is at home against Washington on FS1 as a 17-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Matchweek 26 in the English Premier League begins with eight matches. West Ham United hosts Newcastle United on Peacock at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Six games start at 10 AM ET. Arsenal plays at home against Brentford on Peacock as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa is at home against Watford on Peacock as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion are at home against Burnley on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Chelsea visits Crystal Palace on the USA Network as a -1 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool hosts Norwich City on Peacock as a -2.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.5. Southampton plays at home against Everton on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City plays at home against Tottenham on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAB and NHL Previews and Odds - 02/18/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 18, 2022

The Friday sports card features NHL and NCAAB action.The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Carolina plays at home against Nashville at 7:05 PM ET as a -165 money line favorite, with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings). Florida travels to Minnesota at 8:05 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Dallas visits Chicago at 8:35 PM ET as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Vegas is at home against Los Angeles at 10:05 PM ET as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.The Friday college basketball card includes five games on national television. St. John’s hosts Butler on the CBS Sports Network at 5 PM ET. The Red Storm ended a two-game losing streak with an 86-73 upset win at Xavier as a 7.5-point underdog on Wednesday. St. John’s raised their record to 14-11 with the victory. The Bulldogs are on a two-game winning streak after their 73-71 upset victory at DePaul as a 5-point underdog on Tuesday. Butler has a 13-13 record. The Red Storm won the first game between these two teams, 75-72, in Indianapolis in a pick ‘em matchup on February 5th. St. John’s is a 9-point favorite with a total of 140.5.Three televised NCAAB games tip-off at 7 PM ET. VCU plays at home against Richmond on ESPN. The Rams won their seventh game in their last eight with a 66-61 victory at Fordham as a 9.5-point favorite on Tuesday. VCU improved to 17-7 with the win. The Spiders won their fourth game in their last five with a 77-63 victory against LaSalle as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. Richmond’s record is now 17-9. The Rams won the initial meeting between these teams with a 64-62 upset win on the road as a 2-point underdog on January 29th. VCU is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Fairfield is at home against Saint Peter’s on ESPNU. The Stags had their two-game winning streak end in a 74-67 upset loss to Manhattan as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Their record dropped to 12-14. The Peacocks are on a two-game losing streak after a 70-61 loss to Iona as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Saint Peter’s record fell to 11-10 with the setback. This is the first encounter between these two teams this season. Fairfield is a 1-point favorite with a total of 127.Kent State hosts Ohio on the CBS Sports Network. The Golden Flashes won their seventh straight game with a 72-59 upset win at Toledo as an 8.5-point underdog on Tuesday. They raised their record to 16-9 with the victory. The Bobcats won their eighth game in their last nine with a 91-78 victory against Miami (OH) as a 10-point favorite on Tuesday. Ohio improved to 22-4 with the win. The Bobcats won the first game between these teams, 80-72, on January 7th as a 7.5-point favorite. Kent State is a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Oakland plays at home against Wright State on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Grizzlies won their second-straight game with a 75-59 victory against Detroit as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday. They have an 18-8 record. The Raiders lost their second-straight game with a 75-71 upset loss to Northern Kentucky as a 6-point favorite on Sunday. Wright State’s record fell to 15-12 with the setback. The Raiders won the first encounter between these Horizon League rivals on February 5th with a 75-64 victory at home as a 2-point favorite. Oakland is a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/17/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 17, 2022

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.Five games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Miami visits Charlotte at 7:10 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Brooklyn plays at home against Washington at 7:40 PM ET as a 3-point favorite. Dallas is at New Orleans at 8:10 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite. Milwaukee hosts Philadelphia on TNT at 8:40 PM ET as a 6-point favorite, with the total set at 223. The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against at 10:40 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Five games drop the puck at 7:05 PM ET. St. Louis travels to Montreal as a -265 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Buffalo is at Ottawa as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 6. Washington plays at Philadelphia as a -175 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Rangers are at home against Detroit as a -190 money line favorite with a total of 6. Toronto hosts Pittsburgh as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Winnipeg plays at home against Seattle at 8:05 PM ET as a -200 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Chicago is at home against Columbus at 8:35 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Edmonton hosts Anaheim at 9:05 PM ET as a -230 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Vancouver travels to San Jose at 10:35 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Thursday college basketball card has 12 games on national television. Towson plays at UNC-Wilmington on the CBS Sports Network at 6 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 135.5. Three NCAA-B games tip-off at 7 PM ET. Cincinnati hosts Wichita State on ESPN2 as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Murray State is at home against Austin Peay on ESPNU as an 18.5-point favorite with a total of 132. Iowa plays at home against Michigan as a 6-point favorite with a total of 151. Western Kentucky plays at home against Charlotte on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143. Three more NCAAB games start at 9 PM ET. Colorado State visits New Mexico on FS1 as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 153.5. Oregon is at Arizona State on ESPN as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 136. Longwood travels to High Point on ESPNU.DePaul hosts Creighton on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 137. Two more NCAAB games start at 11 PM ET. UCLA is at home against Washington State on FS1 as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Stanford plays at home against Utah on ESPNU as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 140. Nevada travels to San Jose State on the CBS Sports Network at midnight ET as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 145. 

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Ranking the Power 6 Conferences

by ASA, Inc.

Wednesday, Feb 16, 2022

Of the power 6 conferences that make up college basketball this is our current ranking of them: 1. BIG 102. BIG 12 3. PAC 124. SEC5. BIG East6. ACC For starters, the BIG 10 has five teams currently in the top 17 in the AP Poll. In 2021, nine BIG 10 teams made the NCAA tournament and we could see a similar number this year. Unfortunately, only one (Michigan) of those nine teams made it to the sweet 16 as the rest were sent home early. Even so, the depth and firepower that lies within the conference makes it an absolute gauntlet to get through. Multiple player of the year candidates include Johnny Davis, E.J. Liddell, Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey, Trevion Williams, Kofi Cockburn, and more. No other conference has talent at this depth.  The BIG 12 comes in second mainly because of their top 3 teams sit inside the AP top 10 currently. Kansas sits atop the conference with defending champs Baylor a game behind them in conference play. Texas Tech also has the experience and firepower to make another legitimate run at a championship. Chris Beard has Texas in the mix as well, making the BIG 12 dangerous come March.  The PAC 12 and SEC are very similar but both conferences lack the depth to have them ranked higher. In the PAC 12, Arizona and UCLA will both be tough outs when the tournament comes around. USC and Oregon are solid but are not quite championship caliber. In the SEC Auburn and Kentucky hold top spots with plenty of young talent for a run. After that, Tennessee and Arkansas are the only teams who have a firm ticket to the dance.  Surprisingly the BIG East has five teams currently ranked. The downside is that none are in the top 10 and only Providence, Villanova, and Marquette are in the top 20. None of these teams seem to have the talent to truly make a run with Connecticut and Xavier rounding out the unexceptional conference.  Finally, the ACC has only one team currently ranked. Duke is a title contender but beyond them the conference is lackluster. Notre Dame, UNC, Miami, Wake Forrest, and Virginia could all make the tournament but none have shown any urgency to push for a decent seed. The talent is lacking in a usually high-powered conference.   

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