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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 02/11/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 11, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League action.The National Basketball Association has four games on its docket. The Philadelphia 76ers host the Toronto Raptors at 7:10 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 226 (all odds from DraftKings). The New York Knicks travel to Indiana to play the Pacers on TNT at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 239.5.The Detroit Pistons play in Chicago against the Bulls as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 238.5. The Memphis Grizzlies are in Phoenix to play the Suns on TNT at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 244. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 37 games between Division I opponents. Fourteen NCAAB games are on major national television. Five NCAAB games on major national television tip-off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Tennessee visits Kentucky on ESPN as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 149.5. Michigan plays at home against Purdue on Peacock as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Florida plays at Mississippi State on ESPN2 as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 152. West Virginia is home against BYU on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with a total of 136.5. UAB is at East Carolina on ESPNU as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 153. Marquette hosts DePaul at 8:30 p.m. ET as an 18.5-point favorite with a total of 143.5. Five more NCAAB games on major national television begin at 9:00 p.m. ET. Creighton plays at home against UConn on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 144. North Texas travels to Rice on ESPNU as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 126. Kansas is home against Colorado on ESPN2 as a 16.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141. Alabama plays at Texas on ESPN as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 165.5. Michigan State hosts Indiana on Peacock as an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Three NCAAB games on major national television start at 11:00 p.m. ET. San Diego State is at San Jose State on the CBS Sports Network as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 137. Saint Mary’s plays at home against Santa Clara on ESPN2 as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137. Utah State is home against Colorado State on FS1 as a 6-point favorite with a total of 147.5. The knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League playoffs begins with four first-leg matches. Paris Saint-Germain visits Stade Brest on the CBS Sports Network at 12:45 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Three more UCL matches begin at 3:00 p.m. ET on Paramount+. Manchester City hosts Real Madrid as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Juventus plays at home against PSV Eindhoven as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Sporting Lisbon is home against Borussia Dortmund as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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4 Nations Face-Off Preview/Predictions:

by William Burns

Monday, Feb 10, 2025

Replacing the All-Star Game in 2025, the NHL has agreed to let players take part in the 4 Nations Face-Off beginning this Wednesday. Although not all of the superstars will be playing in this event, most of them will be representing their country in this mini tournament. Some people may not like the format. But, many hold high expectations for it, including myself. It just gives us another chance for the top players of the NHL to compete against each other and hold not only bragging rights, but gives the whole country something to cheer for.  The Format:  Each Country will play three "round-robin" against one another  A team gains 3 points for a win in regulation; 2 points for a win in OT/SO; 1 point for a loss in OT/SO; & 0 points for a loss in regulation Overtime is 10 minutes of Sudden Death Hockey - then a 3-round shootout. No Semis, just one Final between the top two teams after "round-robin" play Overtime in Final is 20 minutes of Sudden Death Hockey & goes until one team scores. If no goals after the 1st, a 2nd OT will commence and so on. (No shootout) The Teams (odds via. DraftKings Sportsbook:)  USA (+160 to Win:)  Entering this tournament as the Co-Favorites along with Canada to win, the United States of America is the team that most teams are going to fear the most (in my opinion.) Even without the likes of Quinn Hughes on defense, the States are absolutely stacked from top to bottom. They are led by Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk & Charlie McAvoy as the captains. Goaltending is another huge advantage that the Americans possess. They've got Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger & Jeremy Swayman between the pipes. Can't get much better than that. Canada (+160 to Win:) Canada also has a very strong team in the 4 Nations Face-Off. That is why the Canadians are also Co-Favorites to win this tournament. It's going to be a grind, as all four teams are excellent. But, not too many guys can keep up with Connor McDavid & Nathan MacKinnon in the hockey world and they are going to play huge parts to this team. The obvious choice for Team Canada's captaincy was Sydney Crosby. The alternates were given to Cale Makar as well as McDavid. This is also a stacked group. Goaltending will need to be on point, but Canada can most definitely win this. Sweden (+400 to Win:) Slightly below both the USA & Canada, Sweden comes along. Now, even though most of the talk is about the two North American teams, Sweden absolutely has a chance to make some noise and turn some heads. Sweden, with three players from the Minnesota Wild, is led by a Tampa Bay Lightning in Victor Hedman. He's a veteran presence who knows how to win. His assistant captains will be Mattias Ekholm, Erik Karlsson & William Nylander. Sweden's great everywhere, like all the teams in this tournament. But, defense is probably its biggest strength with defensemen who love to get involved in the attacking play.  Finland (+900 to Win:)  As the underdog in this tournament, Finland isn't getting much respect. Now, there's a reason why Finland is +900 to win this tournament and it's because the other three teams are some of the best teams we've ever seen before. Having said that, I'm not counting the Fins out. They are always a threat to do damage and captain Aleksander Barkov is excited to see what they can do. Finland will also have Sebastian Aho, Mikko Rantanen, & Mikael Granlund with the (A) alongside Barkov. Don't count out Finland until we've seen what it can do.  Burns' Selection to Win: This is going to be a great tournament no matter who wins. Having said that, I'm going to go with Canada at +160 to Win the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. Getting two out of three games at home in Quebec will be huge for them, including the game against the USA on Saturday. Even though the final will be in Boston, I'm expecting the top guys from Canada to be at their best here throughout this week. Canada drastically underperformed in the World Juniors and the top Canadian players from the NHL will be putting the whole country on their backs and win this great new event.  Final Prediction: 3-2 Canada vs. the USA. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/10/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 10, 2025

The Monday sports card features NBA and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has 10 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Orlando Magic host the Atlanta Hawks as a 5-point favorite with the total set at 221.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The San Antonio Spurs travel to Washington to play the Wizards as an 11.5-point road favorite with a total of 236. Two NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics play in Miami against the Heat as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 219. The Brooklyn Nets are at home against the Charlotte Hornets as a 4-point favorite with a total of 213.  Two NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the New Orleans Pelicans as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 234. The Golden State Warriors are in Milwaukee to play the Bucks as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 231.5. The Dallas Mavericks play at home against the Sacramento Kings at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The Denver Nuggets are at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 9-point favorite with a total of 233. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Utah Jazz on ESPN2 at 10:40 p.m. ET. The Lakers have won nine of their last ten games after a 124-117 upset victory at home against Indiana as a 4.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Jazz have lost two games in a row after a 130-110 loss in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 17.5-point underdog on Saturday. Los Angeles is a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 234.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 19 games between Division I opponents. Six NCAAB games are on major national television. American plays at home against Lafayette on the CBS Sports Network at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 131.5. Clemson is at North Carolina on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Tigers won for the seventh time in the last eight games in a 77-71 upset victory as a 6-point underdog against Duke on Saturday. The Tar Heels ended a two-game losing streak with a 67-66 victory as a 67-66 win against Pittsburgh as a 5.5-favorite on Saturday. Clemson is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 146. Campbell hosts North Carolina A&T on the CBS Sports Network at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. Two NCAAB games on major national television at 9:00 p.m. ET. Florida Atlantic plays at home against Charlotte on ESPN2 at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Houston is home against Baylor on ESPN. The Cougars won for the 13th time in their last 14 games in a 69-59 victory as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. The Bears won for the second time in their last three games in a 91-76 victory as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. Houston is a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Nevada hosts Fresno State on FS1 at 11 p.m. ET as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 142. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/09/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 09, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Football League concludes its season with Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Kansas City Chiefs challenge the Philadelphia  Eagles on Fox at 6:30 p.m. et. The Chiefs reached the Super Bowl with their 32-29 victory against the Buffalo Bills as a 1-point favorite on January 26th. The Eagles are on a five-game winning streak after their 55-23 victory against the Washington Commanders as a 6-point favorite two weeks ago. Kansas City is a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 48.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The National Basketball Association has three games on its docket. The Detroit Pistons host the Charlotte Hornets at 1:10 p.m. ET as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 225. Two more NBA games tip off at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Rockets play at home against the Toronto Raptors as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 224.5. The Milwaukee Bucks are home against the Philadelphia 76ers on ABC at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Bucks lost for the fifth time in their last six games in a 115-110 upset loss at Atlanta as a 3-point favorite on Friday. The 76ers lost for the fourth time in their last five games in a 125-112 upset loss at Detroit as a 4.5-point favorite on Friday. Milwaukee is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 227.The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The Washington Capitals host the Utah Hockey Club at 12:37 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning travel to Montreal to face the Canadiens at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has eight games between Division I opponents. Four NCAAB games are on major national television. Two NCAAB games on major national television tip off at noon ET. Villanova plays at home against Xavier on FS1. The Wildcats ended a three-game losing with a 59-49 victory at DePaul as a 6.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Musketeers won for the second time in three games with a 74-69 victory as an 8.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Villanova is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 141.5.St. Bonaventure is home against George Washington on the USA Network at noon ET. The Bonnies had won two games in a row before a 77-53 loss at Loyola-Maryland as a 3.5-point underdog on Tuesday. The Colonels are on a two-game losing streak after a 53-50 loss to George Mason as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday. St. Bonaventure is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5.Two NCAAB games on major national television start at 2:00 p.m. ET. LaSalle hosts UMass on the USA Network. The Explorers lost for the second time in their last three games in a 96-66 loss at VCU as a 19-point underdog on Tuesday. The Minutemen lost for the second time in their last three games in a 73-71 loss to St. Louis as a 1.5-point underdog on Tuesday. LaSalle is a 1-point favorite with a total of 152. Memphis plays at home against Temple on ESPN2 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The Tigers are on a six-game winning streak after an 83-71 victory against Tulsa as a 16-point favorite on Wednesday. The Owls had won two games in a row before a 100-91 loss at South Florida as a 1-point underdog on Thursday. Memphis is a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 156.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/08/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 08, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has 11 games on its docket. The Dallas Mavericks host the Houston Rockets at 3:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite, with the total set at 226 (all odds from DraftKings). The Indiana Pacers travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on ESPN at 4:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 230. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Hawks play in Washington against the Wizards as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 241. The Orlando Magic play at home against the San Antonio Spurs as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 219. Three more NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Timberwolves are home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 6-point favorite with a total of 217. The Golden State Warriors are in Chicago to challenge the Bulls as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 235.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Memphis Grizzlies as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 241.5. The Boston Celtics play in New York against the Knicks on ABC at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 229.5. The Denver Nuggets are in Phoenix to battle the Suns at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 234.5. The Sacramento Kings host the New Orleans Pelicans at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 238. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home against the Utah Jazz at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 225. The National Hockey League has 14 games on its slate. Three NHL games drop the puck at 1:07 p.m. ET. The New Jersey Devils travel to Montreal to face the Canadiens as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning play in Detroit against the Red Wings on ABC as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are home against the Utah Hockey Club as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights visit Boston to go against the Bruins on ABC at 3:37 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Five NHL games begin at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Florida Panthers host the Ottawa Senators as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The St. Louis Blues play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play in Vancouver against the Canucks as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Philadelphia Flyers are home against the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The New York Rangers are in Columbus battle the Blue Jackets as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild host the New York Islanders as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Nashville Predators play at home against the Buffalo Sabres as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Dallas Stars travel to San Jose to challenge the Sharks as a -278 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Calgary Flames are home against the Seattle Kraken as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings host the Anaheim Ducks at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -278 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 155 games between Division I opponents. Nine NCAAB games are on major national television. Two NCAAB games on major national television tip-off at noon ET. Tennessee plays at Oklahoma on ESPN as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Michigan State plays at home against Oregon on Fox as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 147. Two NCAAB games on major national television begin at 1:00 p.m. ET. Wisconsin is at Iowa on NBC as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 162.5. Michigan travels to Indiana on CBS as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 152.5. Two more NCAAB games on major national television start at 2:00 p.m. ET. Kansas plays at Kansas State on ESPN as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Creighton is at home against Marquette on Fox as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 144.5. Duke visits Clemson on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 133.5. Alabama plays at Arkansas on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 163.5. Arizona hosts Texas Tech on ESPN at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 150.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/07/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 07, 2025

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The San Antonio Spurs travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as an 11.5-point road favorite with the total set at 227 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cleveland Cavaliers play in Washington against the Wizards as a 17.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 235.5. Three NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Miami Heat are in Brooklyn to face the Nets as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 210.5. The Milwaukee Bucks visit Atlanta to play the Hawks as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 240.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play in Detroit against the Pistons on ESPN at 7:40 p.m. ET. The 76ers lost for the third time in their last four games in a 108-101 setback against Miami as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday. The Pistons are on a two-game losing streak after a 118-115 loss to Cleveland as a 5-point underdog two days ago. Philadelphia is a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 224. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Toronto Raptors at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 19-point favorite with an over/under of 231. The Phoenix Suns play at home against the Utah Jazz at 10:10 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 232. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The New York Rangers are home against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets host the New York Islanders at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Nashville Predators are in Chicago to challenge the Blackhawks at 8:37 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers play at home against the Colorado Avalanche at 9:07 p.m. ET as a  -185 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los  Angeles Clippers are home against the Dallas Stars at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favor with an over/under of 5.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has seven games between Division I opponents. Five NCAAB games are on major national television. Two NCAAB games on major national television tip-off at 7:00 p.m. ET. VCU travels to Dayton on ESPN2 as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 139.5. Purdue hosts USC on FS1 as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. UConn plays at home against St. John’s on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Huskies are on a two-game winning streak after a 77-69 upset victory at Marquette last Friday as a 6-point underdog. The Red Storm are on a nine-game winning streak after a 70-64 victory at home against Marquette as a 2.5-point favorite on Tuesday. UConn is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 141.5. Two more NCAAB are on major national television at 9:00 p.m. ET. Saint Joseph’s is at home against Saint Louis on ESPNU as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Boise State hosts San Jose State on FS1 as a 14-point favorite with a total of 141.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/06/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 06, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks on TNT at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point favorite, with the total set at 230.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Houston Rockets travel to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 214. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Orlando Magic at 9:10 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 221.5. Two NBA games tip off at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Lakers are home against the Golden State Warriors on TNT as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. The Portland Trail Blazers host the Sacramento Kings as a 1-point favorite with a total of 229.5. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home against the Indiana Pacers at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Washington Capitals play in Philadelphia against the Flyers as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The New Jersey Devils are home against the Vegas Golden Knights as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Ottawa Senators as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Utah Hockey Club is in Columbus to face the Blue Jackets as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes visit Minnesota to challenge the Wild at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Florida Panthers play in St. Louis against the Blues at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche are in Calgary to battle the Flames at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5.The Toronto Maple Leafs travel to Seattle to go against the Kraken at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vancouver Canucks play in San Jose against the Sharks at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 59 games between Division I opponents. Eight NCAAB games are on major national television. Charleston plays at home against North Carolina A&T on the CBS Sports Network at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 20-point favorite with an over/under of 152. Three more NCAAB games tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Ohio State is at home against Maryland on FS1 as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 146.5. Marist is at Fairfield on ESPNU as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 131. Temple visits South Florida on ESPN2 as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 150.5. Liberty hosts Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134. Two more NCAAB games on major national television at 9:00 p.m. ET. UNC-Asheville plays at home against Gardner-Webb on ESPNU as a 6-point favorite with a total of 155. Saint Mary’s plays in San Francisco on ESPN2 as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 132. Oregon State is at home against Washington State on ESPN2 at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 146.5.

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UCF 312: Preview And Picks

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025

UFC 312 - Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2  Saturday, February 8thQudos Bank Arena - Sydney, AustraliaAll eyes will be on Sydney this Saturday. It'll mark the seventh time that the UFC has visited Australia's largest city, the first since 2023. Overall, this will be the 19th time that Australia has hosted a UFC event.  A few of the many memorable fights down under include Cain Velasquez vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira back in UFC 110 and Islam Makhachev over Alexander Volkanovski in UFC 284. Of course, who could forget Holly Holm's upset over Ronda Rousey in UFC 193. With a pair of titles on the line, Saturday's card is sure to produce more exciting memories. Let's take a closer look at some of the biggest fights.  The Main EventThe headliner features Drikus du Plessis taking on Sean Strickland for the middleweight title. Du Plessis is a -205 favorite. Recall that these fighters had a great battle against each other, a little over a year ago. It was a 5-round war that could have gone either way. Du Plessis won a split decision but a case could have been made for Strickland. Including that victory, the 31-year old South African fighter is now 10-0 his last 10 and 22-2 for his career. The 33-year old Strickland (29-6) followed up the narrow defeat against du Plessis by defeating Paulo Costo. (It was scored a split decision but most agree that Strickland actually won comfortably.) He's 4-1 his last five. Both fighters have a recent win against Israel Adesanya. Speaking of Adesanya, Strickland is looking to join "The Last Stylebender" as the only man to ever hold the middleweight belt more than once.  The winner of Saturday's main event could find himself matched up against Islam Makhachev. Willing to move up in weight, the reigning lightweight champion said this after his last fight: "I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but I told them I’m not [going to] leave this sport without second belt. I need the second belt to be, and after I’ll talk like ‘I’m the greatest’ or something. But right now, my goal is to be double champion. I don’t know if it’s going to be next fight or when, [but] I’m still fighting, still winning. I defend my belt how many times the UFC wants, I will defend. When they give me chance, I want to be double champion.”Prediction: This should be another extremely close fight. With the over 4.5 rounds listed at -200, its likely to again go the distance. That being the case, the value lies with the underdog Strickland.  The Co-Main EventThe women's strawweight title is on the line in the co-main event, as champion Zhang Weili (25-3) defends her belt against undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez. Off back-to-back title defenses, the 35-year old Weili has won four straight. The only person to beat her over the past decade is Rose Namajunas. Zhang is a warrior with a ton of heart. She's been in some incredible battles. The champ opened as the favorite. Yet, money has come in on the challenger and the 34-year old Suarez is now a slight -120 favorite. That says a lot about the talent which she possesses. (Weile has been the betting favorite in each of her last seven fights.) A former Olympic wrestling hopeful, Suarez long been considered a future champion. Now she finally gets her chance.  Here's what the champ had to say: “I believe I would fight Tatiana sooner or later because she has a great track record, and she’s also very high in the rankings. I think Tatiana is very good at grappling and wrestling, and I’m very happy I can fight with her in Australia. I think Tatiana is the best wrestler and grappler of all the opponents I have faced. But I think all of Tatiana’s strengths have a way to solve it and a way to handle it. I think Tatiana is a fighter who is very persistent. She has faced many adversities in her life so I’m sure she will be very persistent. I don’t think I need to prove people wrong. Tatiana is a good fighter and I understand why people think this is a close fight.” Prediction:  As most of Zhang's fights are, this should be an absolute war. As much as I like and respect Weili, Suarez's wrestling and grappling skills are on a different level. I'm likely not backing either fighter (although I may take a closer look at the over) but I'm sure not going to miss it. This has the potential to be one of the best fights of the year.  Don't BlinkOne fight on Saturday's card which could go either way features Viacheslav "Slava" Borshchev taking on Tom "Big Train" Nolan. Borshchev (8-4-1) is a 33-year old American fighter. Six of his eight victories have come by KO/TKO, three of those occurring in the first round. Hailing from Brisbane, the 24-year old Nolan will have the home crowd on his side. Six of his nine fights have been by KO/TKO. His last fight was a decision but his previous four all ended in the first round. Prediction: Both these guys are looking to knock the other out. I expect a first round stoppage. Play on the under 1.5 rounds. 

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Waste Management Phoenix Open Preview and Picks

by Matt Fargo

Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025

The PGA Tour will officially begin its season this week in the eyes of many as following a pair of destination events in Hawaii and then three straight tournaments with course rotations that also included a pair of pro-am’s, we finally have stability with a full arsenal of data and legitimate course history. While we are coming off a signature event at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am and with another signature event on deck at The Genesis Invitational, this would normally set up to be a lull in the schedule but not at TPC Scottsdale.The Greatest Show on Grass is the perfect middle stop in-between the signature events and in its usual spot on the schedule during Super Bowl week. The Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale has been a fan favorite for years and annually is the most attended event on tour, surpassing 700,000 spectators (they are not called patrons here) each year. Highlighted by The Colosseum, the par three No. 16 hole that accommodates 20,000 fans, this is the ultimate week long Darty.TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course is a 7,261-yard par 71 featuring two-inch fairway rough, 67 bunkers, six holes with water hazards, firm TifEagle Bermudagrass green complexes with Poa Overseed, making this a classic dessert course all around. Scoring is low but this is not a birdie-fest as the winning score was between -16 and -19 from 2017 through 2023 until Nick Taylor and Charley Hoffman went to a playoff last year after finishing -21, eventually won by Taylor on the second playoff hole.Sandwiched around the two signature events hurts the field but there are still plenty of big names and intriguing storylines. Five of the top 15 in the OWGR will be teeing it up, Scottie Scheffler, Hideki Matsuyama, Wyndham Clark, Justin Thomas, and Sahith Theegala, while players that have played well to start the season, Sungjae Im, Sam Burns, Tom Kim and Sepp Straka will also help headline along with past winners Taylor, Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland.Course fit and history is important to succeed here as TPC Scottsdale is No. 3 on tour in terms of projecting future success, behind only Augusta National and Waialae CC. Last year was the perfect example with Taylor winning after finishing second in 2023 and we can expect contenders this year having had prior experience and success here. A correlation for the players that do well here is THE PLAYERS Championship as four of the top 10 in course history have won at TPC Sawgrass.Another connection in addition to success at TPC Sawgrass is doing well in Majors as nine of the last 11 winners at the WM Phoenix Open have also won either THE PLAYERS or a major championship and that tells us exactly what it takes. It is not one or two strengths that get it done but an all-around complete game that highlights Ball Striking and factors in Scrambling. As mentioned, it is not a birdie fest so hitting greens in regulation is pivotal and while SG: Putting is important everywhere, it is not a top key stat.Top three key categories this week:Strokes Gained: Ball StrikingScramblingPar 4s Gained: 450-500 YardsEach bet is Win/Top Five/Top Ten. The typical recommendation is 50%/25%/25% with odds, payouts and results based on a $1000 unit (easy round number for bookkeeping) on each of the following players. The payouts are listed right below the odds which are all from DraftKings:Sam BurnsOdds: Win 2,500 ~ Top Five 400 ~ Top Ten 210Payout: Win 1,250.00 ~ Top Five 100.00 ~ Top Ten 52.50Burns is off to a solid start this season with a T8 at The Sentry, T29 at the AMEX and a T22 at Pebble Beach which could have gone a lot better but his putter went ice cold on Sunday. He has contended with some elite fields throughout his career and while this one is not totally elite, there are big names and he has had success here of late with a T6 in 2023 and a T3 last year. He can be had for +2,000 in the Without Winner market.Sahith TheegalaOdds: Win 4,000 ~ Top Five 700 ~ Top Ten 330Payout: Win 2,000.00 ~ Top Five 175.00 ~ Top Ten 82.50Conversely, Theegala has not started the season well as a T36 at The Sentry is his best finish through four starts while going the wrong way after each finish but he has not missed a cut and he will be fine coming off a solid fall and he has made the weekend in his last 11 starts. His course fit makes him live here as he was runner-up in 2022 and finished solo fifth last year. The poor results put him in a great buy low spot.Billy HorschelOdds: Win 6,000 ~ Top Five 900 ~ Top Ten 400Payout: Win 3,000.00 ~ Top Five 225.00 ~ Top Ten 100.00Horschel is trending the right way as after a MC at The Sony, he finished T21 at The AMEX and then a Sunday 66 propelled him to a T9 at Pebble Beach. He has been a mainstay here with 12 straight starts, making the cut 11 times including a pair of top ten finishes. He called out the crowds last year so he might get some negative reactions but if there is anyone that feeds off that, he is the one.Maverick McNealyOdds: Win 6,000 ~ Top Five 900 ~ Top Ten 400Payout: Win 3,000.00 ~ Top Five 225.00 ~ Top Ten 100.00We had McNealy last week and he was a big disappointment as he finished No. 7 in SG: Tee-To-Green and he could have fared better if not for a bad week with the putter as he was fifth to last in SG: Putting. That was an anomaly as he has finished positive SG: Putting the last five years and even an average week is fine here. If he hits the ball like he did at Pebble Beach, he can make a run similar to last year as he finished T6.Rickie FowlerOdds: Win 7,000 ~ Top Five 1,100 ~ Top Ten 500Payout: Win 3,500.00 ~ Top Five 275.00 ~ Top Ten 125.00Fowler has our deepest odds this week and he is another buy low candidate with great course history. He is coming off a disappointing T53 at Pebble Beach last week which was just his second start after a T21 at the AMEX. He was average across the board last week but now he hits a place he loves. He won here in 2019, going into Sunday with a four shot lead and he also has a pair of runner-ups and a T10 two years ago.Results through the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am (3 Tournaments):Win: -6,500Top Five: -3,250Top Ten: +600

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/05/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has 11 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The San Antonio Spurs travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks on ESPN as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 241.5. The Milwaukee Bucks play at Charlotte against the Hornets as a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 219. The Cleveland Cavaliers are in Detroit to play the Pistons as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 236. Three NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Brooklyn Nets host the Washington Wizards as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 217. The Memphis Grizzlies visit Toronto to play the Raptors as an 8.5-point road favorite with a total of 241.5. The Miami Heat play in Philadelphia against the 76ers as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 215. The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the Chicago Bulls at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 226. Two NBA games begin at 9:10 p.m. ET. The Denver Nuggets are home against the New Orleans Pelicans as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 239.5. The Golden State Warriors are in Utah to challenge the Jazz as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 229. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Phoenix Suns on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 226.5. The Sacramento Kings play at home against the Orlando Magic at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 5-point favorite with a total of 217.5. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. The New York Rangers are home against the Boston Bruins on TNT at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Chicago to play the Blackhawks on TNT at 9:37 p.m. ET as a -278 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings are home against the Montreal Canadiens at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 55 games between Division I opponents. Ten NCAAB games are on major national television. Butler plays at Seton Hall on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 136. Three more NCAAB games are on major national television at 7:00 p.m. ET. Wofford hosts Chattanooga on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 144. Duke is at Syracuse on ESPN2 as a 17.5-point road favorite with a total of 143.5. Central Florida plays at home against Cincinnati on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Creighton visits Providence on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 143.5. Three more major nationally televised games begin at 9:00 p.m. ET. Villanova plays at DePaul on the CBS Sports Network as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 142. Texas is home against Arkansas on ESPN2 as a 7-point favorite with a total of 144. Arkansas State is at Marshall on the ESPNU as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 150. New Mexico hosts Colorado State on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 149. Stanford plays at home against Wake Forest on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/04/2024

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 04, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. The Philadelphia 76ers host the Dallas Mavericks at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite, with the total set at 225. Three more NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Boston Celtics on TNT as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The Houston Rockets travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets as a 9-point road favorite with a total of 208.5. The New York Knicks play at Toronto against the Raptors as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Miami Heat are in Chicago to play the Bulls at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 228.5. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Clippers are home against the Los Angeles Lakers on TNT as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 220. The Indiana Pacers visit Portland to face the Trail Blazers as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 233.The National Hockey League has 14 games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Buffalo Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning play at home against the Ottawa Senators as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The New Jersey Devils play in Pittsburgh against the Penguins as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Florida Panthers are in Washington to challenge the Capitals as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Boston Bruins are home against the Minnesota Wild as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Vegas Golden Knights travel to New York to battle the Islanders at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Two more NHL games begin at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Oilers play in St. Louis against the Blues as a -185 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are in Winnipeg to face the Jets as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Two more NHL games start at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Toronto Maple Leafs travel to Calgary to play the Flames as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Utah Hockey Club hosts the Philadelphia Flyers as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Two NHL games begin at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Seattle Kraken play at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche play in Vancouver against the Canucks as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Two more games complete the NHL card at 10:37 p.m. ET. The Dallas Stars are in Anaheim against the Ducks as a -230 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Montreal Canadiens visit the San Jose Sharks as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 34 games between Division I opponents. 14 NCAAB games are on major national television. St. John’s is at home against Marquette on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5. Five more NCAAB games on major national television. Drake plays at Murray State on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 123. Wichita State is at Charlotte on ESPNU as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Mississippi hosts Kentucky on ESPN as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. VCU plays at home against LaSalle on the CBS Sports Network as an 18-point favorite with an over/under of 144. Purdue travels to visit Iowa on Peacock as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 155. Xavier is home against Georgetown on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. ET as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Three NCAAB games on major national television. Texas Tech hosts Baylor on ESPN 2 as an 8-point favorite with a total of 141. Wisconsin plays at home against Indiana on Peacock as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 152. Loyola-Chicago is at home against St. Bonaventure on the CBS Sports Network as a 2-point favorite with a total of 131.5. UCLA hosts Michigan State on Peacock at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Two more NCAAB games are on major national television at 11:00 p.m. ET. BYU plays at home against Arizona on ESPN as a 2-point favorite with a total of 152. Boise State plays at UNLV on the CBS Sports Network as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/03/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 03, 2025

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has ten games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Detroit Pistons host the Atlanta Hawks as a 4-point favorite with the total set at 234.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Charlotte Hornets play at home against the Washington Wizards as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 217. The New York Knicks are home against the Houston Rockets at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 5-point favorite with a total of 224. Three NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Memphis Grizzlies host the San Antonio Spurs as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 242. The Oklahoma City Thunder play at home against the Milwaukee Bucks as a 10-point favorite with a total of 233. The Minnesota Timberwolves are home against the Sacramento Kings as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. Two NBA games begin at 9:10 p.m. ET. The Denver Nuggets host the New Orleans Pelicans as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 240. The Indiana Pacers travel to Utah to play the Jazz as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 238.5. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Orlando Magic as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 212.5. The Phoenix Suns play at Portland against the Trail Blazers as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 230. The National Hockey League has one game on its slate. The Nashville Predators are home against the Ottawa Senators at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 21 games between Division I opponents. Seven NCAAB games are on major national television. Colgate is at Lehigh on the CBS Sports Network at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Two more NCAAB games on major national television start at 7:00 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh hosts Virginia on ESPN as a 12-point favorite with a total of 133. Norfolk State plays at home against North Carolina Central on ESPNU as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 145. Charleston visits William & Mary on the CBS Sports Network at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 165.5. Two more NCAAB games on major national television. Grambling State is home against Alcorn State on ESPNU as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 129.5. UAB hosts North Texas on ESPN2 as a 1-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Kansas plays at home against Iowa State on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.Matchweek 24 in the English Premier League continues with one match. Chelsea is home against West Ham United on the USA Network at 2:30 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. 

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