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Big Al's Daily Angle, NBA, EPL, NHL and NCAA Basketball Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 20, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in NCAA basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League.The college basketball card tips off at noon PM ET. Central Florida plays at Tulane on ESPN2 in a pick ‘em matchup with the total set at 127.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Indiana hosts Michigan State on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.Villanova is at home against UConn on Fox at 1 PM ET. The Wildcats are ranked 10th in the nation in the AP poll and are 6.5-point favorites, with the total at 137.5. Tennessee plays at home against Kentucky on CBS, at 1 pm. The Volunteers are ranked 19th by the AP and are 7-point favorites with an over/under of 135.Kansas hosts Texas Tech in a battle of nationally-ranked Big 12 teams at 2 PM ET. The Jayhawks are ranked 23rd by the AP, while the Red Raiders are ranked 15th. Kansas is a 1.5-point favorite with the total at 134. Missouri visits South Carolina on ESPN2. The Tigers are ranked 20th by the AP and are 3.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 151.5. VCU plays at home against George Mason on the NBC Sports Network at 2:30 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with the total at 133.Texas is at home against West Virginia on ABC at 3 PM ET in another nationally-ranked showdown of Big 12 teams. The Longhorns are ranked 12th in the AP poll, with the Mountaineers ranked 13th. Texas is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147. BYU visits Loyola-Marymount on the CBS Sports Network as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 137. Stanford plays at Washington State on ESPN2 at 4 PM ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 134. LSU hosts Auburn on ESPN as a 4-point favorite with the total at 163. Seton Hall travels to Georgetown on the CBS Sports Network at 5:30 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 141. Oklahoma visits Iowa State on ESPN2 at 6 PM ET. The ninth-ranked Sooners are an 11-point road favorite with a total of 142.5. North Carolina is at home against Louisville on ESPN as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. San Diego State visits Fresno State at 7:30 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network. The 25th ranked Aztecs are 14-point road favorites with a total of 129.5. Gonzaga plays at home against San Diego on ESPN2 at 8 PM ET.  The number-one ranked Bulldogs are a 32.5-point favorite with an over/under of 154.5. Virginia visits Duke as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 131.5 on ESPN. Colorado is at Oregon State on ESPNU as a 7-point favorite with the total at 135.5. California plays at Washington on ESPNU at 10 PM ET in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 140.5. UCLA hosts Arizona State on ESPN2 as a 7.5-point favorite with the total at 145.Five games are on the NBA slate starting at 8 PM ET, with Golden State playing at Charlotte. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Miami Heat at 8:30 PM ET on ABC. In the first meeting between these two teams since the NBA Finals, the Lakers are a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 214. The card concludes at 10 PM ET with Portland at home against Washington as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 242.Twelve games are on the NHL schedule. Two games begin the card at 12:30 PM ET. New Jersey is at home against Buffalo as a -120 money line favorite with the over/under at 5.5. Washington hosts the New York Rangers as a -145 money line favorite with the total at 6. Vegas plays against Colorado outdoors in Lake Tahoe on NBC at 3 PM ET. These two teams played on Tuesday, with the Avalanche winning in Las Vegas, 3-2. Colorado is a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The NHL card concludes at 10 PM ET with Edmonton playing at home against Calgary.Four matches continue Matchweek 25 in the English Premier League. Chelsea visits Southampton on the NBC Sports Network at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.75 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.5. Burley hosts West Bromwich Albion on the NBC Sports Network at 10 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Liverpool plays at home against Everton on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -1.25 goal line favorite with a total of 3. Fulham is at home against Sheffield United on the NBC Peacock app at 3 PM ET as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.25.

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NCAA Friday Night Basketball: Utah State/Boise State Preview

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 19, 2021

Friday night on FS1 features a rematch from Wednesday involving two teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble battling for first place in the Mountain West Conference.Boise State defeated Utah State two days ago, 79-70, as a 1.5-point favorite. Derrick Alston led the way with 26 points. The 6’9 senior is scoring 17.4 points-per-game while making 42.6% of his shots from 3-point range. Marcus Shaver, Jr. added 12 points, with the junior third on the team with an 11.6 points-per-game scoring average. Senior forward Abu Kigab is the Broncos’ second-leading scorer with a 12.5 points-per-game scoring average.Head coach Leon Rice has built a consistently strong program in Boise. After failing to register at least 20 wins for the first time since the 2011-12 season two years ago, the Broncos’ rebounded with a 20-12 campaign last year that would have likely concluded with an invitation to the NIT. Rice returned four rotation players from that group, including Alston, who earned second-team All-Mountain West Conference honors. Alston may be the top NBA prospect in the conference. Kigab was a 20-game starter last season who averaged 11.1 points-per-game. Rice brought in six transfers, including Shaver, who averaged double-digits in scoring for two seasons at Portland. Two former top-100 recruits transferred from Arizona, Emmanuel Akot and Devonaire Doutrive, are averaging more than 20 minutes-per-game. Akot is finding a role with the team with three double-digit scoring efforts in his last five games. Doutrive is questionable tonight with a dental issue. Boise State, 16-4, leads the Mountain West Conference with a 13-3 record. The Broncos may need the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament as they are ranked 60th in the current kenpom ratings. They have a quality non-conference victory against BYU. Their four losses are against Houston in non-conference play along with Colorado State and twice to Nevada. Rice has a balanced team that ranks 59th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 54th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. Boise State makes the most of its offensive possessions. They are fifth in the nation, with only 5.5% of their shot attempts getting blocked. They only turn the ball over in 15.9% of their possessions, 26th nationally, due to opponents only registering steals in 6.9% of their possessions, 14th nationally. The Broncos limit their opponents to rebound only 22.1% of their missed shots, ranking 13th in the nation.Utah State got 32 points and ten rebounds on Wednesday from Neemias Queta. The 7’0 junior is scoring 13.5 points-per-game while adding 9.2 rebounds-per-game. Marco Anthony added 11 points against Boise State. The junior guard, a transfer from Virginia, averages 11.2 points-per-game. Justin Bean scored another 10 points. The junior forward scores 10.1 points-per-game and pulls down 7.2 rebounds-per-game.The Aggies, 14-6, are tied with Colorado State for second place in the Mountain West Conference with an 11-3 record. They have two quality wins against San Diego State. Their three losses in conference play are against UNLV along with the Rams and Broncos. They have non-conference losses against BYU, VCU, and South Dakota State, with the latter being the most significant liability in their NCAA Tournament resume. Craig Smith’s team ranks 52nd in the kenpom ratings.Led by Queta and Bean, Utah State is 20th in the nation with a 34.9% offensive rebounding rate. The Aggies rank 110th in adjusted offensive efficiency. This team is elite on the other end of the court. Utah State is 16th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. Queta’s presence down low helps them block 14.7% of their opponent’s shot attempts, 11th nationally. These opponents make only 42.7% of their shots inside the arc, fifth nationally. Utah State also holds their opponents to second-chance scoring opportunities in just 20.9% of their possessions, fifth-best in the nation.The weakness of this Utah State team could be their lack of a traditional point guard. That is the role Sam Merrill embraced while scoring 19.7 points-per-game. Queta is second on the team with a 2.8 assists-per-game mark. Freshman Rollie Worster leads the team with a 3.4 assists-per-game average.Boise State hopes to extend their home winning streak to eleven games in tonight’s rematch at 10 PM ET. BetAnySports lists the Broncos as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 142.

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Ness Notes: Feb 19 NBA "State of the Union"

by Larry Ness

Friday, Feb 19, 2021

The 2020-21 NBA season tipped off on December 22, meaning we are just about two full months into the current season, which consists of a 72-game schedule, not the usual 82-game one. The NBA All Star break is rapidly approaching, as the first half of the season ends March 4. The All Star break will last from March 5-10 (All Star game will be played Mar 7 in Atlanta), with games resuming on March 11. The NBA trade deadline is Mar 25 and the regular season ends May 16.A Play-In Tournament will run from May 18-21 with the following format. The seventh and eighth seed in each conference will play each other for the seventh spot in the playoffs. The ninth and 10th seed teams will play each other for a chance to play the loser of the seven/eight game. The winner of that final matchup will get the eighth spot in the playoffs. The playoffs are scheduled to start May 22 and run through July 22. So where are we as of Feb 19? Glad you asked.Starting in the West, which features the league's three-winningest teams. Back on Opening Night (Dec 22), the Clippers and Lakers met in Staples Center with the Clippers beating the defending champs by the score of 116-109. The Staples Center co-tenants were expected to be the West's top teams this season and the Lakers are 22-8 (.733) overall while owning the NBA's best road record (13-3). The Clippers check in at 21-9 (.700), just one game back of the Lakers. The Clippers own a slight edge over the Lakers in point-differential, leading with a plus-6.8 PPG average to the Lakers' plus-6.5. The Clippers are 17-13 ATS, while the Lakers check in at just 14-16. Each team owns a pair of Superstars. For the Lakers it's LBJ (25.9-8.2-7.9) and A.D. (22.5 & 8.4) and for the Clippers, it's Kawhi (26.7-5.9-5.0) and Paul George (24.4-6.2-5.5). No one will be surprised that LBJ hasn't missed a single game (he's averaging 34.6 minutes at age 36) but the health status of the remaining three will have a lot to do with how the two LA teams fare the rest of the way. A.D, has already missed seven games for the Lakers and just last night had his injuries reevaluated by team doctors and the word is he will be out four weeks. Kawhi has already missed seven games and George 10. Both are listed as out for Friday's game with the Jazz (more in a bit), Kawhi with a leg injury and George with a foot injury. Only time will tell.The second half of ESPN's Friday doubleheader will feature the Clippers hosting the Utah Jazz. The teams just met Wednesday night at Staples Center, with the Jazz routing the Clippers (minus Kawhi and George) 114-96. Utah has 'quietly' built a juggernaut in Salt Lake City in the 2020-21 season. The Jazz ended last season by blowing a 3-1 lead in the Opening Round of last season's playoffs to the Denver Nuggets and after eight games of the current season, Utah was just 4-4. However, "look at them now!" Wednesday's win over the Clippers was Utah's 20th win in its last 21 games (19-2 ATS). NINETEEN of the team's 20 wins in its current streak have come by double digits, giving the Jazz the league's best overall record (24-5, .828), it's best ATS record at 22-7 and the league's top point-differential (plus-9.6 PPG). Guards Donovan Mitchell (24.2-4.4-5.1) and Mike Conley (16.5 & 5.8 APG) plus center Rudy Gobert (14.2 & 13.4) are All Star quality players, while Jordan Clarkson (18.2) will surely be in the running for Sixth-Man-of-the-year. Then there is Quin Snyder, who may be the best NBA head coach no one has really ever heard about.Moving over to the Eastern Conference, I'll start with a trio of disappointments. The Miami Heat entered last season's playoffs as the East's No. 5 seed but made it all the way to the Finals, before falling to the Lakers in six games. Miami went a MONEY-MAKING 16-5 ATS in the postseason but a check of the current standings (through Feb 18) show the Heat at 12-17, leaving them a half-game out of the top-10 (see above for the "Play-In" format). What's more, last postseason's MONEY-MAKERS are the current season's MONEY-BURNERS, as Miami owns the NBA's worst ATS record at 9-18-1. The Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA title and last season, even after Kawhi left for the Clippers, the Raptors' 53-19 regular season record was second to only Milwaukee's 56-17 mark (more on the Bucks coming). Toronto opened the season 2-8 but have rebounded somewhat (12-7 its last 19) but remain a sub-.500 team with a 14-15 record. The Boston Celtics were considered a real contender to win the Eastern Conference and opened 8-3 but Boston is currently just 14-14 (6-11 since its fast start) and word around the league is that the Celtics are mulling trade options as the deadline approaches.While the West's top-three teams all own winning percentages of .700 or better, the East's top-three teams are the 19-10 (.655) Philadelphia 76ers, the 19-12 (.613) Brooklyn Nets and the HUGELY disappointing 16-13 (.552) Milwaukee Bucks. I don't know what to make of the Bucks. Milwaukee was 60-22 in the 2018-19 regular season and 56-17 in last year's pandemic-shortened one but flopped in the playoffs both times. The Bucks haven't looked 'right' all season but won FIVE straight (also 5-0 ATS) to open February and sat 16-8. However, the Bucks have followed by losing FIVE in a row (also 0-5 ATS) and despite owning the East's best point-differential (plus-6.5), what should we make of a team that's seen its winning percentage drop from .748 the last two seasons, to .552 this season (Bucks are just 13-16 ATS).The 76ers own the East's best overall record on the strength of the team's 12-2 home record (Sixers are 7-8 on the road). Embiid's a load' when he plays (he's missed six games), averaging 29.7 & 10.8, while PF Harris (20.8 & 7.7) and PG Simmons (15.2-8.3-8.0) form an excellent trio That said, Philly's point-differential is a sorry plus-2.9 and the 76era are 14-14-1 ATS. Many questioned Steve Nash taking over in Brooklyn as its head coach (no previous experience) but all-in-all, he seems to be doing a pretty good job. Then again, he does have three future HOF players on his roster. K.D.'s health continues to be a question, as Durant (29.0-7.3-5.3) has missed 12 of the team's first 31 games (and counting) plus Kyrie (27.7-4.7-5.6) will NEVER win teammate of the year honors. He's missed 10 of Brooklyn's 31 games, as well. Then there's James "No Ring" Harden, who has averaged 24.2-8.2-11.7 in his 17 games with the Nets, after he 'pouted' his way out of Houston. Fact is, the Nets are 12-5 since Harden arrived (were 7-7 without him) and are currently on a five-game winning streak SU & ATS. It's not a stretch that the Nets just could be the East's best team. However, it's still a LONG way to May 16 (end of the regular season). Good luck...Larry

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

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 19, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in NCAA basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League.The nationally-televised college basketball schedule begins at 7 PM ET. Iona hosts Monmouth on ESPNU. The Gaels, 6-5, lost their second-straight game on Wednesday in a 74-70 upset loss at Quinnipiac as a 7-point favorite. The Hawks, 10-5, take the court for the first time since February 6th when they defeated Manhattan, 71-69, as a 4.5-point favorite. Iona is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Saint Louis travels to Dayton on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET. The Billikens improved to 11-3 with their fourth straight victory on Tuesday with their 78-57 win against La Salle as a 16.5-point favorite. The Flyers dropped to 11-7 on Tuesday in their 91-89 loss at Rhode Island as a 2.5-point underdog. Saint Louis is a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 136.5.Akron visits Ball State on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Zips raised their record to 13-4 with an 81-76 victory against Northern Illinois as a 15.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The Cardinals, 7-10, lost their fifth game in their last six in a 75-62 loss to Bowling Green as a 4-point underdog on Tuesday. Akron is a 4.5-point road favorite, with the total at 143.Wyoming plays in Lubbock, Texas, where New Mexico is playing their designated home games on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET. The Cowboys, 11-9, defeated the Lobos at this site on Wednesday, 83-74, as a 6.5-point favorite. Wyoming is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Buffalo is at home against Toledo on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Bulls improved to 9-6 with their third straight win in an 86-54 win against Western Michigan as a 14.5-point favorite last Friday. The Rockets improved to 17-6 with an 87-75 win against Miami (OH) as an 11-point favorite on Tuesday. Buffalo is a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 161.5. Boise State hosts Utah State on FS1 at 10 PM ET. The Broncos improved to 17-4 on Wednesday in a 79-70 victory against the Aggies as a 1.5-point favorite. Utah State fell to 14-6 with the loss. Boise State is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5 in the rematch. UC-Santa Barbara plays at home against Cal-State Bakersfield on ESPNU at 11 PM ET. The Gauchos, 13-3, won their tenth straight game on Saturday with their 81-74 victory at Hawai’i as a 5.5-point favorite. The Roadrunners, 14-7, won their third game in a row last Saturday with a 65-50 win against Cal-San Diego as an 8.5-point favorite. UC-Santa Barbara is an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 130.5.The NBA has ten games on the docket. A doubleheader on ESPN tips off at 7:30 PM ET with Chicago playing at Philadelphia. The Bulls won their second straight game on Wednesday with their 105-102 victory against Detroit as a 3-point favorite. The 76ers’ ended a three-game losing streak with a 118-113 win against Houston as an 8.5-point favorite on Wednesday.The nightcap on ESPN is a rematch of Utah’s 114-96 win in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 7-point favorite on Wednesday. The Jazz won their ninth straight game with that victory. The Clippers had their four-game winning steak snapped with the loss. Four games are on the NHL schedule. Two games begin the slate at 7 PM ET. Carolina hosts Chicago as a -186 money line favorite with a total of 6, and Florida visits Detroit as a -171 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The card concludes at 10 PM ET with Vancouver playing at home against Winnipeg as a -109 money line favorite with a total of 6.Matchweek 25 of the English Premier League begins at 3 PM ET with Leed United traveling to play Wolverhampton in a pick ‘em matchup with the over/under at 2.5. The match is on the NBC Peacock app.

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NBA Weekend Shootaround: February 20-21

by Sean Murphy

Friday, Feb 19, 2021

We went 4-1 on leans recommended inside this column last Friday so we'll try our luck again this week with a full slate of games on deck Saturday and Sunday. Here are five situations to consider as you handicap the weekend board.SaturdayPacers at RocketsThe Rockets should be thrilled to get back home following a tough road trip that saw them go winless in three games. In fact, Houston hasn't posted a victory since back on February 4th in Memphis. As much as I'd like to back the Rockets in this clear bounce-back spot at home, the matchup doesn't suggest such a play. The Pacers will undoubtedly get up for this one after scuffing their heels in their last two games, losing at home against Chicago before needing overtime to defeat the lowly T'Wolves in Minnesota. Dealing with a number of key injuries and struggling to find any consistency with the personnel they have in place, the Rockets just appear unworthy of our dollars right now. Suns at GrizzliesPhoenix recently went through a rebuilding phase of sorts similar to what Memphis is in the midst of right now. The Grizzlies have made positive strides this season, entering last night's action with a .500 record. With that being said, I see this as a tough back-to-back spot, even with the Suns in the exact same situation (except needing to travel as well after playing in New Orleans on Friday). Phoenix will be looking for revenge here after letting down their guard in a 108-104 loss in Memphis back in January. SundayT'Wolves at KnicksThis looks like a layup for the surging Knicks at home against the T'Wolves on Sunday. I'm just not convinced they take the matchup seriously enough to cover what is likely to be an inflated pointspread. New York had a wrench thrown in its schedule with Saturday's game against the Spurs postponed. The last time we saw New York play it got off to a fast start but couldn't keep it up and ultimately got squashed by 18 points in Orlando. While Minnesota still isn't winning many games, it has been competitive in virtually every contest since late January (entering Friday's action at least).Nuggets at HawksThe Hawks have played well for stretches this season but limped into their two-game set in Boston earlier in the week. Give them credit for rising to the occasion in the first of those two contests, winning on the strength of a huge night from Trae Young. I like the spot for them here, returning home to host an uneven Nuggets squad that might already have one foot on the plane, looking forward to returning home after a four-game road trip out east. Denver will host Damian Lillard and the Blazers on Tuesday night. Nets at ClippersBrooklyn is rolling along right now but most will be anticipating a letdown here after a couple of days off in La-La Land following Thursday's win over Lebron and the Lakers. I'm not sure that letdown will be in the cards against a Clippers squad that has had so many key pieces in and out of the lineup in recent games and comes off a tough two-game set against the red hot Utah Jazz. As long as Kawhi Leonard is in the lineup the Clips will undoubtedly earn the 'favorite' tag for this one but I wouldn't count out the Nets as they're finally playing a cohesive brand of basketball. 

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NCAA Thursday Night Basketball: Gonzaga/St. Mary's Preview

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 18, 2021

The number one team in the nation is showcased on ESPN in a battle of West Coast Conference rivals at 9 PM ET.Gonzaga improved their record to 20-0 this season on Saturday with their 100-61 victory at San Francisco as an 18.5-point favorite. Freshman Jalen Suggs led the way with 28 points in only 22 minutes of play. He is scoring 14.2 points-per-game while adding 5.4 rebounds-per-game and 4.8 assists-per-game. Sophomore Drew Timme leads the team with 19.4 points-per-game and 7.3 rebounds-per-game marks. Senior Corey Crispest scores another 19.2 points-per-game. All three players are National Player of the Year candidates. The number one team in the AP poll lead the nation with a 93.0 points-per-game scoring average. The Bulldogs are second nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They make 64.5% of their shots inside the arc, second nationally, and they are second nationally in effective field goal percentage. Gonzaga ranks sixth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. They are 36th with a steal rate of 11.2%, and they limit their opponents to rebounding 23.4% of their missed shots, 26th nationally. Mark Few’s team is 11-0 in the West Coast Conference. Their closest game was last week when they defeated BYU on the road, 82-71. The Bulldogs have racked up impressive non-conference victories against Iowa, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kansas, who are all are ranked 23rd or higher in the kenpom ratings.Saint Mary’s had not played in three weeks before last Saturday. The Gaels rallied from a 14 point deficit with 7:35 left in the game to even the score with seven seconds remaining but ultimately lost at Pepperdine, 60-58, as a 1-point underdog. Randy Bennett’s team was rusty from not having played since January 23rd as they shot 37.5% from the field. Six games have been postponed on their schedule this season. Four players score in double-digit,s with Tommy Kuhse leading the team with a 14.1 points-per-game scoring average. This group is not as proficient a scoring team as in recent seasons for the Gaels. Saint Mary’s ranks 137 in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. Their 28.9% shooting percentage from 3-point range in conference play is last in the West Coast Conference. The Gaels’ are 34th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They hold their opponents to rebounding 21.1% of their missed shots, seventh-best nationally. Saint Mary’s is 11-6 with their highest-profile victory against Colorado State, ranked 68th at kenpom. The Gaels are 2-4 in conference play with losses against Santa Clara, BYU, the Wave on Saturday, and these Bulldogs earlier in the season. They also lost to Memphis and San Diego State in non-conference play. Gonzaga won the first meeting between these two teams on January 16th at McKeon Pavilion, 73-59, as a 16.5-point favorite. Bennett has a career record of 11-41 in his tenure at Saint Mary’s against the Bulldogs.Gonzaga returns home for the first time after playing their last five games on the road. With easing health restrictions in the state, the parents of players will be in attendance at McCarthey Athletic Center for the first time this season.BookMaker lists Gonzaga as a 20.5-point favorite with the total set at 141.5.

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

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 18, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in NCAA basketball, the NBA, and the NHL.The college basketball card tips off at 5 PM ET with Presbyterian hosting South Carolina-Upstate as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 133 (odds courtesy of BetOnline).The nationally-televised college basketball schedule begins at 7 PM ET. Houston visits Wichita State on ESP2 at 7 PM ET. The Cougars rank sixth in the nation by the Associated Press with a 17-2 record after they defeated South Florida, 82-65, as a 13-point favorite last Wednesday. The Shockers, 12-4, won their fourth straight last Wednesday with a 61-60 victory at Central Florida as a 2-point favorite. Houston is a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 137.Iowa makes the trip to Madison to play a Wisconsin team looking to bounce back from a home loss to the #3-ranked Michigan Wolverines on Sunday.  This will be the first meeting of the season between these Big 10 rivals, and it will be broadcast on ESPN at 7 PM ET.  The game has been installed as a PK, with a total of 145.5.Vermont travels to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County on ESPNU at 7 PM ET. The Catamounts, 9-3, won their seventh straight game on Sunday in a 61-57 victory against Stony Brook as an 11-point favorite. The Retrievers, 13-4, play for the first time since February 8th, when they defeated Stony Brook, 60-48, as a 3-point favorite. Vermont is a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 133.BYU plays at Pacific on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET. The Cougars fell to 15-5 in their last game on February 8th in an 82-71 home loss to Gonzaga as an 11-point underdog. The Tigers, 6-6, lost their fifth game in six contests in their 80-76 loss at Loyola-Marymount as a 2-point underdog. BYU is a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 136.5.Gonzaga hosts Saint Mary’s on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Bulldogs are ranked number one in the nation by the AP with a 20-0 record. They last played on Saturday when they defeated San Francisco on the road, 100-61, as an 18.5-point favorite. The Gaels fell to 11-6 with a 60-58 loss at Pepperdine as a 1-point underdog on Saturday. Gonzaga is a 20-point favorite with the total at 143.5.Michigan plays at home against Rutgers on FS1 at 9 PM ET. The Wolverines are ranked third by the AP with a 14-1 record. They returned from a three-week hiatus from a COVID shut down by the University of Michigan athletics department with a 67-59 win at Wisconsin as a 0.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Scarlet Knights, 12-7, won their fifth game in their last six on Saturday with their 64-50 win against Northwestern as an 8-point favorite. Michigan is a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5.UCLA is at home against Arizona on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Bruins improved to 14-5 with a 64-61 win at Washington as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Wildcats fell to 14-7 on Saturday in a 63-61 loss to Oregon as a 1.5-point favorite. UCLA is a 1.5-point favorite with the total at 138.5.Winthrop travels to High Point on ESPNU at 9 PM ET. The Eagles improved to 18-1 on Friday with their 55-47 victory at Radford as a 6-point favorite. The Panthers dropped to 8-11 with a 69-68 upset loss to Charleston Southern as a 7.5-point favorite on Friday. Winthrop is a 9.5-point road favorite with the over/under at 142.5. San Diego State visits Fresno State on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET. The Aztecs raised their record to 15-4 with their 77-55 victory against San Jose State as a 29.5-point favorite last Wednesday. The Bulldogs improved to 9-7 with their 67-64 win at the Air Force as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. San Diego State is a 14-point road favorite with the total set at 130. Stanford plays at Washington on FS1 at 11 PM ET. The Cardinal, 13-8, won their third game in their last four with their 73-66 victory against Utah as a 5-point favorite on Saturday. The Huskies snapped a five-game losing streak to improve to 4-16 with their 65-63 upset win at Washington State as a 6-point underdog on Monday. Stanford is a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5.Oregon plays at home against Colorado on ESPN2 at 11 PM ET. The Ducks, 12-4, won at Arizona, 63-61, as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Buffaloes fell to 16-6 with their 71-63 upset loss as a 9-point favorite last Saturday. Oregon is a 3-point favorite with a total of 140.5.Three games are on the NBA slate with a double-header on TNT. Milwaukee hosts Toronto in the first game on TNT at 7 PM ET. The Bucks lost their fourth in a row on Tuesday in a 124-113 upset loss to the Raptors. Toronto snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory.The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against Brooklyn in the TNT nightcap at 10 PM ET. The Lakers won their eighth game in their last nine with a 112-104 win at Minnesota as a 6-point favorite on Tuesday. The Nets won their fourth in a row on Tuesday in a 128-124 comeback victory at Phoenix as an 8.5-point underdog. Nine games are on the NHL docket. Six games begin the card at 7 PM ET. Minnesota visits Anaheim to close out the schedule at 10 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. None of the games are on national television.

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NCAA Wednesday Night Basketball: USC/Arizona State Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Feb 17, 2021

Wednesday night basketball on ESPN2 features a battle of Pac-12 foes looking to extend recent winning streaks.Arizona State returned to the court last week after experiencing their second pause because of COVID this season. The Sun Devils had not played since January 30th before hosting Oregon last Thursday in a 75-64 loss. Bobby Hurley’s team rebounded on Sunday by defeating Oregon State, 75-73, as a 4-5-point favorite for their third win in their last four games. Remy Martin scored a team-high 23 points in the victory against the Beavers. The senior leads the Sun Devils with a 19.2 points-per-game scoring average. Arizona State had been on a six-game losing streak through most of January before winning their last two against California and the Cardinal before their most recent pause in play. The Sun Devils also experienced a three-week hiatus earlier in the season. It took three weeks for them to get back on the court after getting upset by UTEP, 76-63, despite being a 13-point favorite on December 16th. Arizona State was without four players in their regular rotation, including captain Remy Martin when they returned to the court on January 7th against UCLA. Yet the undermanned group took the Bruins to overtime before losing, 81-75. This team was considered Hurley’s most talented in his sixth year with the program. Martin and Alonzo Verge bypassed the NBA to return to the team, and Hurley added a five-star potential one-and-done recruit in Josh Christopher. COVID complications and playing shorthanded explains much of the reasons why the Sun Devils are 7-9 at this point of the season. Yet the play on the court has been a disappointment. Arizona State is last in the Pac-12 by making only 30.7% of their shots from 3-point land in conference play, which is problematic in Hurley’s run-and-gun system that prioritizes 3-point shooting. The Sun Devils take 38.0% of their attempts from behind the arc, 166th most in the nation. Yet only 29.1% of their points come from these shots, 217th nationally. Arizona State is ninth place in the Pac-12 with a 4-6 record, with a win against Stanford being their most impressive accomplishment. Hurley has lost three players due to COVID, with Taeshon Curry in the COVID being the most significant as he averaged over 16 minutes-per-game. The Sun Devils have rarely been at full strength this season. Freshmen Josh Christopher and Marcus Bagley did not play on Sunday and are both listed as questionable with injuries. Christopher is second on the team with a 14.3 points-per-game scoring average, with Bagley fourth with his 11.8 points-per-game clip. USC won their sixth straight game on Saturday in a 76-65 win at Washington State as an 8-point favorite. Tahj Eddy scored a season-high 29 points in the victory. The senior transfer from Santa Clara is second on the team with a 13.5 points-per-game scoring average, and he has scored 69 points in his last four games. Evan Mobley leads the Trojans with 16.6 points-per-game and 9.9 rebounding-per-game marks. The 7’0 five-star freshman helps the team rank 11th in the nation by blocking 14.8% of their opponent’s shots. Andy Enfield’s team ranks 17th in the Associated Press poll with a 17-3 record. USC leads UCLA by one game atop the Pac-12 standings with an 11-2 record. The Trojans have defeated Arizona and the Bruins in conference play while earning an impressive non-conference victory against BYU. Their three losses were against Oregon State and Colorado and a non-conference setback to UConn.USC ranks 29th in the adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They rebound 36.5% of their missed shots, 7th best nationally, with a free throw rate that is 23rd in the nation. The Trojans are ninth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They are fifth in opponent’s effective field goal percentage with a 43.6% clip due to their stout defense inside the arc as they hold their opponents to 42.5% shooting of their 2-point shots, 2nd nationally.BetAnySports lists USC as a 10-point favorite with the total set at 147.

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NHL Handicapping: Covid Concerns

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Feb 17, 2021

We've seen a number of teams sidelined for extended periods in the early stages of this unique 2021 NHL season. We're beginning to gain a better understanding of what to expect from these teams following the long layoffs. Here's a quick breakdown.Dallas StarsThis was a unique situation as the Stars weren't able to start the season on time due to Covid protocols. Somewhat surprisingly, Dallas came roaring out of the gates, scoring 19 goals in four consecutive wins. Again, that situation was a little different as it came at the onset of the season, unlike those other squads that have had to abruptly stop playing. Carolina HurricanesThe 'Canes were able to start the season on time, going 2-1 over their first three games before postponing their next three contests. When they returned to the ice, they enjoyed success similar to that of the Stars, reeling off four straight wins, albeit scoring just 11 goals in the process. Vegas Golden KnightsThe Knights were forced to postpone three straight games in late January-early February. When they got back in action they also thrived, securing three straight wins, scoring a whopping 14 goals along the way. Buffalo SabresHere's where things look a little different but perhaps it's not difficult to understand why. The Sabres missed six straight games, sitting idle for the first two weeks of February. Not surprisingly, they've been sluggish since returning to play, dropping consecutive games against the Islanders while scoring only one goal. Colorado AvalancheThe Avs got back to game action after a five-game absence on Sunday in Las Vegas, and proceeded to drop a 1-0 decision. They did manage to follow that up with a 3-2 victory against the Knights on Tuesday.New Jersey DevilsThe jury is still out on the Devils as they've played just once following an extended six-game absence due to Covid protocols. That one game went well as they skated to a 5-2 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night. We'll see how they fare as the rest of the week unfolds as they'll play three games in four nights from Thursday-Sunday - a tough stretch at the best of times.Minnesota WildLike the Sabres, the Wild were sidelined for six consecutive games and when they returned to the ice they were blanked by a 4-0 score in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Based on the data we have to work from so far this season, the key takeaway is the longer the layoff the more difficult it is for teams to get going again - not exactly a groundbreaking discovery, but worth noting nonetheless. There have been four teams that have missed five games or more and three of them managed to score a goal or less in their first game back on the ice. Note that the Flyers have just started practicing again with their tally of games missed due to Covid protocols standing at four games and counting. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAA Basketball, NBA, NHL, UEFA Champions League and EPL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Feb 17, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in NCAA basketball, the NBA, the NHL, the English Premier League, and the UEFA Champions League.The nationally-televised college basketball schedule tips off at 6:30 PM ET, with Butler playing at home against Marquette, on Fox Sports 1. The Bulldogs, 7-11, ended a two-game winning streak with a 78-63 loss at Georgetown a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Golden Eagles, 9-12, lost their third straight game with a 57-51 loss at Seton Hall as a 6.5-point underdog pm Sunday. Butler is a 2-point favorite with the total set at 128.5 (all odds from BetOnline).VCU hosts Richmond on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Rams, 15-4, won their fifth straight game on Friday with a 67-64 win against St. Bonaventure as a 3-point favorite. The Spiders defeated St. Mary’s-MD, 90-49, on Sunday. VCU is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. Central Florida is at home against South Florida on ESPNU at 7 PM ET. The Knights, 6-11, lost their second game in their last three on Sunday with a 69-68 loss at Cincinnati as a 6-point underdog. The Bulls fell to 7-7 with a 62-50 upset loss to Tulane as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. The Knights are a 3-point favorite with the total at 130.USC hosts Arizona State on ESPN2 at 8 PM ET. The Trojans won their sixth straight game with their 76-65 win at Washington State as an 8-point favorite on Saturday to improve their record to 17-3. The Sun Devils raised their record to 7-9 with a 75-73 win against Oregon State as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. USC is a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 146. Seton Hall plays at home against DePaul on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET. The Pirates, 12-8, won their third-straight game with their 57-51 win agent Marquette as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Blue Demons, 3-9, lost their fourth game in a row on Saturday with their 57-47 loss to Providence as a 3.5-point underdog. Seton Hall is a 13-point favorite with the total set of 140.Boise State is at home against Utah State on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET. The Broncos improved to 15-4 with their 61-59 win against UNLV as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Aggies last played on February 4th when they raised their record to 14-5 with a 69-53 victory at Fresno State as an 11-point favorite. Boise State is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Nine games are on the NBA docket. A doubleheader on ESPN begins at 7:35 PM ET with Houston visiting Philadelphia. The Rockets lost their sixth in a row on Monday with their 131-119 loss at Washington as a 1.5-point underdog. The 76ers lost their third straight game on Monday with a 134-123 loss at Utah as an 8.5-point underdog.Miami travels to Golden State for the ESPN nightcap at 10:05 PM ET. The Heat had their four-game winning streak end on Monday in a 125-118 loss at Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 6.5-point favorite. The Warriors won their third game in their last four with their 129-98 victory against Cleveland as an 8-point favorite on Monday. Five games are on the NHL schedule. A doubleheader on the NBC Sports Network begins at 7:30 PM ET with Chicago playing at Detroit. The Blackhawks won for the fifth time in six games with their 3-2 victory against the Red Wings on Monday. Detroit has lost three of their last four games. The second game on the NBC Sports Network has Edmonton hosting Winnipeg at 10 PM ET. The Oilers’ three-game winning streak ended on Monday in a 6-5 loss to the Jets. Winnipeg has won two of three and four of their last six games.Matchweek 24 of the English Premier League concludes with two matches on the NBC Sports Network. Fulham visits Burnley at 1 PM ET in a pick ‘em matchup with the total set at 2.25. Manchester City travels to Everton at 3 PM as a -1.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.75.The first leg of the Last 16 in the UEFA Champions League continues with two matches at 3 PM ET. Juventus plays at FC Porto as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.5. Sevilla plays at home against Borussia Dortmund as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Both matches are available on CBS All-Access.

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The Jazz Look Great Early

by Will Rogers

Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021

The Lakers’ march to a second consecutive NBA championship has been rudely interrupted by – of all teams – the Utah Jazz.Only a few months ago the Jazz has been basically left for dead. They had departed the Orlando bubble red-faced after somehow managing to spit up a 3-1 series lead against Denver, and as they headed to the off-season everyone in the NBA thought that it might be time to make some major changes on a team that always seemed good but not good enough.Instead, the Jazz did nothing. They got a boost when Bojan Bogdanovic came back healthy after missing the playoffs because of an operation on his right wrist. Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell somehow repaired whatever personal damage was caused by Gobert’s Covid issue, and the Jazz were off to the races.Monday night’s victory over the 76ers was the 8th in a row for the Jazz, who own the NBA’s best records both straight up (23-5) and ATS (21-7) heading into two very interesting games against the Clippers in Los Angeles, on Wednesday and Friday. If the Jazz can take care of business in LA, it sets up another key game against Los Angeles – at home against the Lakers next week. It’s very possible that Utah could enter the month of March only 11 wins short of beating the total number of wins (41.5) oddsmakers had pegged them for for the entire season.Utah opened the season at +4000 to win it all, with 11 teams getting better odds from the books. Those numbers have steadily melted to +1400, with the Jazz now looking up at only the Lakers (+250), Nets (+375), Clippers (+525) and Bucks (+650).Whether the Jazz can keep up anything close to their torrid pace in the strong Western Conference is anyone’s guess. At this writing, they have piggybacked those eight wins in a row with seven straight covers. They are winning more than 82 percent of their games, which would put them on a pace to go 67-15 over a normal 82-game NBA season – better than anyone since the Warriors went off in 2015-16 and set the NBA record with 73 wins.Winning cures all ills, and with the Jazz on a historic roll that brings back memories of the Karl Malone-John Stockton teams, Mitchell and Gobert are on the same page, and talk about trading either one now is met with hearty laughter. Quin Snyder is starting to hear Coach of the Year talk, and the front office is accepting congratulations for the 2019 Christmas Week steal of Jordan Clarkson from the Cavaliers – a move that solidified the bench. Clarkson torched the 76ers for 40 on Monday night and figures to at minimum be in the 6th Man of the Year conversation.So everything is pointing upward for the Jazz. Bettors who have been on Utah this season no doubt are flush, and only time will tell when – or even if – this gravy train will end.

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NCAA Tuesday Night Basketball: Florida/Arkansas Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021

Tuesday night basketball on ESPN2 features a battle of SEC foes with NCAA Tournament aspirations.Florida last played on February 3rd when they were upset at home to South Carolina, 72-66, as an 8.5-point favorite. The Gators have had three games postponed this month because of COVID complications. Head coach Mike White’s team is 10-5 this season with high-profile wins against West Virginia, Tennessee, and LSU. Florida is in fourth place in the SEC with a 6-4 record. Their four conference losses are against Mississippi State, Kentucky, Alabama, and the Gamecocks in their most recent game. They also lost to Florida State in non-conference play. The Gators are 7-4 since losing the SEC Preseason Player of the Year, Keyontae Johnson, for the season in mid-December with his heart issue. Tre Mann leads the team with a 14.5 points-per-game scoring average, and the sophomore adds 3.8 assists-per-game and 5.3 rebounds-per-game. Colin Castleton contributes 13.2 points-per-game and 5.6 rebounds-per-game. The junior transfer from Michigan is second in the nation with 2.6 blocks-per-game, and he leads the SEC with a 60.8% shooting percentage. Six players average at least 9.6 points-per-game.Florida is 19th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. The Gators' field goal percentage of 47.4% and 37.5% clip from 3-point land season marks are tops in the SEC. Florida makes 52.4% of their shots inside the arc in conference action, second-best in the SEC. The Gators are 48th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. Led by Castleton, they are number one in the nation by blocking 16.2% of their opponent’s field goal attempts. White has his team sacrifice defensive rebounding for potential fast-break opportunities. Florida is 12th in the SEC by allowing their conference opponents to rebound 34.0% of their missed shots. Arkansas has won three straight games and six of their last seven with their 86-81 upset win in overtime at Missouri as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. The Tigers were ranked 10th in the Associated Press poll at the time. The Razorbacks’ triumph was their first victory against a top-ten team since 2016. Justin Smith led the way with 19 points against Mizzou. The senior forward is third on the team with an 11.6 points-per-game scoring average, and he rebounds 6.5 rebounds-per-game. Moses Moody added 16 points, and the freshman is sixth in the SEC with a 16.3 points-per-game scoring average. Jalen Tate contributed another 14 points. The senior is one of five Arkansas players to average double-digits in scoring, with his 11.0 points-per-game clip. Then there is the 7’-3 250-lb Connor Vanover. The redshirt sophomore transfer from California is scoring 7.9 points-per-game with 5.5 rebounds-per-game and 2.0 blocks-per-game. Head coach Eric Musselman’s team ranks 24th in the latest AP poll with a 16-5 record. However, their highest-profile win this season was likely against Missouri over the weekend, 42nd in the kenpom ratings. The Razorbacks tie for second place in the SEC with an 8-4 record with losses against Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, and Missouri earlier in the season. They also lost to Oklahoma State last month. Arkansas is 32nd nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. The Razorbacks are also 26th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. They rank ninth nationally with a block rate of 13.5%. They are also second in the SEC with a defensive rebounding rate of 72.8%.Arkansas is 12-1 on their home court with an average winning margin of 21.3 points-per-game. Florida is on a two-game winning streak on the road. BookMaker lists the Razorbacks as a 4.5-point favorite with the total set at 152.

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