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What to Watch For: NHL Week of February 8th

by Sean Murphy

Monday, Feb 08, 2021

Covid has reared its ugly head already this NHL season, wreaking havoc when it comes to the schedule. The show must go on, however, and there’s a busy week of action ahead.  Here’s a look around the league at five teams to keep an eye on this week.  New York Islanders The Isles are coming off a galvanizing 4-3 win over the Penguins on Saturday. They rallied from a 3-2 third period deficit to win that game, snapping a five-game losing streak. A big week lies ahead, starting with Monday’s showdown with the rival Rangers at Madison Square Garden before hosting the Penguins and Bruins on Thursday and Saturday respectively. I see some value with the Isles right now, having won with them on Saturday and likely to see them in an underdog role in two of three games this week. St. Louis Blues In an odd but perhaps not unexpected Covid-tinged scheduling quirk, the Blues have played the Coyotes in each of their last three games and will face them three more times in the next week. They’ll look to even up a four-game set at home on Monday night after dropping back-to-back games against the ‘Yotes last Thursday and Saturday. Note that St. Louis is scheduled to play a sandwich game in Minnesota on Thursday but that’s Covid-pending with the Wild dealing with a number of absences. Edmonton Oilers The Oilers have a tricky stretch up next with a clear letdown spot to kick it off in Ottawa on Monday night after dropping a 6-4 decision in a rivalry game against the Flames on Saturday night. They’ll play again in Ottawa on Tuesday before heading to Montreal for their fourth game in six nights on Thursday. Edmonton will be a big favorite against the Senators after steamrolling them by a combined 12-7 score in consecutive wins on home ice last week. The Sens showed some signs of life in back-to-back games against the high-flying Habs and might offer a bit of value on home ice to start the week. Detroit Red Wings Detroit will have had been in Florida for a full week by the time it wraps up its four-game jaunt against the Lightning and Panthers on Tuesday. The Red Wings upset the Panthers 4-1 on Sunday afternoon but figure to be in tough on Tuesday night. A two-game swing through Florida is usually bad enough for road teams, rarely managing to sweep the trip over the years, but here with the lowly Wings having been in the Florida sun for a week and coming off a win on Sunday, I look for an obvious letdown on Tuesday night. Note that the Panthers remain an undervalued commodity, quietly putting together a 6-1-2 start to the campaign. Calgary Flames Now might be a good time to buy low with the Flames as they looked good in Saturday’s 6-4 win over the Oilers but that marked just their third win in their last eight games. Let’s chalk that win up as a potential turning point as they prepare to host the Jets on Tuesday night before four straight against the struggling Canucks. Keep in mind, the Flames opened the season with three games against the Jets and Canucks, collecting five of a possible six points along the way. Despite its uneven overall record, I do think Calgary has plenty of upside moving forward.

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NCAA Monday Night Basketball: Kansas/Oklahoma State Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 08, 2021

The Big Monday ESPN doubleheader concludes at 9 PM ET in a battle between two Big 12 teams, with Oklahoma State traveling to Lawrence to play Kansas.Oklahoma State won their third game in four contests on Saturday in a 75-67 upset win in double-overtime at home against Texas as a 1.5-point underdog. Cade Cunningham scored five of his 19 points in the second overtime to lead the Cowboys to the victory. The freshman phenom leads the team with an 18.2 points-per-game scoring average. The 6’8 freshman point guard might be the number one pick in the NBA draft in June. Kalib Boone scored 22 points while adding 15 rebounds and five blocks on Saturday against the Longhorns. He is scoring 9.1 points-per-game and pulling down 5.3 rebounds-per-game. Last year’s leading scorer, Isaac Likekely, only scored 2 points, but he did contribute with 8 rebounds. He is the second-leading scorer on the team with a 10.2 points-per-game average while adding 7.1 rebounds-per-game and 3.8 assists-per-game. Oklahoma State, 12-5, earned their highest-profile victory of the season with their triumph against Texas. They have also registered resume-building wins against Arkansas, Texas Tech, and the Jayhawks. The Cowboys have a 5-5 record in the Big 12 with losses to Baylor, West Virginia, Texas, and two losses to TCU. The Cowboys rank 58th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency by kenpom. Their 51.7% shooting mark inside the arc is 97th nationally. They rank 24th at kenpom in adjusted defensive efficiency. Their opponent's effective field goal percentage of 46.5% in the Big 12 is the best in the conference.Kansas has five of their last seven games after their 91-79 loss at West Virginia as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Jayhawks trailed by 10 points at halftime but forced several turners early in the second half to tie the game. But Kansas could not sustain that energy as the Mountaineers pulled away for the 12-point victory. Marcus Garrett led the Jayhawks with 18 points. He is one of four Kansas players averaging double-digits in scoring with a 10.2 points-per-per game mark. David McCormack added 17 points with nine rebounds. The 6’10 forward is the second-leading scorer with a 12.6 points-per-game average while pulling down 5.8 rebounds-per-game. Jalen Wilson scored 16 points with 14 rebounds. The 6’8 freshman is scoring 12.3 points-per-game and averaging 7.4 rebounds-per-game. Ochai Agbaji leads the team with a 14.1 points-per-game average after netting 13 points against the Mountaineers. The Jayhawks can struggle to score baskets. Their 49.1% shooting percentage inside the arc this season is 200th in the nation. The kenpom adjusted offensive efficiency numbers still rank the Jayhawks 34th in the nation. They pull down 32.0% of their misses, 64th in the country. They rank 29th in adjusted defensive efficiency, with their interior defense leading the way. Kansas leads the Big 12 by holding their opponents to just 45.1% shooting inside the arc.The Jayhawks rank 23rd in the Associated Press poll with a 12-7 record. They are fifth in the Big 12 standings with a 6-5 record. They have quality victories against Creighton, West Virginia, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. Their five losses in conference play were against Texas,  Oklahoma, Baylor, West Virginia, and these Cowboys. The Jayhawks have also lost to two non-conference opponents, Gonzaga and Tennessee.This contest is a rematch of Oklahoma State’s 75-70 upset win at home in Stillwater against the Jayhawks on January 12th as a 3.5-point underdog. 3-point shooting was the difference in that contest, with the Cowboys making 9 of their 21 shots from distance, 42.9%, while Kansas made only 5 of their 21 shots from 3-point land, 23.8%. BookMaker lists Kansas as a 6-point favorite with the total set at 139.5.

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

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 08, 2021

The Monday sports card features college basketball and games in the NBA, NHL, and the English Premier League. The college basketball card tips off at 1 PM ET with Maryland-Baltimore County visiting Stony Brook as a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 133. Furman hosts UNC-Asheville at 5 PM ET on ESPNU as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 144. SMU visits East Carolina on ESPN2 as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 140.North Carolina plays at home against Miami (FL) at 7 PM ET on ESPN. The Hurricanes have lost five of their last six games after falling to Virginia Tech, 80-76, as a 5-point underdog. The Tar Heels have won four of their last five with their 91-87 upset victory at Duke as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. North Carolina is a 10-point favorite with the total at 141. Norfolk State is at home against Coppin State on ESPNU as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 153.Ohio State visits Maryland at 9 PM ET on FS1. The Buckeyes are ranked seventh in the Associated Press poll with a 15-4 record. They have won seven of their last eight games with their 89-85 upset win at Iowa on Thursday as a 4.5-point underdog. The Terrapins, 10-9, have lost two of three with their 55-50 loss at Penn State as a 3-point favorite. Ohio State is a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Kansas hosts Oklahoma State on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Jayhawks are ranked 23rd in the AP poll with a 12-7 record. They lost to West Virginia on Saturday, 91-79, as a 2.5-point underdog. The Cowboys, 12-5, were upset on Saturday at home against Texas, 75-67, as a 1.5-point underdog. Kansas is a 4.5-point favorite with the total at 146.5. Southern University plays at home against Jackson State as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 133. Gonzaga visits BYU at 11 PM ET on ESPN. The number-one ranked Bulldogs are a 12-point road favorite with a total set at 156.5. San Diego State hosts San Jose State on FS1 as a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5.Eight games are on the NBA schedule. The card tips off at 7 PM ET with Charlotte hosting Houston. The slate concludes with the Los Angeles Lakers hosting Oklahoma City at 10 PM ET as a 12-point favorite with the total at 217.5. Six games are on tap in the NHL. The New York Rangers host the New York Islanders on the NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Islanders snapped a five-game losing streak on Saturday with a 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh. The Rangers won their third game in their last four with a 4-2 victory against Washington. The Rangers are a -109 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Matchweek 23 of the English Premier League concludes at 3 PM ET with Leeds United hosting Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total set at 3.

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Super Bowl 55: Game Day Update

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 07, 2021

The odds remain stagnant, with Kansas City a 3-point favorite at BetAnySports, BookMaker, and BetOnline. The total has dropped to 55.5 at BetOnline, with BetAnySports and BookMaker still listing the over/under at 56.It appears that weather will not be a factor in the game. The weather reports early in the week indicated there was a chance of thunderstorms and high winds that could impact the game. The indications are now that any thunderstorms will clear out of the Tampa area in the morning. The game-time temperature expects to be in the mid-60s. At 7 PM ET, the temperature projects to be 64 degrees with just a 5% chance of rain with moderate five miles-per-hour wind. At 9 PM ET, the temperate will likely stop to 61 degrees with a 6% chance of rain with the winds at four miles-per-hour. If these assessments hold up, the weather will have little impact on the game.Tampa Bay should be close to 100% healthy for this game. The player with the most risk to not be available is Cameron Brate. The tight end was a surprise addition to the injury report midweek with a back injury that had not previously placed him on the injury list this postseason. He did not participate in Friday’s practice, and he is listed as questionable. If he cannot play, look for the Buccaneers to deploy more “11 personnel” with one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers as a replacement of the “12 personnel” that often involved Brate on the field with one running back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers.Antonio Brown will likely be the third wide receiver on the field to replace Brate. Brown is listed as questionable with the knee injury that kept him out of the NFC Championship Game, but he did take part in full practice on Friday. No other Tampa Bay player is on their final injury list. Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh did not participate in Friday’s practice, but that was precautionary. The following Buccaneers players all participated in Friday’s full practice and did not appear on their final injury list despite having issues this postseason: Lavonte David (hamstring), Jordan Whitehead (shoulder), Antoine Winfield (ankle), Chris Godwin (elbow), Mike Evans (knee).The Kansas City COVID scare has passed without incident, with both Demarcus Robinson and Daniel Kilgore cleared to play today. Both players entered the quarantine protocols after being in close contact with the barber that later tested positive. The Chiefs will be without left tackle Eric Fisher (Achilles) and linebacker Willie Gay (knee/ankle). Running back Darwin Thompson was their third player to not participate in Friday’s practice due to an illness. He expects to be available today. The following Kansas City players all participated in Friday’s full practice and did not appear on their final injury list despite having issues this postseason: Patrick Mahomes (toe), Mike Remmers (groin), L’Jarius Sneed (concussion), Andrew Wylie (ankle), Le’Veon Bell (ankle), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle/knee), Rashod Fenton (foot), Sammy Watkins (calf).The Chiefs' right tackle, Mitchell Schwartz, remains on their Injured Reserve. With both starting tackles out, the coaching staff will do some shuffling on their offensive line. Andrew Wylie and Mike Remmers move from their starting guard positions to tackle. Kansas City offensive line coach Andy Heck rotates his guards and tackles between positions in practice to ensure they are familiar with the different responsibilities. Wylie started 14 games and allowed only two sacks. Remmers made 10 starts and did not allow a sack.

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

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 07, 2021

The main event for Sunday is the Super Bowl. Plenty of action in college basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League takes place before the big game in the evening.Matchweek 23 in the English Premier League features four matches beginning at 7 AM ET with Tottenham hosting West Brom Albion on the NBC Sports Network. The Hotspurs are a -1 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Leicester City visits Wolverhampton at 9 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Manchester City visits Liverpool at 11:30 AM ET in a showdown of the last two champions of the English Premier League. Man City is a -0.25 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.75. The NBC Sports Network has the broadcast. Chelsea travels to Sheffield United at 2:15 PM ET on Peacock as a -1 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.The college basketball card tips off at noon ET with Iowa playing at Indiana on Fox. The Hawkeyes are ranked eighth in the Associated Press poll with a 13-5 record. They have lost three of their last four games after getting upset at home, 89-85, against Ohio State as a 4.5-point favorite on Thursday. The Hoosiers, 9-8, have lost three of four after their 75-71 loss to Illinois as a 3-point underdog on Tuesday. Iowa is a 3-point road favorite with the total at 152.Wichita State plays at home against Temple on ESPNU at 3 PM ET. The Shockers, 10-4, have won four of five after their 75-67 win against Tulane as an 11.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Owls, 4-6, have lost two in a row after a 63-60 loss to Cincinnati on Thursday as a 3.5-point favorite. Wichita State is an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5.Boise State plays at Nevada at 4 PM ET on FS1. The Broncos, 13-3, look to avenge a 74-72 upset loss in Reno on Friday as a 5-point favorite. The Wolf Pack have won three in a row to improve to 12-7. Boise State is a 4.5-point road favorite with the total set at 144. After the Super Bowl at 10 PM ET, Stanford plays at home against California on FS1. The Cardinal, 11-7, snapped a two-game losing streak on Thursday with a 70-55 victory at Cal as a 5.5-point favorite. The Golden Bears have lost fall in a row to drop to 7-13. Stanford is an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 131.5.The NBA has five games on the docket, with three games beginning the card at 1 PM ET. The Los Angeles Clippers host Sacramento at 3:05 PM ET to conclude the NBA slate as an 8.5-point favorite. The NHL has five games on the slate starting at noon ET, with Philadelphia playing at Washington as a -113 money line favorite with the total at 6 on NBC. Four games close out the card at 3 PM ET. Super Bowl 55 features Kansas City playing in Tampa Bay against the Buccaneers. The Chiefs are 3-point road favorites with the over/under at 55.5 going into game day.

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NCAA Saturday Afternoon Basketball: Kansas/West Virginia Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 06, 2021

CBS broadcasts a battle between two nationally-ranked Big 12 teams at 2 PM ET.Kansas has won two of their last three games after they defeated Kansas State on Tuesday, 74-51, as a 17.5-point favorite. The Jayhawks pulled away with an 18-3 run in the second half fueled by two 3-pointers from Christian Braun, who led the team with 18 points. The sophomore is fourth on the team with a 9.8 points-per-game scoring average. David McCormack scored 18 points, with Ochai Agbaji adding 15 points. Agbaji leads the team with a 14.1 points-per-game average. David McCormack is the second-leading scorer with a 12.3 points-per-game average while pulling down 5.7 rebounds-per-game. The Jayhawks can struggle to score baskets. Their 49.0% shooting percentage inside the arc this season is 210th in the nation. The kenpom adjusted offensive efficiency numbers still rank the Jayhawks 35th in the nation. They pull down 31.4% of their misses, 74th in the country. They rank 22nd in adjusted defensive efficiency, with their interior defense leading the way. Kansas leads the Big 12 by holding their opponents to just 44.6% shooting inside the arc.Kansas had lost four of five games before their 23-point win against the Wildcats. With a 12-6 record, the Jayhawks rank 23rd in the Associated Press poll. Kansas, 6-4, is fourth in the Big 12. They have quality victories against Creighton, West Virginia, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. Their four losses in conference play were against Texas, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, and Baylor. The Jayhawks have also lost to Gonzaga and Tennessee in non-conference action.West Virginia has won three of their last four games with their 76-72 win at Oklahoma State on Tuesday as an 11-point favorite. Taz Sherman hit both his free throws with 6.4 seconds left in the game to ice the victory. Sherman led the team with 18 points. He is third on the team with a 12.4 points-per-game scoring average.  Sophomore Miles McBride leads the team with a 15.1 points-per-game scoring average, and junior forward Derek Culver is adding 14.0 PPG with 10.4 rebounds-per-game. Sean McNeil is the fourth player for head coach Bob Huggins scoring in double-digits as he averages 10.6 points-per-game.West Virginia went on hiatus for two weeks after a COVID outbreak within their program in mid-January. They returned to the court on January 23rd in a 69-47 win at Kansas State as an 11-point favorite in their first game since January 9th.The Mountaineers are 4-3 since losing two players in their frontline rotation at the beginning of the month. Isaiah Cottrell suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in their game against Northeastern. The four-star freshman was averaging only 5.6 minutes-per-game, but he gave the Mountaineers’ depth at forward with potential upside as their highest-rated freshman. The more significant loss was Oscar Tshiebwe, who stepped away from the program for personal reasons. The sophomore led the team with a 10.2 points-per-game scoring average last season but had taken a step back this year by scoring 8.1 points-per-game while adding 3.8 rebounds-per-game. West Virginia ranks 17th in the current Associated Press poll with a 12-5 record. They are tied for second in the Big 12 with a 5-3 mark. They have resume-building wins against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. The Mountaineers' five losses were against Gonzaga, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Florida. “Press Virginia” has not been effective this season for Huggins as his team ranks only fourth in the Big 12 with a 20.7% defensive turnover rate. West Virginia is 44th in the nation and seventh in the Big 12 in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. The Mountaineers are 15th adjusted offensive efficiency because of their ability to generate second-chance scoring opportunities. West Virginia ranks 10th with a 36.5% offensive rebounding rate. Kansas won the first meeting between these two teams in Lawrence on December 20th in a 79-65 victory as a 1-point favorite. For this rematch in Morgantown, BookMaker lists West Virginia as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 142.

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

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 06, 2021

The Saturday sports card features a busy college basketball card with additional action in the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League.The college basketball card tips off at noon ET. ESPN has an SEC showdown between two nationally-ranked teams, with Alabama playing at Missouri. The Crimson Tide are ranked 10th in the nation in the Associated Press poll, with the Tigers ranked 18th. Alabama is a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 152.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Oklahoma hosts Iowa State on ESPN2 with the ninth-ranked Sooners a 14-point favorite with the total set at 141. UConn plays at home against Seton Hall on Fox as a 1-point favorite with the over/under at 134. Toledo visits Ball State on the CBS Sports Network as an 8.5-point road favorite with the total at 149. LaSalle travels to Fordham on the NBC Sports Network at 12:30 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 123.5.West Virginia hosts Kansas in a battle of two nationally-ranked Big 12 teams on CBS at 2 PM ET. The Mountaineers are ranked 17th, while the Jayhawks rank 23rd. West Virginia is a 2.5-point favorite with the total at 142. St. John’s visits Providence on FS1 as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 146.5. Memphis plays at home against East Carolina on ESPN as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 135.Texas travels to Oklahoma State on ABC at 3 PM ET. The sixth-ranked Longhorns are a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Virginia plays at home against Pittsburgh on ESPN at 4 PM ET. The 14th-ranked Cavaliers are a 10-point favorite with the total at 128. Oregon hosts Washington on CBS. UNLV hosts the Air Force on the CBS Sports Network as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 131. Auburn is at home against Mississippi on ESPN2 as a 5-point favorite with the total at 139.5. Duke hosts North Carolina on ESPN at 6 PM ET with the Blue Devils 3.5-point favorites with an over/under of 145.5. Tulsa is at home against Central Florida on ESPN2 as a 5-point favorite, with the total at 132.5. Northern Iowa plays at home against Indiana State on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 141. Colorado State travels to Wyoming as a 7.5-point favorite, with the total set at 152.5 on the CBS Sports Network Tennessee travels to Kentucky on ESPN at 8 PM ET. The 11th-ranked Volunteers are a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 125.5. Colorado hosts Arizona on FS1 as a 5-point favorite with the total at 143. UMass plays at Rhode Island on ESPN2. Southern is at home against Grambling on ESPNU as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. USC hosts 21st-ranked UCLA on ESPN at 10 PM ET. The Trojans are laying 3.5-points with the total at 135. Utah State visits Fresno State on FS1 as a 12-point road favorite with an over/under of 129.5. UC-Irvine plays at home against Cal-State Bakersfield on ESPNU in a rematch of their Friday night contest. The NBA has 11 games on the Saturday docket. Portland plays at New York at 1 PM ET to tip off the schedule. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home against Detroit at 10 PM ET to conclude the card.Dallas hosts Golden State on ABC at 8:30 PM ET in a rematch of the Warriors' 147-116 victory as a 3.5-point underdog on Thursday. Dallas is a 4-point favorite with the total set at 231.Six games are on the NHL schedule. Montreal visits Ottawa at 1 PM ET as a -245 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two games conclude the card at 10 PM ET, with Anaheim hosting San Jose and Calgary at home against Edmonton. The Flames are a -115 money line favorite with the total at 6.5.Matchweek 23 of the English Premier League begins on Saturday with five matches. At 7:30 AM ET, Arsenal travels to Aston Villa in a pick ‘em matchup with the total set at 2.75 on the NBC Sports Network. Southampton visits Newcastle United on the NBC Sports Network at 10 AM ET as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. West Ham United plays at Fulham on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.50 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.25. Manchester United plays at home against Everton on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.75.

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NCAA Friday Night Basketball: Maryland/Penn State Preview

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 05, 2021

An FS1 college basketball doubleheader tips off at 7 PM ET between two Big Ten teams looking to take advantage of the small break in their conference schedule with the rare opportunity of not playing a nationally-ranked opponent. Maryland has won four of their last six games despite playing six-straight ranked opponents. The Terrapins scored the final six points on Tuesday to eke out a 61-60 victory against Purdue in College Park as a 3.5-point favorite. Eric Ayala’s two free throws iced the game for Maryland. His 13.6 points-per-game scoring average is tops on the team. Aaron Wiggins led the way with 18 points while adding 11 rebounds. His 12.8 points-per-game scoring average is second-best on the club. Head coach Mark Turgeon lost his top two players from last year in Anthony Cowan and Jalen Smith from a team that finished 24-7 and was poised to make a final four run in the NCAA Tournament before the season got canceled. Their next top-four scorers from that group form the core of this team led by Ayala and Wiggins. Maryland is 10-8 on the season with a 4-7 mark in the Big Ten. They have registered quality wins against Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and the Boilermakers earlier this week. Their losses are against Purdue, Rutgers, Indiana, Iowa, the Badgers, and twice to Michigan. Their non-conference loss to Clemson is their worst loss on paper despite the Tigers ranked 56th in the nation in the current kenpom rankings. The Terrapins rank 33rd in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. The offense operates at a slow pace while protecting the basketball and taking high percentage shots inside the arc. Maryland plays at the 306th slowest tempo in the nation. They only turn the ball over 16.2% of the time, 44th. They make 53.0% of their 2-pointers, 66th, which boosts their effective field goal percentage to 52.8%, 66th. Turgeon has his team get back on defense instead of going after second-chance scoring opportunities. The Terrapins only pull down 18.4% of their missed shots in conference play, 13th in the Big Ten. Yet they limit conference opponents to rebounding 25.2% of their misses, 4th best in the Big Ten. Maryland ranks 56th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They do not give their opponents many freebies as they rank 29th in the country in opponent free throw rate. Penn State has lost two of their last three games after losing at Wisconsin, 72-56, as an 8.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Myreon Jones led the team with 14 points in a losing effort. His 15.6 points-per-game scoring average is the best on the team. John Haram added 10 points with five rebounds. The 6’9 senior center had been averaging 10.3 rebounds-per-game over his last seven contests before that game.Head coach Jim Ferry has three starters and an additional three contributors (including Jones and Haram) from the 21-10 last season that was likely to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time for this program since 2011. Losing two impact seniors in Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins was always going to be a challenge. The Nittany Lions are 6-8 this season with a 3-7 mark in the Big Ten. Their “worst” loss was in non-conference play against a Seton Hall team that kenpom ranks at 37th in the country. Penn State has lost two Illinois twice, along with Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, and the Badgers earlier this week. The Nittany Lions have also defeated Wisconsin once this year, along with Rutgers and Virginia Tech. Penn State ranks 17th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They make 35.8% of their 3-pointers, 80th in the country. The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten with a 33.6% offensive rebound rate. Ferry’s team is 86th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They are second in the conference with a 10.6% steal rate which helps them force turnovers in 19.2% of their opponent’s possessions with both marks second-best in the Big Ten.BetAnySports lists Penn State as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 143.5.

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Ness Notes: G.O.A.T. vs G.O.A.T in Waiting

by Larry Ness

Friday, Feb 05, 2021

I was born in 1953 and while my boyhood hero was Johnny Unitas, the QB who set the standard for "winning championships" during my personal "Wonder Years,' was Green Bay's Bart Starr. Starr led the Packers to NFL titles in 1961 and 1962, then suffered a two-year 'drought,' when the Bears won in 1963 (George Halas' last championship team) and the Jim Brown-led Cleveland Browns won in 1964 (Browns haven't won an NFL championship since!).  Starr and the Packers were back to winning another title in 1965 and followed with NFL titles in 1966 and 1967. Green Bay's 1966 and 1967 seasons were capped off by the Packers winning the first two Super Bowls, giving Starr FIVE titles in a seven-year span. Was he a better QB than Johnny U? I doubt many (if any) would say that but those five rings in seven years speak VOLUMES!Tom Brady gets set to participate in his 10th Super Bowl, having won SIX of his previous nine tries. In the Super Bowl era, Bradshaw and Montana have each won four Super Bowls but when Brady earned his SIXTH Super Bowl title, it was Starr's record of five NFL titles that he broke. Let's start with Brady's regular season numbers. He's got 230 wins as an NFL starter, 44 more than the 186 wins owned by Farve and Peyton Manning, who are tied for second-best. 17 QBs have won at least 100 regular season starts and only THREE own winning percentages of better than .700.  Peyton (186 wins) owns a .702 winning percentage and Montana (117 wins) has a winning percentage of .713. As for Brady, his winning percentage is a mere .769! Moving to the postseason, Brady's 33 playoff wins are more than double his nearest competitor, as Montana owns 16 postseason victories. Only NINE other QBs have as many as 10 postseason wins. Bradshaw (4 Super Bowl wins), Elway (2) and Peyton (2) have 14 playoff victories. Big Ben (2) and Favre (1) have 13 wins, postseason wins while Aikman (3), Wilson (1) and Staubach (2) have 11. Who am I leaving out? The legendary Joe Flacco with 10 postseason wins, four coming in Baltimore's run to a Super Bowl 47 win. Returning to winning percentages, Brady's 33-11 (.750) is again tops, followed by Terry Bradshaw (14-5, .737) and Troy Aikman (11-4, .733) . Montana falls just short of "The 700-Club" at 16-7, .696.You want to argue that Jim Brown or Jerry Rice deserve to be ranked No. 1 all-time among NFL players, you can make that case (go for it!). However, love him or hate him, I don't see how anyone can seriously argue against Brady being the G.O.A.T. when one is discussing QBs in NFL history. So what's all this talk about a "G.O.A.T. in Waiting?" Quoting Rod Serling (of Twilight Zone fame for those too young or without cable TV), "Let me submit for your approval" the name Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes played just one game as an NFL rookie (in a meaningless Week 17 contest) but 'exploded' on the NFL scene in 2018 with 5,097 passing yards, 50 TD passes and just 12 INTs (QB rating of 113.8). He was named the NFL's 2018 MVP and led KC to an AFC championship showdown with New England, which the Chiefs lost in OT (at KC) to the Brady-led Patriots. Mahomes threw for 4,031 with 26 TDs and 15 INTs (105.3 QB rating) last season and more importantly, to a 31-20 Super Bowl win over the 49ers. Mahomes threw for 4,740 yards in the 2020 season with 38 TDs and six INTs (108.2 QB rating) and has the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl again. Before going any further, let's look at the start of Mahomes' regular season career.He made one start in his rookie season (a win) and has made 45 starts the last three seasons. His record is 38-8 (.826) with 114 TD passes and 24 INTs (108.7 rating). How does that compare with Brady's first-three seasons as a starter (2001-03). Brady didn't make a start in his rookie season of 2000 (attempted THREE passes) but took over early in the 2001 season after Bledsoe got hurt. Brady never gave up the starters job. Brady would go 34-12 (.739) as a starter with a much more modest TD-to-INT ratio of 69-38 (see above for Mahomes' TD/INT ratio). Brady's highest QB rating in his first three seasons was 86.5, compared with Mahomes 108.7 three-year average. Brady did lead the Pats to Super Bowls wins in 2001 and 2003 (missed the postseason with a 9-7 record in 2002), building his incomparable postseason record (see above) by starting 6-0. For the record, Brady won a THIRD Super Bowl title in his fourth season (2004) and won his first 10 postseason starts, before losing 27-13 at Denver in the 2005 playoffs' Divisional Round. I guess one could look at Brady's Super Bowl record and say after a 3-0 start, he's just 3-3 in his last six Super Bowl appearances but c'mon!!Getting back to Mahomes. He wins the comparison between the two QBs over their respective first three regular seasons but he will need to beat Brady and the Bucs on Sunday to match Brady's two Super Bowl titles in his first three seasons. As noted, Brady missed the playoffs in his second full season but then won it all again in his fourth. So, in Brady's 9-0 run to his first three postseasons, he averaged 216.8 YPG passing with 11 TDs and just three INTs. Mahomes has one more game left to complete his first three postseasons and will enter Sunday's game 6-1 as a playoff starter (lone loss to Brady's Pats in 2018) but again, has much gaudier stats than Brady had in a comparable span. Mahomes has averaged 293.4 YPG passing in his seven postseason starts, throwing 17 TD passes with just two INTs in 252 attempts. His QB rating is 109.8! I mentioned earlier that just three QBs have  postseason winning percentages of better than .700. Brady's tops at .750 and his QB rating is 89.9, Aikman is second at .733 and his QB rating is 88.3 and Bradshaw is third at .737 and his QB rating is 83.0. In his modest seven-game playoff career so far, Mahomes' winning percentage is .857 pending Sunday's and again, his QB rating is 109.8, FAR above the competition.Mahomes could sure use a win over Brady on Sunday, as a SEVENTH Super Bowl win for Brady seems an unreachable target. What's more, it would make Brady 2-0 in playoff showdown with Mahomes and who knows what Brady's plan for the future is? Is this last meeting between the two? Mahomes has had a spectacular start to his career and seems to be with the perfect team and perfect coach. That said, let me remind all Andy Reid fans that before Mahomes lined up as his starting QB, Reid's postseason record stood at 11-13 and just one Super Bowl appearance (a loss to Brady and the Pats in the 2004 season), including a 1-4 record with the Chiefs. However, Reid's become a much SMARTER coach with Mahomes at QB (6-1).  Mahomes talent is undeniable and he's a worthy choice to fill the role of "G.O.A.T. in Waiting" but staying healthy and 'good fortune' will likely define his career. In case you don't remember, Brady's first three Super Bowl wins came by exactly THREE points. His fourth win came in a four-point win over Seattle when Pete Carroll made one of the stupidest play calls in Super Bowl history. His fifth win came in the greatest collapse in Super Bowl history, as the Falcons led 28-3 in the third quarter, only to lose 34-28 in OT. Win No. 6 came in a 'snooze-fest' over the Rams 13-3, a game that was tied 3-3 entering the fourth quarter.One last thing (I rarely leave well enough alone)...Otto Graham entered Northwestern in 1940 on a basketball scholarship but football soon became his main sport. After a brief stint in the military at the end of World War II, Graham played for the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League (the precursor to today's NBA) in the 1945-46 season. The Royals won the championship that season. However, Paul Brown (the founder of the Cleveland Browns and its head coach) signed Graham to play QB for the Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) for the start of the 1946 season. The league featured two, four-team divisions (East and West). The Browns would win the West at 12-2 that season and then beat the East champs (NY Yankees, yes that's right) 14-9 to capture the first AAFC championship over. Graham's 1946 NBL and AAFC titles made him the first person to have won championships in two of the four major North American sports (neither Brady nor Mahomes can match that!).The AAFC would exist for four years (1946-49) and Graham led Cleveland to a championship in all FOUR seasons of that league's existence. The Browns joined the NFL in 1950 and went on to win the NFL championship that year when they beat the LA Rams 30-28. Graham and the Browns were "just getting started," as the newcomers from the "upstart league" would play in SIX straight NFL championship games (1950-55). The Browns lost 24-17 to the Rams in 1951, to the Lions 17-7 in 1952 and 17-16 to the Lions (again) in 1953. However, the 'third time was the charm' for Graham and the Browns in 1954, beating the Lions 56-10. Graham was talked out of retirement in 1955 for ONE last season and he capped his career with a 38-14 championship game win over the Rams in 1955.Doing the math, Graham led the Browns to 10 straight championship games (four in the AAFC and six in the NFL), winning SEVEN! A check of the NFL record book reveals that Graham's statistical accomplishments have long been surpassed in the modern era but he still holds the NFL record for career average yards gained per pass attempt (8.63) plus owns the highest career regular season winning percentage of any NFL starting QB at .810 (57-13-1). His record in AAFC and NFL postseason games is 9-3 (.750), which matches Brady's postseason winning percentage mark (see above) heading into Super Bowl 55.10 seasons, 10 championship games and SEVEN championship game wins. Is he the G.O.A.T.? Has anyone ever known long-time New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to be wrong about anything? He once called Graham "as great of a quarterback as there ever was." My opinion? I will say this much. Graham sure earned his nickname of "Automatic Otto!"Enjoy Super Bowl 55...Good luck, Larry

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

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 05, 2021

The Friday sports card features college basketball with additional action in the NBA and the NHL.The college basketball card tips off at 2 PM ET with North Dakota visiting Denver as a 2-point road favorite with the total set at 144  (all odds from BetOnline). The nationally-televised college basketball card begins at 7 PM ET. Dayton hosts George Mason on ESPN2. The Flyers fell to 10-5 in a 69-64 loss at Duquesne as a 1-point underdog on Tuesday. The Patriots come off an 84-67 loss at Saint Bonaventure as a 10.5-point underdog on Saturday. Dayton is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 131.Penn State plays at home against Maryland on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Nittany Lions, 6-8, have lost two of three after their 72-56 loss at Wisconsin as an 8.5-point underdog on Tuesday. The Terrapins, 10-8, have won four of six with their 61-60 win against Purdue as a 3.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Penn State is a 3-point favorite with a total of 143. Kent State plays at home against Akron on ESPNU at 7 PM ET. The Golden Flashes are 10-4 with wins in seven of their last eight games after their 77-68 victory at Miami (OH) as a 9.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The Zips, 10-4, had a six-game winning streak snapped with a 91-76 loss at Toledo as a 5-point underdog on Tuesday. Kent State is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 152.Boise State visits Nevada on FS1 at 9 PM ET. The Broncos, 13-2, avenged a loss against Colorado State with an 85-77 victory on the road as a 3-point favorite last Friday. The Wolf Pack improved to 11-7 with their 72-62 win against UNLV on Tuesday as a 5.5-point favorite. Boise State is a 4-point road favorite with the total at 145.5.Monmouth plays at Manhattan on ESPNU at 9 PM ET. The Hawks, 8-5, had their five-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with an 83-74 upset loss at Niagara as a 3.5-point favorite. The Jaspers fell to 5-6 with a 68-54 loss at Saint Peter’s as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. Monmouth is a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 139.5.Nine games are on the NBA schedule headlined by a doubleheader on ESPN. Brooklyn hosts Toronto in a rematch of their Eastern Conference playoff series at 7:35 PM ET. The Nets have won five of their last six games with their 124-120 upset victory against the LA Clippers as a 1-point underdog on Tuesday. The Raptors have won two in a row after their 123-108 win at Orlando as a 6-point favorite on Tuesday. The nightcap on ESPN has the Los Angeles Clippers hosting Boston at 10:05 PM ET. The Clippers have won four of five with their 121-99 win at Cleveland as a 9-point favorite on February 3rd. The Celtics have lost three of four after getting upset at Sacramento on Wednesday as a 1-point favorite. Los Angeles is a 5-point favorite with the total at 221. The NHL has five games on the schedule. Three of the games have the puck drop at 7 PM ET, with the final two games starting at 10 PM ET. None of the games are on national television.

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NCAA Thursday Night Basketball: Ohio State/Iowa Preview

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 04, 2021

A college basketball showdown between two Big Ten teams ranked in the top-eight teams in the country takes place on ESPN at 7 PM ET.Ohio State has won three straight after defeating Michigan State, 79-62, as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. E.J. Liddell led the team with 20 points. The sophomore has scored at least 20 points in four of his last five games. He leads a team that can go eleven deep on their bench with a 15.3 points-per-game scoring average. Head coach Chris Holtmann returned five of the nine players that played at least 10 minutes per game last year for the group that finished 21-10 with nine wins in their final twelve Big Ten games. Holtmann then added three impact transfers in the offseason. Abel Porter was the starting point guard at Utah State. Justice Sueing scored 14.6 points-per-game as a sophomore at California. Seth Towns is a former Ivy League Player of the Year at Harvard.The Buckeyes opened the Big Ten season by losing two of their first three games. Yet Holtmann has seen his team win six of their last seven games to rise to fourth place in the highly-competitive conference with an 8-4 record. Ohio State has lost to Minnesota, Northwestern, and twice to Purdue. The Buckeyes have defeated Wisconsin, Illinois, and Rutgers twice. They also have a resume-building victory against UCLA in non-conference play. With a 14-4 overall record, Ohio State ranks seventh in the current Associated Press poll. The Buckeyes are fourth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to the numbers at kenpom. They are 19th in free throw rate. Ohio State is just 66th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. Holtmann’s team is second in the Big Ten by holding their opponents to 29.7% shooting from 3-point land. Iowa improved their record to 13-4 on Tuesday in an 84-78 victory against Michigan State as a 9.5-point favorite. Luka Garza led the way with 27 points and 12 rebounds. The senior All-American is scoring 26.5 points-per-game while adding 8.8 rebounds-per-game. Head coach Fran McCaffery returned all five starters while getting three additional players back from injury from the team that finished 20-11. These Hawkeyes are ranked 8th in the nation by the AP with a 13-4 record. Iowa has high-profile wins against Purdue, Rutgers, and North Carolina. Their four losses are against Gonzaga, Minnesota, Indiana, and Illinois. They are in third place in the Big Ten with a 7-3 record.The Hawkeyes are the number one team in the nation adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They make 38.2% of their 3-point shots, 29th, while posting an effective field goal percentage of 55.9%, 17th in the country. But Iowa is only 117th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They allow their opponents to make 35.5% of their 3-point shots, 248th.Iowa hosts this game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where they are 10-1 while scoring 90.8 points-per-game. Ohio State is 5-3 on the road.BookMaker lists Iowa as a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 156.5.

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

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 04, 2021

The Thursday sports card features college basketball with additional action in the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League.The college basketball card tips off at 2 PM ET with SIU-Edwardsville hosting Tennessee State as a 1-point favorite with the total set at 133 (all odds from BetOnline). The nationally-televised college basketball schedule begins at 7 PM ET. ESPN features a battle of two Big Ten teams ranked in the top-eight in the nation, with Iowa hosting Ohio State. The Hawkeyes are 8th in the Associated Press poll with a 13-4 record. They come off an 84-78 victory against Michigan State as a 9.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The AP has the Buckeyes 7th with their 14-4 mark. Ohio State is on a three-game winning streak after defeating Michigan State, 79-62, as a 6-point favorite on Sunday. Iowa is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 155.Cincinnati visits Temple on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET. The Bearcats, 3-7, take the court for the first time since January 10th, when they defeated Wichita State, 82-76, as a 0.5-point favorite. The Owls fell to 4-5 with their second loss in three games with their 81-64 upset loss to Tulane as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Cincinnati is a 2-point road favorite with the total set at 139.5.Arizona plays at Utah on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Wildcats, 13-4, have won four of five with their 71-50 win against California as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Utes improved to 7-7 on Saturday with their 77-74 upset win at Colorado as an 8-point underdog. Arizona is a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 143.5. Gardner Webb plays at home against Presbyterian on ESPNU at 7 PM ET.  The Runnin’ Bulldogs, 6-11, have lost their last two games after being upset by High Point, 72-69, as a 7-point favorite on Saturday. The Blue Hose, 5-9, come off a 66-53 upset win against Longwood as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. Gardner Webb is a 10-point favorite with the total at 132. Stanford plays at California on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Cardinal, 10-7, last played on Tuesday when they lost to USC, 72-66, as a 3-point underdog. The Golden Bears, 7-12, have lost four in a row with their 70-51 loss at Arizona as a 9.5-point underdog on Saturday. Stanford is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5.Rutgers plays at home against Minnesota on FS1 at 9 PM ET. The Scarlet Knights, 10-6, have won their last three games after a 64-56 victory at Northwestern as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Golden Gophers, 11-6, have lost four of five after their 81-62 upset loss at Purdue as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday. Rutgers is a 5-point favorite with the total at 138.5.Oregon hosts Washington State on FS1 at 11 PM ET. The Ducks, 9-3, have lost two of three after a 75-64 upset loss at Oregon State as a 9-point favorite in their last game on January 23rd. The Cougars, 10-7, ended a six-game losing streak on Saturday with their 77-62 upset win at Washington as a 1.5-point underdog. Oregon is a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 135.Four games are on the NBA slate, including a doubleheader on TNT. Golden State plays at Dallas at 7:35 PM ET. The Warriors come off a 111-107 loss at home to Boston as a 2-point underdog on Tuesday. The Mavericks ended their six-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 122-116 win in Atlanta as a 2-point favorite. The nightcap on TNT has the Los Angeles Lakers hosting Denver. The defending NBA champions, 16-6, return home to the Staples Center after a seven-game road trip that ended on Tuesday in a 107-99 win at Atlanta as a 7-point favorite. The Lakers are 5.5-point favorites, with the total at 219. The NHL has a busy nine card schedule with four games dropping the puck shortly after 7 PM ET. Colorado plays at home against Minnesota to conclude the card at 9 PM ET.The English Premier League concludes Matchweek 21 with Chelsea visiting Tottenham at 3 PM ET as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. The match is on the NBC Sports Network. 

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