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

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in NCAA college basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the UEFA Champions League.The college basketball card begins at 2 PM ET with Akron playing at home against Northern Illinois as a 16-point favorite with the total set at 133.The nationally-televised college basketball schedule begins at 6:30 PM ET, with UConn hosting Providence on FS1. The Huskies, 9-5, defeated Xavier on the road, 80-72, as a 3.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Friars, 11-10, won at DePaul, 57-47, as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. UConn is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 133. Arkansas is at home against Florida at 7 PM ET on ESPN2. The Razorbacks are ranked 24th in the Associated Press poll with a 16-5 record. They upset Missouri on the road on Saturday, 86-81, as a 2-point underdog. The Gators, 10-5, last played on February 3rd, when they lost at home to South Carolina, 72-66, as an 8.5-point favorite. Arkansas is a 5-point favorite with the total at 150.Tulsa hosts Temple at 7 PM ET on ESPNU. The Golden Hurricane, 9-9, lost at home to Tulane last Thursday by a 58-48 score as a 7.5-point favorite. The Owls, 4-8, lost at Cincinnati, 70-69, as a 6.5-point underdog on Friday. Tulsa is a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 129.5.Purdue is at home against Michigan State on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Boilermakers, 13-8, lost at Minnesota, 71-68, as a 2.5-point underdog on Thursday. The Spartans, 10-8, lost at home to Iowa, 88-58, as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. Purdue is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5.Rhode Island plays at home against Dayton on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Rams fell to 9-12 after their 67-60 loss at Saint Louis as an 8-point underdog last Wednesday. The Flyers, 11-6, lost to VCU by a 76-67 score as a 1.5-point underdog last Tuesday. Rhode Island is a 3-point favorite, with a total at 132.St. John’s hosts Xavier on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET. The Red Storm, 13-8, lost at Butler, 76-63, in a pick ‘em matchup last Tuesday. The Musketeers, 11-3, were upset by an 80-72 score again UConn as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday. St. John’s is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 155.Saint Louis is at home against LaSalle at 9 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network. The Billikens improved to 10-3 with their 68-40 win at Fordham as a 17.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Explorers, 8-12, lost at St. Bonaventure, 86-73, as a 13.5-point underdog last Tuesday. Saint Louis is a 16-point favorite with the total at 143.Seven games are on the NBA docket. Memphis hosts New Orleans at 7:35 PM ET in the first game of a doubleheader on TNT. The Grizzlies have won two of their last three games with their 124-110 win at Sacramento as a 4.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Pelicans lost their third game in a row on Sunday in a 123-112 upset loss at Detroit as a 5.5-point favorite. Memphis is a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 230. The nightcap on TNT has Brooklyn visiting Phoenix at 10:05 PM ET. The Nets won their third straight game on Monday with their 136-125 win at Sacramento as a 5-point favorite. The Suns won their sixth straight game on Sunday with their 109-90 victory against Orlando as an 11.5-point underdog.Six games are on the NHL slate. Pittsburgh plays at home against Washington on the NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET in a rematch of the Penguins 6-3 victory on Sunday. Pittsburgh is a -120 money line favorite with the total at 6.5.The first leg of the Last 16 in the UEFA Champions League begins at 3 PM ET with two matches. Liverpool plays RB Leipzig as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.75. COVID prohibitions in Germany forced the location of this match away from Red Bull Arena to a neutral site in Budapest. Barcelona hosts Paris Saint-Germain as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. The CBS Sports Network has the broadcast.

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NCAA Monday Night Basketball: Virginia/Florida State Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 15, 2021

The Big Monday college basketball showdown on ESPN features two top-twenty teams representing the ACC.Virginia won their fourth straight on Saturday in a 60-48 win against North Carolina. The Cavaliers went on an early 21-2 run to cruise to the victory. Jay Huff led the way with 18 points while adding 12 rebounds. Huff is second on the team with a 13.4 points-per-game scoring average. Sam Hauser leads the team with a 15.1 points-per-game scoring average, and he rebounds 7.1 rebounds-per-game. Virginia ranks ninth in the Associated Press poll with a 15-3 record. Their 11-1 mark leads the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers hold conference foes to 57.5 points-per-game, the lowest in the ACC. Opponents are making 30.0% of their shots inside the arc. Virginia ranks 12th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They make 39.9% of their 3-pointers, sixth nationally, contributing to their effective field goal percentage of 57.5%, fifth-best in the nation. The Cavaliers rank 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They hold their opponents to rebounding only 22.1% of their missed shots, ranking 14th nationally.Virginia’s three losses are against San Francisco and Gonzaga in non-conference play and Virginia Tech in the ACC. However, the Cavaliers’ most impressive victory was on Saturday against a Tar Heels’ team that ranks 43rd at kenpom. Facing the Seminoles offers head coach Tony Bennett’s team the opportunity to register their highest-profile win.Florida State won their sixth game in their last seven contests on Saturday in a 92-85 win in overtime against Wake Forest. The Seminoles had not played since January 30th after three of their games got postponed due to COVID issues. Head coach Leonard Hamilton has seen his team win eleven straight games that went into overtime to tie an NCAA record. Scottie Barnes scored 24 points with 12 rebounds. His 11.1 points-per-game scoring average is second-best for Florida State. The junior leads the team with a 6.6 rebounds-per-game average. Scottie Barnes forced overtime with a reverse layup en route to his 13 points. His 10.5 points-per-game scoring average is third-best. M.J. Walker leads the Seminoles with a 13.7 points-per-game scoring average. Florida State is 17th in the AP poll with an 11-3 record, and they are second in the conference with a 7-2 mark. Their three losses are against Georgia Tech and Clemson, with a non-conference loss to Central Florida. The Seminoles have impressive non-conference victories against Florida and Indiana. Florida State ranks 15th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They are tenth with an offensive rebounding rate of 38.5%, and they are making 38.7% of their 3-pointers, 15th nationally. The Seminoles lead the ACC with an 80.4 points-per-game scoring average. Their 50.2% field goal percentage and 41.8% shooting mark beyond the arc also lead the conference. Florida State ranks 47th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. They top the ACC by holding their opponents to 46.3% shooting inside the arc.The Seminoles are 10-1 at home this season. Their victory against Wake Forest was their 23rd straight win at home in conference play, the second-longest in league history. BetAnySports lists Florida State as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 128.5. The ESPN broadcast starts at 7 PM ET.

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

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 15, 2021

The Monday sports card for the President’s Day Holiday features action in NCAA basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League.The college basketball card begins at 2 PM ET with Stephen F. Austin visiting New Orleans at 2 PM. The Lumberjacks improved to 12-3 on Wednesday with their 80-68 win against Texas A&M Corpus Christi as a 17.5-point favorite. New Orleans dropped to 4-12 with their third straight defeat on January 30th in a 79-73 loss at Southeast Louisiana. Stephen F. Austin is a 10-point road favorite with the total set at 152 (all odds from BetOnline). Florida State hosts Virginia on ESPN at 7 PM ET in a battle of two nationally-ranked ACC powers. The Seminoles are ranked 17th in the nation by the Associated Press with an 11-3 record. They have won six of their last seven games after their 92-85 win against Wake Forest on Saturday as a 13-point favorite. The Cavaliers rank ninth by the AP with a 15-3 record. They have won four in a row with their 60-48 victory against North Carolina as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. Florida State is a 1.5-point favorite with the over/under at 129.5.Texas Southern visits Jackson State on ESPNU at 9 PM ET. The Texas Southern Tigers have won seven straight games to raise their record to 7-7 after their 75-73 win at Grambling on Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite. The Jackson State Tigers have won six straight games after an 0-5 start. They last played last Monday when they upset Southern on the road, 57-53, as a 2.5-point underdog. This is a pick ‘em with the total set at 136.5.Seven games are on the NBA schedule for Monday. Two games tip off the card at 7 PM ET. Indiana hosts Chicago as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. Houston also visits Washington at 7 PM ET. Three games close out the NBA card at 10 PM ET. Golden State hosts Cleveland as an 8-point favorite with the total at 224.5. Brooklyn visits Sacramento. The Los Angeles Clippers play at home against Miami. None of these NBA games are on national television although NBA-TV has the Rockets-Wizards and Cavaliers-Clippers.Ten games are on the NHL slate for Monday. The New York Islanders visit the Buffalo Sabres at 7:30 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network. New York has won three of their last four games after their 4-2 win against Boston on Saturday. The Sabres have lost three of their last four after their 5-3 loss to New Jersey back on January 31st. Buffalo returns to the ice after a pause after a COVID outbreak. The Islanders are a -144 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Matchweek 24 in the English Premier League continues with two matches on Monday. West Ham United plays at home against Sheffield United on the NBC Sports Network at 1 PM ET with the Hammers a -0.75 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Chelsea hosts Newcastle United on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET as a -1.75 goal line favorite with the total at 3.

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NCAA Sunday Afternoon Basketball: Michigan/Wisconsin Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 14, 2021

CBS broadcasts a battle of two nationally-ranked Big Ten teams at 1 PM ET.Michigan takes the court for the first time since January 22nd, when they defeated Purdue on the road, 70-53, as a 5-point favorite. Soon after that game, the Wolverines’ athletic department paused all practices and competitions while ordering all players, coaches, and staff quarantine for 14 days. Head coach Juwan Howard has resumed practice with his team, who will be at full strength for this game.  With a 13-1 record on the season, Michigan ranks fourth in the nation in the Associated Press poll. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten with an 8-1 record. Their lone loss was at Wisconsin. This contest will be Michigan’s just fifth game away from Crisler Arena this season, but they have nice wins on the road at Maryland and Mackey Complex against the Boilermakers in their last game. Michigan ranks seventh in adjusted offensive efficiency according to the metrics at kenpom. The Wolverines are sixth with a 59.2% shooting percentage inside the arc, which helps elevate their effective field goal percentage to 57.6%, also sixth in the nation. They are making 37.7% of their 3-point shots, ranking 30th nationally. Michigan registers an assist in 58.8% rate of their made field goals, 37th nationally. They are also second in the nation, with only 5.2% of their shot attempts getting blocked. The Wolverines are 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They are third in opponent’s effective field goal percentage with a 43.0% mark. Michigan leads the nation by limiting their opponents to just 40.1% shooting inside the arc. These opponents make 32.2% of their 3-pointers, 112th nationally. This team does not foul as they rank 20th nationally in foul-rate. They block 12.8% of their opponent’s shots, 28th nationally. They hold their opponents to just a 43.8% assist rate, 25th nationally.Michigan’s leading scorer is Hunter Dickinson, scoring 15.1 points-per-game. The freshman pulls down 7.2 rebounds-per-game. Senior Isaiah Livers adds 14.6 points-per-game. Sophomore Franz Wagner contributes another 12.0 points-per-game. Three other players score at least 8.8 points-per-game. Wisconsin won their second game in their last three games with their 61-48 victory at Nebraska on Wednesday as an 8.5-point favorite. The Badgers earned the victory despite shooting 32.3% from the field, their second-lowest field goal percentage of the season. Head coach Greg Gard’s team has shot better than 43.9% only once in their last ten games. Wisconsin ranks 21st in the AP poll with a 15-6 record. They are in fourth place in conference play with a 6-2 mark. The Badgers have impressive wins against Penn State, Minnesota, Indiana, and (at) Rutgers in conference play, plus a high-profile victory against Louisville from their non-conference schedule. Wisconsin’s six losses are against Marquette, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, and the Wolverines. The Badgers rank 33rd in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They are fourth nationally in turnover rate on offense. Wisconsin is seventh nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. They thrive at limiting their opponents to second-chance scoring opportunities to just 23.65 of their possessions, 33rd in the nation.D’Mitrik Trice leads the team with a 13.5 points-per-game scoring average. Micah Potter is adding 11.8 points-per-game while leading the Badgers with a 6.1 rebounds-per-game average. Trice and Potter are two of the five seniors back from the group last year that was a co-champion of the Big Ten conference with a 14-6 mark.Wisconsin was embarrassed on January 12th in a 77-54 loss at Michigan. BookMaker lists the Wolverines as a 1-point road favorite, with the total set at 133.5.

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

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 14, 2021

The Sunday 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 with Vermont host on Stony Brook in the rematch of the Catamounts’ 86-78 victory as a 1-point favorite on Saturday. Michigan visits Wisconsin at 1 PM ET on CBS in a battle of nationally-ranked Big Ten foes. The Wolverines last played on January 22nd when they won at Purdue by a 70-53 score. The Michigan athletic program went on a three-week pause because of COVID soon after that game. The Badgers improved to 15-6 with a 61-48 at Nebraska on Wednesday as an 8.5-point favorite. The Wolverines, 13-1, are ranked third in the nation by the Associated Press, while Wisconsin ranks 21st. Michigan is a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 131.5 (all odds from BetOnline). South Florida hosts Tulane on ESPNU at 2 PM ET. The Bulls, 7-6, come off an 82-65 loss to Houston as a 13-point underdog on Wednesday. The Green Wave fell to 8-9 on Friday in a 53-49 loss at Central Florida as a 4-point underdog. South Florida is a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 124.5.Loyola-Chicago plays at Drake on ESPN2 at 3 PM ET. The Ramblers handed the Bulldogs their second loss of the season on Saturday in an 81-54 victory as a 3.5-point favorite. Arizona State plays at home against Oregon State on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET. The Sun Devils, 6-9, last played on Thursday when they lost at home to Oregon, 75-64, as a 1-point underdog. The Beavers, 10-9, lost at Arizona on Thursday, 70-61, as a 12.5-point underdog. Arizona State is a 5.5-point favorite with the total at 141.There are ten games on the NBA card. Boston plays at Washington at 1 PM ET to tip off the schedule at 7:30 PM ET. The Mavericks won their fourth game in a row with their 143-130 victory at home against New Orleans as a 3-point favorite on Friday. The Trail Blazers won their third straight on Friday with their 129-110 win against Cleveland as a 3.5-point favorite. Dallas is a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 237.The nightcap on ESPN has the Los Angeles Lakers visiting Denver at 10 PM ET. The Lakers won their seven straight games on Thursday with their 115-105 victory against Memphis as an 8.5-point favorite. Denver has won two in a row after their 97-95 win against Oklahoma City as an 11.5-point favorite on Friday. Two games make up the slate in the NHL, with both on national television. Pittsburgh plays at home against Washington on NBC at 3 PM ET. The Penguins snapped a two-game losing streak on Thursday with a 4-3 win on the road against the New York Islanders. The Capitals lost their third straight game last Sunday in a 7-4 setback to Philadelphia. Pittsburgh is a -126 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.Vegas hosts Colorado on the NBC Sports Network at 7:08 PM ET. The Golden Knights defeated San Jose on the road on Saturday, 3-1. Colorado returns to action after a COVID pause. They last played on February 2nd when they defeated Minnesota at home, 2-1.Matchweek 24 of the English Premier League continues with four matches. Southampton hosts Wolverhampton at 7 AM ET on the NBC Peacock app as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Manchester United visits West Bromwich Albion at 9 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -1.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 3. Arsenal plays at home against Leeds United at 11:30 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3. Everton is at home against Fulham at 2 PM ET on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total at 2.25.

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NCAA Saturday Afternoon Basketball: Villanova/Creighton Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021

A heavyweight showdown between two nationally-ranked teams from the Big East tips off at 5 PM ET on Fox.Villanova improved to 13-2 on Wednesday in a 96-64 blowout victory at home against Marquette as an 11-point favorite. Head coach Jay Wright’s team shot 70% in the second half for 56 points to cruise to the win. The Wildcats are 8-1 in Big East play while ranking fifth nationally by the Associated Press. Wright had seen eight games postponed this season, including six straight during a COVID pause in late December through mid-January.Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored a career-high 27 points while adding eight rebounds and three steals. The sophomore forward leads the team with a 16.1 points-per-game scoring average and a 7.3 rebounds-per-game mark. Collin Gillespie added 16 points with 11 assists for his third-career double-double. The senior point guard is second on the team with a 14.5 points-per-game scoring average, and he is also averaging 5.2 assists-per-game. Villanova has a balanced attack with five players averaging at least 11.1 points-per-game, and all five starters scored in double-digits against the Golden Eagles.The Wildcats rank fifth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom, and they make 38.7% of their shots from 3-point land, 15th nationally. They also only turn the ball over in 13.6% of their possessions, third nationally. Villanova is 29th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They lead the Big East with a defensive turnover rate of 21.8%.Villanova’s two losses this season were against St. John’s and Virginia Tech in overtime in non-conference play. Their two most impressive victories have been against Texas and Seton Hall.Creighton won for the fifth time in their last six games on Tuesday with a 63-48 triumph at Georgetown as a 7.5-point favorite. The Bluejays’ defense shined with a program-record 19 steals. They held the Hoyas to 27.6% shooting, with the 48 points allowed being the fewest points they gave up against a power five conference opponent since 2012. Christian Bishop led the team with 17 points. The junior forward is fourth on the team with an 11.6 points-per-game scoring average. Bishop is listed as questionable today with an undisclosed issue. Denzel Mathews leads the team with a 14.5 points-per-game scoring average. Head coach Greg McDermott has five Creighton players average at least 10.4 points-per-game. The Bluejays rank 19th in the nation in the Associated Press poll with a 15-5 record. They are 11-4 in Big East play with two victories apiece against Seton Hall and UConn. Their five losses were a one-point setback to Kansas and losses to Marquette, Providence, Butler, and Georgetown in conference play. Creighton ranks 17th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They are 9th with a 57.5% shooting percentage inside the arc, and they rank 62nd with a 36.3% shooting clip from 3-point land. Their 56.2% effective field goal percentage is 10th best nationally. The Bluejays are also playing strong fundamental defense. They are limiting their opponents to just a 44.6% shooting percentage inside the arc, 26th nationally. They rank 40th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency using the metrics at kenpom.This showdown is the first meeting between these two teams this season. BetAnySports lists Villanova as a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 144.

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

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in NCAA basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League.The college basketball card starts at noon PM ET. Ohio State hosts Indiana on ESPN with the fourth-ranked Buckeyes in the Associated Press poll 6.5-point favorites with the total set at 139.5. Loyola-Chicago visits Drake on ESPN2 as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 133. Oklahoma State plays at home against Kansas State on ESPNU, with the 23rd-ranked Cowboys a 13.5-point favorite with the total at 137. Xavier is at home against UConn on Fox as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Kentucky plays Auburn at home on CBS at 1 PM ET, with the Wildcats a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 146. Georgetown hosts Butler on the CBS Sports Network at 1:30 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.Tennessee travels to LSU on ESPN at 2 PM ET. The 16th ranked Volunteers are a 2.5-point road favorite with the total at 145. Arizona is at home against Oregon on ESPN2 as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Iowa visits Michigan State on Fox at 2:30 PM ET. The 15th ranked Hawkeyes are a 5-point road favorite with the total at 152. Kansas travels to Iowa State on ABC at 3 PM ET as an 11-point road favorite with an over/under of 146. Saint Louis visits Fordham on the CBS Sports Network at 3:30 PM ET as a 17-point road favorite, with the total at 127. Missouri hosts Arkansas at 4 PM ET on ESPN2. The 10th ranked Tigers are a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 150. Duke visits North Carolina State on ESPN as a 3.5-point road favorite with the total at 148.5. Villanova plays at Creighton on Fox at 5 PM ET in a battle of two ranked Big East teams. The Wildcats are ranked 5th by the AP, with the Bluejays ranking 19th. Villanova is a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 144. Gonzaga visits San Francisco on ESPN2 at 6 PM ET. The number-one ranked Bulldogs are a 16.5-point road favorite with the total set at 156.5. Virginia hosts North Carolina on ESPN with the ninth-ranked Cavaliers at 6-point favorite with an over/under of 129.5. Rice plays at Western Kentucky on the CBS-Sports Network in a rematch of the Hilltoppers’ victory on Friday. USC plays at Washington State on ESPNU at 8 PM ET, with the 20th ranked Trojans a 7.5-point road favorite with the total at 132.5. Saint Mary’s visits Pepperdine as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 133 on the CBS Sports Network. Colorado travels to California on ESPNU as a 10.5-point road favorite, with the total at 134.5. Boise State plays at home against UNLV on FS1 as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141. UC-Irvine plays at UC-Riverdale in a rematch of the Highlanders’ victory on Friday at midnight ET on ESPNU.Five games are on the NBA slate for Saturday. Philadelphia visits Phoenix to tipoff the card at 3 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite with the total at 225.5. Brooklyn plays at Golden State on ABC at 8:35 PM ET. The card concludes at 9 PM ET with Utah hosting Miami.Ten NHL games are on the schedule beginning at 3 PM ET, with Winnipeg playing at home against Ottawa as a -220 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Calgary travels to Vancouver at 10 PM ET to close out the slate as a -140 money line road favorite with the total at 6.Matchweek 24 in the English Premier League kicks off with four matches. Liverpool plays at Leicester City at 7:30 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.75. Crystal Palace plays at home against Burnley at 10 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2. Manchester City hosts Tottenham at 12:30 PM ET on NBC as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.75. Aston Villa visits Brighton and Hove Albion at 3 PM ET on the NBC Peacock app as a pick ‘em with an over/under of 2.75.

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NCAA Friday Night Basketball: VCU/St. Bonaventure Preview

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 12, 2021

The Friday night game on ESPN2 features two potential bubble teams from the Atlantic 10 that rank 51st and 52nd in the current kenpom rankings.St. Bonaventure won their eighth game in nine contests on Tuesday with their 86-73 win at home against LaSalle as a 13.5-point favorite. Jalen Adaway led the team with 20 points, with Kyle Lofton adding 18 points and eight assists. The Bonnies have five players scoring at least 10.8 points-per-game. Lofton leads the team with a 16.0 points-per-game scoring average while contributing 5.3 assists-per-game. Adaway, a junior transfer from Miami (OH) is fourth on the team with an 11.1 points-per-game scoring average.Head coach Mark Schmidt returned all five starters from the group last year that finished 19-12. St. Bonaventure has won at least 18 games in all seven seasons in Schmidt’s tenure but has only one NCAA Tournament and one NIT appearance to show for it. Forward Justin Winston did transfer in January after starting as a freshman, but he only played two games this season and lost minutes to Adaway. The Bonnies are 10-2 with an 8-2 mark in the Atlantic 10. They are 46th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom fueled by an offensive rebounding rate of 34.1%, 50th nationally. They lead the A-10 by pulling down 35.0% of their missed shots in conference play. Schmidt’s team is not likely to barrage a team with 3-pointers: they are last in the Atlantic 10 with only 29.3% of their field goal attempts from behind the line. St. Bonaventure is 59th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They are 37th nationally in an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 46.3%. The Bonnies are second in the A-10 in opponent’s effective field goal percentage despite their opponents taking 44.3% of their shots for 3-point land, second-most. St. Bonaventure’s two losses are against conference rivals, Rhode Island and St. Louis. Their most impressive victories are against Richmond and these Rams. VCU began the year on the opposite end of the spectrum from the Bonnies with all five starters departed from the group that finished 18-13. Head coach Mike Rhoades’ team was 17-6 at one point last season but only won once in their final eight games before the season got canceled. Sophomore Nah’Shon Hyland was the only player from the top-six scorers to return. Six other bench players and four freshmen in the Atlantic 10’s top-rated recruiting class form the foundation of this team.The Rams won their fourth straight game on Tuesday in a 76-67 victory at Dayton as a 1.5-point favorite. Hyland led the team with 19 points, and Vince Williams also poured-in 19 points. Hyland is the team’s top-scorer with a 19.2 points-per-game scoring average. Williams is the only other player scoring more than 6.9 points-per-game, with the junior averaging 10.9 points-per-game.The strength of this VCU team is their defense that kenpom ranks 14th nationally in his adjusted defensive efficiency rankings. The old “havoc” days under former head coach Shaka Smart remains as the Rams are fifth in the nation by forcing turnovers in 25.2% of their opponent’s possessions. VCU also ranks 30th with an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 45.9%. They are vulnerable against teams who crash the glass as they are last in the Atlantic 10, with their opponents rebounding 32.9% of their misses. The Rams rank only 101st in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They rank third in the A-10 by rebounding 31.1% of their misses. Rhoades teams play fast as they rank 28th in the nation with an average possession length of 15.7 seconds. VCU is 14-4 with a 7-2 conference mark. Their four losses are against Rhode Island and these Bonnies with two non-conference losses to West Virginia and Penn State. The Rams have two nice victories outside the A-10 against Memphis and Utah State. These two teams played on January 20th, with St. Bonaventure winning at home, 70-54, as a 3-point favorite. These are young teams with only senior between both team’s rosters.BookMaker lists VCU as a 2.5-point favorite, with the total set at 134.5. The ESPN2 broadcast begins at 7 PM ET.

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NBA Weekend Shootaround: February 13-14

by Sean Murphy

Friday, Feb 12, 2021

Another busy weekend of NBA hoops is upon us with five games coming up on Saturday and 10 on the Sunday board. Here's a quick look at five matchups to pay attention to before the lines are released.Saturday76ers vs. SunsThe 76ers were rolling until they ran into a hot-shooting Blazers team on Thursday night. Portland made 17 three-pointers in the upset win, shooting 45% from beyond-the-arc. Now Philly's trip really toughens up with Saturday's game in Phoenix followed by a trip to Salt Lake City to face the league-leading Jazz on Monday. The Suns have shaken off a late-January slump to reel off seven wins in their last eight games, including an upset win over the Bucks on Wednesday. Well-rested and at home, Devin Booker and co. might be worth a look in this one.Rockets vs. KnicksYou'll want to keep your eye on the injury report ahead of this game as the Rockets have been dealing with a number of key absences. Houston heads to New York on the heels of four straight losses but does catch the Knicks in a favorable situation here. New York will be playing its second game in as many nights after a trip to Washington on Friday. Houston has scored 106 points or less in each of its last four contests - I don't need to tell you how bad that is by today's NBA standards. Meanwhile, the Knicks entered Friday's action ranked dead last in the league in pace rating.Nets vs. WarriorsThis is Saturday's showcase game, set to be nationally-televised in primetime on ABC. The Nets have been highly inconsistent since acquiring James Harden but perhaps a trip west will serve to galvanize this star-studded squad. The Warriors should draw plenty of support from the betting public here with Steph Curry putting on a clinic in recent games. Remember, last Saturday night Curry lit it up in a straight-up loss but ATS victory in another ABC-TV appearance against the Mavs. SundayT'Wolves vs. RaptorsThe Raptors are in the midst of a disappointing season, struggling to get back to the .500 mark following a dismal start. While this looks like a layup on paper against the lowly T'Wolves, it's worth noting that Minnesota has showed some signs of life lately, reeling off seven straight ATS victories entering Friday's game in Charlotte. Karl-Anthony Towns gave the T'Wolves a big emotional boost with his return on Wednesday, posting a double-double in a loss but ATS cover against the Clippers. The Raptors have shown a tendency to let inferior opponents hang around in "home" games in Tampa this season.Pelicans vs. PistonsWhile the Pelicans certainly have the talent to manhandle the Pistons, this is a tough spot to get up for as they play their fourth game (in four different cities) in the last six nights in Detroit...on a Sunday evening...with the stands empty...you get the picture. The Pistons are banged-up in the front-court heading into the weekend, which could certainly play a factor here with the Pelicans ranking as one of the best rebounding teams in the league. Keep an eye on the injury report but Detroit could be a sneaky play depending on the number the books decide to send out.

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