by Big Al Staff
Tuesday, Dec 15, 2020The Tuesday sports card features the opening matches in the English Premier League's midweek schedule, along with an afternoon and evening slate in college basketball.
The first college basketball game between two Division I schools tips off at 2 PM ET with St. Bonaventure playing Akron on a neutral court at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.
The first of three nationally-televised games take place at 7 PM on ESPN, with Minnesota visiting Illinois in the Big Ten opening contest for both teams. The Golden Gophers have won their first six games this season after they defeated UMKC last Thursday as a 17-point favorite.
Illinois has lost two of their last three games after they were upset at Missouri on Sunday as a 3.5-point favorite. The Illini’s second loss was an 82-69 setback against Baylor, but they did defeat Duke on the road at Cameron Indoor Arena between those two setbacks.
The Fighting Illini are 8-point favorites with the total set at 148.
Tulsa hosts Wichita State at 7 PM ET on ESPNU. The Golden Hurricane won their first game in three contests in their last time on the court in a 79-64 victory over UT-Arlington as a 5-point favorite.
Wichita State has lost their last two games after winning their opening contest against Oral Roberts. The Shockers come off a 67-64 loss to Oklahoma State as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. Isaac Brown serves as the interim head coach for this basketball team after Gregg Marshall resigned from the program last month amidst a bevy of accusations regarding the verbal and physical abuse of his players.
Tulsa is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 132.
The nightcap at 9 PM ET on ESPNU has Kansas State playing at Iowa State in the opening game in Big 12 action for both teams. The Wildcats won for the second time in their six games with a 76-75 triumph over Milwaukee as a 10.5-point favorite last Saturday.
Iowa State opened their season with a victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but they have since lost two games in a row after their 105-77 loss at Iowa on Saturday as a 16.5-point underdog.
The Cyclones are 8.5-point favorites with an over/under of 137.
Matchweek 13 in the English Premier League begins on Tuesday with two matches on the NBC Sports Network. Chelsea visits Wolverhampton for the opener at 1 PM ET. The Blues lost their first match in their last ten league contests on Saturday in a 1-0 loss at Everton. The setback dropped Chelsea into fifth place in the EPL table with 22 points from their six wins and four draws in 12 matches. The Blues did advance to the knockout stage Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
Wolverhampton has lost their last two games after their 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa by a 1-0 score. With only five victories and two draws in their 12 matches, the Wolves sit tied in a disappointing 11th place with 17 points. The team is struggling with manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s move from his preferred 5-3-2 formation to a more aggressive 4-3-3 in the wake of the injury to striker Raul Jimenez that has him out indefinitely from the traumatic head injury he suffered last month. Wolverhampton has scored only 11 goals this season.
Chelsea is a -0.75 goal line road favorite with the total set at 2.5 (all odds from BetOnline).
Manchester City hosts West Bromwich United at 3 PM ET. Man City comes off a nil-nil draw at Manchester United on Saturday. That result left the Cityzens in a disappointing ninth place in the table with only 19 points from the five wins and four draws in their eleven league matches. Manager Pep Guardiola hopes that striker Sergio Aguero who has only played in two games this season with a nagging hamstring injury. Man City also advanced to the Round of 16 knockout stages in the UEFA Champions League next month.
West Brom has lost their last two matches with their 2-1 loss at Newcastle United on Saturday. The Baggies scored their ninth goal of the season, yet that is the second-fewest scored in the EPL. West Brom is also last with the 25 goals they have given up. The Baggies have only accumulated six points with a lone win plus three draws amidst their 12 matches. Those results leave them in 19th place and in danger of being relegated back to the Championship League after being promoted this year.
Man City is a -2.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.
The first college basketball game between two Division I schools tips off at 2 PM ET with St. Bonaventure playing Akron on a neutral court at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.
The first of three nationally-televised games take place at 7 PM on ESPN, with Minnesota visiting Illinois in the Big Ten opening contest for both teams. The Golden Gophers have won their first six games this season after they defeated UMKC last Thursday as a 17-point favorite.
Illinois has lost two of their last three games after they were upset at Missouri on Sunday as a 3.5-point favorite. The Illini’s second loss was an 82-69 setback against Baylor, but they did defeat Duke on the road at Cameron Indoor Arena between those two setbacks.
The Fighting Illini are 8-point favorites with the total set at 148.
Tulsa hosts Wichita State at 7 PM ET on ESPNU. The Golden Hurricane won their first game in three contests in their last time on the court in a 79-64 victory over UT-Arlington as a 5-point favorite.
Wichita State has lost their last two games after winning their opening contest against Oral Roberts. The Shockers come off a 67-64 loss to Oklahoma State as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. Isaac Brown serves as the interim head coach for this basketball team after Gregg Marshall resigned from the program last month amidst a bevy of accusations regarding the verbal and physical abuse of his players.
Tulsa is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 132.
The nightcap at 9 PM ET on ESPNU has Kansas State playing at Iowa State in the opening game in Big 12 action for both teams. The Wildcats won for the second time in their six games with a 76-75 triumph over Milwaukee as a 10.5-point favorite last Saturday.
Iowa State opened their season with a victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but they have since lost two games in a row after their 105-77 loss at Iowa on Saturday as a 16.5-point underdog.
The Cyclones are 8.5-point favorites with an over/under of 137.
Matchweek 13 in the English Premier League begins on Tuesday with two matches on the NBC Sports Network. Chelsea visits Wolverhampton for the opener at 1 PM ET. The Blues lost their first match in their last ten league contests on Saturday in a 1-0 loss at Everton. The setback dropped Chelsea into fifth place in the EPL table with 22 points from their six wins and four draws in 12 matches. The Blues did advance to the knockout stage Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
Wolverhampton has lost their last two games after their 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa by a 1-0 score. With only five victories and two draws in their 12 matches, the Wolves sit tied in a disappointing 11th place with 17 points. The team is struggling with manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s move from his preferred 5-3-2 formation to a more aggressive 4-3-3 in the wake of the injury to striker Raul Jimenez that has him out indefinitely from the traumatic head injury he suffered last month. Wolverhampton has scored only 11 goals this season.
Chelsea is a -0.75 goal line road favorite with the total set at 2.5 (all odds from BetOnline).
Manchester City hosts West Bromwich United at 3 PM ET. Man City comes off a nil-nil draw at Manchester United on Saturday. That result left the Cityzens in a disappointing ninth place in the table with only 19 points from the five wins and four draws in their eleven league matches. Manager Pep Guardiola hopes that striker Sergio Aguero who has only played in two games this season with a nagging hamstring injury. Man City also advanced to the Round of 16 knockout stages in the UEFA Champions League next month.
West Brom has lost their last two matches with their 2-1 loss at Newcastle United on Saturday. The Baggies scored their ninth goal of the season, yet that is the second-fewest scored in the EPL. West Brom is also last with the 25 goals they have given up. The Baggies have only accumulated six points with a lone win plus three draws amidst their 12 matches. Those results leave them in 19th place and in danger of being relegated back to the Championship League after being promoted this year.
Man City is a -2.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.
