Big Al

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

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 29, 2021
The Friday sports card features action in college basketball, the NBA, and the NHL.

The college basketball card tips off at noon PM ET, with North Texas visiting Rice as a 7-point favorite with the total set at 136 (all odds from BetOnline).

The nationally-televised college basketball card begins at 6:30 PM ET, with Richmond hosting Saint Louis on ESPN2. The Spiders are 10-4 after their 79-56 victory at Saint Joseph’s as a 13-point favorite on Tuesday. The Billikens lost two of their last three to fall to 7-2 after their 76-71 upset loss to Dayton on Saturday as a 9-point favorite. Richmond is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5.

Buffalo plays at home against Ohio on ESPNU at 7 PM ET. The Buffaloes improved to 6-5 with their 92-77 win against Eastern Michigan as a 10.5-point favorite last Thursday. The Bobcats have won five of their last seven games to improve to 9-6 with their 81-58 victory against Western Michigan as a 1.5-point favorite on Tuesday.  Buffalo is a 2.5-point favorite with the total at 159.5. 

Coastal Carolina travels to Georgia Southern on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET. The Chanticleers, 11-3, have won four of their last five games after their 70-65 victory against Troy as a 10-point favorite on Saturday. The Eagles fell to 10-7 after their 62-48 loss at South Alabama as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. Coastal Carolina is a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 140.

Illinois plays at home against Iowa on FS1 at 9 PM ET. The Fighting Illini are 10-5 after their 79-65 win against Penn State as a 9.5-point favorite on January 19th. The Hawkeyes, 12-5, had their five-game winning streak snapped last Thursday in an 81-69 upset loss to Indiana as a 10.5-point favorite. Illinois is a 1.5-point favorite, with the total at 163.5.

Wright State is home against Robert Morris on ESPNU at 9 PM ET. The Raiders, 11-4, won their third straight game with their 100-72 victory at IUPUI as a 15.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Colonials fell to 3-7 with their fourth straight loss on Saturday with a 79-74 upset loss to Northern Kentucky as a 1.5-point favorite. Wright State is a 16.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.

Colorado State hosts Boise State on FS1 at 11 PM ET. The Rams, 12-3, have won six of their last seven games after they upset the Broncos, 78-58, on Wednesday as a 3-point underdog. Boise State fell to 12-2. Colorado State is a 1-point favorite with the total at 145.

Cal-State Bakersfield played at home against Cal-State Fullerton on ESPNU at 11 PM ET. The Roadrunners, 10-5, had their six-game winning streak end on Saturday in a 70-63 loss to UC-Irvine as a 3-point underdog. They dropped to 4-5 with their 76-53 loss to Hawai’i as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. Cal-State Bakersfield is an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 130.5.

There are ten games on the NBA schedule with a nationally-televised doubleheader on ESPN. Milwaukee visits New Orleans at 7:35 PM ET. The Bucks are 11-6 with two straight wins after their 115-108 win at Toronto as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday. The Pelicans ended their three-game losing streak to improve to 6-10 with their 124-106 win against Washington as an 8-point favorite on Wednesday. Milwaukee is a 7-point road favorite with the total set at 229.

Utah plays at home against Dallas in the nightcap on ESPN at 10:05 PM ET. The Jazz, 14-4, won their tenth in a row with their 116-104 win against the Mavericks as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Dallas has lost three games in a row to drop to 8-10. 

There is only one game in the NHL on Friday, with Columbus visits Chicago at 8 PM ET. The Blue Jackets have won two of their last three games after they defeated Florida in a shootout, 3-2, on Thursday. The Blackhawks look to rebound from a 2-1 loss at Nashville. Columbus is a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.