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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/14/2024

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. Two NBA games tip-off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Oklahoma City Thunder travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers as a 10-point road favorite, with the total set at 218 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cleveland Cavaliers play in Indiana against the Pacers on TNT as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 230. The Phoenix Suns are in Atlanta against the Hawks at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 235. Two NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Bucks host the Sacramento Kings as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229. The Chicago Bulls play at home against the New Orleans Pelicans as a 2-point favorite with a total of 238.5. The Denver Nuggets visit Dallas to play the Mavericks on TNT at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Portland Trail Blazers are home against the Brooklyn Nets at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 6-point favorite with a total of 216.5. The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Columbus Blue Jackets host the Philadelphia Flyers as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play in Toronto to face the Maple Leafs as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Boston to battle the Bruins as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Washington Capitals play at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -290 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Detroit Red Wings are home against the San Jose Sharks as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Seattle Kraken as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games begin at 7:37 p.m. ET. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the Florida Panthers as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New York Islanders are home against the Ottawa Senators as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Three NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Vegas Golden Knights travel to Nashville to face the Predators as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The St. Louis Blues host the Calgary Flames as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets play at home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Utah Hockey Club is home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche hosts the New York Rangers as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 36 games between Division I opponents. Fifteen NCAAB games are on major national television. Xavier plays at home against Villanova on FS1 at 6:30 p.m.  ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 147.5. Four NCAAB games on major national television start at 7:00 p.m. ET. Illinois plays at Indiana on Peacock as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 157.5. Kentucky is home against Texas A&M on ESPN2 as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 160. Alabama hosts Mississippi on ESPNU as an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 164. Marquette is at home against DePaul against the CBS Sports Network as a 13-point road favorite with a total of 148. St. John’s plays at home against Georgetown on Peacock at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 144.Creighton is home against Providence on FS1 at 8:30 p.m. ET as a 9-point favorite with a total of 144.5. Four more NCAAB games begin at 9:00 p.m. ET. Texas Tech visits Kansas State on the CBS Sports Network as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 146. Wisconsin hosts Ohio State on Peacock as a 7-point favorite with a total of 150.5. Duke plays at home against Miami (FL) on ESPN as a 23-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. Florida is home against Missouri as a 10-point favorite with a total of 155. USC hosts Iowa on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 162. Three more NCAAB games on major national television at 11:00 p.m. ET. Arizona State plays at home against Central Florida on ESPNU as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 147. Arizona is home against Baylor on ESPN as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 149.5. San Diego State hosts Colorado State on the CBS Sports Network as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 131. Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League begins with four matches. Three EPL matches begin at 2:30 p.m. ET. Manchester City travels to Brentford as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Chelsea plays at home against Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Fulham plays at West Ham United as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool is at Nottingham Forest on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/13/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 13, 2025

The Monday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB  action.The National Football League continues its postseason with the final game in the wildcard playoff round. The Minnesota Vikings battle the Los Angeles Rams on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 at 8:00 p.m. ET. This game has moved from Los Angeles to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona because of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The Vikings had won nine games in a row before their 31-9 loss at Detroit as a 2.5-point underdog last Sunday. The Rams were on a five-game winning streak before a 30-25 loss against Seattle as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday. Minnesota is a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 47.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Washington to play the Wizards at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 224. Two more NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks host the Detroit Pistons as a 7-point favorite with a total of 224.5. The Golden State Warriors play in Toronto against the Raptors as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The Houston Rockets play at home against the Memphis  Grizzlies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 236. Two more NBA games start at 10:40 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Lakers are home against the San Antonio Spurs as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 222.5. The Los Angeles Clippers host the Miami Heat as a 6-point favorite with a total of 215.6. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. The Florida Panthers are in Philadelphia to play the Flyers at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Calgary Flames visit Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers play at home against the Los Angeles Kings at 9:37 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 22 games between Division I opponents. Three NCAAB games are on major national television. UCLA plays at Rutgers on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Bruins are on a three-game losing streak after their 79-61 loss at  Maryland as a 5-point underdog on Friday. The Scarlet Knights have lost two games in a row after their 68-50 loss to Purdue as a 3-point underdog on Thursday. UCLA is a 3-point road favorite with a total of 139.5.Loyola-Maryland is at home against American University on the CBS Sports at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Greyhounds won for the second time in their last three games with their 75-74 victory against Navy as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. The Eagles won for the second time in their last three games with a 68-58 victory as a 3-point favorite on Friday. Loyola-Maryland is a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 137. Elon University hosts Campbell on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET. The Phoenix were on a four-game winning streak before their 78-65 loss at William & Mary as a 2.5-point underdog on Thursday. The Camels won for the second time in their last three games with their 66-55 victory at Hampton as a 4-point underdog on Thursday. Elon is an 8-point favorite with a total of 136.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/12/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 12, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB  action.The National Football League continues its postseason with three games in the wildcard playoff round. The Buffalo Bills host the Denver Broncos on CBS at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Bills had won three games in a row before their 23-16 upset loss at New England as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. The Broncos ended a two-game losing streak with their 38-0 victory against Kansas City as an 11.5-point favorite on Sunday. Buffalo is an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 47.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia Eagles play at home against the Green Bay Packers on Fox at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Eagles have won two games in a row after their 20-13 win against the New York Giants as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. The Packers have lost two games in a row after their 24-22 upset loss against Chicago as a 2-point favorite last Sunday. Philadelphia is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 45.5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are home against the Washington Commanders on NBC at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Buccaneers won for the sixth time in their last seven games with a 27-19 victory as a 15-point favorite on Sunday. The Commanders are on a five-game winning streak after their 23-19 win at Dallas as a 7-point favorite last Sunday. Tampa Bay is a 3-point favorite with a total of 50.5. The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 3:10 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks host the Milwaukee Bucks as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Denver Nuggets travel to Dallas to play the Mavericks as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 229. The Sacramento Kings play at Chicago against the Bulls at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 238. Four NBA games start at 6:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Indiana Pacers as a 9-point favorite with a total of 238.5. The Orlando Magic are home against the Philadelphia 76ers as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 206. The Boston Celtics host the New Orleans Pelicans as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 227. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in Washington to play the Wizards as a 16.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 230. The Utah Jazz play at home against the Brooklyn Nets at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 216. The Phoenix Suns are home against the Charlotte Hornets at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 224. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Detroit Red Wings host the Seattle Kraken at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Three more NHL games drop the puck at 5:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -405 money-line favor with a total of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play in Ottawa against the Senators as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are home against the Minnesota Wild at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 21 games between Division I opponents. Two NCAAB games are on major national television. Michigan State is at Northwestern on Fox at noon ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 138. Florida Atlantic hosts UAB on ESPN at 5:00  p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 162.5. 

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UFC 311 Preview And Picks

by Will Rogers

Saturday, Jan 11, 2025

UFC 311 - Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2  Saturday, January 18thIntuit Dome - Los Angeles, CAThe UFC returns to Los Angeles this Saturday. Maybe. (More on that below.) It's the first pay-per-view event of 2025 and it includes some of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the entire world. The Main Event features a rematch of Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan. The Co-Main Event sees Umar Nurmagomedov facing Merab Dvalishvili. Some other recognizable names include: Renato Moicano, Beneil Dariush, Jamahal Hill and Kevin Holland. Both the marquis fights have a clear favorite but there are some others which are expected to be more competitive. Let's get caught up to speed. The Main EventThe lightweight title is on the line in the Main Event. The first fight between Islam Makhachev (26-1) and Armen Tsarukyan (22-3) was back in 2019 and it went the distance. At the time, Makhachev's decision victory was his fifth consecutive win. He's kept winning and getting better, ever since. He's now won 14 straight and is considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. For Saturday's rematch, Makhachev is a hefty -410 favorite. Tsarukyan is no slouch. He's 9-1 since the loss to Makhachev and he's a perfect 4-0 his past four fights. Islam knows that Armen is a legitimate contender. The champion said this of the challenger: "Armen doesn't have any weaknesses. But if I want to see his weakness, I have to dig very deep. Arman has everything, that's why he is the real contender, number one in our division right now. I pushed myself very hard for the last three months for this fight because I know I have a real contender who wants to take my belt. I don't want to give him any chance."Prediction: Makhachev is the best in the world but Tsarukyan has the skills to least make things interesting. No play for me. Islam will very likely win but I'm not laying -400. I'm just going to enjoy watching a world class fight. The Co-Main EventUmar Nurmagomedov (18-0) is a -325 favorite over bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (18-4) in the second biggest bout on the card. Considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Dvalishvili has won 11 in a row. His most four recent victories coming against Sean O'Malley, Henry Cejudo, Peter Yan and Jose Aldo. Those are all well-known fighters. Yet, Dvalishvili  is still a substantial underdog. The fact that Nurmagomedov is still such a heavy favorite of the champion of the division shows his level of dominance.  Perhaps some of the lack of respect for Dvalishvili stems from the fact that he doesn't typically finish opponents. His last 4 victories have all been by decision. As a matter of fact, 10 of his 11 wins, during his current undefeated streak, have come courtesy of the judges. Each of Nurmagomedov's last two fights have also gone the distance. Before that, he'd stopped four of his previous five opponents.Dvalishvili said this of Nurmagomedov: "I'm just going to make him humble. I think Umar is spoiled little baby. He's been disrespectful. You can go on his Twitter, and you guys all see how he disrespected the champion, but I'm just going to prove it. I don't want to talk. I just want to do it, you know? January 18th, I'm just going to prove it. I'm working really hard, and you guys know every time I fight against top contenders, I make them look easy. So I think I will do the same again. I'm going to look for the finish, but I'm not saying nothing. All I want is to win, beat him because he is 18-0, which is undefeated. He was never defeated before. He is like amateur world champion, Russian champion, Dagestan champion, sambo champion. He's Khabib's cousin, and his brother Khabib never lost before. I will be the first who gives him loss."Prediction: With the juice on the over 4.5 rounds currently at -275 or -280 and given Dvalishvili's history of decisions, this one has a strong likelihood of going to judges. As good as Nurmagomedov is, I can't help thinking that Dvalishvili has a real shot at backing up his words. He may not win but he's going to be in it until the end with a real shot. The takeback on Dvalishvili is +275.  That's where the value lies, in my opinion. The Toss-UpThe Reinier de Ridder (18-2) versus Kevin Holland (26-12) fight could go either way. At least, according to the odds. Reinier de Ridder is currently the slightest of favorites. He's laying -115. The two big 5-round fights may be likely to go the distance but this one probably will not. None of "The Dutch Knight's" last six fights have. He won 4 of those 6, each of the past 2. Off a loss, Holland has dropped 3 of his past 4 fights. The last 2 (1 W, 1 L) both ended in the first round. De Ridder said this of Holland: “He’s very wild on the feet,” de Ridder said. “But I’m going to put a lot of pressure on him, hit him with some good shots, take him down, choke him out, hopefully.”Prediction: This one could be over quickly. One of these guys is getting stopped. Go with the under.   Will The Event Remain In Los Angeles?Dana White: "Well, if the fire gets bad, we're coming to Vegas ... we'll move it to Vegas if gets too bad. As of now, it's all a go. NBA is gonna go this week, we're gonna go." 

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2025 Australian Open Preview: (Tennis)

by William Burns

Saturday, Jan 11, 2025

Another gruelling season of tennis is officially underway in the year of 2025 and we've arrived at the first of four "Grand-Slam" events in the Australian Open. Luckily for us, we get to watch a bundle of great matchups that are poised to happen over the course of this tournament. After the bracket was announced, this could go down as an absolutely epic Aussie Open. Get your popcorn ready, this is about to be a wild ride!  The Overall Favorites to win the Tournament: Men's 1.) Over the past year now, Jannik Sinner (+110 to Win) has solidified himself as the top contender in the Men's tennis world. He's an outstanding ball striking that has the speed to cover the entirety of the court. He's the most consistent player on tour, and will look to kick off his 2025 with another great performance. He won this tournament last year after coming all the way back from down two sets to love in the final against Daniil Medvedev after beating Novak Djokovic in the Semi Finals. 2.) Although the tennis world is still wowed constantly by the likes of Carlos Alcaraz (+350 to Win,) he had a bit of a disappointing year last year considering how talented this man is. Alcaraz is still one of the best players in the world and one of the most talented players that this game has ever seen. He's lightning quick and has the ability to completely take over matches when he gets hot. I expect him to have a great tournament here to start his season off well. 3.) The GOAT of tennis, Novak Djokovic (+600 to Win) is a bit of a sleeper for this year's Australian Open. Despite winning this title 10 times over the course of his career, Djokovic is aging, which is why his odds slowly decrease year after year. Having said that, Novak is still one of the top players in the game. His longevity has separated him from the rest and that is why I, and many believe that he is the greatest to ever play the game. He's definitely capable of winning this tournament, but he needs to be at his best and cannot have any lapses against the best of the best in the later stages. Women's 1.) In the women's game at the moment, Aryna Sabalenka (+240 to Win) has taken over. The current #1 overall player in the world is a power machine. She hits the ball with so much ferocity that it's hard for her opponents to even think that they have a chance at the beginning of the match. Even with the tough draw, compared to normal, I believe that she will cruise through to the later stages of the tournament and end up winning this tournament overall just like she did a year and two years ago. 2.) Coco Gauff (+500 to Win) is the best American Women's tennis player in the world at the moment and there's no question about it. She's one of the best overall players, and definitely has a shot at winning this tournament. Coco changed her coach once again going into this year and has gained confidence since losing in the 4th round of the US Open in 2024. Now, she's won just one Grand Slam over her young career so far, but this one is going to be a difficult task. 3.) Talking about Women's tennis, one cannot go without mentioning the name of Iga Swiatek (+500 to Win.) Her will/determination to simply just win is unmatched in the tennis world. Although she might have fallen off a bit since a year and a bit ago now, Swiatek is still always going to be one of the top players in the Women's game. I believe that she has as good of a chance at winning this tournament as anyone if she's playing her best tennis. It's going to be necessary for her to stay focused throughout the tournament though. Full Odds to Win the Tournament (via. DraftKings:) Men's: Jannik Sinner (+110)Carlos Alcaraz (+350)Novak Djokovic (+600)Alexander Zverev (+1000)Daniil Medvedev (+1600)Taylor Fritz (+3000)Alex De Minaur (+5000)Jack Draper (+6000)Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (+7000)Stefanos Tsitsipas (+8000)Women's: Aryna Sabalenka (+240)Coco Gauff (+500)Iga Swiatek (+500)Elena Rybakina (+1000)Qinwen Zheng (+1500)Mirra Andreeva (+3000)Karolina Muchova (+3000)Naomi Osaka (+4000)Emma Navarro (+5000)Madison Keys (+5000) Burns' Australian Open 2025 Projections:  Overall, this should be a very good tournament. So many great potential matchups and many new contenders that believe this is their time to shine. Having said that, I expect the pure ball strikers that have power to thrive here in Melbourne. The surface is Hard Court, which makes the ball move a lot faster and also leads to more aces. That being said, this is the perfect event for someone like Aryna Sabalenka to go out and do her thing. On the men's side of things, it's harder to predict a winner if one doesn't want to just go straight to the two favorites. Even though it's laying quite a lot of juice, playing on the Big Three against the field might be the best play. Here are my 2025 Australian Open Best Bets. Best Bets:  1: Aryna Sabalenka to Win >> +2402: Naomi Osaka to Win 2nd Quarter >> +11003. Big Three vs. The Field (Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz) >> -500

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds 01/11/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 11, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB  action.The National Football League kicks off its postseason with two games in the wildcard playoff round. The Los Angeles Chargers travel to Houston to play the Texans on CBS at 4:30 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 41.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Amazon Prime at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. The National Basketball Association has five games on its docket. The Houston Rockets play in Atlanta against the Hawks at 3:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 233. The Phoenix Suns play at home against the Utah Jazz at 5:10 p.m. ET as an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The Detroit Pistons are at home against the Toronto Raptors at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 230.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Memphis Grizzlies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. The Miami Heat are in Portland to face the Trail Blazers at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 218. The National Hockey League has 15 games on its slate. The Florida Panthers play at home against the Boston Bruins on ABC at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 4:07 p.m. ET. The Ottawa Senators visit Pittsburgh to battle the Penguins as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres are home against the Seattle Kraken as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Seven NHL games start at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Dallas Stars play in Montreal against the Canadiens as a -225 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The New Jersey Devils host the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Philadelphia Flyers play at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The St. Louis Blues are home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche are in Winnipeg to face the Jets with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Vancouver Canucks as a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Chicago to play the Blackhawks as a -325 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Nashville Predators play at home against the Washington Capitals at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Utah Hockey Club is home against the New York Islanders as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Three more games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Kings play in Calgary against the Flames as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Minnesota Wild are in San Jose to challenge the Sharks as a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the New York Rangers as a -160 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 143 games between Division I opponents. Ten NCAAB games are on major national television. Two NCAAB games on major national television tip-off at noon et. Creighton visits Butler on Fox as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 145. Duke hosts Notre Dame on ESPN as a 19.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. New Mexico plays at home against San Diego State on CBS at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 147. Two NCAAB games on major national television begin at 2:00 p.m. ET. Texas Tech is home against Iowa State on ESPN as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147. UConn plays at Georgetown on Fox as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 143. Florida is at Arkansas on ESPN at 4:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 156.5. Tennessee travels to Texas on ESPN at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 136. Two major nationally televised NCAAB games start at 8:00 p.m. ET. Alabama plays at Texas A&M on ESPN as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 159.5. Iowa hosts Indiana on Fox as a 5-point favorite with a total of 166.5. Arizona plays at home against Central Florida on ESPN as a 16.5-point favorite with an over/under of 156.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NCAAF, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/10/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 10, 2025

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The college football postseason continues with the second semifinal game of the college football playoffs on ESPN and ESPN2. Ohio State battles Texas in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Buckeyes won for the seventh time in their last eight games with their 41-21 victory against Oregon as a 2.5-point favorite on New Year’s Day in the quarterfinals of the playoffs last Wednesday. The Longhorns won for the seventh time in their last eight games in a 39-31 win in overtime against Arizona State last Wednesday. Ohio State is a 6-point favorite, with the total set at 53.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia 76ers host the New Orleans Pelicans as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 221. The Milwaukee Bucks travel to Orlando to face the  Magic as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 208.5. The Indiana Pacers play at home against the Golden State Warriors as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 222.5 Two NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics are home against the Sacramento Kings as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 230. The Oklahoma City Thunder play in New York against the Knicks as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 225.5. The Chicago Bulls host the Washington Wizards at 8:10 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 240.5. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Brooklyn Nets at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223.The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. Three NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes are home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Detroit Red Wings host the Chicago Blackhawks as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Washington Capitals play at home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the Los Angeles Kings at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Utah Hockey Club hosts the San Jose Sharks at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -245 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 14 games between Division I opponents. Four NCAAB games are on major national television. Kent State is at Buffalo on the CBS Sports Network at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 10-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Wisconsin plays at home against Minnesota on Peacock at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Two more NCAAB games on major national television begin at 8:00 p.m. ET. Maryland is at home against UCLA on Fox as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Toledo hosts Central Michigan on the CBS Sports Network as a 5-point favorite with a total of 151.5. 

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NFL Wildcard Weekend Player Props

by ASA, Inc.

Thursday, Jan 09, 2025

Bills - RB James Cook Over 57.5 Rushing Yards (-115)Cook, somewhat quietly, had a monster year in Buffalo amassing 1K yards while punching in a league-most 16 touchdowns. Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs also tied that touchdown number but seem to get more notoriety than Cook. Of the ten running backs to amas 1K yards and have double digit touchdowns, Cook saw the least amount of carries, speaking for his efficiency and nose for the end zone. Sunday’s noon matchup against Denver has the Bills as heavy favorites (-9) which bodes well for a run heavy game script. Cook plays on average 48% of the offensive snap while averaging 63 ypg on the ground. During playoff time, expect Cook to be on the field more than usual and the Bills to lean on him to close the game. Eagles - WR AJ Brown Over 84.5 Receiving Yards (-115)Arthur Juan Brown was nagged by a hamstring issue to start the year but since managed to get to 1K yards with seven touchdowns in just 13 games. He ranked fifth in receiving yards per game with 83. A physical specimen and one of the best big body pass catchers in the game, he is in store for lots of volume this week. The Packers are without Jaire Alexander, leaving a thin secondary to try and contain both Brown and DeVonta Smith. Green Bay also has to worry about stopping Saquon Barkley and getting pressure against one of the best offensive lines in football. Brown had 119 yards on 5 catches in their week 1 matchup against the Pack in Brazil. He has the chance to do similar damage in the Wild Card round. Commanders - WR Terry McLaurin Over 59.5 Receiving Yards (-115) Scary Terry has surpassed this current yardage total in 10 of his last 15 games. McLaurin had nearly 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns in a major bounce back year with rookie Jayden Daniels. Keep in mind, there were also numerous occasions Daniels missed McLaurin for big plays, highlighting the elite wide receiver that he is. The matchup at Tampa Bay is the highest point total of the weekend (50.5), and for good reason, as both defenses have major issues. Tampa ranked 29th in passing yards allowed with Washington ranking 30th in rushing yards allowed. In the warm Tampa weather, points will be flowing in this one, which is fantastic news for Terry’s yardage total. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/09/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jan 09, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The college football postseason continues with the first semifinal game of the college football playoffs on ESPN and ESPN2. Notre Dame challenges Penn State in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Fighting Irish are on a 12-game winning streak after their 23-10 victory against Georgia as a 1-point favorite in the quarterfinals last Thursday. The Nittany Lions won for the sixth time in their last seven games in a 31-14 victory against Boise State as an 11.5-point favorite on New Year’s Eve last Tuesday. Notre Dame is a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Toronto Raptors as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Orlando to play the Magic as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 205.5. The Detroit Pistons play at home against the Golden State Warriors as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 219.5. The Houston Rockets play at Memphis against the Grizzlies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 232. The Dallas Mavericks are home against the Portland Trail Blazers at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 219. Two NBA games start at 9:10 p.m. ET. The Miami Heat are in Utah to play the Jazz as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 222.5. The Phoenix Suns host the Atlanta Hawks as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 238. The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Charlotte Hornets at 10:40 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 220.5. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Six NHL games from the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Dallas Stars visit Philadelphia to play the Flyers as a -166 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers play in Pittsburgh against the Penguins as a -205 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning are home against the Boston Bruins as a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators host the Buffalo Sabres as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Seattle Kraken are in Columbus to play the Blue Jackets as a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils travel to New York to play the Rangers as a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two more NHL games begin at 8:07 p.m. ET. The St. Louis Blues are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche play in Minnesota against the Wild as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the New York Islanders at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 55 games between Division I opponents. Four NCAAB games are on major national television. Chattanooga plays at home against UNC-Greensboro on the CBS Sports Network at 5:00 p.m. ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 143. Purdue is at Rutgers on FS1 at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 149. William & Mary is home against Elon University on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. Liberty travels to Sam Houston on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 143.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/08/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 08, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Oklahoma City Thunder on ESPN as a 3-point favorite with the total set at 229 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Washington Wizards as an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 220. The Indiana Pavers are home against the Chicago Bulls as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 241. Two NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The New York Knicks host the Toronto Raptors as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Detroit Pistons travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 213. The New Orleans Pelicans play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 226.5. The Los Angeles Clippers play in Denver against the Nuggets at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 228. The Milwaukee Bucks are home against the San Antonio Spurs on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223.The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two NHL  games drop the puck at 7:37 p.m. ET. The Colorado Avalanche are in Chicago to play the Blackhawks on TNT as a -265 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Washington Capitals host the Vancouver Canucks as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Florida Panthers visit Utah to play the Hockey Club on TNT at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings play at home against the Calgary Flames at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 50 games between Division I opponents. Nine NCAAB games are on major national television. UConn plays at Villanova on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 147. Three NCAAB games tip-off on major national television at 7:00 p.m. ET. Bradley is at home against Drake on the CBS Sports Network as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 126. Arkansas hosts Mississippi on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 148. North Carolina State plays at home against Notre Dame on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Three major nationally televised NCAAB games begin at 9:00 p.m. ET. Kansas City is at Nebraska-Omaha on the CBS Sports Network as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 139.5. Kansas is at home against Arizona State on ESPN2 as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143.5. North Texas hosts Rice on ESPNU as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 125.5. San Diego State plays at home against Air Force on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 21.5-point favorite with an over/under of 131.5. California is home against Virginia on ESPNU at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 132.

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College Football’s Final Four Storyline

by Wayne Root

Tuesday, Jan 07, 2025

In the first round of the College Football Playoff, the teams seeded 5-8 all won. In the second round, they all won again.The moral of this story: who knows, other than something doesn't totally add up when not a single one of the top four teams, all of which received the advantage of a first-round bye, advances into college football's final four. No conference championship? No problem. None of the schools won a conference title or earned a first-round bye in the playoffs, but each features a coach who has never won a national championship before. The semifinals are set: Next Thursday in the Orange Bowl, it will be No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 7 Notre Dame. Then, Friday in the Cotton Bowl, it will be No. 5 Texas vs. No. 8 Ohio State.What’s with the SEC?Texas is the highest remaining seed. There's no way Ohio State should be seeded eighth. Suddenly, seventh-seeded Notre Dame seems like the bracket's cuddly underdog. That's one way to look at it. Here's another: The SEC is on the clock. If Texas loses the Cotton Bowl to Ohio State, the SEC will be out of the championship game for the second consecutive season. One thing this expanded tournament could still use: a well-played, truly great football game. Other than the two-overtime win by Texas over Arizona State on Wednesday, all these playoff games have been double-digit snoozefests.Who’s Hot?Ohio State is the hottest team in the field but still is internalizing its own special angst of not being able to win the big one on the heels of a fourth straight loss to rival Michigan to close the regular season. Hottest? Hang on because Notre Dame may want to have a word. The Irish have shed themselves of the torment from the Northern Illinois loss. The 12-game winning streak since then is the longest in the country.Will defense win this?If defense wins championships, then Marcus Freeman has this thing figured out. The 62.5 rushing yards per game is the best in the playoff. Defensive coordinator Al Golden has allowed the two playoff opponents -- Indiana and Georgia -- only 61 plays each. The Irish have held the ball 56% of the time (67 out of 120 minutes). PENN ST vs NOTRE DAME (-2.5)No. 7 Notre Dame (13-1) The Story: When the Irish lost 16-14 at home to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7, Notre Dame's odds of winning the national title ballooned to 100-1. Twelve wins later, including two by double digits in the playoffs, and they are listed at 7-1.We shall see if quarterback Riley Leonard can be the difference offensively. Against Georgia, he passed for less than 100 yards but led the Irish in rushing. No. 6 Penn State (13-2) The Story: After a loss to Oregon in the Big Ten title game, Franklin's record against teams in the AP Top 10 dropped to 3-19. Oregon isn't playing anymore, Ohio State is and Franklin's record against the Buckeyes is 1-10.Penn State has the most explosive running game in the playoff (more than 200 yards per game). Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton are the first pair of 1,000-yard rushers for the Nittany Lions in the same season. Quarterback Drew Allar just completed his eighth career game with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions. But Allar always seems to miss one or two wide open receivers per game. He's either still developing or that is an ongoing flaw in his game. That's not a good combination with ND leading the country allowing only 51% of opponent passes to be completed. PSU's All-American tight end Tyler Warren can go off at any time. In the playoff, he has 17 touches receiving, rushing and throwing for 102 yards and two touchdowns.Hidden stat: Penn State lives in the opponent's backfield. Only two other Power Four programs have more tackles for loss. Penn State has 20 TFLs in 148 opponents' snaps in the postseason. TEXAS vs OHIO ST (-6)No. 5 Texas (13-2) The Story: The Longhorns are 0-2 against Georgia and don't have to worry about the Dawgs anymore. They are 13-0 against the rest of the country.Quinn Ewers returns to his "roots" against Ohio State. It seems like a decade ago, but Texas' quarterback started with the Buckeyes after reclassifying to get out of high school a year early. He basically did it for an NIL bag. Ewers took only four snaps that freshman season. Now, he has become the face of Texas with an NFL-quality arm backed by an elite defense. Because of its lack of attention to detail, Texas allowed Arizona State to rally late to tie in Peach Bowl quarterfinal. The Longhorns arguably should have lost after a targeting penalty against Michael Taaffe wasn't called.No. 8 Ohio State (12-2) The Story: After punctuating a fourth straight loss to Michigan by standing on the field looking lost while the Wolverines triggered a melee by planting the team flag at the 50-yard line, there was good reason to think coach Ryan Day could only keep his job by somehow rallying to win a national title that felt unlikely.Hidden stat: Ohio State is one win away from becoming the fourth team ever with four wins against top-five ranked teams in a season. The others are Notre Dame (1943), USC (1967) and LSU (2019). 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 1/7/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 07, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Rockets travel to Washington to play the Wizards as an 11.5-point road favorite with the total set at 226 (all odds from DraftKings). The Phoenix Suns play in Charlotte against the Hornets as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 222. The Los Angeles Lakers are in Dallas to face the Mavericks on TNT at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 218.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves visit New Orleans to play the Pelicans at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 220. The Atlanta Hawks play in Utah against the Jazz at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 235.5. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Golden State Warriors host the Miami Heat as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 218. The Boston Celtics are in Denver to battle the Nuggets on TNT as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 236. The National Hockey League has 10 games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes travel to Tampa Bay to play the Lightning as a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play in New York against the Rangers as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Ottawa Senators are in Detroit to play the Red Wings as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers visit Detroit to play the Red Wings as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play in Philadelphia against the Flyers at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild are home against the St.Louis Blues as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets host the Nashville Predators as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5.The Calgary Flames are in Anaheim to play the Ducks at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights travel to San Jose to play the Sharks at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -258 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 34 games between Division I opponents. Twelve NCAAB games are on major national television. St. John’s plays at Xavier on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 151.5. Three NCAAB games are on major national television at 7:00 p.m. ET. Florida plays at home against Tennessee on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5. Louisville is at home against Clemson on ESPNU as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143.5. Duke hosts Pittsburgh on ESPN as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 143.5.Two major nationally televised NCAAB games tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET.  Marquette plays at home against Georgetown on the CBS Sports Network as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Iowa is home against Nebraska on Peacock as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 159. Two NCAAB games are on major national television at 9:00 p.m. ET. Auburn is at Texas on ESPN2 as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 152.5. Mississippi State visits Vanderbilt on ESPNU as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 154.5.  Two major nationally televised NCAAB games start at 10:00 p.m. ET. New Mexico plays at Wyoming on the CBS Sports Network as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 147. UCLA hosts Michigan on Peacock as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 141. Boise State plays at home against UNLV on FS1 at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 140. Saint Mary’s is home against Loyola-Marymount on ESPN2 at 11:00 p.m. ET as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 135.

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