Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Articles

UFC 257 Preview: Poirier vs. McGregor 2

by Ben Burns

Thursday, Jan 21, 2021

Love him or hate him, Conor McGregor sure can sell tickets. Every time the cocky Irishman fights, it's a big deal. Saturday sees him take on Dustin Poirier. The two previously fought, back in 2014. On the rise at the time, a young McGregor took care of business in short order. So, will the rematch be worth the price of admission? Poirier vs. McGregor 1The first fight happened so long ago, that McGregor wasn't even on the "Main Event." It didn't last long. Conor predicted a first round KO and stated that he'd "bounce Poirier's head off the canvas." Watch the replay. That's essentially what happened. McGregor made it look easy. He had barely broken a sweat by the time referee Herb Dean was pulling him off.Could The Rematch Be Any Different? The first fight was so long ago that the two are entirely different people. McGregor is now a global superstar. He's made millions and has his own line of Irish whiskey. Poirier has quietly done a lot, too. Not only has he had a daughter and founded his own charity, but he's also beaten the likes of Max Holloway, Anthony Pettis and Justin Gathje, to name a few. Poirer had this to say: "I don’t feel like I’m as emotional a fighter as I was then. My outlook now is trying to stay in a place of gratitude and be grateful for the position I’m in and be grateful for the fights that I have, the family I have. I’m just thankful."The OddsDepending on the book, McGregor is roughly a 3-to-1 favorite. Take back on Poirier is +250. The O/U line is set at 2.5 rounds. One has to lay some pretty steep juice to play the 'under' though. Currently, the price on the U2.5 ranges from -180 to -200, with the 'over' bringing back +150 to +160. The Rest Of The CardI don't plan on getting involved in the Main Event. I expect Conor to win but I'm not willing to lay the big price on him. There are some other interesting fights though. Amanda Ribas is an exciting fighter, who should win again. However, Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler should be a more competitive battle. (I've got my eyes on another one, too.)Enjoy all the fights, as well as this weekend's NFL Championships games. Until next time, good luck ... Ben Burns

Read more

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

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jan 21, 2021

The Thursday sports card features college basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League. The college basketball card tips off at 2 PM ET, with Buffalo hosting Eastern Michigan as a 12-point favorite with the total set at 150.5 (all odd from BetOnline).USC travels to Stanford at 5 PM ET on FS1. The Trojans are a 4.5-point road favorite with the total set at 140. Memphis plays at home against Wichita State at 7 PM ET on ESPN2. The Tigers are 3-point favorites with an over/under of 139. Morehead State hosts Southeast Missouri State on ESPNU as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 127.5.Iowa plays at home against Indiana at 9 PM ET on FS1. The Hawkeyes rank 4th in the nation by the Associated Press. They are 10.5-point favorites with an over/under of 151.5. UCLA visits California at 9 PM ET on ESPNU. The Bruins rank 24th by the AP, and they are 9-point road favorites with a total at 136.5. Arizona plays at Arizona State on ESPN at 9 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 153.5. BYU plays at home against Portland on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET. The Cougars are laying 22.5-points with the total set at 149.Utah State plays at home against Colorado State on FS1 at 11 PM ET. The Aggies are 8.5-point favorites with an over/under of 140.The NBA has three games headlined by a TNT doubleheader starting at 7:35 PM ET, with Milwaukee hosting the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bucks had their four-game winning streak end on Monday with their 125-123 upset loss at Brooklyn as a 2.5-point favorite. The Lakers had their five-game winning streak end on Monday with their 115-113 upset loss at home to Golden State as a 9-point favorite. Milwaukee is a 1-point favorite with the total at 229.The nightcap on TNT has Utah playing at home against New Orleans at 10:05 PM ET. The Jazz have won six in a row with their 118-102 win against the Pelicans as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. The Pelicans have lost six of their last seven games. Utah is a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 218.Six games are on the NHL schedule. The NBC Sports Network has a doubleheader starting at 7 PM ET with Tampa Bay playing at Columbus as a -162 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. The Lightning have won their first two games of the season as they defend their Stanley Cup championship after a 5-2 win against Chicago last Friday. The Blue Jackets look to rebound from a 3-2 loss at Detroit.The second game on the NBC Sports Network has Vancouver playing at home against Montreal at 9:30 PM ET. The Canucks won the opening contest of this two-game series in Vancouver with a 6-5 victory.The English Premier League has Liverpool at home against Burnley on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET. The Reds are a -1.75 goal line favorite at Anfield with an over/under of 3.

Read more

Ness Notes: Wednesday, Jan 20

by Larry Ness

Wednesday, Jan 20, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."CBB: Tuesday's schedule had no scheduled games between ranked opponents but did have SEVEN games between ranked and unranked opponents, including three from the AP's top-10. No. 3 Villanova took the court for the first time since Dec 23 and eked out a 76-74 win over Seton Hall. The Wildcats returned from a 27-day break but the Pirates gave them all they wanted. Seton Hall snapped a 17-game road losing streak to Villanova with a 70-64 victory last February and again gave the Wildcats fits (game-winning FT came with 1.9 seconds remaining). No. 6 Tennessee lost 75-49 at Florida, despite the Gators missing three of their top players. The Vols fell to 10-2 by shooting 29.3 percent from the floor and 3 of 18 from three-point range. Tennessee ranked third in the NCAA in scoring defense (57.2 PPG) but the 75 points the Vols gave up were the most on the season. No. 7 Michigan bounced back from its first loss of the season (75-57 at Minnesota last Saturday) with an easy 87-63 win over Maryland. The four other ranked teams went 3-1 SU & ATS (all seven were 5-2 SU & 4-3 ATS), with the other loser being No. 15 Ohio St 67-65 at home to Purdue. No. 18 Alabama (now EIGHT straight wins), No. 19 Missouri and No. 22 Illinois all won and covered.Wednesday again has no top-25 matchups (higher ranked teams are 27-15, .643 SU but just 21-21, 50.0% ATS this season) and COVID concerns have postponed SEVEN games involving ranked teams vs unranked ones, including one top-10 team (No. 5 Texas). Two top-10 teams are in action, No. 8 Houston (11-1) is home to Tulsa (8-4), looking to avenge its lone loss of the season when the Cougars lost 65-64 at Tulsa back on Dec 29. Houston is favored by 12 points. No. 10 Wisconsin (10-3) is home to 6-6 Northwestern. The Wildcats opened 6-1 (3-0 in the Big Ten) when it beat Ohio St 71-70 back on Dec 26. Northwestern entered the AP poll at No. 19 on Dec 28 but the Wildcats have since gone 0-5 SU & ATS. The Badgers are favored by  11 1/2-points. Two more ranked teams are in play, No. 11 Creighton (10-3) at home vs 7-6 Providence and No. 20 Clemson (9-2), coming off an 'ugly' 85-50 home loss to UVa on Saturday, visiting Atlanta to play 6-3 Georgia Tech. Creighton is favored by nine points and Clemson by 1 1/2-points.NBA: Just two games last night, as the disappointing Nuggets beat the Thunder 119-10 to even their record at 7-7. The Jazz won 118-102 at home over the Pelicans to move to 10-4, extending their winning streak to SIX in a row (league-high). It's a busy 10-game Wednesday schedule, with ESPN airing a doubleheader. 8-4 Boston is at 9-5 Philadelphia at 7:05 ET and 7-5 Phoenix is at 4-8 Houston at 9:35 ET. The Celtics own the East's best record, while Philly is tied with Milwaukee for the second-best mark. Both teams are dealing with COVID protocols and injuries. The 76ers are favored by 4 1/2-points. The Suns jumped out to a 5-1 start but have lost FOUR of their last six, while the Houston roster is still in flux due to injury. Guard John Wall (knee) remains sidelined. Forward Danuel House Jr. (COVID protocols) and guard Dante Exum (calf), who was acquired along with Oladipo last week, are also out. Guard Sterling Brown (right leg) is questionable to play after missing the past two contests. Phoenix is favored by 5 1/2-points.The NBA's two-worst teams are also in action, as the 3-10 Pistons are at the 6-7 Hawks, while the 3-9 Timberwolves are home to the 6-8 Magic. As I noted in Tuesday's Notes, the T-wolves have a minus-10.1 PPG differential, the ONLY team losing by an average of double digits. Interestingly enough, Minnesota is 5-7 ATS (not bad), while Detroit actually owns a winning ATS record of 7-5-1. The Pistons are a five-point road dog and the T-wolves are a 3 1/2-point home dog. The 10-4 LA Clippers have won four straight and a win tonight at Staples Center over the 5-9 Kings would allow the Clipps to match the Lakers' NBA-best record of 11-4. LA is favored by 10 1/2-points. NFL: How did the Packers and Bucs reach the NFC Championship Game? The Packers scored on each of their first five series and led the Rams 25-10 early in the third quarter. When all was said and done, the Rams' top-rated defense (had allowed 18.5 PPG on just 281.9 YPG) was shredded for 32 points on 484 yards, allowing 28 FDs (GB was 8 of 12 on 3rd downs). Rodgers threw for 296 yards with two TDs and no INTs (108.1 QB rating) plus had a one-yard TD run. His TD run was the first by a Packers QB in a playoff game at Lambeau Field since Bart Starr's winning sneak in the Ice Bowl against Dallas on Dec 31, 1967. The Green Bay defense held the Rams to just 244 yards, allowing LA to convert just 2 of 8 third downs (0-1 on 4th down). Green Bay has now won SEVEN in a row, holding its opponents to 18.4 PPG during that stretch.Tom Brady and the Bucs' offense turned three of four Saints turnovers into TDs and Tampa Bay beat the Saints 30-20 in the divisional round of the playoffs Sunday night at New Orleans. The Saints had beaten the Bucs in BOTH regular season meetings, 34-24 at home in Week 1 and then 38-3 at Tampa in Week 9. Two of those TDs came on short passes to WR Mike Evans and RB Leonard Fournette. Then, after an interception by LB Devin White, Brady drove the Bucs to the one-yard-line, from where he scored himself with 4:57 left to virtually ensure his 14th trip to a conference championship game but his first in the NFC. Brady finished 18 of 33 for 199 yards with two TD passes and that TD run. The 30-20 Tampa Bay win resembled more of a defensive struggle, as the Bucs had a modest 316 total yards and the Saints had just 294. However, unlike in his previous two meetings with the Saints (five INTs and six sacks), Brady was not intercepted and largely avoided pressure, taking only one sack.The Packers reached the NFC championship game for the fourth time in seven seasons as they chase their first Super Bowl berth in a decade (2010 season). It will be their first NFC title contest at Lambeau Field since hosting for the 2007 season, when they fell to the New York Giants 23-20 in overtime. Rodgers was on Green Bay's roster during that 2007 season backing up Brett Favre. Brady will try to advance to his 10th Super Bowl (the Bucs are hoping for just their SECOND Super Bowl appearance) in a showdown with Rodgers. I'll recap how the Bills and Chiefs reached the AFC championship game in Thursday's Notes and then preview both games in Friday's Notes.Good luck...Larry

Read more

NCAA Wednesday Night Basketball: Creighton/Providence Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 20, 2021

The opening contest in a college basketball doubleheader on FS1 features a rematch of a game on January 2nd in Big East decided on a game-winning shot with just 0.8 seconds left to play. Christian Bishop’s clutch shot gave Creighton a 67-65 victory at Providence as a 4-point favorite. Ed Cooley’s team has found themselves in several close games this season. The Friars followed up that loss by getting beat at Xavier, 74-73, via a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds left on the clock a week later. Those heartbreaks may have contributed to their flat effort on January 12th at Marquette, where they fell behind by 16 points before losing to the Golden Eagles by a 79-69 score as a 4.5-point underdog. Some of the bounces have gone their way this season as they pulled out overtime victories against Seton Hall and DePaul.Providence has not played in eight days since their game on Saturday with Georgetown was postponed due to COVID issues. The Friars had three other conference games postponed in mid-December due to COVID. They are 7-6 on the season with a 3-4 mark in conference play. Cooley’s teams often continue to improve as the season wears on. He had his group on a six-game winning streak before last season got canceled. Just three players are back from that 19-12 team that played more than 12 minutes-per-game, yet two of them are in the top-three scorers in the Big East. Junior guard David Duke is scoring 19.9 points-per-game. Senior Nate Watson is adding 18.3 points-per-game with the 6’10 center pulling down 7.2 rebounds-per-game. Cooley considers Watson the best post-up player in the nation. The duo is scoring 51.5% of the 74.2 points-per-game that Providence averages per game while providing an inside-out scoring threat that Cooley facilitates with the 301st slowest pace in the nation. Guard A.J. Reeves scores 9.7 points-per-game as an outside shooting threat, but he is questionable for this game with an undisclosed issue.The Friars are eighth in the nation with a 6.9% non-steal turnover rate when they have the basketball. Providence ranks 41st in adjusted offensive efficiency and 101st in adjusted defensive efficiency according to the metrics at kenpom. The Friars only make 32.8% of their 3-pointers on the season, but they only take these shots 31.7% of the time, the 296th lowest rate in the nation. Providence has improved in conference play by making 38.9% of their 3-pointers, third-best in the Big East. The Friars are also holding their conference opponents to a 32.9% clip from 3-point land, third best. Providence’s highest-profile win is against Seton Hall, and they registered a non-conference victory against Davidson. They lost to Indiana and Alabama in non-conference play last month. Creighton had their six-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in a 70-66 upset loss in overtime at Butler as a 7-point favorite. The Bluejays went on a 23-3 run in the second half but still could not stave off overtime as they ultimately lost to the Bulldogs. They played that game without point guard Marcus Zegarowski who missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury. The junior is scoring 14.1 points-per-game while averaging 4.4 assists-per-game. He is questionable for this game. Creighton still has five other players that score at least 7.0 points-per-game, including Denzel Mahoney, whose 15.9 points-per-game scoring average leads the team. The Bluejays rank 11th in the nation in the Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record. They are 6-2 in Big East play with victories against Seton Hall, UConn, and Xavier. Their three losses were a one-point loss to Kansas and Marquette and the Bulldogs in conference play. Creighton ranks tenth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They are 11th with a 58.5% shooting percentage inside the arc, and they rank 36th with a 38.0% shooting clip from 3-point land. Their 57.8% effective field goal percentage is 11th best. The Bluejays are also playing strong fundamental defense. They are limiting their opponents to just a 43.0% shooting percentage inside the arc. They rank 35th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency using the metrics at kenpom.The Bluejays’ 2-point win on January 2nd was the fifth time in the last ten meetings between these two teams settled by 6 points or less. BookMaker lists Creighton as a 9.5-point favorite, with the total set at 146. The FS1 broadcast starts at 7 PM ET.

Read more

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

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 20, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features college basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League. The college basketball card tips off at 1 PM ET, with Davidson hosting Fordham as a 17-point favorite with the total set at 120.5 (all odds from BetOnline). The nationally-televised games begin at 7 PM ET, with Creighton playing at home against Providence on FS1. The Bluejays' six-game winning streak snapped with a 70-66 upset loss at Butler as a 7-point favorite on Saturday. Creighton is now 10-3 on the season, and they rank 11th in the Associated Press poll. The Friars lost their third game in a row with their 79-69 loss at Marquette eight days ago on January 12th as a 4.5-point underdog. This contest is a rematch of the Bluejays’ 67-65 win at Providence as a 4-point favorite on January 2nd. Creighton is a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 146.Colorado travels to Washington at 9 PM ET on ESPN2. The Buffaloes won their fourth straight game to improve to 11-3 with their 77-64 victory against Stanford as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. The 1-11 Huskies lost their eighth in a row after an 81-76 loss at UCLA as a 14.5-point underdog on Saturday. Colorado is a 12.5-point road favorite, with the total at 144.5.Boise State plays at home against Fresno State on FS1 at 9 PM ET. The Broncos lost their opening game at BYU, but they have since won eleven straight. They last played on Wednesday, where they defeated Wyoming on the road, 90-70, as an 11.5-point underdog. The Bulldogs are 5-5 after losing two in a row with their 79-65 loss at Nevada as a 6.5-point underdog on Sunday. Boise State is a 15-point favorite with an over/under of 140.Ten games are on the NBA schedule. An ESPN doubleheader tips off at 7:05 PM ET with Boston visiting Philadelphia. These two teams last played in August in the Celtics' four-game sweep in the first round of the playoffs. Boston had their five-game winning streak snapped on Monday in a 105-75 loss at home to New York as a 7-point favorite. The loss left them with an 8-4 record. COVID has impacted this team with Jayson Tatum out given quarantine protocols. Philadelphia fell to 9-5 after their loss at Memphis on Saturday by a 106-104 score as a 2-point underdog. The 76ers are also dealing with COVID issues with Seth Curry out indefinitely. Joel Embiid has been out with a knee issue, but he hopes to take the court tonight. The ESPN nightcap has Phoenix traveling to play Houston at 9:35 PM ET. The Suns have lost three of their last four games to see their record fall to 7-5 after getting upset at Memphis on Monday as a 5.5-point favorite, 108-104. The Grizzlies have been without Dario Saric and Jalen Smith, both in the COVID quarantine protocol. They are questionable for this game. Houston has lost four of their last five games after their 125-120 loss at Chicago as a 2-point favorite on Monday. This game will be the Rockets’ fourth since the blockbuster James Harden trade. John Wall is questionable with an illness. Five games are on the NHL schedule. The NBC Sports Network has a double-header starting at 7:05 PM ET with Toronto hosting Edmonton. The Maple Leafs are -144 money line favorites with the total at 6.5. The second game has Minnesota’s visit to Anaheim, with the Wild a -133 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The English Premier League continues with a double-header on the NBC Sports Network. Manchester City hosts Aston Villa at 1 PM ET as a -1.75 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.25. Manchester United visits Fulham as a -1 goal line road favorite with the total set at 2.75 at 3:15 PM ET.

Read more

NCAA Tuesday Night Basketball: LSU/Alabama Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021

The nightcap for ESPN’s Super Tuesday college basketball double-header involves two red-hot teams from the SEC that play fast and score lots of baskets.Alabama is off to their best start in conference play scene 1987 with a 6-0 start. The Crimson Tide have won seven straight games to lift their record to 11-3, and they rank 18th in the Associated Press poll. Nate Oats’ team comes off a 90-59 victory against Arkansas on Saturday, which was the largest margin of victory against an SEC opponent in eight years when they defeated Mississippi State, 75-43. John Petty, Jr. led the way with 17 points. The SEC Players of the Year candidate bypassed the NBA in the offseason to return to Tuscaloosa. The senior is second on the team with a 13.5 points-per-game scoring average while adding 5.3 rebounds-per-game. Sophomore Jordan Shackelford leads the team with a 13.6 points-per-game average. Oats has four starters back from his first year with the program, where they finished 16-15. He fortified this core by bringing several talented players, including former five-star recruit from Villanova, Jahvon Quinerly, and Jordan Bruner, a graduate transfer from Yale. Oats also recruited three four-star freshmen to the program to give this team depth. Alabama is scoring 80.1 points-per-game executing Oats’ “pace-and-space” scheme that plays fast and shoots plenty of 3-pointers. The Crimson Tide are 14th in the nation in possessions per game, and their average possession length of 14.2 seconds is third quickest. They average 30 shots from behind the arc, with these 3-pointers representing 46.1% of their shots from the field, 22nd in the nation. Their 34.1% shooting mark from downtown for the season is ordinary, but Oats has seen his team improve that mark to a 39.4% clip in conference play. The Tide also rebounds 32.4% of their missed shots, 64th in the country. Their offense ranks 22nd in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency by kenpom for the season. The Alabama defense ranks 16th in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They force turnovers in 21.5% of their opponent’s possessions, 72nd. They also hold their opponents to a 30.6% shooting mark from 3-point land, 75th. However, Oats’ team is vulnerable to opponents committed to crashing the offensive glass. The Crimson Tide allow their opponents to rebound 29.8% of their missed shots, 239th in the nation. This group earned a signature victory against Tennessee. They also have quality wins against Florida, Arkansas, and Kentucky during their seven-game winning streak. Their three losses are against Stanford, Clemson, and Western Kentucky.LSU has won their last four games after their 85-80 win against South Carolina on Saturday. The Tigers are scoring 86.1 points-per-game, which has helped them earn a 5-1 record in conference play. Head coach Will Wade has three starters and an additional rotation player back from the group that finished 21-10 last season. This program is two-years removed from winning the SEC title, so expectations remain high in Baton Rouge. Impact freshman Cameron Thomas leads the team with a 22.1 points-per-game scoring average. Sophomore forward Trendon Watford is adding 18.7 points-per-game along with 7.0 rebounds-per-game. Junior point guard Ja'Vonte Smart is scoring 15.2 points-per-game while dishing out 4.0 assists-per-game. Junior forward Darius Days is scoring 13.7 points-per-game while pulling down 8.0 rebounds-per-game.The Tigers do not play as fast as the Crimson Tide, but they will likely embrace the fast pace. LSU ranks fifth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They are second with a 56.9% shooting percentage inside the arc. The Tigers also rebound 34.1% of their missed shots, 31st. Yet the play on the other end of the court continues to a weakness for Wade-coached teams. LSU ranks 107 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Opponents make 52.0% of their shots inside the arc, 240th in the country. The Tigers also let opponents pull down 31.5% of their missed shots, 286th in the nation. COVID has impacted the LSU season with games postponed and re-arranged due to outbreaks inside and outside their program. Wade did not coach two games given quarantine protocols, which have kept this team at full strength. The Tigers’ two losses were against Saint Louis and Florida. Their highest-profile victory is against Arkansas. Hosting Alabama is this LSU team's biggest test of the season. BetAnySports lists Alabama as a -1 point road favorite with the total set at 164.5. The ESPN2 broadcasts start at 9 PM ET.

Read more

Ness Notes: Tuesday, Jan 19

by Larry Ness

Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."CBB: Let's start with the latest AP poll, released Monday afternoon. Gonzaga and Baylor opened No. 1 and No. 2 in the preseason poll and remained 1 and 2 for the NINTH straight poll. The same teams appeared in the top-five, as 8-1 Villanova remained No. 3, despite not playing since Dec 23. 12-2 Iowa leapfrogged 11-2 Texas, as the Hawkeyes are now No. 4 and the Longhorns are No. 5.  10-1 Tennessee is up to No. 6 (from 10th), while 11-1 Michigan held on to the No. 7 spot despite getting crushed 75-57 at Minnesota. Rounding out the top-10 are 11-1 Houston at No. 8, 10-3 Kansas at No. 9 and 11-3 Wisconsin at No. 10. 9-2 UVa jumped five sports to No. 13 and 11-3 Alabama went from unranked to No. 18 on the strength of a seven-game winning streak. Illinois opened 8th in the preseason and is lucky to still be ranked (No. 22) with its 9-5 record. Duke has played just EIGHT games and at 5-3, fell out of the top-25, ending the second-longest active streak of consecutive rankings at 91. Gonzaga is now second at 87, while Kansas was ranked for the 229th straight week. UCLA opened No. 23 in the preseason poll but lost its opener at SD State. However, at 11-2 overall (7-0 in the Pac 12), the Bruins are back at No. 23. Speaking of teams NOT meeting expectations (like Duke, currently unranked), we have preseason No. 10 Kentucky at 4-8, preseason No. 13 Michigan at 8-4, preseason No. 16 North Carolina at 8-5 and preseason No. 18 Arizona St at 4-6.Monday saw No. 2 Baylor move to 13-0 with an 77-69 home win over No. 9 Kansas, which fell to 10-4 (bye-bye top-10 ranking next Monday Jayhawks). However, Baylor didn't cover as an 8 1/2-point favorite, as Kansas threw in a "meaningless," bank-shot 3-pointer at the buzzer. In games between ranked opponents, the higher ranked team is 27-15 (.643) SU but just 21-21 (50.0%) ATS. The lone ranked team in action against an unranked foe on Monday was No. 23 UConn, which lost 74-40 at home to a St John's team that entered just 7-7. Tuesday's schedule has no scheduled games between ranked opponents but does have SEVEN games between ranked and unranked opponents, including three from the AP's top-10. No. 3 Villanova is hopeful of taking the court tonight at home vs 9-5 Seton Hall, for the first time since Dec 23. The Wildcats are favored by nine points. No. 6 Tennessee is 10-1 and will travel to Florida to play the 6-4 Gators (Vols are favored by seven points) and No. 7 Michigan, off its first loss of the season, is home against 8-6 Maryland (Wolverines are favored by 10 points).NBA: Monday was MLK Day and the league featured a busy NINE-game schedule, including a TNT tripleheader. I doubt there was much interest in Memphis beating Phoenix 108-104 (except to bettors of that game) but the Bucks/Nets and Warriors/Lakers game got most people's attention. The East's two-best teams (my opinion) went toe-to toe with Kevin Durant making the go-ahead three-pointer with 36 seconds left in a 125-123 Brooklyn win. Harden had 34 points and 12 assists, while Durant finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists to give the Nets their FOURTH straight victory. Antetokounmpo had 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee, which had its four-game winning streak stopped. Middleton added 25 points (but missed a potential game-winning three at the buzzer) and Jrue Holiday had 22. The defending champion Lakers welcomed the Warriors to Staples Center with the league's best record (11-3) and on a five-game winning streak but Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors rallied from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Lakers 115-113. LeBron James' three-pointer gave the Lakers a 97-83 advantage early in the fourth before the Warriors battled back. They trailed 106-97 with 5:52 remaining before going on a 15-2 run that gave Golden State its first lead. LBJ had a chance to win it at the end but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer as the Lakers had their five-game winning streak snapped. According to Stats LLC, it is the first time in 284 home games that James and his team took a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter and lost in regulation. Just another night in the NBA.Four weeks in, the Lakers still own the NBA's best record at 11-4 but the Clippers are hot on their trail at 10-4, after four straight wins. The Jazz have won five straight and are now 9-4. Utah's five-game winning streak is now the longest active in the NBA, tied with, of all teams, the Memphis Grizzlies (just 7-6 on the season). Boston's 8-4 record tops the East, although the 9-5 Bucks own the league's second-best point differential at plus-9.8 PPG (Lakers are No. 1 at plus-10.2), while Boston's is only plus-1.3. The Nets have now won FOUR in a row and at 9-6, own the 4th-best point differential at 5.6 PPG (Clippers are 3rd-best at 6.3 PPG). Charlotte opened 6-2 but has now lost SIX straight (longest-active streak), although 3-9 Minnesota and 3-10 Detroit have the league's two-worst records. The T-wolves have a minus-10.1 PPG differential, the ONLY team losing by an average of double digits. Interestingly enough, Minnesota is 5-7 ATS (not bad), while Detroit actually owns a winning ATS record of 7-5-1. Following that, it should surprise no one that the league's best ATS record (10-4) belongs to the 6-8 Chicago Bulls. And so it goes...Wednesday's Notes will feature a first-look at the NFL's Championship Sunday, the first week of the NHL and more.Good luck...Larry

Read more

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

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features college basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League. The college basketball card tips off at 1 PM ET with UNC-Wilmington playing at Towson. The nationally-televised games begin at 7 PM ET. Tennessee ranks sixth in the country in the current AP poll with a 10-1 record after defeating Vanderbilt on Saturday as a 21.5-point favorite. The Volunteers visit Florida at 7 PM ET on ESPN. The Gators are 6-4 after losing their third game in their last four in a 72-69 loss at Mississippi State on Saturday as a 1-point underdog. Tennessee is a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 137 (all odds from BetOnline).Michigan hosts Maryland on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Wolverines lost their first game of the season on Saturday in a 75-57 upset loss at Minnesota as a 5-point favorite. They rank seventh by the AP with an 11-1 record. The Terrapins are 8-6 after their 100-58 win against Wingate on Friday. Michigan is a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 141.USC travels to Oregon State at 7 PM ET on ESPN2. The Trojans are 11-2 with six straight wins after they defeated Washington State on Saturday by an 85-77 score as a 12-point favorite. The Beavers snapped a two-game losing streak to improve their record to 6-5 with an 80-79 upset win at Arizona State as a 6-point underdog. USC is a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 139.DePaul plays at home against Butler at 7 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network. The Blue Demons are 2-4 after ending their four-game losing streak with a 77-58 win against Valparaiso as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. The Bulldogs are 4-7 after upsetting Creighton on Saturday by a 70-66 score as a 2-point underdog. DePaul is a 1-point favorite with a total at 135.5.Winthrop travels to Presbyterian at 7 PM ET on ESPNU. The Eagles remained undefeated this season in 13 games with their 70-50 victory against Longwood on Friday as a 16.5-point favorite. The Blues Hose are 3-5 on the year after their 73-51 loss at Campbell as a 7.5-point underdog on Friday. Winthrop is a -16-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.Villanova hosts Seton Hall at 9 PM ET on FS1. The Wildcats rank third by the AP despite not having played since December 23rd due to COVID issues. The Wildcats are 8-1 after defeating Marquette on the road by an 85-68 score as a 5-point favorite almost a month ago. The Pirates are 9-5 after winning their fourth game in five cones on January 9th in a 76-68 triumph at DePaul as a 4-point favorite. Villanova is a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5.LSU plays at home against Alabama on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Tigers are 10-2 with four wins in a row after their 85-80 victory on Saturday as a 5.5-point favorite against South Carolina. The Crimson Tide ranks 18th by the AP with seven straight wins for an 11-3 record after defeating Arkansas by a 90-59 score as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. LSU is a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 163.5. Duke plays at Pittsburgh on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Blue Devils are 5-3 after losing at Virginia Tech last Tuesday by a 74-67 score as a 3.5-point underdog. The Panthers are 7-2 after upsetting Syracuse on Saturday by a 96-76 score as a 3.5-point underdog. Duke is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 141.Utah State hosts Colorado State at 9 PM ET on the CBS Sports Network. The Aggies are 11-3 with ten straight victories after they defeated San Diego State, 64-59, on Saturday as a 3.5-point favorite. The Rams are 10-2 with four straight wins after their 88-61 win at San Jose State on Saturday laying 19.5-points. Utah State is a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5.The NBA has a light schedule with two games on tap, both starting at 9 PM ET. Utah hosts New Orleans as a 6.5-point favorite, with the total at 218. Denver is at home against Oklahoma City as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 218. Neither game is on national television.The NHL has seven games on their Tuesday card. Pittsburgh hosts Washington at 7 PM on the NBC Sports Network. The Penguins are 1-2-0 after winning the opening game of their back-to-back with the Capitals on Sunday in a 4-3 victory in overtime. Washington lost their first game of the season with that setback. Pittsburgh is a -125 money line favorite with a total of 6.5.Two matches take place in the English Premier League. West Ham United plays at home against West Bromwich Albion at 1 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5 on the NBC Peacock app. Chelsea and Leicester City play at 3:15 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network in a pick ‘em matchup with the total set at 2.5.

Read more

NCAA Monday Night Basketball: Baylor/Kansas Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 18, 2021

The nightcap for ESPN’s Big Monday college basketball double-header is a heavyweight showdown between two Big 12 teams ranked in the top-six nationally. Baylor ranks second in the Associated Press poll with a 12-0 record. The Bears last played on Saturday when they pulled away from Texas Tech to earn a 68-60 win in Lubbock as a 4.5-point favorite. Jared Butler took over late by nailing two 3-pointers that helped Baylor pull away from the Red Raiders. The junior leads the team with a 15.6 points-per-game scoring average. He also adds 5.2 assists-per-game.Butler is amongst six players that score at least 8.8 points-per-game for the Bears. Head coach Scott Drew has a deep rotation with nine players averaging at least 14 minutes per game. Drew had six players return from last year's rotation that finished 26-4.Baylor has high-profile victories against Illinois and Oklahoma, in addition to the win against Texas Tech over the weekend. That 8-point victory against the Red Raiders was the closest game they have played all season. Yet it was also the second-straight game where they did not score at least 76 points. The Bears had averaged 91.2 points-per-game in their first ten games. Baylor has the fourth-best offense in adjusted offensive efficiency according to the numbers at kenpom. They are also fourth in the country with a 42.3% shooting percentage from 3-point land. The Bears rank eighth by rebounding 38.2% of their missed shots. Drew’s team is the top-ranked team in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They force turnovers in 26.9% of their opponent’s possessions, which is third best. If there was a weakness to this team, it might start with their defensive rebounding. Baylor allows their opponents to rebound 28.9% of their missed shots, 211th in the nation. The Bears do not get as many freebies on the charity stripe given a free throw rate that is 206th.Kansas last played on Tuesday when they were upset at Oklahoma State, 75-70, as a 3.5-point favorite. Head coach Bill Self was not happy with his team’s effort on defense, describing his players as “slow” and that they “did not guard.” The Jayhawks allowed 37 fast break opportunities for the Cowboys. Kansas also struggled to shoot the basketball as they missed 16 of their 21 shots from 3-point land. They turned the ball over 15 times while assisting on just nine baskets.David McCormack was a bright spot for the Jayhawks with his 24 points and 12 rebounds. The junior forward has scored 20.3 points-per-game in his last three games with 7.0 rebounds-per-game and 2.5 blocks per game. Kansas is led in scoring by Ochai Agbaji with his 14.7 points-per-game average. The junior has made 22 shots from 3-point land in his last seven games. His 42.7% shooting mark from downtown is tops in the Big 12.Despite Agbaji’s efforts, the Jayhawks make only 31.7% of their 3-pointers in conference play, the eighth lowest in the Big 12. Kansas can struggle to score baskets. Their 48.7% shooting percentage inside the arc this season is 211th. The kenpom adjusted offensive efficiency numbers do rank the Jayhawks 23rd in the nation. They pull down 35.1% of their misses, 23rd best in the country. They rank 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency.Kansas ranks sixth in the nation in the AP poll with a 10-3 record. Their three losses were against number-one ranked Gonzaga as well as Texas and their setback to Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks have quality victories against Creighton, West Virginia, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. The COVID postponements Kansas experienced since their game with the Cowboys has presented Self with more practice time to prepare for Baylor. Five-star freshman Bryce Thompson remains out with his finger injury. BookMaker lists Baylor as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 148. The ESPN broadcast starts at 9 PM ET.

Read more

Ness Notes: Monday, Jan 18

by Larry Ness

Monday, Jan 18, 2021

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."The NFL's Super Wild Card weekend saw home teams go 2-4 SU and 2-4 ATS and until that 'explosion' in which the Browns beat the Steelers 48-37, the first five wild card games averaged a very modest 43.6 PPG. Three of the first five went over (counting Ind/Buf as an over, with that total closing 50 1/2 and ending 51). Obviously, Cle/Pit went over, making four overs and two unders for the weekend, as games averaged 50.5 points.The Division Round saw home teams bounce back to go 2-0 SU & ATS, as the Packers beat the Rams 32-18 and the Bills beat the Ravens 17-3. However, it was the road teams that went 2-0 ATS on Sunday, as the Browns lost 22-17 at the Chiefs (but covered) and the Bucs avenged two regular season losses to the Saints by winning 30-20 in New Orleans. Doing the math, home teams were 3-1 SU but 2-2 ATS and the four games averaged a modest 40.3 PPG, as ONLY the Rams/Packers game went over the total. The playoff numbers so far show home teams 5-5 SU and 4-6 ATS, while there have been five overs and five unders.The AFC and NFC championship games are set for Sunday, with Tampa Bay at Green Bay kicking off at 3:05 ET on FOX and Buffalo at Kansas City at 6:40 ET on CBS. The early lines show Green Bay favored by 3 1/2-points (over/under is 51) and Kansas City favored by three points (over/under is 54). Thursday's Notes will feature the NFC (how the teams got here and a preview) and Friday's Notes will cover the AFC.CBB: (Fri-Sun recap): Friday saw just one ranked team in action, as No. 9 Wisconsin bounced back from an embarrassing 77-54 loss at Michigan on Tuesday, to win 60-54 at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have now lost FIVE of six games since opening 6-0 and climbing as high as No. 11 in the AP poll back on Dec 21. Saturday featured FOUR games between ranked opponents and the higher ranked teams lost THREE of them. The exception was No. 2 Baylor upping its record to 12-0 with a 68-60 win at No. 15 Texas Tech. Losing for the FIRST time this season was No. 7 Michigan, which saw its 10-0 start to the season end with a THUD, falling 75-57 at No. 23 Minnesota (note: Gophers are 11-0 at home!). No. 12 Clemson was routed at home 85-50 by No. 18 Virginia but maybe that shouldn't have been a surprise. After all, UVa has now beaten the Tigers 11 straight! Finally, it was No. 14 Illinois losing 87-81 at home to No. 21 Ohio St, as the Illini fell to 9-5. Will they still be ranked in Monday's newest AP poll? Not only did three of the higher ranked teams lose to the lower ranked ones on Saturday (1-3 SU & ATS), we also saw the six ranked teams in action vs unranked ones go 1-5 ATS! No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 4 Texas and No. 10 Tennessee won but failed to cover, while No. 17 Missouri broke that trend with a win and cover at Texas A&M. No. 8 Creighton and No. 16 Louisville both lost OUTRIGHT.Sunday saw all three ranked teams win (No. 5 Iowa, No. 11 Houston and No. 20 Va Tech), with only the Hokies failing to cover. Doing the math, ranked teams vs unranked opponents went 8-2 SU but just 4-6 ATS. Games between ranked opponents now stand at 26-15 (.634) SU but just 21-20 (51.2%) ATS in favor of the higher ranked team. There is just one game between ranked opponents on Monday, as No. 2 Baylor (12-0) will host No. 6 Kansas (10-3), Baylor is a money-making 10-2 ATS (compared to Gonzaga's 6-7-1 ATS mark), including 5-0 SU & ATS in the Big 12 with a MOV of 18.6 PPG. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks are just 2-2 (1-3 ATS) after a 9-1 start to the season. Pending the AP's latest poll (announced this afternoon), there are two ranked teams in action on Monday facing unranked opponents. Louisville is currently No. 16 and will host 7-2 Florida St, but the Seminoles very likely will be ranked come tip-off (not sure Louisville will be). The other game is No. 25 UConn (7-1), which will surely remain ranked before hosting 7-7 St John's. Baylor is favored by 8 1/2-points, Louisville by 2 1/2-points and UConn by seven points.NBA: It's MLK Day and the league features a busy NINE-game schedule, including a TNT tripleheader. It starts with 7-4 Phoenix (-5) at Memphis (5:05 ET), followed by 9-4 Milwaukee (-2.5) at 8-6 Brooklyn (7:35 ET) and wraps up with Golden St visiting the 11-3 LA Lakers (-8.5) at 10:05 ET. Not sure there is much interest in the Suns/Grizzlies game but the Bucks at the Nets will have everyone's attention. Milwaukee has won SEVEN of eight (averaging 119 PPG) and owns the East's best point-differential at plus 10.7 PPG. James Harden's Brooklyn debut (on Friday) saw him score 32 points, add 14 assists and 12 rebounds in 40 minutes (it was his 47th career triple-double). Kevin Durant sure didn't seem to mind 'sharing the stage' with Harden, as he scored a season-high 42 points. The Lakers have won FIVE in a row and continue to own the NBA's best record (11-3) and just recently passed the Bucks for the NBA's top point-differential (plus-11.0). Tuesday will begin the NBA's fifth week and Ness Notes will take a look back at the first month.Good luck...Larry

Read more

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

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 18, 2021

The Monday card features a full day of action starting in the afternoon of this Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The NBA, NHL, college basketball and the English Premier League feature day games. The nationally-televised college basketball schedule tips off at 2:30 PM ET on Fox with UConn hosting St. John’s as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 143 (all odds from BetOnline). The Huskies are ranked 25th in the nation in the latest Associated Press poll. LaSalle plays at home at 4 PM ET against Saint Joseph’s as a 1.5-point favorite with the over/under at 145.5. At 7 PM ET on ESPN, Florida State plays at Louisville. The Cardinals are ranked 16th by the AP. Baylor plays at home against Kansas at 9 PM ET on ESPN in a battle of ranked Big 12 rivals. The Jayhawks rank sixth in the AP poll while the Bears are second. The Bears are a 9-point favorite with the total at 141. UNLV plays at home at 9:30 PM ET on FS1 against New Mexico as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 139.Eight games are on tap in the NHL with the NBC Sports Network broadcasting four of the games. The puck drops at noon ET with Columbus visiting Detroit as a -160 money line road favorite with the total at 5.5. At 5 PM ET, Boston travels to New York to play the Islanders as a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of  5.5. Philadelphia hosts Buffalo at 7:30 PM ET as a -157 money line favorite with the total set at 6. The card concludes at 10 PM ET with Vegas playing at home against Arizona as a -190 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.The NBA has nine games on its MLK Day schedule. The card tips off at noon ET with Orlando playing in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks as a -1.5 road favorite with the total at 206.5.A TNT triple header begins at 5:05 PM ET with Phoenix playing at Memphis. The Suns hope to take the court again for the first time since last Monday when they were upset at Washington by a 128-107 score as a 6-point underdog. Phoenix went into quarantine after the Wizards experienced a COVID outbreak which led them to postpone three games last week. The Suns have yet to have a player test positive. Memphis has won four games in a row after their 106-104 win against Philadelphia on Saturday as a 2-point favorite. Milwaukee travels to Brooklyn to play the new-look Nets on TNT at 7:30 PM ET. The Bucks have won four straight games after their 112-109 win against Dallas on Friday as a 7.5-point favorite. The Nets have won their last three games with their 122-115 win against Orlando as a 9.5-point favorite. James Harden scored 42 points in his debut with Brooklyn after the blockbuster trade that sent him over from Houston. Milwaukee is a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 237.5.The TNT triple-header concludes at 10 PM ET with the Los Angeles Lakers playing at home against Golden State. The reigning NBA champions have won five in a row after they defeated New Orleans on Friday by a 112-95 score as an 8.5-point favorite. The Warriors have lost their last two games after their 114-104 loss in Denver on Thursday as a 4.5-point underdog. The Lakers are 9-point favorites with the total at 225.The English Premier League continues at 3 PM ET with Arsenal hosting Newcastle United. The Gunners are -1.25 goal line favorites with an over/under at 2.5. The NBC Sports Network has the broadcast.

Read more

NFL Sunday Night Football: Saints/Buccaneers Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 17, 2021

The NFL divisional playoffs conclude Sunday night at 6:40 PM ET, with New Orleans hosting Tampa Bay in the final game of their NFC South trilogy this season.Tampa Bay Bay lost two games in a row at home by identical 27-24 scores to the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City at the end of November to place their playoff aspirations in jeopardy. The Buccaneers have since won all five of their games and advanced to the NFC divisional round of the playoffs last week with their 31-23 victory at Washington. Tom Brady completed 22 of 40 passes for 381 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Football Team’s defense. The 43-year old veteran completed 65.7% of his passes in the regular season for 4633 yards with 40 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in his first season in Tampa Bay.The Buccaneers have scored 40.7 points-per-game in their last three games while averaging 526.7 yards-per-game in those contests. The Tampa Bay defense has held their last three opponents to 20.8 points-per-game and 315.3 yards-per-game. The Bucs’ defense ranks eighth in the NFL by allowing 22.2 points-per-game and limiting their opponents to 329.9 yards-per-game. Their defense gets linebacker Devin White back from the COVID list for this game. New Orleans has won their last three games after defeating Chicago last Sunday by a 21-9 score as an 11-point favorite. Drew Brees completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards with two touchdown passes. Brees completed 70.5% of his passes in his 12 games in the regular season for 2942 yards with 24 touchdown passes and six interceptions. In his last four games since returning from his rib injury in December, Brees has completed 84 of 131 passes for a 64.1% completion percentage with 1011 yards with eight touchdown passes and three interceptions. The Saints are fifth in the NFL with a 29.6 points-per-game scoring average. The New Orleans defense was third in the league by allowing 20.4 points-per-game, and they ranked second by holding their opponents to 306.4 yards-per-game. This unit gets a boost with defensive end Troy Hendrickson expected to return to action tonight.Head coach Sean Payton is not likely to have quarterback Taysom Hill and running back Latavius Murray with the reports this afternoon that is it “not looking good” that they will be able to take the field. Hill is dealing with a knee injury while Murray has a quad. Cornerback Patrick Robinson is out with a hamstring. Center William Clapp is unavailable on the COVID list. Guard Nick Easton became the sixth player this season to go on their Injured List. Running back Ronald Jones is questionable with a quad after taking part in limited practice for Tampa Bay. Safety Jordan Whitehead is questionable with a knee, and he also took part in limited practice this week. Safety Andrew Adams did not practice this week and is questionable. Defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter is out with his calf injury. Guard Alex Cappa was the seventh player to either be declared out the season or put on Injured Reserve. New Orleans won the first meeting between these two teams on September 13th in a 34-20 victory as a 4-point favorite. The Saints then upset the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on November 8th by a 38-3 score as a 3-point underdog. BookMaker lists New Orleans as a 2.5-point favorite, with the total set at 53. Kickoff is at 6:40 PM ET on Fox.

Read more
« ‹ 1 300 302 343 › »

Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Links

Big Al's Sports Picks Info

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2025 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.