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NCAA Basketball: Drake/Wichita State Preview, Odds and Prediction - 03/18/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Mar 18, 2021

Drake plays Wichita State on TBS with a tip-off time of 6:27 PM ET in the play-in game to inherit the 11 seed in the west region of the NCAA tournament. The winner plays USC on Saturday.Drake earned an at-large bid with their 25-4 record. They have dropped two of their last three games after losing to Loyola-Chicago in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on March 7th.The Bulldogs expect to get their leading scorer, ShanQuan Hemphill, back for this game. The senior forward was averaging 14.1 points-per-game and 6.3 rebounds-per-game before suffering a broken foot on February 10th. Drake went 6-3 in his absence. Sophomore Joseph Yesufu stepped up to average 23.1 points-per-game in his last seven games to fill the scoring gap. The graver concern for head coach Darian DeVries might have been the season-ending leg injury to Roman Penn. The junior point guard was the second-leading scorer at 11.2 points-per-game, and he was averaging 5.5 assists-per-game before his injury on February 22nd.Drake ranks 53rd in the kenpom ratings. Their highest-profile win was against Loyola-Chicago. Their next best accomplishment is three victories against a Missouri State team ranked 88th at kenpom. The Bulldogs lost to Bradley, Valparaiso, and the Ramblers twice. The strength of this team is their shooting. Drake ranks 30th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage of 54.5%. They make 36.6% of their 3-point shots, ranking 53rd nationally, and they convert 54.4% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 29th nationally. The Bulldogs are 11th in the nation in turnover rate. Overall, Drake is 19th in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They rank 120th in adjusted defensive efficiency using the kenpom metrics. The Bulldogs hold their opponents to a 30.8% shooting percentage from 3-point range, ranking 35th nationally. They also limit their opponents to rebounding 24.9% of their missed shots, 63rd in the nation. Wichita State earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament with a 16-5 record. Their eight-game winning streak was snapped in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference in a 60-59 loss upset loss to Cincinnati as a 5.5-point favorite last Saturday. That result was just the second time in 11 games this season that the Shockers lost a game decided by five points or less. This team began learning how to handle adversity in November when Gregg Marshall got dismissed as their head coach amidst accusations of verbal and physical abuse against players and staff members. Isaac Brown was named the interim head coach. Brown inherited a team that experienced six departures in the offseason from a group that finished 23-8. The coaching staff earned the respect of the players that has grown into a tight-knit group. Nine players average at least 12.8 minutes-per-game. Tyson Etienne was named co-American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, with the sophomore averaging 17.0 points-per-game. Graduate transfer Alterique Gilbert from UConn added 10.3 points-per-game, with the point guard averaging 4.1 assists-per-game. Wichita State ranks 74th in the kenpom ratings. They won the American Athletic Conference regular-season title with an 11-2 record. Their most impressive victories are against Houston and Ole Miss. The Shockers' losses were to Missouri, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Cincinnati, and the Cougars. These accomplishments earned Brown a five-year contract as their head coach.The Shockers are 56th in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They play fundamental basketball with a turnover rate that is 27th best in the nation and with a free throw rate ranking 30th nationally. Brown’s team struggles with their shooting as they make only 44.7% of their shots inside the arc, ranking 322nd nationally. Wichita State is 103rd in adjusted defensive efficiency using the kenpom numbers. They limit their opponents to making 30.8% of their 3-point shots, ranking 37th nationally. Opponents have success crashing the offensive glass as they pull down 33.4% of their missed shots, ranking 333rd nationally. Mackay Arena in West Lafayette is the site for the game. BookMaker lists Drake as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 140.Computer prediction: Drake 71 Wichita State 70

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NBA and NCAA Basketball Previews and Odds - 03/18/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Mar 18, 2021

The NCAA Tournament begins with the First Four play-in games. Mount St. Mary’s faces Texas Southern on truTV at 5:10 PM ET in the opener. The Mountaineers won the Northeast Conference tournament with their 73-68 upset win at Bryant as a 6.5-point underdog on March 9th. They have won four games in a row to raise their record to 12-10. The Tigers won the Southwest Athletic Conference tournament with an 80-61 upset win against Prairie View as a 1.5-point underdog on Saturday. Texas Southern has won nine in a row to improve to a 16-8 record. Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, is the site for the game. The winner of this game inherits the 16 seed to play Michigan on Saturday. Mount St. Mary’s is a 1-point favorite with the total set at 133 (all odds from BetOnline). Drake plays Wichita State on TBS at 6:27 PM ET. The Bulldogs lost to Loyola-Chicago in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game, 75-65, as a 9-point underdog on March 7th. They have lost two of three games to fall to 25-4. The Shockers were upset by Cincinnati, 60-59, as a 5.5-point favorite in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament on Saturday. Wichita State is 16-5 after their eight-game winning streak ended against the Bearcats. The winner of this game slides into the 11th seed to play USC on Saturday. Drake is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5.Norfolk State battles Appalachian State on truTV at 8:40 PM ET. The Spartans won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament with their 71-63 win against Morgan State as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. They have won six in a row to raise their record to 16-7. The Mountaineers won the Colonial Athletic Association tournament with their 80-73 upset victory against Georgia State as a 7-point underdog on March 8th. Appalachian State has won four in a row to improve to 17-11. The winner of this game takes the 16th seed to face Gonzaga on Saturday. The Mountaineers are a 3-point favorite with a total of 133.5.UCLA takes on Michigan State on TBS at 9:57 PM ET. The Bruins were upset in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament against Oregon State, 83-79, as a 5-point favorite on March 11th. They have lost four in a row to fall to 17-9 on the season. The Spartans were beaten in the second round of the Big 10 tournament, 68-57,  to Maryland as a 2-point underdog last Thursday. They have lost three of five to drop to 15-12. The winner of this game takes the 11th seed slot to face BYU on Saturday. Michigan State is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5.The first round of the National Invitational Tournament continues with two games. North Carolina State plays Davidson on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Wolfpack, 13-10, had their five-game winning streak snapped in the first round of the ACC tournament in an 89-68 loss to Syracuse as a 3-point underdog last Wednesday. The Wildcats, 13-8,  lost to VCU, 64-52, in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament as a 2-point underdog on March 6th. The UNT Coliseum in Denton, Texas, is the game site. Davidson is a 1.5-point favorite with the total at 138.Boise State plays SMU on ESPN at 9 PM ET in the nightcap of the NIT. The Broncos, 17-8, lost their fourth in a row in an 89-82 upset loss to Nevada as a 4-point favorite in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference tournament last Thursday. The Mustangs, 11-5, were upset in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament, 74-71, to Cincinnati as a 5-point favorite last Friday. The Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, is the site. Boise State is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.Six games are on the NBA docket. Utah visits Washington to begin the slate at 7 PM ET. The Los Angeles Lakers host Charlotte at 10:30 PM ET to close out the card as an 8-point favorite with a total of 227.5. Ten games are on the NHL slate. Six games begin the card at 7 PM ET. Arizona visits Anaheim at 10 PM ET as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAA Basketball, NBA, NHL and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 03/17/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in NCAA basketball, the NBA, the NHL, and the UEFA Champions League.The NIT begins with two first-round games on ESPN2. Toledo plays Richmond at the UNT Coliseum in Denton, Texas, at 7 PM ET. The Rockets, 21-8, were upset in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament by Ohio, 87-80, as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. The Spiders, 13-8, lost their opening-round game in the Atlantic 10 tournament in a 67-62 upset loss to Duquesne as a 3.5-point favorite on March 4th. Toledo is a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 154 (all odds from BetOnline). The NIT nightcap on ESPN2 has Western Kentucky facing Saint Mary’s at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, at 9 PM ET. The Hilltoppers were upset in the Conference USA Championship Game against North Texas, 61-57, as a 2.5-point favorite. The Gaels lost in the semifinals of the West Coast Conference tournament to Gonzaga, 78-55, as an 18.5-point underdog on March 8th. Saint Mary’s is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 125.5.Seven games are on the NBA docket. An ESPN doubleheader tips off at 7:05 PM ET with Milwaukee playing at Philadelphia. The Bucks have won four straight and nine of ten after their 133-122 win at Washington as an 8.5-point favorite on Monday. The 76ers won their sixth straight game in a 99-96 victory against New York as a 7-point favorite on Tuesday.The Los Angeles Clippers play at Dallas on ESPN at 9:35 PM ET. The Clippers defeated the Mavericks, 109-99, as a 1-point favorite on Monday. Dallas has now lost two of their last three games. Los Angeles is a 3-point road favorite with a total of 227.Six games are on the NHL schedule. A doubleheader on the NBC Sports Network begins at 7:38 PM ET, with Philadelphia playing at New York against the Rangers. The Flyers ended a two-game losing streak with a 5-4 win against the Rangers on Monday. New York has lost four of their last five games. Philadelphia is a -127 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The second game on the NBC Sports Network has Calgary hosting Edmonton at 10:08 PM ET. The Flames have won three in a row after a 4-3 win against the Oilers on Monday. Edmonton was on a four-game winning streak before that loss. Calgary is a -108 money line favorite with a total of 6. The UEFA Champions League has two matches in the final second leg of the Final 16 at 4 PM ET. Bayern Munich plays at home against Lazio as a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. The Bavarians won the first leg on the road, 4-1, on February 23rd. Chelsea hosts Atletico Madrid after winning 1-0, on the road, in the first leg on February 23rd. The Blues are a -0.25 goal line favorite at home at Stamford Bridge, with the total at 2. Both games are available on Paramount, formerly the CBS  All-Access.

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NCAA Basketball: Saint Mary's/Western Kentucky Preview, Odds and Prediction - 03/17/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 17, 2021

The first round of the National Invitational Tournament begins on Wednesday with two games on ESPN2. The nightcap tips off at 9 PM ET with Western Kentucky playing Saint Mary’s at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. The NIT has all their games this year in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in either Frisco or Denton. Western Kentucky got upset in the championship game of the Conference USA tournament, 61-57, in an overtime heartbreaker as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. The Hilltoppers got beat in the finals in the last three Conference USA tournaments. They forced overtime by scoring the final seven points in regulation before the Mean Green pulled away in the additional five-minute period. Joel Anderson led the team with 14 points. The senior is scoring 9.2 points-per-game. Junior Charles Bassey had 13 points with 11 rebounds. The 6'11 NBA prospect is averaging 17.7 points-per-game and 11.5 rebounds-per-game. Senior Taveion Hollingsworth adds 13.6 points-per-game. The Hilltoppers enter the NIT with a 20-7 record after an 11-3 regular-season mark in Conference USA. Rick Stansbury oversaw the program’s fourth straight 20-win season. Western Kentucky registered impressive non-conference victories against Alabama and Memphis. The Hilltoppers rank 88th by the kenpom ratings. Western Kentucky ranks 113th in adjusted offensive efficiency at kenpom. They rebound 32.1% of their missed shots, ranking 53rd nationally. Stansbury’s team is 62nd in free throw rate, which they take full advantage of, with a 79.0% clip at the charity stripe, ninth-best in the nation. The Hilltoppers rank 81st in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom and second-best in Conference USA. They hold their opponents to just 45.8% shooting inside the arc, 38th nationally. They have the sixth-best defensive free throw rate. Stansbury will not have Carson Williams tonight, who is out for personal reasons. The senior was averaging 7.5 points-per-game and 5.3 rebounds-per-game in 26.9 minutes-per-game. Saint Mary’s lost to Gonzaga in the semifinals of the West Coast Conference tournament, 78-55, as an 18.5-point underdog on March 8th. The Gaels were led by Logan Johnson’s 15 points. The junior leads the team with a 13.5 points-per-game average. Tommy Kuhse added 13 points, with the lone senior on the roster improving his 12.6 points-per-game average. Randy Bennett’s team is 14-9 and ranks 77th nationally by kenpom. Their 4-6 record in conference play got skewed by COVID cancellations that took away winning opportunities against the bottom-half of the WCC. Seven of their nine losses are against teams ranked 38th or better in the kenpom ratings. Saint Mary’s lost three times to Gonzaga and twice to BYU while also falling to San Diego State and Memphis in non-conference play. But setbacks to Pepperdine and Santa Clara, ranking 112th and 154th at kenpom, are concerning blemishes on their resume. The Gaels’ highest-profile team is against Colorado State, which ranks 63rd at kenpom. Saint Mary’s ranks 198th in adjusted offensive efficiency after losing their top three scorers from last season. After finishing fifth in the nation last year with a 38.7% shooting percentage from 3-point range, the Gaels only made 29.3% of their 3-pointers this season, 328th nationally. Saint Mary’s turned the ball over in only 17.1% of their possessions, ranking 79th nationally. The Gaels are once again an outstanding defensive team under Bennett. They rank ninth nationally at kenpom in adjusted defensive efficiency. Saint Mary’s holds their opponents to 45.9% shooting inside the arc, ranking 42nd nationally. They limit their opponents to rebounding 22.0% of their missed shots, eighth-best in the nation.Saint Mary’s is a two-seed in their side of the bracket, with Western Kentucky a three-seed. BetAnySports lists Saint Mary’s as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 125.5.Computer prediction:  Saint Mary's 65 Western Kentucky 63

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NHL Hockey: Pittsburgh Penguins/Boston Bruins Preview, Odds and Prediction - 03/16/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 16, 2021

Tuesday NHL action on the NBC Sports Network features an East Division showdown between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins.Pittsburgh won their sixth game in a row last night in a 4-1 victory against the Bruins. The Penguins fell behind in the game but responded with four unanswered goals to cruise to the commanding victory. Tristan Jarry had 42 saves. The win pulled Pittsburgh within three points of Washington for second place in the East Division with 37 points. The Penguins have dominated both ends of the ice during their six-game winning streak. They have scored 25 times during this run, while allowing only nine goals. The Pens have scored on the power play in three straight games. They have successfully killed 13 of the 16 opponent power plays.Pittsburgh’s improved play has coincided with a shakeup in upper management. Long-time general manager Jim Rutherford resigned in early February. Former Philadelphia Flyers’ GM Ron Hextall got hired as his replacement on February 9th, with veteran general manager Brian Burke (who oversaw Anaheim’s Stanley Cup title in 2007) was brought in as the new President of Hockey Operations. The Penguins have won 13 of their 17 games since the wake-up call. Sidney Crosby leads the team with 11 goals and 18 assists. Jake Guentzel has 11 goals and 15 assists. Evgeni Malin has added 8 goals with 16 assists. Casey DeSmith has been named tonight’s goaltender, with Jarry playing last night. The Pens’ backup is 6-2-0 this season, with a 2.23 goals-against-average and .912 save percentage in nine games (eight starts). In his two starts this month, DeSmith has a 0.50 goals-against-average, with a .979 save percentage and two victories. Boston is moving in the opposite direction with losses in four of their last five games and five in seven contests. The Bruins are 4-7-2 in their last 13 games after last night’s setback. They remain in fourth place in the East with 32 points, five points behind Pittsburgh. A lack of scoring punch is a source of the problem. Boston has scored two goals or less in seven of their last ten games. They have not scored more than one goal in five of seven games, and they have been shutout twice in their last five games. Bruce Cassidy called on his team to get more aggressive after their 4-0 shutout loss at home against the New York Rangers on Saturday. The Bruins produced 20 shots in the first period last night and 43 shots overall, but they only scored the opening goal. The team's big three are doing their part. Brad Marchand has 12 goals and 20 assists. Patrice Bergeron has added 10 goals and 14 assists. David Pastrnak has contributed 12 goals and 11 assists. Daniel Vladar will make his NHL debut in goal tonight for the Bruins after Jaroslav Halak tended the net last night. Tuukka Rask is unavailable with a back injury. Vladar is a former third-round draft pick in 2015. Boston leads the season series after winning the first two encounters between these two teams. Last night’s game got chippy late, which may have foreshadowed some fireworks tonight. BookMaker lists Pittsburgh as a -118 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5.Computer prediction:  Penguins 4 Bruins 3

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NFL Free Agency: Rebuilding the Patriots

by Will Rogers

Tuesday, Mar 16, 2021

Bill Belichick and his family have deep ties to the Naval Academy, but still, who could have predicted that he would spend like a drunken sailor at the beginning of free agency? It had to be all hands on deck in the Patriots front office this week as they reviewed contracts of a slew of free agents signings when Belichick started re-stocking the shelves on Monday.New tight ends, pass rushers, offensive linemen, wide receivers all rushed through the gates in Foxboro as the Belichick Athletic Club put on a new face after a disaster (for the Pats, anyway) of a season. Seven wins might be cause for celebration in Jacksonville, Detroit, or among Jets fans, but that doesn’t cut it in New England.Oddsmakers who listed New England at 30/1 and even as high as 40/1 to win the Super Bowl next February are no doubt scrambling a bit as they make at least some minor adjustments to reflect the fact that Belichick is tired of being a punching bag and Will Not Take It On The Chin Again this coming fall.But as they assess the re-tooled Pats, Cappers will notice one glaring omission – namely, that New England still doesn’t a quality quarterback, and without a transmission even a Lamborghini is worthless. To say that Cam Newton was mediocre last season would be doing a solid for the former NFL MVP. There were times when he was just awful, and there were times when it was worse than that.But barring a trade for a quarterback, Belichick is pushing his chips all-in on Newton, gambling that last season – no off-season OTAs, restricted training camp, Newton’s bout with Covid, a roster torn apart by virus opt-outs, and one of the worst skill-position groups in franchise history – all conspired against him, and that the football gods will pay him back 10-fold this time around. The Patriots do know that Newton is enormously popular in the locker room, and that has to count for something.And that locker room will have plenty of new faces. Newton will finally have a viable tight end (Jonnu Smith, ex of the Titans) after two early-round draft picks last year were washouts. The receiving corps looks like it will get a complete revamp with the arrivals of Nelson Agholor from the Raiders and Kendrick Bourne from the 49ers. And you can add to that whatever Pats vet Julian Edelman has left in the tank after missing the entire 2020 season with an injury.After getting little pressure on opposing quarterbacks, Belichick bought in four A-level defenders – pass rusher Matthew Judon from the Ravens, ex-Dolphin tackle Davon Godchaux, defensive back Jalen Mills from the Eagles, and tackle Henry Anderson, ex of the Jets.Add to that mix the return of all seven of the eight players who opted out last season due to Covid (OT Marcus Canon returned, then was dealt to Houston), and the team that will take the field on opening day in Atlanta will bear little resemblance to the one that limped off the field in Foxboro last Jan. 3. It had better. Last year’s defense gave up 353 points, the most by a NE team since the 1990 version allowed 446 on the way to a 1-15 season.Psychologists might tell you that the Patriot spending spree was caused by Belichick’s envy in seeing Tom Brady collect a Super Bowl ring this past season, and that visual no doubt made its way up the coach’s notoriously tight rear. No matter the reason, though, it’s clear that Belichick has seen more than enough of 7-9 seasons, and wants back on top badly enough to pay – and pay big – for that opportunity.As to the long-term odds, the newcomers might move the needle a bit. The big question is whether handicappers see New England’s move as accumulating weapons for a new quarterback who would replace Newton. In that respect, all eyes are on Houston, where former NE GM Nick Caserio is now calling the shots; and Seattle, where Russell Wilson exit talk has reached the point where the Seahawks are reviewing film on Jets QB Sam Darnold. If either Watson or Wilson wind up in Foxboro, those 30/1 futures tickets will be worth their weight in gold.

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NCAA Basketball Tournament Sleeper Teams

by Sean Murphy

Tuesday, Mar 16, 2021

The NCAA Tournament is set to tip off with four play-in games on Thursday night and after missing out on the Big Dance last March, we're obviously all anxiously waiting with our betting slips in hand for what will likely be the heaviest bet tournament of all-time. Here's a look at four potential tournament sleeper picks. - one from each region. While these teams aren't likely to be serenaded by 'One Shining Moment' come April, they do have the potential to bust a few brackets early on. Seeding in parentheses.St. Bonaventure (9) - East RegionThe Bonnies rode their wealth of experience to an Atlantic-10 Tournament championship on Sunday, delivering a dominant performance against a quality VCU squad. They draw a favorable opening round matchup against an LSU team that came a point short of winning the SEC Tournament championship, falling to Alabama in what was an impressive (but somewhat improbable) run. I really like St. Bonaventure's depth advantage in the early stages of the tournament. Keep in mind, LSU doesn't get much scoring at all from its bench while the Bonnies likely second-round matchup would be Michigan, which lost starting guard and team co-captain Isaiah Livers to a stress fracture in his foot and his status remains in doubt. There's definitely a path forward for the Bonnies, who open as a two-point underdog against the Tigers.Ohio (13) - West RegionThe Bobcats draw the defending national champions (from two years ago) in Virginia in their opening round matchup. Ohio doesn't get a lot of press coming out of the MAC but its resume is certainly impressive (if not all that extensive). The Bobcats gave popular bracket-winning pick Illinois all it could handle in just their second game of the season, falling by a 77-75 score as 16-point underdogs, on the road no less. They followed that up with an impressive 101-46 dismantling of eventual Horizon League champion Cleveland State. After running the table in the MAC Tournament, scoring 85, 87 and 84 points in the process, they're certainly upset-minded heading into this date with what I believe to be a vulnerable Virginia squad. Should Ohio upset Virginia it would likely draw Creighton - a team that had its own issues down the stretch and got drummed by Georgetown in the Big East Tournament championship game.North Texas (13) - South RegionThe Mean Green Eagles certainly have the look of a true Cinderella team after going on a magical run to a Sun Belt Tournament championship last weekend. North Texas loaded its early season schedule with tough matchups on the road against Arkansas, Mississippi State, West Virginia and Loyola-Chicago and while it went winless in those three games, I do think it helps eliminate any sort of intimidation factor against Purdue here in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. A win over the Boilers, while improbable, would lead the Eagles to a likely matchup with Villanova in the second round. The Wildcats obviously possess a championship pedigree but certainly aren't invincible, at least not this season. While this is probably the biggest longshot of the four teams I've highlighted, I do think UNT is worth a look early on. Syracuse (11) - Midwest RegionSyracuse battled to the final buzzer despite not making it all the way in the ACC Tournament, exiting at the hands of Virginia in a hard-fought affair. The Orange draw a quality San Diego State team in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs are the Mountain West champions and deserving of plenty of respect but as we've seen in the last couple of weeks, the Orange are capable of getting hot and staging the minor upset here. I actually like the path forward for the winner in this game as I see some upset potential in the Morehead State-West Virginia matchup, the winner of which 'Cuse-SD State would face in the second round. Note that 2019 (the last time an NCAA Tournament was played) marked the first time since 2013 where the six-seeds won at least three games against the 11-seeds. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 03/16/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 16, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, the NHL, and the UEFA Champions League.The NBA dockets feature seven games. The card tips off at 7:35 PM ET in the first game in a TNT double-header with Utah visiting Boston. The Jazz have lost three of their last four games after a 131-119 upset loss at Golden State as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Celtics have won five of their last six games after their 134-107 win at Houston as an 11-point favorite on Sunday. Utah is a 4.5-point road favorite with the total set at 227.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Four games start at 8 PM ET. Chicago hosts Oklahoma City as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224. Atlanta plays at Houston. Cleveland visits Miami. New York plays at Philadelphia. New Orleans travels to Portland in the nightcap on TNT at 10:05 PM ET. The Pelicans won their second game in a row with their 135-115 upset win against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 6-point underdog on Sunday. The Trail Blazers dropped their second in three games after a 114-112 upset loss at Minnesota as a 5-point favorite on Sunday. The NBA slate concludes with Minnesota playing in Los Angeles against the Lakers at 10:35 PM ET.Seven games are on the NHL card. Three games start the slate at 7 PM ET. New Jersey plays at home against Buffalo as a -155 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. The New York Islanders visit Washington as a -105 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Boston plays at Pittsburgh on the NBC Sports Network. The Bruins have lost four of five after losing on the road to the Penguins, 4-1, on Monday. Pittsburgh has won six straight games. Carolina visits Detroit at 7:30 PM ET as a -230 money line road favorite, with the total at 5.5. Minnesota plays at home against Arizona at 8 PM ET as a -190 money line with an over/under of 5.5. Tampa Bay travels to Dallas at 8:30 PM ET. Colorado hosts Anaheim to close out the card at 9 PM ET as a -265 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.The UEFA Champions League has two matches in the second leg of the Final 16 at 3 PM ET. Manchester City plays Borussia Monchengladbach after winning the first leg, 1-0, on February 24th. This match is on a neutral field in Budapest, given COVID travel restrictions in Germany impacting Borussia Monchengladbach’s ability to travel abroad. Man City is a -1.75 goal line favorite with the total of 3 after winning the first leg on February 24th by a 1-0 score. Real Madrid plays at home against Atalanta with a 1-0 aggregate lead after winning the first leg, 1-0, on February 24th. Los Blancos are a -0.25 goal line home favorite with an over/under of 3. Both games are available on Paramount, formerly the CBS  All-Access.

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NHL Hockey: Philadelphia Flyers/New York Rangers Preview, Odds and Prediction - 03/15/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Mar 15, 2021

Monday NHL action on the NBC Sports Network features an East Division showdown between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers.Philadelphia has only won six of their 15 games since the beginning of February. They have lost two in a row and five of their last six games after a 5-4 loss on Saturday. The Flyers played from behind all night, with deficits of 2-0, 3-0, and 5-2. Philly made things interesting by scoring two goals in the final six minutes of the game but could not register the fifth goal to force overtime.After earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs in the bubble last season, the Flyers have dropped to fifth place in the makeshift East Division. There are three points behind Boston for fourth place and the final spot playoff from the division.James van Riemsdyk leads the teams with 12 goals and 16 assists. Fellow left-winger Joel Farabee has added 11 goals with 11 assists. Philadelphia is solid up in the middle with their top three lines, with centers Claude Giroux, Sean Couturier, and Kevin Hayes combining for 20 goals and 37 assists.Carter Hart has been named the starting goaltender tonight after relieving Brian Elliott on Saturday. Hart has a 6-6 record with a 3.69 goals-against-average and a .887 save percentage in 16 (15 starts) this season. Hart posted a 9-5 record, with 2.23 goals-against-average and a .926 save percentage, in 14 playoff games (11 starts) last year after a regular season, where he had a 24-13-3 mark with a 2.42 goals-against-average and a .914 save percentage in 43 games (40 starts). New York ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 win at Boston on Saturday. The Rangers scored more goals in that game than during their three-game slide. Their victory was the first time they had shutout an opponent since a 5-0 win against the Islanders on January 16th. New York is in fifth place in the East Division, four points behind the Flyers. The Rangers got a shot in the arm with the return of Artemi Panarin to the ice on Saturday. The star left-winger had not played since February 20th, when he took a personal leave of absence. Andrei Nazarov, Panarin’s former coach in the Russian KHL, accused him of physical assault against a teenage woman in 2011. Panarin denied the claim while asserting the accusation was political retaliation for his being an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin. Panarin was leading the Rangers with 18 points before his hiatus. He assisted on a goal while registering one shot on Saturday. Right-winger Pavel Buchnevich has eight goals and 14 assists to lead the team with 22 points. Left-winger Chris Kreider leads the team with 14 goals. Rookie Alexis Lafreniere, the top-pick in the 2020 draft, has four goals with three assists, but he has scored twice with an assist so far this month. Keith Kinkaid is likely to get the start in net tonight. Igor Shesterkin remains out on Injured Reserve with a groin injury. Kinkaid has a 1.53 goals-against-average with a .933 save percentage in four games with two starts this season. He served as a backup last year for Montreal, where he had a 1-1-3 record with a 4.24 goals-against-average and a .875 save percentage in six games (five starts). In his last season as a regular starter with New Jersey in 2018-19, Kinkaid had a 15-18-6 record with a 4.24 goals-against-average and a .875 save percentage. Philadelphia won the last meeting between these teams on February 24th in a 4-3 home win. BetAnySports lists the Flyers as a -120 money line favorite with the total set at 6.Prediction:  Flyers 4 Rangers 3

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, EPL and NBA Previews and Odds - 03/15/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Mar 15, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NBA, the NHL, and the English Premier League.The NBA dockets feature eight games. Two games tip-off the card at 7 PM ET. Charlotte hosts Sacramento as a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 240 (all odds from BetOnline). Milwaukee visits Washington. At 8 PM ET, San Antonio plays at Detroit. Brooklyn hosts the New York on ESPN at 8 PM ET. The Nets are on a four-game winning streak with 12 victories in their last 13 games after they defeated Detroit, 100-95, as an 11.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Knicks have won five of their last seven games after their 119-97 win at Oklahoma City as a 4.5-point favorite on Saturday. Brooklyn is an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 225. Denver plays at home against Indiana at 9 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 226. The Los Angeles Clippers visit Dallas as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 227.5. Phoenix is at home against Memphis at 10 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 228.The Monday ESPN doubleheader concludes at 10:30 PM ET With the Los Angeles Lakers playing at Golden State. The Lakers have won three of their last five after a 105-100 win against Indiana as a 5-point favorite on Friday. The Warriors ended a four-game losing streak on Sunday with a 131-119 upset win against Utah as a 7.5-point favorite. The NHL has ten games on the slate. The puck drops early at 4 PM ET, with Tampa Bay hosting Nashville as a -315 moneyline favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Four games continue the card at 7 PM ET. Boston visits Pittsburgh as a -109 moneyline road favorite with a total of 5.5. Vancouver travels to Ottawa as a -171 moneyline road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Florida is at home against Chicago as a -170 moneyline favorite with a total of 6. Washington plays at Buffalo as a -225 moneyline road favorite with an over/under of 6.Philadelphia is on the road at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers on the NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Flyers have lost four of their last five games after a 5-4 loss to Washington on Saturday. The Rangers ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 win at Boston on Saturday. Philadelphia is a -108 moneyline road favorite with the total at 6.Montreal visits Winnipeg at 8 PM ET as a -118 moneyline road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Calgary hosts Edmonton at 9 PM ET as a -110 moneyline favorite with the total at 6.5. St. Louis plays at Los Angeles at 10 PM ET as a -138 moneyline road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Vegas hosts San Jose at 10 PM ET as a -245 moneyline favorite with a total of 6.5. Matchweek 28 in the English Premier League concludes at 4 PM ET with Liverpool playing at Wolverhampton. The defending EPL champions are a -0.75 moneyline road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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The Las Vegas Sands Hotel

by Will Rogers

Sunday, Mar 14, 2021

Las Vegas has been the Restaurant Capital of America, the Convention Capital of America, the Marriage Capital of America, the Divorce Capital of America and, of course, the Gambling Capital of America. All unofficially, of course. It will change to be anything you want it to be, as long as it will bring visitors to the 89109 Zip Code, and as long as those visitors bring money with them and have no problem spending it.Recently significant change came to corporate offices when Las Vegas Sands decided that enough was enough, and it was time to pull up stakes and concentrate on its more lucrative properties in Macau. Only a few months after the death of founder and CEO Sheldon Adelson, eyes were opened in the industry when the property – hotels (Venetian and Palazzo), casino, retail outlets and convention center – was sold to a pair of real estate companies.The new New York-based owners, Apollo Global Management and VICI Properties, are gambling that pent-up demand will bring vacationers, bettors and conventioneers back to Vegas as soon as the pandemic has passed, and appear willing to take the next few months (or more) to get to know the property until that happens.At the height of the pandemic several months ago Las Vegas was basically a ghost town, with many hotels operating only on weekends, if at all, a non-existent entertainment / club scene, minimal gambling with more cleaners than blackjack dealers. Things got so bad that all but one casino pulled the plug on their iconic buffets. Any worse, and there would have been tumbleweed blowing down Las Vegas Boulevard past the Bellagio fountains.Las Vegas Sands obviously didn’t have the stomach to wait for a turnaround that most everyone thinks is coming but can’t say exactly when or to what extent, so it chose discretion over valor and somehow was able to negotiate a deal that puts some $6.25 billion in its bank account as it focuses on its Asian interests. It will now fall on the shoulders of the suits at Apollo and VICI to figure out a way to get people back to the city and convince them to stay and play at the Venetian or Palazzo. Hotel occupancy rates are rising ever so slowly, and the Venetian and Palazzo have a combined 7,117 rooms available 365 days a year. That’s 2,597,705 room nights.[Note: During the 2008 economic meltdown which caused a significant downturn in Vegas, Adelson was famously one of the few hotel owners refusing to cut prices to fill room nights. It will be interesting to see if Apollo follows that model. As of this writing, a weeknight room could be had for $113, with weekend nights running at about $180 – plus resort fees of about $40 a night.]This is Apollo’s second bite of the apple in La Vegas, and the first one didn’t go all that well. In January 2008, a few months before the economy tanked and slipped into a deep recession, Apollo and Texas Pacific Group engineered a $28-billion buyout of Harrah’s Entertainment. Apollo assumed nearly $11 billion in debt in that one, and things went from frying pan to fire, forcing Harrah’s (later called Caesars) to declare bankruptcy and sell. But in the NBA shooters keep shooting even after they miss 6 or 7 shots in a row, and real estate investors invest. It’s what they do. So here we are.The new owners have no choice but to wait. Wait for the vaccine to get into enough arms to make Americans and foreign visitors comfortable enough to visit Vegas again (or for the first time). Wait for the government to ease restrictions. Wait for the convention business to return to pre-Covid levels. Wait for the opportunity to compete with 30 other Strip casinos for gambling dollars. Wait for Americans to forget all about Zoom and put the virus behind them so everyone can have fun again.For Apollo and VICI, that all can’t happen soon enough.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAA Basketball, NBA, NHL and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/14/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Mar 14, 2021

The college basketball card tips off at noon ET. Loyola-Maryland plays at Colgate on the CBS Sports Network in the championship game of the Patriot League. The Greyhounds, 6-10, won at Army in the semifinals, 67-63, as a 3-point underdog on Wednesday. The Raiders defeated Bucknell, 105-75, as an 11.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Colgate, 13-1, is a 9.5-point favorite with the total set at 147 (all odds from BetOnline). VCU battles St. Bonaventure at 1 PM ET in the Atlantic 10 Championship Game on CBS. The Rams improved to 19-6 with a 64-52 victory against Davidson as a 2-point favorite last Saturday in the semifinals. The Bonnies raised their record to 15-4 with a 71-53 upset win against St. Louis as a 2-point favorite last Saturday. St. Bonaventure is a 3-point favorite with the over/under at 128.LSU goes against sixth-ranked Alabama in the championship game of the SEC tournament on ESPN at 1 PM ET. The Tigers, 18-8, won their fourth game in a row with a 78-71 upset win against Arkansas as a 4-point underdog on Saturday. The Crimson Tide, 23-6, won their fifth game in a row with a 73-68 victory against Tennessee as a 4-point favorite on Saturday. Alabama is a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Cincinnati faces seventh-ranked Houston in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game on ESPN at 3:15 PM ET. The Bearcats, 12-10, won their third in a row with a 60-59 upset win against Wichita State as a 4-point underdog in the semifinals on Saturday. The Cougars, 23-3, won their sixth in a row with their 76-74 victory Memphis as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Houston is a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5.Ohio State plays Illinois in the championship game of the Big Ten tournament on CBS at 3:30 PM ET. The Buckeyes are ranked ninth by the Associated Press with a 21-8 record. They upset Michigan, 68-67, as a 5-point underdog in the semifinals on Saturday. The Fighting Illini are ranked third nationally with a 22-6 record. They won their fifth in a row with an 82-71 win against Iowa as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. Illinois is a 5.5-point favorite with the total at 150.5.Nine games are on the NBA docket. The card tips off at 2 PM ET with Memphis playing at Oklahoma City. The Los Angeles Clippers visit New Orleans on ESPN at 9:05 PM ET. The Clippers ended a three-game losing streak with a 130-104 win against Golden State as a 7-point favorite on Thursday. The Pelicans snapped their three-game slide in a 116-92 victory against Cleveland as a 6.5-point favorite on Friday. Los Angeles is a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 236.Six games are on the NHL slate. The opening contest has Minnesota hosting Arizona as a -185 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Colorado plays at home against Los Angeles on the NBC Sports Network at 5:30 PM ET. The Avalanche defeated the Kings at home on Friday in a 2-0 shutout. Colorado is a -240 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.Matchweek 28 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Brighton travels to Southampton on the NBC Peacock app at 8 AM ET as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Leicester City is at home against Sheffield United on NBC Peacock at 10 AM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with the total at 2.5. Tottenham visits Arsenal on the NBC Sports Network at 12:30 PM ET in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester United hosts West Ham United on the NBC Sports Network at 3:15 PM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total at 2.5.

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