End of the Month

As the end of the month is approaching in 2 more days, we are taking a brief rest from doing picks and write-ups until April 1st.  Let's all make a renewed effort to win the cash in April!  We hope you enjoy your Easter weekend, and we'll see you again very soon!
Check out the James Lee Sports Report for some Elite 8 predictions that don't really have anything to do with the actual games.

Thank you,

The Fantasy Sports Center Staff

SFTC picks for Friday, March 29

We had a great day yesterday, going 13 - 5 overall, and 2 - 0 on our "stash" picks.  We also did great on College Hoops Pick'em, where we are currently ranked 9 overall.  You can see our entry, picks, and stats for College Hoops Pick'em and other basketball related games by clicking on the Basketball Games tab above.

If you haven't yet, we invite you to vote on the poll question, Follow us on Twitter, and Join our Groups.

All of our write-up are now posted, so kick back and enjoy the day, especially the sweet 16 games!

Our top 2 "stash" picks:

1. NCAAM:  Louisville wins by double digits
2. NCAAM:  71 points or more

Our picks for every prop:

1. Golf:  Brandt Snedeker or Tie
• Both Snedeker and Stricker shot a 37 on the back 9 yesterday, which is 1 over par.  I don't know these golfers very well, so I'm just picking the tie option with what seem like two pretty even golfers.
• Confidence:  50%
2. Soccer:  Brondby Win or Draw
• These two teams are in 11th and 12th place in the Dansih Superliga table.  This should be an evenly matched game and therefore I have to go with a win or draw.
• Confidence:  50%
3. Golf:  Lee Westwood
• Westwood shot a 68 in round 1 while Oothuizen shot a 70 in round 1.  While previous rounds are not always an indication of future rounds, I think Westwood is a pretty safe bet in round 2.  
• Confidence:  70%
4. Other:  6 goals or more
• I really don't know much about college hockey.  From what I saw, a lot of Minnesota's games had 6+ goals scored.  I think college hockey has quite a few goals scored per game, so I'm taking the over here.
• Confidence: 50%
5. Tennis:  Any Other Result
• Haas has had some great prosperity in this tournament.  He has beaten Djokovic in straight sets 6-2 6-4, and Simon in straight sets 6-3 6-1.  If he can beat those two, he should be able to beat Ferrer.  Even if he doesn't win, the likelihood of him taking a set from Ferrer is very high.
• Confidence:  70%
6. Soccer:  Paris St Germain Win
• PSG has the highest payroll in the entire Ligue 1 and is finally starting to play up to their talent level.  Ibrahimovic has 9 more goals in the league than anyone else and with the supporting attack of a pair of Argentines, Javier Pastore and Ezequiel Lavezzi, PSG should beat Montpellier who is currently 7th in the table. 
• Confidence:  70%
7. Other:  Massachusetts Lowell River Hawks
• Again, I really don't know much about college hockey.  I'm just basing my pick on the facts that UMass is ranked #3, are usually great at hockey, and the game is being played much closer to UMass than to Wisconsin.
• Confidence: 50%
8. *NCAAM:  Louisville wins by double digits
• The Cardinals are favored by 10 in this game.  They have been dominant and clearly are deserving of the overall #1 seed.  Oregon, you probably shouldn't have gotten a 12 seed and have done well to advance to the sweet 16, but good luck getting past Louisville.
• Confidence:  80%
9. *NHL:  Tampa Bay Lightning
• I'm going to be bold and take the Lightning in this one.  They have recently undergone a coaching change and it seems to be just what they needed.  I'm hoping they come out on top at home here.
• Confidence:  50%
10. *NCAAM:  Kansas Jayhawks
• The Michigan Wolverines have looked so dominant in their first two games of this tournament that it is hard to pick against them.  I think a major reason they did so well in those games was because they were "at home".  They were 17 - 1 at home this season, but just 5 - 5 on the road.  This game is being played in Arlington, Texas, so Kansas will have more of a home-court crowd in attendance.  Kansas is favored by 2, and this should be a close, fun to watch game.  A key to the game will be Michigan's Mitch McGary and how he fares against Withey and Kansas's inside game.
• Confidence:  60%
11. NCAAM:  Ben McLemore + Jeff Withey or tie
• Both Withey and McLemore average just over 16 points per game, or about 16 combined points per half.  Trey Burke averages 18.8 ppg and Glen Robinson III averages 11.1 ppg, for a combined 15 points per half.  The stats slightly favor McLemore + Withey anyway, and with them having the tie option, this seems like a good pick.
• Confidence:  70%
12. NBA:  Philadelphia 76ers
• Sixers or Cavs? Hmm. Well, neither team is playing great, but at the moment, the Cavs are playing just a little bit worse than the Sixers having won just two of their previous ten games.  
• Confidence:  60%
13. NBA:  Atlanta Hawks
• Here's a list of players who are either out for tonight's game or questionable to play for the Celtics, Courtney Lee, Jared Sullinger, Avery Bradley, and of course, Kevin Garnett.  The Celtics had lost 5 straight before barely beating the Cavs.  The Hawks are coming off a demolition of the Raptors and should continue that forward against the C's.
• Confidence:  60%
14. NBA:  Toronto Raptors
• The Pistons have won just one of their last ten games, but the Raptors have lost 5 straight.  It is always hard to know who will win these games between two bottom feeder teams.  I think the Raptors break their losing streak, especially if they get Rudy Gay back for the game.
• Confidence:  50%
15. *NHL:  Minnesota Wild
• The Wild just beat the Stars 7 - 4 on Monday.  They are usually a money pick on SFTC as well, so I'm going with them to win.
• Confidence:  70%
16. NCAAM:  71 points or more
• You will want to see how the first half goes, but keep in mind that the second halves of games more often than not have more scoring than the first half, especially if the game is close, because of the fouling and free throws at the end.  It is very likely that this will be the case in this game.  Both of these teams have great scorers, and it will most likely be a high scoring game and tight at the end.
• Confidence:  80%
17. *NCAAM:  Duke Blue Devils
• I think this is one of the most intriguing of the sweet 16 match-ups.  These teams match up well and have similar strengths.  Both play great defense, both have great post players, and both can shoot the 3 well.  Michigan State should have more of a home-crowd advantage since the game is in Indianapolis, but Duke is favored by 2 and I like them to get a hard-fought win here to advance to the Elite Eight.
• Confidence:  70%
18. *NCAAM:  Florida winning margin or tie
• In the first tournament game against Georgetown, FGCU made 30 free throws.  In the second tournament game against San Diego State, they made 8 free throws.  Florida is favored by 14 in this game, and I in my opinion, play better defense, without fouling, than Georgetown, so I don't think you can expect FGCU to have near 30 free throws in this game.  FGCU has been a great story, and another win would be simply crazy, but I really think their run ends here.  In summary, I don't expect FGCU to get a ton of free throws in this game, so I'm taking Florida winning margin since the tie option is included.
• Confidence:  60%

Props marked with a * are also featured on Streak It Up.

SFTC picks for March 27

There were a couple of really surprising results yesterday.  Perhaps the most unexpected was the Bulls ending the Heat's streak.  The Heat had a great run and have had a lot of really close games lately, so it was inevitable that their streak had to end sooner or later.  The other surprise was the number of 3 pointers that BYU had today.  They seem to be suddenly playing very well in this post-season tournament.  They should have played like this during the regular season and conference tournament and they could have found themselves in the NCAA tournament instead of the "not invited" tournament.

Our picks are posted for the sweet 16 round of College Hoops Pick'em, so we invite you to click on the Basketball Games tab above and check them out before the games tip off tomorrow at around 7pm ET.  We also invite you to check out Jim Lee's write-ups concerning the sweet 16 at The James Lee Sports Report.

Our top two "stash" picks:

1. NCAAM:  Ohio State Buckeyes
2. NCAAM:  Syracuse: players with a made 3-pointer or tie

Our picks for all props:

1. Golf:  Hunter Mahan or tie
• As stated in the prop, this is for the back 9, holes 10 - 18.  These two tee off at the 10th hole, so the first 9 won't be available to look at.  This is also the first round of this Open, so there are not any previous rounds to compare to.  However, these two are both good golfers, but Mahan has done better than Mickelson on this course in previous years, and Mickelson hasn't been in great form recently, to the point of failing to miss cuts.  
• Confidence:  70%  
2. Other:  150 points or more
• All of CSKA Moscow's past 5 games have gone less than 149 total points.  In Real Madrid's past 5 games, 4 of them have gone over 150 total points.  The most recent game between these two, played back at the end of January had 164 total points scored.  These results point toward 150 or more points being scored.
• Confidence:  60%
3. MLB:  Washington Nationals
• Wow, the team with the tie option finally won one of these props!  In the previous meetings between these two teams, the Mets have won 2, the Nationals have won 2, and they have tied once.  This is spring training, so pick at your own risk, but the Mets have a ton of players listed as day-to-day, and Washington only has a couple, so I'm taking the Nationals in this one.
• Confidence:  50%
4. Tennis:  8 games or more
• These two players have met 5 times with Sharapova being the victor 4 of those times. They always meet in either the semis or the finals which they are yet again in Miami. Jankovic has slowly been building back into top shape after not quite being there the last few years. Sharapova on the other hand is looking for her first title in Miami even though her form slipped in the last match. By match end it will be Sharapova who advances to another Final.
• Confidence: 65%
5. Golf:  Keegan Bradley or tie
• I'm just taking Bradley with the tie option here as he has been the better golfer recently.  McIlroy has been off of his game the last few tournaments, and he's just hard to trust right now. 
• Confidence:  60%  
6. Tennis:  20 games or fewer
• These two have only played once in about the same amount of time on the tour. Surprising, but that one time result wasn't. Murray won in straight sets over Croatia's top player. Murray is at home on the hard courts of Miami and Cilic hasn't been playing his best tennis of late. This match will be over in two quick sets.
• Confidence: 75%
7. NCAAM:  Miami winning margin or tie
• Miami is favored by 5 in this game.  Marquette doesn't make a ton of 3s, and it shouldn't be expected that they will suddenly make a ton here.  Miami has enough firepower on offense that this game should not be as close as Marquette's previous two.
• Confidence:  80%
8. NHL:  Ottawa Senators
• The Rangers are among the league's lowest in goals scored per game.  The Senators have some of the best goal-tending in the league, and have won each match-up against the Rangers this season.  The Rangers have done a bit better recently, including beating the Flyers, but it's hard to ignore the Senators' goal-tending stats, scoring, and division position.
• Confidence:  60%
9. NCAAM:  Ohio State Buckeyes
• A great match-up in this game, if we get it, will be Mark Lyons vs Aaron Craft.  One is a terrific scorer and loves to get in the lane and score.  The other is known for his defense, especially on-ball defending.  Both of these teams are playing well at the end of the season, and this should be a great game.  Ohio State is favored by 4 and should have the strength and finesse to be victorious.  They have lots of experience in close-game situations, should it come to that.  An interesting stat for this game:  Ohio State and Arizona have never met in the NCAA tournament.
• Confidence:  80%
10. NCAAM:  10 points or more
• DeShaun Thomas is clearly Ohio State's leading scorer, averaging 19.7 points per game, and almost 10 points per game more than the next leading scorer.  Arizona doesn't have the defense to stop Thomas, so if this prop goes under, it will be because Thomas is just not making shots.  10 or more seems like the easy pick here though.
• Confidence:  70%
11. NBA:  Los Angeles Lakers
• I don't like this pick one bit.  I have no idea if the Lakers will play like a championship team or if they will play like the team that lost to the Wizards and got punched in the face against the Warriors (literally, Dwight took a nice elbow to the face from David Lee).  After the Lakers took over the 8th spot in the playoffs a few weeks ago I thought they would be looking up towards 6th and 7th place but instead they are looking in the rear view mirror at the teams that are hanging onto their coattails, Utah and Dallas, and are within a 1.5 games of the final playoff spot.  The Lakers should beat the Bucks, but I would not be shocked if they lost by double digits.  
• Confidence: 50%
12. NHL:  Los Angeles Kings
• The Kings have done well lately.  The Blues:  not so much.  The Blues have been struggling lately, losing 3 of their last 4, and just lost 3 - 0 to Edmonton on Tuesday.  The Kings have scored 10 goals in their previous two meetings this season against the Blues, and going back to last year's playoffs, have won 7 straight against them.
• Confidence:  60%
13. NBA:  Dallas Mavericks
• Wow, both NBA picks today could go either way.  The Pacers are the better team but the Mavericks have been playing well lately and suddenly find themselves in the playoff race.  I have no idea how they still have playoff hopes, I absolutely thought that they would be making their summer vacation plans at this point.  The Pacer won the first meeting this year, but that was back in Novemeber.  The Pacers are hurting and the Mavericks are desperate, for this reason I see the Mavs winning at home.
• Confidence: 50%
14. NCAAM:  Yes, at least one player scores 11+ points in the second half
• Obviously you'll want to see how the first half goes, but as of now I'm going with no player scoring 11+ points in the second half.
• Confidence:  60%
15. NHL:  Edmonton Oilers
• Both of these teams are currently out of the playoff picture, but have a shot of making the playoffs with strong performances down the stretch.  The Oilers had an impressive win over St. Louis on Tuesday, and beat the Blue Jackets 3 - 0 the last time they visited Edmonton.  Edmonton with home-ice advantage seems like the safer option in this one.
• Confidence:  50%
16. NCAAM:  Syracuse: players with a made 3-pointer or tie
• There are only 7 players that have made a 3-pointer this season for Syracuse.  You should really only count on 5 players making a 3-pointer though, as the other two made 6 and 1 3-pointers respectfully over the course of the season.  Syracuse has a great shot at winning this game outright.  I'm actually banking on that result more than a number of Syracuse's players making 3s.  The tie option may come up big here. 
• Confidence:  80%
17. NCAAM:  Wichita State winning margin or tie
• La Salle averages 7.7 3-pointers made per game.  Wichita State is favored by 4 points in this game, but have the tie option here, and I really think they might win by double digits.  I think the tie option may come up huge in this one, but it could go either way.
• Confidence:  60%
18. NHL:  San Jose Sharks
• I'm going with the Sharks at home in this one.  They just beat the Ducks twice in row.  They have only met the Red Wings once this season, and lost that game at home 2 - 1 in a shootout, but I like the Sharks to get revenge.
• Confidence:  60%

Props marked with a * are also featured on Streak It Up.

SFTC picks for Wednesday, March 27

More picks will be posted before morning so be sure to check back for them.  Also, we will be posting our picks for the sweet 16 round of College Hoops Pick'em tomorrow, so be sure to click on the Basketball Games tab above to check them out.  Thanks for visiting our site!  We invite you to vote on the poll question and follow us on Twitter, and join our groups.

There are not many really great picks on the board today, so if you have a high streak, we suggest you sit out the day.  Here are our picks for all props:

1. *Other:  Traktor Chelyabinsk
• In their last 5 head to head games, Bars has won 4, all home games, and lost 1 on the road.  The two most recent were the playoff games of the conference finals.  Bars won the first 2 at home.  Traktor is at home for this game and is favored in this game.  Since Traktor is behind in the series and are at home, I'm going with them for the win here.
• Confidence:  60%
2. MLB:  Detroit Tigers
• Once again, yesterday the team without the tie option won.  I really don't think the team with the tie option has ever won this type of prop.  At least not this season.  I highly doubt this prop breaks the trend.  The Tigers have beaten the Phillies twice in pretty decisive fashion "on the road", and lost once "at home".  The Phillies have a few players out, and the Tigers have only two non-key players out.  With all that said, this is spring training, however, the non-tie option has been money on here.  
• Confidence:  70%
3. Tennis:  18 games or fewer
• Sharapova has won all three times these two have played with only one match going three sets. This match being played on the hard courts of Miami, Sharapova's training ground, and Sharapova looking to continue her winning ways will take this match in two quick sets.
• Confidence: 70%
4. Tennis:  9-10 games played in first set
• Two of the oldest players on the tour match up in Miami. Ferrer has had much more success than Melzer over the years mostly due to Ferrer being able to stay healthy despite his grinding out style of play. Ferrer also has a commanding lead in the head to head matchup 6-2. Melzer has being looking to regain his top form after injuries have put him off but Ferrer is still the number 5 player in the world and by coming out ready to run he'll take the first set handily.
• Confidence: 75%
5. NCAAM:  Iowa 3-pointers made or tie
• Iowa averages 5.3 3-pointers made per game.  Virginia is favored by 4 in this game and is at home for this game.  While Iowa doesn't make a ton of 3s per game, I think they will cover with the tie option.
• Confidence:  70%
6. NBA:  Boston Celtics
• The Celtics are without Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo.  The Cavs are without Kyrie Irving, Anderson Verejao, and Dion Waiters.  Lets just say that the Cavs are hurting a little bit more than the C's are.  I do like the emergence of Tristan Thompson for the Cavs recently and think that he has been one of the brightest spots in the years Rookie class.  I do not feel confident in either of the teams that will be playing on the Quicken Loans Arena court in this game, but I have to go with the Celtics.
• Confidence:  50%
7. NBA:  Milwaukee Bucks
• The Bucks are in a good position at the moment.  They currently sit in 8th place in the west and would love to climb up to 7th to avoid having to face the Heat in the first round.  Lucky for them, the Celtics have started to spiral down and have left the door open for the Brandon Jennings, Monte Ellis, and the rest of the Bucks to gallop (or whatever a deer does) through.  The Bucks will need to win these games against the lottery teams of the East if they hope to overtake the Celtics.
• Confidence:  60%
8. NBA:  Atlanta Hawks
• The Hawks are an interesting team.  I think they are one of the few teams in the Eastern conference who actually has a starting lineup that could give the Heat a fit if they played a series in the playoffs.  Their lineup could create match-up problems for the Heat, but here is the Hawks problem, they just aren't as good as the Heat.  I actually like the Hawks and think they are a much better team than their record shows, but for one reason or another, year after year, the Hawks fail to play up to their abilities.  But luckily for the Hawks they are not playing the Heat but instead are taking on the Raptors.  Toronto has only won three of their previous ten games and even though they are at home, they have a losing home record on the season, so that does not give them much of an advantage.
• Confidence:  60%
9. NBA:  Charlotte Bobcats
• Man, talk about a game no one wants to watch.  Well, I can't say no one.  There have got to be die hard Magic or Bobcats fans out there who are willing to watch this game.  These teams have played 3 previous times this year and the Bobcats have won 2 of the 3 and this game is on their home court, I think I am gonna do it, my first time ever picking the Charlotte Bobcats! Looks like the Magic will continue their streak and get their eighth straight loss.
• Confidence:  60%
10. NBA:  New York Knicks
• I think the Grizzlies are the better of the two teams and if they faced off in a seven game series I would pick Memphis without any hesitation.  But the old-man Knicks seem to have got their second wind these past few games and have run off a mini 5 game win streak.  I give the edge to the Knicks playing at home in MSG.
• Confidence:  60%
11. NCAAM:  Southern Miss winning margin
• BYU averages 5.79 3-pointers made per game.  Southern Miss is favored by 6 in this game.  BYU has done pretty well in this tournament, surprisingly.  Why they couldn't play like they have recently is beyond me.  At any rate, this game is at Southern Miss, who has also done well in this tournament and are the #1 seed. I'm going with Southern Miss winning margin in this one.
• Confidence:  70%
12. NBA:  Houston Rockets
• The Pacers have a lot of players who are not fully recovered from injuries and may miss this game.  David West, Danny Granger, Paul George, George Hill and Lance Stephenson are all either out for this game or a game time decision.  At full strength I give the upper hand to the Pacers, but on this night, I think the Rockets get the win.
• Confidence:  70%
13. NBA:  Heat, Winning Margin
• The Bulls are not an 3-point shooting team and are only averaging 5 triples per game on the season.  I simply think the Heat will win by more than 5.  I also believe the Bulls will have to play closer to the rim as they try to exploit the one match-up advantage they have with Joakim Noah in the paint.  The Heat have good perimeter defenders and should prevent the Bulls from making too many outside jumpers.
• Confidence:  70%
14. NBA:  20 or more (LBJ Points + Rebounds in First Half)
• LeBron averages 27 ppg and 8 rpg.  If we cut those statistics in half and give LBJ 13 points and 4 rebounds in the first half, he comes short of the combined 20.  But tonight D-Wade is still questionable which means that LeBron will have to pick up some of his scoring.  If Wade is able to play, I think my pick changes, so I am basing this decision on my understanding that Wade will not be ready to play tonight.
• Confidence:  50%
15. NCAAM:  Baylor wins by double digits
• Baylor is favored by 9 in this game and are at home.  These teams have not met in the regular season, but Baylor is good at home, and has had some impressive results there.  
• Confidence:  70%
16. NHL:  Calgary Flames
• The Flames at home has been a money pick on SFTC.  They are 9 - 5 - 2 at home, while the Avalanche are just 2 - 10 - 3 on the road.  
• Confidence:  70%
17. NHL:  Anaheim Ducks
• The Ducks have been in a bit of a funk lately, losing their last 3 straight, including 1 at home to San Jose.  The Sharks have a good home record, but I like the Ducks to get out of their funk and get revenge against the Sharks here.
• Confidence:  50%
18. NBA:  Portland Trailblazers
• Maybe I am crazy.  I think most people would pick the Nets based on the comparative records of these two teams.  But the Blazers play so much better at home that it is always hard for me to pick against them when they are at the Rose Garden.  The Nets are still in a battle for second place in the West, but I think they will suffer a setback in that fight on Wednesday night.
• Confidence:  50%

Props marked with a * are also featured on Streak It Up.

SFTC Picks for Tuesday, March 26

It was a really busy weekend for us, and we're back to normal with SFTC picks write-ups.  We had a great weekend on Tournament Challenge, and College Hoops Pick'em, in which game we are only 7 points behind the leader and in the 100th percentile.  Check out our Basketball Games tab above to see our basketball site, our games records, and most importantly, news and write-ups for all basketball games.

Thank you to everyone who voted on our poll question.  It is really fun for us to get your impressions and input on these questions.  Erin Andrews was the overwhelming favorite sports personality.  We invite you to check out the new poll and provide us with your input.  We also invite you to follow us on Twitter and join our groups for Streak for the Cash and Streak It Up.
And if you have time, take a look at our other sports blog, the James Lee Sports Report. 

There are not many really great picks on the board today, so if you have a high streak, we suggest you sit out the day.  Here are our picks for all props:

1. Tennis:  Any Other Result
• The gritty veteran takes on the flashy newcomer in this match as David Ferrer takes on Kei Nishikori. They have split their four previous matches with Ferrer taking the most recent victory at the Aussie Open. Ferrer is known for his dogged play and chasing down everything hit his way. Nishikori can play finesse and power tennis which makes him dangerous but at times he seems to lose focus in a match. With that being said, Ferrer will be the victor because in the end he'll make less mistakes and play the smarter game.
  
• Confidence: 55%
  
2. Soccer:  Portugal, Win by 2+ Goals
• How many of you have heard of Branimir Subashic? Well he is the leading goal scorer for the Azerbaijan National Soccer Team.  Now how many of you have heard of Cristiano Ronaldo? Yeah, I don't really need to explain to anyone who he is.  He is the pretty boy who is considered by just about everyone the best soccer player in the world, if it wasn't for Lionel Messi.  So what, he is the second best player in the world and the best player for the Portugal National team.  Azerbaijan is currently ranked #116 in the FIFA rankings and  Portugal is ranked #7.  There is really no question in my mind that Portugal will win, but will they win by 2+ goals? Last time they played in September they won 3-0.  I am gonna say that the Portuguese are a little bit better than that other country that I don't want to type again since it is so hard to spell, so I gotta pick Portugal.
• Confidence: 60%
3. MLB:  St. Louis Cardinals
• The Cardinals have won 2, and the Mets 3, of the previous 5 meetings between these two teams this spring.  The team with the tie option has never won this type of prop, and it has been featured numerous times.  Will this be the one time the tie option wins?
• Confidence:  60%
4. Soccer:  France, Win or Draw
• Spain is the best team in the world, there is no question about that.  They are the current world and European champions.  Spain is ranked #1 in the world, and France is all the way down at #17.  When they last played in October the game ended in a 1-1 draw.  That match was in Spain, this match will be in France.  Spain drew with Finland just last week and even though they completely controlled the game, they were only able to score once.  I know that it is only one player, but I think not having Xavi Hernandez in the midfield disrupts the flow of the team.  I think this game too will end in a draw, therefore, I have to pick France. 
• Confidence: 40%
5. NCAAW:  North Carolina 3-pointers made
• Delaware is a good team, and they will have home-court advantage for this game.  I think North Carolina will win the game, but it should be a close game.
• Confidence:  60%
6. NHL:  Carolina Hurricanes
• The Hurricanes are on a 5-game losing streak, and will be very motivated to win this game.  The Jets are at the top of their division and with this game begin an extended road trip.  This could be a tossup though since Carolina is under .500 at home and Winnipeg is exactly .500 on the road.
• Confidence:  50%
7. NBA:  New York Knicks
• The Celtics are in a very tough spot right now.  They have lost 4 straight games and if they are not careful, they may slip down to the dreaded 8th spot in the East.  If they fall to 8th, that means a meeting with Miami in round one, which is basically team suicide.  So the C's are desperate.  The Knicks on the other hand have won 4 straight and are fighting with Indiana for the #2 seed.  Without Kevin Garnett in the lineup, I have to give the advantage to the Knicks.
• Confidence:  60%
8. *NCAAM:  Alabama Crimson Tide
• Alabama is favored by 4 in this game, which is a very favorable line for a straight up pick.  The game is at Alabama, which makes the pick even more favorable.  Both of these teams have been playing well in this tournament, but it's hard to ignore this line and home-court advantage for Alabama.
• Confidence:  70%
9. NBA:  Minnesota Timberwolves
• Why the T-Wolves? Well, it's simply, they are just a little bit less crappy than the Pistons.  The Pistons had lost 10 in a row before beating the equally awful Bobcats by 1 point.  Yes this game is in Detroit, but a 1 point win over the Bobcats is not enough for me to think the Pistons have overcome their losing ways. 
• Confidence:  60%
10. NHL:  Tampa Bay Lightning
• I'm hoping that a mid-season coaching change will help the Lighting get back on track and be able to make the playoffs.  The main reason for the coaching change seems to be because of their recent form, as they have lost 11 of their last 15 and each of their last 3.  I'm hoping they will come out strong at home and win this one for their new coach.
• Confidence:  50%
11. *NHL:  Philadelphia Flyers
• The Flyers have a pretty good home record of 9 - 4.  The Rangers are only mediocre on the road, at 5 - 7.  Neither of these teams have been spectacular, and have pretty similar results.  I'm feeling the Flyers in this one, but pick at your own risk, as this seems like a total tossup.
• Confidence:  50%
12. NCAAW:  Any Other Result
• There is no doubt that Baylor will win this game, but I really think Florida State can cover the 35 point margin.  This is a home game for Baylor, but they only beat the #16 seed by 42 when the line was 60+.  
• Confidence:  70%
13. Soccer:  Mexico Win
• Let me break this down for you: the United States has won a grand total of one game, that is right, one game ever on a soccer pitch in Mexico.  Mexico is the US team's biggest rival, but that is like saying in the Duke and North Carolina rivalry that Duke has only beaten UNC once ever on Carolina's court.  I don't know why that is but the United States simply cannot beat Mexico in Mexico.  Yeah I know they won the last time they played there, but that was a friendly and nothing was on the line.  This is a World Cup qualifier.  The United States has not looked good in the past two games of the "hex."  They lost to Honduras 2-1 and beat Costa Rica in the snow 1-0.  But that game shouldn't count, I mean, the players from Costa Rica had probably never seen snow in their entire lives, how can we expect them to play a match in a blizzard?  I simply do not see how the United States is going to win this game, especially with their backup keeper in the net.     
• Confidence:  70%

Props marked with a * are also featured on Streak It Up.

SFTC Soccer and NBA Picks, March 25

For now we only have our Soccer and NBA picks for Monday, March 25.  We apologize for not having the other picks completed.  Check back throughout the day and more picks should begin to appear.  Also, take a look at the basketball site (click here) our my opinion blog to read our review of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.  Good luck with your picks today.

1. Soccer: Brazil Win
• Brazil has a record 5 World Cup titles. Russia's best finish in the World Cup was 4th place back in 1966 when they were still the Soviet Union.  History makes this pick seem pretty black and white.  Well, it is an international friendly and with that comes the unknown of who is going to start the match for each side.  A manager will often try new young players to see how they fit with the squad.  Since Brazil automatically has qualified for the World Cup, it is likely that they will be testing out some of their young players to see if they have what it takes to play with the National Team.  I still expect Brazil to start Fernando, Dante, Fred, Neymar, Oscar, and if we're lucky, maybe Hulk will make an appearance.  First rule of soccer, the team with the most single-named players always wins the game, so this game goes to Brazil.
• Confidence:  75% 
2. NBA: Memphis Grizzlies
• Although the Wizards have looked better their last few games and are playing at home, it is hard to imagine them beating this Memphis team who can play with the best teams in the West.  The Grizzlies are fighting for playoff positioning and are hoping to overtake the Clippers for a top 4 seed and home court in the first round.  This game means much more to the Grizzlies and I expect them to come with the attitude that they cannot drop these "gimmie" games against one of the leagues worst teams.
• Confidence: 60%
3. NBA: Any Other Result
• So the Heat are going for their 27th straight win.  Most people have decided that they will be tested against the Bulls and the Spurs but the rest of these games should be cupcakes.  But tonight the Heat are playing the second leg of a back to back and are traveling to Orlando (albeit a 45 min plane ride).  In their two previous meetings this year, Orlando took the Heat to OT once and lost by a single point the other game.  Their combined losing margin in the first two meetings was only 3 points.  I think the Heat will win this game and get to 27 straight, but I also believe it will be a fight and a win tonight for the Magic could be a bright spot on an all but miserable season.
• Confidence: 60%
4. NBA: Magic: Number of players to score in the first half or tie
• The last 5 games of the Heat's current streak they have had to come from behind, trailing at one point in the game by 10 or more points.  During these games the Heat have been outscored by an average of 5.5 points in the first half.  I think the Magic can realistically get scoring from 7 players in the first half (5 starters and 2 bench players).  The Magic have had at least 9 players score in their previous 3 games.  I expect this to be a close game at the half and throughout but would not be surprised if the Heat were winning by single-digits or trailing at the half.
• Confidence: 60%
5. NBA: 53 or more points
• How many points will the Heat score in the second half? If you read my narrative above you'll see that the Heat have been outscored by 5.5 points in the first half.  But the second half has been a completely different story as the Heat have outscored their opponents by 18.3 points in the 3rd and 4th quarters.  Last night against the Bobcats the Heat scored 62 in the second half.  I think the Heat will need to score a lot in the second half tonight if they hope to win.
• Confidence: 50%
6. NBA: Los Angeles Lakers
• This game is a toss-up.  I honestly could see it going either way.  The Warriors started the season hot and have since started to cool off a bit, while the Lakers started the seasons freezing cold and is now about room temperature.  The Lakers have had some ugly losses to the Wizards and Suns this past week, but I think they will come out on top against the Warriors. At the same time, I would not be surprised one bit if the Warriors win this game at home.  Unless you have more insight than I do on this game, maybe hold off on making this pick.
• Confidence: 40%

SFTC News for 3/24

Hi everyone.  We're sorry but we were unable to post write-ups for Streak for Cash picks for today, March 24, and are sorry for any inconvenience.  We will have picks and write-ups for props on Monday, March 25, so we hope to see you then!

-- The Fantasy Sports Center Team

Back to Normal, SFTC picks for 3/22

What a day yesterday!  A few CRAZY upsets by Florida Gulf Coast and La Salle!  It was such a fun day though and we hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did.  For tomorrow it's back to normal for SFTC picks, but we remind you to visit our Basketball site by clicking on the Basketball Games tab above.  We will continue to have picks for College Hoops Pick'em and posts about Tournament Challenge.

Our top 2 picks:

1. NCAAM:  St. Louis Bilikens
2. NCAAM:  Syracuse wins by double digits

Our picks for all props:

1. Golf:  Graeme McDowell or Tie
• McDowell and Westwood shot very similar numbers the first 2 rounds, with Westwood shooting 1 better than McDowell on the front nine both rounds.  They are currently tied for overall lead though, and its hard to pass up McDowell with the tie option.
• Confidence:  50%
2. *NCAAM:  Alabama Crimson Tide
• Alabama is favored by 4 and is at home for this game.  They also have a better overall record and an impressive 14 - 3 home record, while Stanford has a mediocre 5 - 6 road record.
• Confidence:  70%
3. NCAAM:  Michigan Wolverines
• This should be one of the most exciting tournament games of the day.  Michigan gives up the smallest number of turnovers in the nation, and VCU forces the largest number of turnovers.  Michigan is favored by 4, is 17 - 1 at home, and this game is virtually a home game for them, so I'm giving them the edge here.  
• Confidence:  50%
4. NCAAW:  Any Other Result
• The Huskies and the Vandals have never played each other, neither have they played many common opponents, so it's hard to get a sense of this game.  It is true that there is not much parity in women's basketball, and the top ranked teams are usually dominant over low or un-ranked teams.  50+ though is asking a lot I think.  Idaho ranks in the top 10 nationally for both 3 pointers made and attempted, so I think they can keep it within 50.
• Confidence: 70%
5. Golf:  Bill Haas or tie
• Haas shot a 69 in round 1 and 66 in round 2.  Rose shot a 65 in round 1 and a 70 in round 2.  Obviously both of these guys have won the prop once, so pick your poison with this one.
• Confidence: 40%
6. *NHL:  Minnesota Wild
• The Wild have been on fire lately.  They are returning home from a very successful road trip and are on a 4 game winning streak.  The Sharks have some surprising wins, especially when they have been featured on Streak for the Cash, but it's hard to ignore Minnesota's current form.
• Confidence: 70%
7. Soccer: DC United, Win
• MLS is only 3 matches into the season, so it is still hard to know how good each squad is.  But after three matches, both DC and Columbus are tied with 4 points in the table.  Last year in both their meetings United beat the Crew, plus the game is in DC, for this reason I must pick United to win.
• Confidence: 50%
8. NCAAM:  Michigan State Winning Margin
• Michigan State is favored by 6 in this game.  Memphis made 5 3-pointers in their first tournament game against St. Marys, but average 6.3 3-pointers made per game on the season. I think Memphis has what it takes to keep the game close, but Michigan State has a tremendous defense and will have home-court advantage, so I'm giving them the edge here.  This prop could be close though, and I'm kind of nervous about it.
• Confidence:  50%
9. NCAAW:  Any Other Result
• These teams have not met this season, but Fresno State lost by just 11 to Stanford early in the season.  Fresno State has been to the tournament each of the previous 6 seasons, but have never won a game.  I think they will keep it closer than 20 though.
• Confidence:  60%
10. NCAAM:  Louisville wins by double digits
• Louisville is favored by 11 points in this game.  I thought NC A&T would cover in the last game and got burned, so I'm going with Louisville.  Louisville looked so impressive in that game that it's hard to imagine them not getting to Atlanta and most likely cutting down the nets.  Colorado State is a fierce rebounding team though, and runs a style of offense that Louisville has not played against much, but this is virtually a home game for Louisville, and will have the overwhelming home-crowd advantage.
• Confidence:  70%
11. *NCAAM:  Arizona wins by double digits
• Harvard is coming off of their huge upset over New Mexico.  This is a much different matchup, however.  New Mexico has a number of big men and focus on the interior, so their perimeter defending suffers, and it was evidenced last night by Harvard getting so many open looks from 3.  Arizona plays much better perimeter defense and plays with a much higher tempo than New Mexico.  Aside from these facts, Arizona is favored by 10 and the game is in Salt Lake City, Utah, so the Wildcats will have a huge fan base there.
• Confidence:  60%
12. NBA:  Detroit Pistons
• Pistons suck, but the Bobcats suck even more.  Enough said.
• Confidence:  70%
13. NCAAM:  St. Louis Bilikens
• Oregon is on an emotional high after upsetting #5 Oklahoma State.  They also have a higher rebounding advantage, but I believe Saint Louis will be just too much.  Nice win yesterday Oregon, but good luck beating Saint Louis.  Saint Louis is favored by 4, but I'm confident they'll win by more than that.
• Confidence:  80%
14. NCAAM:  Marquette Golden Eagles
• These two teams met at the start of the season in the Maui Invitational.  Butler got the best of Marquette on that occasion thanks to a buzzer-beating 3 pointer by Rotnei Clark.  Marquette is favored by 3 in this game, and I think it will probably be a close, back and forth game, but I'm picking Marquette to get revenge and advance.
• Confidence:  60%
15. NCAAM:  Butler leading at halftime or tied
• This is really a tossup in my opinion, and the main reason I'm taking this is because Butler has the tie option.  Pick at your own risk.
• Confidence:  40%
16. NBA: Indiana Pacers
• The Pacers have won all three of the meetings this year with the Bulls.  One would assume this to be reason enough to pick the Pacers again, but sweeping a 4 game series is difficult against any team, especially if that team is not that much worse than you.  The Bulls are running on empty as they are completed depleted.  They are without Gibson, Hinrich, and of course, Rose.  They are playing at home, but I think they are saving all their energy for the meeting this upcoming week with the Heat.  
• Confidence:  50%
17. NCAAM:  Wichita State 3-pointers made or tie
• I've thought ever since the brackets were released that Gonzaga would be the first #1 to lose.  I  picked Pittsburgh to beat them in the second round, but I think Wichita State has an even better chance to do it.  They are physical and un-afraid, and Southern proved that Gonzaga is vulnerable.  Gonzaga is favored by 6, and Wichita State averages 6.6 3-pointers made per game.  I'm predicting that Wichita State not only covers, but that they win this game. 
• Confidence:  70%
18. NCAAM:  Yes at least one team scores 35+ in the second half
• My advice is that you see how the first half goes before picking this, but be aware that most teams score more in the 2nd half, especially if the game is close and gets prolonged at the end.  
• Confidence:  50%
19. Other:  Kyle Dake
• I really don't know much about college wrestling.  Dake has won the national title each of the previous 3 years, but in different weight classes.  He also beat Taylor earlier this year.  These two are clearly the best two in the country in this weight class, so this should be a hard-fought battle.
• Confidence:  50%
20. NCAAM:  Syracuse wins by double digits
• Syracuse plays a tenacious 2-3 zone defense that smothers opponents outside offense.  I believe this will really disrupt the Bears and what they will try to do on offense.  Syracuse is only favored by 8 in this game, but after seeing their run through the Big East Tournament and how they dismantled Montana, I think they easily cover here.
• Confidence:  80%
21. NHL:  St. Louis Blues
• The away teams have been winning these NHL props with considerable consistency lately.  I really think the Blues will continue that trend.  They will have their veteran goalie, Jaroslov Harak for this game, who has a 2.38 GAA.  They are also 10 - 1 - 1 in their last 12 against the Oilers.
• Confidence: 60%
22. Soccer:  San Jose 
• Neither San Jose nor Seattle has looked as good this season as they did last year.  I expect the Earthquakes and Chris Wondolowski to get on track soon.  Last season San Jose ran away with the west and their squad is nearly the same.  This game is being played at Buck Shaw Stadium, home of the Earthquakes, which should help them.  
• Confidence: 60%

SFTC Stunt Day Picks

Before we forget, our poll will be ending in the next couple days.  Thank you for all who voted.  If you haven't voted, we invite you to vote and make you voice heard.  We'll be posting a new poll question after this one is done.

All right, who's ready for STUNT DAY????  We sure are!  What a great way to spend the day:  watching March Madness games and potentially earn $5,000 while doing it!  Not a bad days work!  Hopefully tomorrow is as good of a day of tournament games as yesterday was.  

There are nearly 40 props on the board tomorrow, so we are not going to do write-ups.  We'll just give our predictions like we did yesterday.  Remember that the stunt day picks are nearly un-researchable.  It takes an incredible amount of luck to win Stunt Day, but it really is so much fun.  Because of the nature of these picks, they will most likely change, and without much notice, so come back often to see if we've changed our picks.

Our top 2 "stash" picks:

1. Miami wins by 15+
2. Georgetown wins by 15+

Our picks for every prop:

1. No, Hunter Mahan doesn't birdie holes 1 - 4
2. Any other score
3. Duke wins by 20+
4. Yes: Duke makes their first FGA of the game
5. Ole Miss 3-pointers made or tie
6. Yes Free Throw made in first 3 minutes of game
7. Made 3 pointer
8. Temple Owls
9. Temple Scores first
10. Miami wins by 15+
11. 4 points or fewer
12. Creighton Bluejays
13. Creighton first to 10 points
14. Kansas State Winning Margin
15. Any Other Player
16. Yes free throw made in first 3 min. of 2nd half
17. 2 goals or more
18. Creighton first 3PM in 2nd half
19. Indiana wins by 20+ points
20. Yes foul called in first 2 minutes of the game
21. Illinois Fighting Illini
22. Illinois makes first free throw of the first half
23. No Finland doesn't score a goal in the 2nd half
24. No: Indiana misses their first FGA of the 2nd half
25. Illinois scores first in 2nd half
26. Georgetown wins by 15+
27. Any Other Player
28. New York Knicks
29. Columbus Blue Jackets
30. Winnipeg Jets
31. Any Other Result
32. 32 points or more
33. North Carolina Tar Heels
34. North Carolina first to score 10 points
35. Florida wins by 20+
36. Yes Ohio St. makes a free throw in last 3 minutes of the first half
37. Baylor wins by double digits
38. Baylor scores first
39. Dallas Mavericks
40. North Carolina makes first free throw of the 2nd half
41. Yes free throw made in 1st 3 minutes of the 2nd half
42. Any Other Player
43. Yes Cooley scores at least 1 of Notre Dame's first 5 points
44. 28th minute or later or no goal

Apologies, SFTC picks for 3/21

Holy crap we had a bad day yesterday.  For everyone, and especially you new-comers, we offer our deepest apologies.  I am in the middle of midterms this week, and stayed up way too late last night doing picks, and I wasn't thinking clearly.  I promise it was the worst day we've had by a long shot.  

Anyway, we hope you will still come back to the site often.  Everyone has a bad now and then right?  I promise it won't happen again though.  

Since I still have 2 more midterms tomorrow, but I still want to help you guys out, I am just going to give my picks, but no write-ups.  Sorry for any inconvenience.  I'm also super bummed that I have midterms tomorrow because all I want to do is watch the tournament games.  Speaking of, check out our site for Tournament Challenge and College Hoops Pick'em by clicking on the Basketball Games tab above.

My top 2 "stash" picks:

1. Pittsburgh Panthers
2. Any Other Result (Louisville vs. North Carolina A&T)

My picks for every prop:

1. Tiger Woods
2. Michigan State wins by double digits
3. Bucknell Bison
4. Phil Mickelson
5. Pittsburgh Panthers
6. St. Louis wins by double digits
7. Memphis Tigers
8. Marquette
9. Brazil Win
10. Any Other Result
11. Oklahoma State Cowboys
12. Any Other Result
13. Carolina Hurricanes
14. New York Islanders
15. Maryland
16. Toronto Maple Leafs
17. South Dakota State win/single digit loss
18. 34 points or fewer
19. Arizona winning margin or Tie
20. California Golden Bears
21. Calgary Flames
22. Made 3-pointer
23. Colorado St. Rams
24. VCU wins by double digits
25. New Mexico winning margin
26. Syracuse wins by 15+
27. Vancouver Canucks

SFTC Picks for Wednesday, March 20

Well wouldn't you know it: BYU finally decided to play some basketball.  Where was that all season when it really mattered?  Where was that in the WCC tournament?  Washington should have won that prop!!!

Also, just a reminder to visit the Basketball Games page by clicking on the corresponding tab near the top of the page.  We're analyzing all of the teams in the field of 68 and will be giving our final four predictions and other valuable information.  We hope you will refer your friends to the site and join our group for Tournament Challenge.

Our top 3 "stash" picks are:

1. NCAAM:  Indiana St. free throws made or tie
2. NBA:  Boston Celtics
3. NCAAM:  Baylor wins by double digits

Our picks for all props:

1. Other:  5 goals or more
• This is game 7 of this playoff series between these two teams.  The number of regulation goals in the first 6 games were 5, 2, 3, 8, 6, 6.  So the 5+ option has won 4 out of 6 times.  I'll take my chances with the 5+ option. 
• Confidence:  50%
2. Other:  Boston Red Sox or tie
• If the tie option loses this time, it is the last time I will pick it.  I am taking it this time because Boston has the better record in spring training and the Yankees nearly got blanked by the Phillies yesterday.
• Confidence:  50%
3. Other:  Any other number
• The last time these two teams played, 3 runs were scored during innings 4 - 6.  Most of the runs scored in these spring training games come in the 4th - 6th innings, and I think these teams are capable of scoring more than 2 runs in 3 innings.
• Confidence:  50%
4. *Soccer: Varese Win
• Varese leads Novaro by 7 points in the Serie B table.  The last time they played at Novaro the game finished in a 1-1 draw but this match will be at Varese which I think will give them the advantage and the victory.
• Confidence: 40%
5. *NCAAM:  LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds
• The play-in rounds games yesterday were great games.  This one should be as well.  LIU is favored by 2 in this game, has a better home and road records, and averages more ppg than James Madison.  James Madison is also without their leading scorer and rebounder for the first half because he was arrested over the weekend.  I like LIU in what may be a tight game.
• Confidence:  60%
6. NCAAM:  Indiana St. free throws made or tie
• Indiana St. averages 15.5 free throws made per game.  Iowa is favored by 13 in this game, but I think that is far too generous.  Indiana St. has some impressive wins, including against Creighton, Witchita St., Miami, and Ole Miss.  This game is at Iowa, but Indiana St. should easily cover, if not win.
• Confidence:  80%
7. *NHL:  Tampa Bay Lightning
• The Lightning are really picking up steam over their last few games.  The Maple Leafs have not done well lately.  They have gone 0 - 3 - 2 in their last 5, and have conceded 20 goals in that span.  
• Confidence: 50%
8. NBA:  Heat winning margin
• Tristan Thompson is averaging 11.5 ppg but in his last 10 games he is up close to 14 ppg including 20 points in his last outing.  This is a tough choice, especially since the last two meetings between Cleveland and Miami have been Heat victories by 2 and 4 points.  But those games were with Kyrie Irving who is likely out for the season.  And Lebron loves playing in Cleveland.  He plays there with something to prove.  Lebron should have a good game and I think Miami will win by close to 20 points.
• Confidence: 50%
9. *NHL:  Minnesota Wild
• The Wild have done great on the road and have won consistently on SFTC.  The Red Wings seem to disappoint a lot when they are featured on here.
• Confidence: 50%
10. NCAAM:  Mercer wins or single digit loss
• Do you remember the leaderboard swipe that Mercer handed out a week or so ago?  Let's hope that doesn't happen again here.  Tennessee is favored by 9 and is at home for this game.  These teams match up pretty well on paper, so I'm taking Mercer to keep it close.
• Confidence:  50%
11. *NBA:  Memphis Grizzlies
• The Thunder are coming off a loss to Denver and are playing the second night of a back-to-back.  The Grizzlies have lost only 8 games at home this season and are in a battle with the Clippers for 3rd place in the west.  OKC is a better team, no doubt about that, but I think this will turn out as a Grizzlies victory.
• Confidence: 50%
12. NBA:  Boston Celtics
• The Celtics are coming off a heart breaking loss to Miami and are likely to take out all their frustration on the Hornets.  Jason Terry will want to have a bounce back game after being posterized by Lebron.  Lets hope the curse of Brandon Knight does not lead to the The Jet getting injured.  I think the Celtics should win easily.
• Confidence: 80%
13. NBA:  Dallas Mavericks
• This should be a close game.  The Mavs are making a late run at the playoffs and are suddenly only 3 games back of 8th place.  If they want to make it they need to win their games at home, which is what I think they will do tonight against the Nets.  Brooklyn is fighting for playoff position, but they will not be as desperate to win this game as the Mavs will be.  The Nets are also only 10-14 against teams from the Western Conference.
• Confidence: 60%
14. NCAAM:  Baylor wins by double digits
• With Baylor being favored by 13 points in this game, I'm surprised, but thrilled that this is only a double digit prop.  Baylor should win this easily.  Long Beach State has a very soft schedule and does not have any high-caliber wins.  
• Confidence:  90%
15. *NCAAM:  Boise State Broncos
• I graduated from Boise State in 2005, and back then, their basketball team was truly awful.  I was really surprised to see them get in to the NCAA tournament this year.  It is the first time they have made it to the big dance as an at-large bid.  It is also the first time that La Salle has been to the tournament in 21 years.  Boise State beat Creighton by 13 and only lost to Michigan St. by 4, is favored by 2, and I'm going to root for my Alma Mater in this one.  
• Confidence:  60%
16. NHL:  Edmonton Oilers
• Edmonton is seeking their first playoff appearance in 7 years.  They need this win at home to get there.  San Jose has lost 5 in a row on the road, and has been very inconsistent this season. I just don't think they can be trusted, especially on the road.
• Confidence: 50%
17. NHL:  Dallas Stars
• The Stars seem to have turned things around after coming off a much needed win over the Flames, and are battling for playoff position.  The Avalanche have lost 3 straight at home, and are now last place in the West.
• Confidence: 50%
18. *NHL:  Chicago Blackhawks
• This is a battle game between the top two teams in the western conference.  The 24 game point streak and 11 game win streak that the Blackhawks started the season with was truly impressive and has made national headlines.  The Ducks have not received nearly the amount of attention that the Blackhawks have, but also have impressive streaks of their own.  The Ducks won at Chicago back in February.  I think the Blackhawks get revenge here in a tight, tough game.  
• Confidence: 60%
19. NBA:  Phoenix Suns
• Maybe the best thing for these two franchises would be to lose the rest of their games on purpose just to give them a better chance at getting the #1 pick.  Both these teams can flush their seasons down the toilet and hope for something better in the future.  I give the edge to the Suns who are playing at home and coming off of a 20 point blowout of the Lakers.
• Confidence: 60%
20. *NCAAM:  Detroit 3 pointers made or tie
• Detroit averages 7.25 3-pointers made per game.  Arizona State is favored by 4 in this game.  The game is at Arizona St., but Detroit is a great team, and should cover here.
• Confidence:  60%

Props marked with a * are also featured on Streak It Up.

March Madness Analysis

Make sure you go check out the Basketball section (click on the tab just above) to view our predictions and analysis of all 68 teams.  This time of year, everyone needs help filling out their brackets.  Whether it is for an office pool or so you can impress your husband/wife, we have all the details you need to make the best selections possibles.  So take a look at our March Madness preview and let us hear your opinions as well.  We would love to hear who you have in your Final Four.
Also, join our Tournament Challenge group.  Its easy, just click on the link for Tournament Challenge to the left under the header "Join Our Groups".
Good luck with you picks! Enjoy the tournament.  Hopefully you don't destroy your company's bandwidth while streaming the games.  Just do what I do and take Thursday and Friday off from work!

SFTC picks for Tuesday, March 19

We had a pretty good day yesterday, considering all of the close NBA props that could have gone either way.  I have 4 midterms this week so I may not be posting again until Friday.  I'll see if Jim can take over all props for me for the remainder of this week.  

Also, just a reminder to visit the Basketball Games page by clicking on the corresponding tab near the top of the page.  We're analyzing all of the teams in the field of 68 and will be giving our final four predictions and other valuable information.  We hope you will refer your friends to the site and join our group for Tournament Challenge.

Our top 2 "stash" picks are:

1. *NCAAM:  Robert Morris 3 pointers made
2. NCAAM:  Washington 3 pointers made or tie

Our picks for all props:

1. *Soccer:  Metallurg-Kuzbass Win or Draw
• Metallurg has one win in their previous 5 games and Torpedo has no wins.  They are 14th and 13th in the league table, respectively.  Neither team is having a great year so I would not be surprised if this game ended in a 0-0 draw or 1-1.  I know next to nothing about the Russian league so unless you are a Russian league expert, maybe avoid this pick.
• Confidence 30%
2. Other:  New York Yankees or tie
• The Phillies just got manhandled by the Braves yesterday, 17 - 10.  They are 3 - 1 in head-to-head games vs. the Yankees this Spring, but I think the Yankees have better pitching, and they won the last time they were featured on SFTC against the Cardinals.  They only thing that concerns me is that the team with the tie option hasn't won yet on SFTC.
• Confidence:  40%
3. Other:  No runs scored in the 1st inning
• Spring training games are so unpredictable, and this is just a toss up prop, so pick at your own risk.
• Confidence:  50%
4. Soccer: Derry City
• We are only two games into the Irish Premier League season so it is hard to say who will win this match, but I think Derry City will come out on top as Drogheda United has not yet won.
• Confidence: 40%
5. *NCAAM:  North Carolina A&T
• NC A&T are favored by 3 points in this game, have the better conference record, and better overall record.  Liberty is only the 2nd 20 loss team to ever make the tournament, and have had a brutal travel schedule to the game site with their plane being delayed by 8 hours.  
• Confidence:  70%
6. NCAAM:  Maryland wins by double digits
• Maryland has some impressive wins this season, beating Duke twice and NC State once.  They are coming off a narrow loss to UNC in the ACC tournament.  Niagra scores more ppg than Maryland, but they also play much weaker competition.  Maryland is at home for this game, and they will be hungry for a victory.
• Confidence:  70%
7. NCAAM:  Jakarr Sampson field goals made or tie
• Sampson averages just over 6 field goals made per game.  St. Joseph's is favored by 7 in this game, but I think that St. Johns can keep it much closer than that if not win.  St. Johns is on a 5 game losing streak and is on the road, but they played in a much tougher conference.  I especially like that Sampson has the tie option.
• Confidence:  60%
8. NHL:  Columbus Blue Jackets
• The Blue Jackets are on fire, thanks in large part to their excellent goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky.  He has a 2.00 GAA, and Phoenix is really struggling to score lately, which is why they are riding a 3 game losing streak.  The Blue Jackets being at home makes this pick even stronger.
• Confidence: 70%
9. *NHL:  New Jersey Devils
• The Devils have won 4 straight over the Rangers.  They are still without their lead goalie, but the back-up has been doing well, and only needed 16 saves the last time they played the Rangers.  The Rangers have scored just 3 goals in regular time of their last 4 games.  New Jersey has also won the last few times they have been featured on SFTC.
• Confidence: 60%
10. NHL:  New York Islanders
• The Islanders are 5 - 1 - 1 in the month of March and 3 - 0 - 2 in their last 5 home games.  The Senators have done pretty well lately as well, but from past experience, the Islanders at home are usually money on SFTC.
• Confidence: 60%
11. *NCAAM:  Robert Morris 3 pointers made
• Kentucky is only favored by 5 in this game, and Robert Morris averages an astounding 8.6 3-pointers made per game.  Kentucky is horrible at guarding the perimeter, and they struggle getting back on defense in transition.  These facts combined with the fact that Robert Morris is at home, make me pretty confident about this one.
• Confidence:  80%
12. NCAAM:  68 or more
• Kentucky averages 73.1 ppg and Robert Morris averages 71.3 ppg.  If you take the halves of those numbers, you get a combined 72.2 points.  The second halves of games are usually the higher scoring ones, but I'm going to take a chance with 68 or more in the 1st half.
• Confidence:  60%
13. *NHL:  Boston Bruins
• I'm going with the Bruins here mostly because of the play of their excellent goalie, Tuukka Rask (1.94 GAA), and because they are 16 of 20 against the Jets.  Both teams have had a busy schedule and are tired, but I think Boston has the edge here.
• Confidence: 60%
14. Other:  Dominican Republic wins by 2+ runs
• The Dominican Republic have beaten Puerto Rico by 2+ every time they have played them.  This is the championship game, so both teams will be going all out to win.  Dominican Republic does have the better team though, and history is on their side.
• Confidence: 60%
15. NCAAM:  Robert Morris first make 3-pointer of 2nd half
• Robert Morris is clearly the better 3-point shooting team.  This is a toss-up prop though.
• Confidence:  60%
16. NCAAM:  Any Other Result
• If you don't know or don't remember, Norfolk St. upset #2 seeded Missouri in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year.  They match up with Virginia pretty well on paper.  Virginia is at home, but asking them to win by 15+ is a tall order, especially with how even these teams look.
• Confidence:  70%
17. NCAAM:  Northeastern free throws made or tie
• Northeastern averages 15.56 free throws per game.  Alabama is currently favored by 12.  I'm going with Northeastern, especially since they have the tie option.
• Confidence:  70%
18. *NCAAM:  Middle Tennessee St.
• Middle Tennessee had an impressive home record at 15 - 0 and an outstanding road record of 11 - 4.  They have 13 juniors and seniors on their roster, so they are deep and have great leadership.  Sorry St. Marys, but I think your NCAA run ends here in the first play-in game.
• Confidence:  60%
19. NCAAM:  Washington 3 pointers made or tie
• The last time Washington was featured in a 3PM  prop, they won the prop.  They average 5.24 3s made per game, but the last time this type of prop was featured with Washington, they won the prop with 8 3s.  BYU is not good at all this year, and have some of the worst perimeter defending I have ever seen.
• Confidence:  70%
20. NCAAM:  10 points or less
• I have almost no faith that 11 or more will be reached by any BYU player.  There may be a couple for Washington that could reach 11, but last time this was featured, the 10 points or less side won.
• Confidence:  50%
21. *NHL:  St. Louis Blues
• The rested Blues should have little problem with the Canucks.  The Canucks are just 3 - 6 - 2 in their last 11 games.
• Confidence: 60%
22. *NCAAM:  Stephen F. Austin win/single digit loss
• Stephen F. Austin has an impressive road record of 11 - 3.  They should have won their conference tournament, but now they find themselves here.  Stanford has been pretty impressive at home this season and are favored by 9 in this game, but Stephen F. Austin should keep it close.
• Confidence:  60%

Props marked with a * are also featured on Streak It Up.

SFTC picks for Monday, March 18

Again, just a reminder to click on the Basketball Games tab near the top of the page for our site about Tournament Challenge, Women's Tournament, and College Hoops Pick'em.  This is a must-see if you want to create your best bracket possible.

We had an awesome day yesterday, going 3 - 0 on our top "stash" picks and 15 - 4 overall!  We hope you're finding this site helpful!  We appreciate any feedback you may have.

Not many of the props look that good "stash" wise, so we suggest that if you have a high streak you sit out the day.  We will post the remaining picks in the morning, but for now, here are our picks for all props:

1. Other:  Salavat Ufa
• I'm going with the upset here and picking Salavat Ufa to win.  In this series,they won the first two games at home, then lost the next two on the road, then lost the most recent one at home in overtime/shootout.  This is an elimination game for them since they are down 2 - 3 in the best-of-seven series.  Bars Kazan is the favorite, but I'm going on limb with the home team in a must-win situation.
• Confidence: 50%
2. Soccer: Mlada Boleslav Win
• Mlada is currently 5th in the table while Jihlava is currently 12th.  Jihlava has just one win in their previous five matches while while Mlada has just one loss in the same span of games.
• Confidence: 30%
3. Other:  Philadelphia Phillies or Tie
• If you don't know already, spring training baseball games can be very unpredictable.  Most of the time the players play with little effort and don't seem to care if they lose.  I often wonder why they even have spring training games if the players aren't going to give their best effort and try and show coaches and managers what they can do.  I would not pick this with a streak over 3 - 5.  For your information, the Phillies beat the braves 10 - 5 at home in their only previous meeting this spring.  I'm just going Phillies because they have the tie option.
• Confidence: 50%
4. Soccer: CFR Cluj Win
• CFR Cluj and Rapid are in 7^th and 8^th spot in the table respectively.  This should be a close game but I give the edge to Cluj who is playing on their home pitch.
• Confidence: 40%
5. NBA: Portland Trail Blazers
• The Blazers are coming off victories against the Knicks and Pistons.  I think Damian Lillard is in his Rookie season becoming one of the best PGs in the NBA.  I think he will lead the Blazers to a victory against the Sixers.
• Confidence: 50%
6. NBA: Brooklyn Nets
• The Nets are just one game back of the Knicks for first in the Atlantic division.  They have not been playing great lately, having gone 5-5 in the last 10 games.  But the Pistons have won just one of their previous 10 and have not looked good in those losses.  They are without Brandon Knight and are lacking a real leader.
• Confidence: 50%
7. NBA: Atlanta Hawks
• The Hawks are playing the second night of a back-to-back which could make them tired come crunch time.  I think the Hawks are the better team in this match-up and are playing on their home court where they have played much better this year.  I think Dallas is better than their record shows and this will likely be a close game.
• Confidence: 60%
8. *NHL:  Tampa Bay Lightning
• The Flyers really struggle on the road and the Lightning have been winning recently when they've been featured on SFTC.
• Confidence: 50%
9. NBA: Denver Nuggets
• The Nuggets are becoming one of the best teams in the West.  They have won 11 straight games including an impressive win over the Grizzlies on Friday night.  The Bulls have been quite the roller coaster team.  Two games ago they lost by nearly 30 points against the Kings and then follow that up by winning by over 20 against the Warriors.  So which Bulls team will come to play?  Even though it is in Chicago, I still like the Nuggets to extend their streak.
• Confidence: 60%
10. NBA: Golden State Warriors
• As mentioned above, the Warriors got destroyed at home to the Bulls but followed it up nicely with a victory over the Rockets.  The Warriors have won the first two meetings of the year.  They are the better team, but who knows if they will play like that tonight or not.
• Confidence: 60%
11. NBA: Heat winning margin
• As a team the Celtics average only 6 triples a game.  They will be looking to knock off the Heat and end their streak, but I would not be surprised if the Heat never lose again.  They have had a few close games, but most have been by close to double digits or more.  I’m guessing the Heat win by 8 to 10 points and the Celtics don’t make more than 5 threes.
• Confidence: 70%
12. NBA: Lebron James + Dwayne Wade First Half Points
• Lebron averages about 27 points a game and D Wade averages about 22.  Cut those in half and we have more than 30 points being scored in the first half by the two stars.  Considering that this is a rivalry game and Paul Pierce’s trash talk just made its way around the air waves, the Heat will come out scoring.  If the Celtics have an amazing first quarter, they may score 30, but I don’t think they will, and even if they do, it won’t be enough.
• Confidence: 70%
13. *NHL:  Dallas Stars
• The Flames have won a lot of props, but mostly at home.  They haven't done super well on the road.  The Stars on the other hand, seem to win props when they are at home.  I'm giving the edge to Dallas since they are at home.
• Confidence: 50%
14. Other:  Dominican Republic wins by 3+ runs
• I believe the Dominican Republic have covered the spread in every prop they have been featured in on SFTC, except for maybe one or two.  This Netherlands team was destroyed by Japan in their two games of group play, and the Dominican Republic has a very high-caliber offense.  These WBC props have been tough though.
• Confidence:  70%
15. NBA: 26 points or more
• The Heat are averaging 103 points a game.  It is hard to predict which quarter they will get hot in and score the most points.  Sometimes they come out a little bit cold from the locker room and other times they can’t miss.  I would wait to make this pick until half-time and see how the Heat are playing.  But I am expecting the Heat to score between 110 and 120 in this game.
• Confidence:  60%
16. NHL:  Minnesota Wild
• The Wild have been on fire when they have been featured on SFTC, but they are on the road for this game.
• Confidence: 60%

Props marked with a * are also featured on Streak It Up.