NFL Wild Card Playoff: Saints at Seahawks
by FreePicks.org staff
Wild Card weekend begins with New Orleans (11-5) vs. Seattle (7-9).  They kick off at 4:30 PM ET on NBC.  The Jets and Colts follow the matchup at 8:00 PM ET.  New Orleans is favored by 11 points with the total listed at 45.  The Saints ended their season a little shaky with 2 losses out of the last 4 games and play a Seattle team that has won only one ... MORE

Cotton Bowl: LSU vs. Texas A&M
by FreePicks.org staff
The 10-2 LSU Tigers take on the 9-3 Aggies of Texas A&M Thursday night in the newest edition of the Cotton Bowl. This game will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas aka "the house that Jerry built".  These two teams are fairly evenly matched with the slight edge going to LSU because of the one game difference in the record and the fact that the S.E.C. is conside ... MORE

GoDaddy.com Bowl: MTSU vs. Miami (Oh.)
by FreePicks.org staff
Middle Tennessee (6-6) and Miami OH (9-4) will battle it out in the Godaddy.com bowl tonight at 8:00 PM ET in Mobile, Alabama.  Middle Tennessee became bowl eligible with 3 late-season wins.  They closed off their regular season with a thrilling 28-27 victory ove ... MORE

Lions at Dolphins
by FreePicks.org staff
The Detroit Lions (4-10) travel to the other side of Florida to take on the Miami Dolphins (7-7) after a 23-20 OT victory at Tampa Bay.  The Dolphins come off a disappointing 17-14 loss against Buffalo just one week after a win over the then 9 ... MORE

Boise State vs Utah
by FreePicks.org staff
Two BCS buster hopefuls meet up on Wednesday December 22nd, each having to settle for a lesser bowl than the BCS National Championship game.  This time it wasn’t the computers that decided.   Boise State made it just a little bit easier on the BCS with a 34-31 OT loss to Nevada towards the end of the season.  Their 24-game winning streak was snapped. ... MORE

NFL: Giants vs. Vikings
by FreePicks.org staff
The NYGiants/Minnesota Vikings matchup originally scheduled for Sunday will take place tonight in Detroit’s Ford Field at 7:20 PM ET.  Minnesota’s inflatable Metrodome Ceiling collapsed due to massive amounts of snowfall and forced the change.  Despite the last-minute change of plans, Detroit’s stadium should be full.  Those holding tickets for the reschedule  ... MORE

NCAA Football Pick: Army vs. Navy
by FreePicks.org staff
The 8-3 Navy Midshipmen and the 6-5 Army Black Knights battle it out in a classic military matchup this Saturday.  Once a year, the soldiers and sailors who train to fight side by side one another, suit up to claim dominance over the other on the gridiron.  The Navy has a slight overall advantage of the series (54-49-7) but has controlled the series in recent y  ... MORE

NCAA Football: Big 12 Championship Game
by FreePicks.org staff
13th ranked Nebraska and 9th ranked Oklahoma meet up this Saturday for the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship game.  The matchup marks Nebraska’s last football game in the conference before they head for the Big 10.  Nebraska would love to claim the Big 12 before leaving; Oklahoma would love to prove dominance in the South part of the division and send the Huskers packin’ empty-handed.  There’s more than a conference title on the line, with the winner earning   ... MORE

NFL: Eagles at Bears
by FreePicks.org staff
The Eagles are 3 point favorites and the total is hovering around 42 points.  The money line is interesting to bettors this week and is hovering around Philadelphia -180.  The confidence of the public is on Mike Vick who seemingly can do no wrong this season. When he starts and finishes the game, the Eagles are virtually unblemished.  ... MORE

NCAAF: Alabama vs. Auburn
by FreePicks.org staff
The undefeated Auburn Tigers take on Alabama in what’s expected to be a premium post-turkey day ball game.  Auburn is in the number two spot and still has to prove themselves against 1 tough opponent before they close out the regular season.  There’s not an inch for error, as a loss against either team would take Auburn out of the number two spot and likely advance TCU and Boise State not long before the BCS Championship matchup is determined.  ... MORE

NCAAF: Miami Oh. vs. Temple
by FreePicks.org staff
Temple and Miami (OH) go head to head Tuesday night in what will be both teams’ final regular season matchup.  Miami (OH) is 7-4 and comes off 3 wins – their most recent was a 19-14 victory over Akron.   Temple comes off a 31-23 loss against OHIO.  The loss broke a 4 game winning streak.  The Owls are 8-3.  With both teams bowl eligible, tonight is about ending the season strong and fighting for a good postseason matchup.  The Redhawks also play for a shot at winning the MAC E ... MORE

NFL: Packers at Vikings
by FreePicks.org staff
The Packers and Vikings meet up for the second time this year, but this time in Minnesota.  With a 3-6 record, the Vikings’ dreams of a postseason are just about over.  The Packers, on the other hand, are second in the NFC North and just a few games away from securing a spot in the playoffs.  Green Bay beat Minnesota 28-24 in late October and hope to walk away from this one with a clean sweep.  ... MORE

NCAAF: Pitt at UConn
by FreePicks.org staff
After a bye week, the Pittsburgh Panthers hope to extend their winning streak to 4 with a victory that would make them bowl eligible.  A win would also secure their spot as top-dog in the conference.  They are undefeated in the Big East.  All other teams have at least 2 conference losses.  Pittsburgh’s defense won’t make it easy for the Huskies to rack up any points.  They have allowed only 19 points per game on average.  QB Tino Sunseri has completed 141 of 214 attempts for 1,672 yards, 12 TDs, and 4 interceptions.   ... MORE

NCAAF: Miami Ohio at Bowling Green
by FreePicks.org staff
Miami (OH) and Bowling Green go head to head Wednesday night in a matchup that probably wouldn’t get much attention if it was taking place on Saturday.  The 2 teams take the mid-week spotlight on ESPN2 for what should be just enough to get you football junkies through the week.   ... MORE

NCAAF: Nebraska at Iowa State
by FreePicks.org staff
The Cornhuskers travel to Ames, Iowa to take on the Cyclones this weekend.  Nebraska is 7-1 and come off a big win against a 6th ranked Missouri team.  Iowa State is 5-4 and come off two consecutive wins against Texas and Kansas.  Although 18 point underdogs in this matchup, Iowa State might be a real threat to Nebraska.  Iowa State knows that on a bad day, the Huskers are vulnerable.  They know this better than anybody after a 9-7 victory over a better Cornhuskers team in Lincoln last year.  ... MORE

NCAAF: Rutgers at South Florida
by FreePicks.org staff
South Florida has been inconsistent so far this year.  They put 38 points up on the board against Cincinnati but couldn’t manage to break double digits against West Virginia or Syracuse in previous weeks.  Count on their defense to keep Rutgers from doing much offensively.  The Bulls have held opponents to 14 points or less in 4 of their games and held West Virginia to 20 points t  ... MORE

NFL Preview - Titans at Jaguars - Monday Night
by FreePicks.org staff
The Tennessee Titans (3-2) take on the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2) for the NFL’s Monday night matchup.  Both teams are looking for a propelling, momentum-building win.  Both teams have won 2 out of their last three games as underdogs.  Tennessee is favored by 3 points.  The total is listed at 45.  ... MORE

NFL Preview - Bears at Giants - Sunday Night
by FreePicks.org staff
The Chicago Bears and NY Giants kick will be the last teams to kick off on this NFL Sunday.  The Bears are 3-0 and hope to continue building momentum with a win tonight.  They won their last against Green Bay, 20-17.  The Giants are on a 2 game losing streak (Indianapolis and Tennessee) and are just desperate to get something going at hom  ... MORE

NCAA Football - Miami at Clemson
by FreePicks.org staff
Saturday College Football should start off with a bang!  Number 16 Miami and Clemson kick off at noon.  Miami is anxious to continue building momentum after a 31-3 win over Pittsburgh last week.  After a loss to Ohio State, it was what they needed to begin recovery.  It’s still early in the season and a win at Clemson would certainly help.  Things have gone alright for Clemson   ... MORE

NCAA Football - Texas A&M at Oklahoma State
by FreePicks.org staff
The Big 12 will kick off week 5 College Football this Thursday in Stillwater, OK with Texas A&M at Oklahoma State.  This game is huge with both teams playing for a 4-0 start.  Texas A&M has 3 nonconference wins and will host the Arkansas Razorbacks after playing the Aggies.  Oklahoma State also has 3 nonconference wins and will likely see their toughest opponent at ho  ... MORE

NFL Free Pick - Miami at Pitt - Thursday Night Football
by FreePicks.org staff
Number 19 Miami and Pittsburgh kick off college football’s fourth week at Heinz Field in what could very well be a Miami upset in the making.  The Hurricanes are 8-1 against the Panthers but might have what it takes to take down a top 20 team and start to find their way back into the ranks of the top 25.  Miami is 1-1 with a win over Florida A&M and a loss at Ohio State on Sep  ... MORE

NFL Free Pick - Saints at 49ers - Monday Night Football
by FreePicks.org staff
The Saints travel to Frisco a week and a half after beating Minnesota 14-9 in the NFL season opener.  The 49ers will hope to find some life at home after starting their season with a 31-6 loss at Seattle.  New Orleans is favored by 6 and the total is listed at 44.  The game can be seen on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET.  A win for the Saints would give New Orleans a consecutive 2-0 start for the first time in franchise history  ... MORE

NFL Free Pick - Chargers at Chiefs
by FreePicks.org staff
The Chargers and Chiefs meet up in the second Monday Night Football matchup this evening.  The San Deigo Chargers are most recently favored by 6 points.  The total is sitting at about 45.  This is the first regular season matchup for both teams.  Both teams finished their preseason with 1-3 records.  ... MORE

NCAA Football - Kansas vs. Georgia Tech
by FreePicks.org staff
The Yellow Jackets started their 2010 campaign with a nice win 41-10 win over South Carolina State on September 4th.  They travel to Kansas to take on the Jayhawks in a matchup that, realistically, shouldn’t be as easy.  After a Kansas 6-3 loss to FCS team North Dakota State in week one, who knows.   Kansas will be desperate for a decent win after the embarra, ... MORE

NCAA Football - South Carolina vs. Georgia
by FreePicks.org staff
22 Georgia and 24 South Carolina are scheduled to battle it out in an SEC East matchup on Saturday.  This ranked matchup is extremely important for both teams.  For one, it likely means moving up a spot or two in the polls and starting the season 2-0.  For the other, a probable drop out of the top 25 with an early 1-1 record.  They’ll both be looking to make a statement.  Georgia started off their season with a big 55-7 win over Louisiana Lafayette.  South Carolina stomped Southern Miss, 41-13, ... MORE

NCAA Football - Va. Tech vs. Boise State
by FreePicks.org staff
Alright, so the regular pro season hasn’t started, but Monday Night Football is here.   Huh?  Yeah, that’s right.  3 Boise State and 10 Virginia Tech play in a highly anticipated matchup that could have national title implications for both teams.  Boise State, who’s been dying to get some respect, enters the season ranked number three.  Once again, they’ll need to prove that they’re worth the rank they’ve been assigned.  To get the big shot they’ve been waiting for, they will need another perfe ... MORE

NCAA Football 2010 - Big 12 - Part 2
by FreePicks.org staff
The Cornhuskers went 10-4 overall and easily won their Holiday Bowl appearance against Arizona last season.  The biggest accomplishment, but also most devastating moment, last year was their one-point, final second field goal loss to the Texas Longhorns.  A victory, which they could taste all the way up until the last second, would have prevented the Longhorns from playing Alabama in the National Championship game against Alabama.  Despite the outcome, fans were proud…a  ... MORE

NCAA Football 2010 - Big 12 - Part 1
by FreePicks.org staff
Instead of having the breakthrough season that fans had hoped for in 2009, the Baylor Bears finished with a 4-8 record and failed to earn bowl eligibility.  Star QB Robert Griffin tore his ACL in the third week of the season.  This year the Bears will attempt to earn their first bowl bid since 1994.  A now-healthy Griffin (with an extra year of eligibility) might just make this possible.  Expec  ... MORE

NFL Team Preview 2010 - Cleveland Browns
by FreePicks.org staff
The Browns couldn’t get anything going last year.  That is, not until the very end of the year.  Cleveland went 1-11 before winning 4 in a row at the end of the season, which included a 13-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The late-season efforts the Browns made to erase some embarrassing play might have saved Eric Mangini’s job and given Browns fans reason toi  ... MORE

NFL Team Preview 2010 - Seattle Seahawks
by FreePicks.org staff
The 2009 preseason wasn’t a very good success indicator for The Seattle Seahawks.  They went 4-0, only to lose 11 regular season games – one less loss than in their 2008 season when they went 4-12.  The Seahawks are currently 1-1 in their preseason with a 20-18 victory over the Titans during week one and a 27-24 loss against Green Bay in week 2.  They will play at Mi  ... MORE

NCAA 2010 - Know Your Stuff
by FreePicks.org staff
Betting on college football isn’t just about knowing your spreads and stats.  It’s about getting involved, knowing your stuff, knowing your teams, and knowing the storylines.  It’s about understanding the numbers, considering the “intangibles”, and making the best decision based on the information you’re presented with.  College football’s offseason was a wild one; unpredictable and full of change.  With only 45 days left, we’re almost there, and at the same time, it ain’t o  ... MORE

NFL Team Preview 2010 - Miami Dolphins
by FreePicks.org staff
After an 11-5 season in 2008, a seven win record wasn’t quite what the Dolphins were going for in 2009.  For Miami fans, a sweep of the Jets (who nearly managed to make it to the Super Bowl), made it worth something.  Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano believe that 2010 might be the season they’ll be contending to play in the Super Bowl.  Even considering  ... MORE

NFL Team Preview 2010 - New Orleans Saints
by FreePicks.org staff
New Orleans, and the entire state of Louisiana for that matter, have had a rough few years.  The Oil Spill disaster won’t make things any easier.  The one thing they’ve really been able to rally around is their football team.  The 2009 New Orleans Saints gave fans what they needed with a 31-17 Super Bowl upset Victory over Indianapolis in February.  It was their first NFL Championship  ... MORE

NFL Team Preview 2010 - Detroit Lions
by FreePicks.org staff
Even with only 2 wins last season, the Detroit Lions showed some improvement.  After all, their two wins were two more than they had the year before when they became the first NFL team to go 0-16. Still, they finished 4th in the NFC North.  Their two 2009 victories came at home last year against the Redskins (19-14) and the Browns (38-37).    ... MORE

MLB Free Pick - July 6, 2010 - Minnesota at Toronto
by FreePicks.org staff
Two struggling teams meet up tonight north of the border as the Toronto Blue Jays (41-42) host the Minnesota Twins (44-38) tonight.  The Twins, who have recently produced some good effort, play to break a 2 game losing streak and battle for the AL Central.  The twins have lost 5 out of their last 6 on the road.  The Blue Jays (also on a 2 game losing streak) have lost 7 out of their last 8 overall.  The twins were last defeated 7-4 by the Rays.   ... MORE

NCAA Football PreSeason Top 25
by FreePicks.org staff
We know, We know, it’s only June but we can’t wait (and know you can’t either) for the 2010 College Football season to begin.  It’s not too early to start taking a look at some of the best 2010 football teams.  After all, Freepicks.org wants you to be ahead of the game.  Here’s Freepicks.org’s top 25!  ... MORE

NBA Finals - Celtics at Lakers - Game 1
by FreePicks.org staff
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers square off in the start of the NBA Finals in what should be another exciting matchup.  In what’s been a long road for both teams, it’s close to the end, but just the beginning.  The two teams play for the 12th time in the finals.  In 2008, the most recent meeting, the Celtics took the Championship.  The Lakers are favored by 5.5 points in the first game of the NBA finals.  The total is listed at 192.. MORE

NBA Free Pick - Philly at Orlando - NBA Playoffs
by FreePicks.org staff
Philadelphia’s previous two seasons showed promise for a bright future. They finished with 41 wins last year and 40 the year before. Now, for the first time in over a decade, they won’t even reach 30 wins. They are also in a disappointing division where every team is under .500 except for Boston. Andre Iguodala remains a solid player, scoring 17.2 points, getting 5.8 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game. But it is clear that the Sixers need more star power in order to be competitive in this league. Samuel Dalembert grabs 9.6 rebounds a game. They are just 3-7 in their last ten games.. ... MORE

NBA Free Pick - Cavs at Hawks, NBA Playoffs
by FreePicks.org staff
The Cavaliers, despite clinching the Central division and Eastern Conference regular season title, have lost three games in a row. LeBron James has been out for those three games in order to prevent a needless injury. Shaquille O’neal has been out since he injured his thumb on February 25 against Boston. Shaq has been cleared to play and James should be back for a final tune-p before the playoffs begin. After losing only two games in March, the Cavs have gone just 2-4 in April. They will hope to be able to turn on their “A-game” once the playoffs start. Having James back will help. He averages 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game. It is still not certain whether James will actually suit up for this final game. The Cavs are clearly nervous about losing him. ... MORE

NBA Free Pick - Spurs at Dallas, Playoff game free pick
by FreePicks.org staff
The season’s final game for both of these teams could also be a preview for what is to come next week when the playoffs begin. The Western Conference is all bunched up, and the last game will ultimately determine where each team is seeded, but as it stands now, the Mavericks are the second seed and the Spurs are the seventh seed. This means that if the standings stay the way they are now, these two teams will meet in the first round. ... MORE

NBA Free Pick - Utah Jazz vs. Golden State Warriors
by FreePicks.org staff
Golden State hasn’t had much to play for all season. They are tied for last in their division. This has clearly been a rebuilding year, and they may have some signs of hope for the future. Their top pick from last year, Stephen Curry, is averaging 17.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. His last five games have been even better, averaging 27.4 points and nearly notched a quadruple double against Minnesota last week. Monta Ellis has been a solid force all year long as well, scoring 25.5 points per game.. ... MORE

NBA Free Pick - Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
by FreePicks.org staff
The Celtics have been up and down as of late, winning just five of their last ten games. It hasn’t mattered much, though, in terms of their standing in the division. The Celtics are the only team in the Atlantic Division with a winning record. Boston is guaranteed at least the fourth seed in the playoffs, but if they win out, and get some help from Atlanta, who is a game ahead, they could end up with the third seed. With Milwaukee and Miami currently tied with the same record, the fifth and sixth seeds are still up for grabs, so Boston won’t know who they are playing until the season is over. Paul Pierce leads the team with 18.1 points per game Kendrick Perkins grabs 7.6 rebounds a game and Rajon Rondo gets 9.8 assists and 2.4 steals each game.. ... MORE

Duke vs. Butler - NCAA Championship Game
by FreePicks.org staff
The Bulldogs have surprised everyone, though maybe their success should have been expected. Coming into the NCAA tournament, they had won 20 straight games, and now have won 25 in a row. They have one of the country’s best players in Gordon Hayward, who scores 15.6 points per game, and grabs 8.3 rebounds a game. Now with the winning streak and a Horizon League championship, Butler gets to play in its hometown of Indianapolis, in its first ever Final Four. The road to the national championship has been difficult. They haven’t won any game by more than seven points. With UT.. ... MORE

West Va. vs. Duke - Final Four
by FreePicks.org staff
West Virginia comes from a Big East conference that has not lived up to expectations in this NCAA tournament. The Mountaineers can help the conference regain some respect with a win in this game. West Virginia has sailed through the tournament somewhat easily. The first round posed no problem with a win against Morgan State. They beat Missouri and Washington in the next two rounds and then beat a favorite for the national championship, Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Kentucky couldn’t hit a basket, shooting just 34%. The Mountaineers took advantage, behind Da’Sean Butler’s 18 points. West Virginia has not been to a Final Four since 1959 when they lost to California by one point in the national championship.. ... MORE

Butler vs. Michigan State - Final Four
by FreePicks.org staff
Michigan State’s run to the Final Four couldn’t have gotten much closer. All of their games have been decided by seven points or less. All but one game has been decided by three points or less. They beat New Mexico State by three in the first round, then Maryland by two, and then they had a breather against Northern Iowa with a seven point win. In their Elite Eight win over Tennessee they were in yet another close game, eventually pulling out the win by one, 70-69. Raymar Morgan hit a free throw with two seconds remaining to put the Spartans in front for good. Durrell Summers led all scorers with 21 fo ... MORE

Duke vs. Baylor - Regional Finals
by FreePicks.org staff
Until the Sweet 16, Baylor had played in some relatively close games. The Bears beat Sam Houston State by nine points and Old Dominion by eight. Then in the Sweet 16, against a Saint Mary’s team that had already beaten Richmond and Villanova, they won easily by 23 points, 72-49. The Bears had a 29 point lead going into halftime. LaceDarius Dunn had a game high 23 points for Baylor and Tweety Carter chipped in 14. The Bears were too much for the Gaels, and now they are in the Elite 8 for the first time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams. ... MORE

Kentucky vs. West Va. - Regional Finals
by FreePicks.org staff
West Virginia has been battle-tested all year long, and they have proven to be ready with wins over Morgan State and Missouri in the first two rounds of the tournament. Their Sweet 16 game against Washington was a little more difficult, though. Playing without guard Darryl Bryant, who broke his foot in practice this week, the Mountaineers were already shorthanded. But then leading scorer Da’Sean Butler (17.5 points per game) injured his hand, which initially looked like it could be career threatening. After a minute though, Butler got up, and was able to continue playing. After playing it close for nearly the entire game, West Virginia finally got some separation with about 14 minutes left, and went onto win 69-56, reaching the Elite 8 for the first time since 2005. ... MORE

Butler vs. Kansas State - Regional Finals
by FreePicks.org staff
Butler beat UTEP in the first round of the tournament, then Murray State. These two teams were seeded 12 and 13 respectively. They were hard fought games, but Butler was the superior team. Then in the Sweet 16, Butler met up with Syracuse, a 1 seed. The Bulldogs only beat one ranked team this season, Ohio State. Granted the Buckeyes were without their star Evan Turner in that game. They went undefeated in conference play, but the Orange were the first really tough team they had to face in months. Still, they were victorious. While Butler played well, this was not the same Syracuse team that beat Gonzaga by 22. Eighteen turnovers by Syracuse helped Butler, especially in the first half. But, even when Syracuse made its run, and ended leading by four, Butler remained calm while Syracuse still looked flustered, and came away with a 63-59 win. Butler now has a 23 game winning streak, the longest in the nation. ... MORE

Sweet 16 Matchup - Michigan State vs. Northern Iowa
by FreePicks.org staff
In some ways, this game might seem like a let down for Northern Iowa. After knocking off the top seed in the tournament, Kansas, Michigan State doesn’t look nearly as dangerous. But with a berth in the Elite 8 at stake, this game is just as important. Michigan State will look to return to the Elite 8 once again. ... MORE

Sweet 16 Matchup - Ohio State vs. Tennessee
by FreePicks.org staff
Tennessee defeated San Diego State in the first round of the tournament by three and then knocked Ohio out with a 15 point win. It seems like the Volunteers are coming together at the perfect time. Tennessee finished third in the SEC behind Kentucky and Vanderbilt, but are now in the conversation for being one of the best teams in the country. And they deserve the recognition. The Volunteers are the only team that beat both Kansas and Kentucky this season. With those sorts of victories, Ohio State shouldn’t be a big deal. Scotty Hopson (12.5 points per game) and Wayne Chism (12.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game) lead this team. ... MORE

Sweet 16 Matchup - Washington vs. West Virginia
by FreePicks.org staff
The Huskies already beat one Big East team in this tournament. They upset Marquette 80-78 in the first round. Then they took out New Mexico last weekend, routing them 82-64. Washington is a team that underachieved all season long, but has started playing well just as the games got to be the most important. On their resume are losses to teams like Oregon, UCLA, and twice to USC. The only ranked opponent they played all year was Georgetown, and that was a loss too. The Huskies have clearly turned the corner though. Third seeded New Mexico simply couldn’t keep up with Washington. The Huskies shot 47% from three point range in the win. Quincy Pondexter led the team in scoring with 18 points, Isaiah Thomas had 15 points and seven assists, and Matthew Bryan-Amaning had 15 points and 9 rebounds. ... MORE

Sweet 16 Matchup - K State vs. Xavier
by FreePicks.org staff
Xavier beat Minnesota in the first round of the tournament, and then outlasted Pittsburgh in the second round. Out of all the storied programs that make are in the NCAA tournament every year, only Michigan State and Xavier have made the Sweet Sixteen in three straight years. Jordan Crawford continued his dominating play in the tournament with 27 points against the Panthers. Xavier controlled most of the game, but Pitt kept on coming back. It wasn’t until the very end, with a breakaway dunk by Crawford, that the Musketeers were finally able to wrap the game up. ... MORE

Sweet 16 Matchup - Kentucky vs. Cornell
by FreePicks.org staff
With so many other surprises in this tournament, Cornell has possibly been the biggest. Northern Iowa was the first team to knock off a number 1 seed, but no one anticipated anything from an Ivy League team. Especially a team that hadn’t ever won a tournament game before. The Big Red won the conference and then beat Temple and Wisconsin to get to this point. In their second round game, Cornell led the entire game, leading by as many as 24 points at one point. Louis Dale scored 26 and Ryan Wittman added 24. Cornell has already played two of the other 1 seeds in this tournament. They lost to Syracuse by 15 early on in the season, but lost by only five to Kansas in December. Could the third time be the charm? ... MORE

Sweet 16 Matchup - Syracuse vs. Butler
by FreePicks.org staff
Butler has been a great team all year long and has overcome many doubters. Some thought they would be the losers in what has become an annual 5 seed versus 12 seed upset. The Bulldogs were not interested in going out in the first round though, so they beat UTEP 77-59. Then Murray State came calling, looking to continue a miraculous run, and nearly pulled off the upset, but Butler held them off with a 52-54 win. Gordon Hayward leads this team with 15.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Ronald Nored, though, was the one who scored the most points against Murray State, with 15. ... MORE

NBA Game Preview - Suns vs. Blazers
by FreePicks.org staff
The Phoenix Suns (43-26 overall) have been hot lately.  They’ve won 4 out of their last 5 matchups and are on a 3 game winning streak.  They’ve taken down the last 3 opponents by more than 10 points, with their most impressive against Minnesota by 38 points.  As good as the Suns have been lately, the Portland Trail Blazers (42-28 overall) have been even better.  Portland has won 8 out of their last 9 and hope to extend their current winning streak to six this evening.  ... MORE

NBA Game Preview - Wizards at Lakers
by FreePicks.org staff
The Washington Wizards (21-46) and Los Angeles Lakers (51-18 overall) meet up at the Staples Center tonight for what should be a close one…Just kidding.  A game like this requires some “Action”.  No doubt, the Washington Wizards have “upset” on their mind.  Unfortunately, the lacking-magic Wizards will certainly be “upset” to leave LA with their 11th straight win.  The Lakers shouldn’t have a problem extending their current winning streak to 6 this evening.  ... MORE

NCAA Tourney Free Pick - Round 2 - Gonzaga vs. Syracuse
by FreePicks.org staff
The Bulldogs played well against Florida State, jumping out to a large early lead. Florida State couldn’t hit any of their shots, and Gonzaga simply outplayed them. In the second half, Florida State got things going and started to chip into the lead, but the Bulldogs were able to keep up the intensity, and held the Seminoles off with a 67-60 win. Matt Bouldin led all scorers with 17 points and Robert Sacre added 13 points and 9 rebounds. The Bulldogs are no strangers to the NCAA tournament, and have had their share of Cinderella runs. It would not be a surprise for them to pull off an upset over Syracuse. Their shooters will need to be on though, if they hope to master the Orange’s zone defense. Gonzaga has faced some tough competition this season. Granted, they were blown out by Duke, and lost to Michigan State, the two ranked teams they played this year. But they beat teams like Wisconsin, Cincinnati, and Illinois.   ... MORE

NCAA Tourney Free Pick - Round 2 - Butler vs. Murray State
by FreePicks.org staff
The Bulldogs were somehow the underdog coming into this game. But Butler now has 21 straight victories, and had little problem advancing to the round of 32. Before the game, many experts had Butler losing UTEP in the first round. It seems that most every year a 12 seed beats a 5 seed, and many people felt it was the Bulldogs that would go down. But there were no upsets in San Jose, in this game at least. The game was tied with about 15 minutes to go, but then Butler pulled away, winning easily, 77-59. Sheldon Mack led the way for the Bulldogs with 25 points, including 18 in the second half. Butler converted on 13 three-point attempts, UTEP had just four. Butler also made 11 more free throws than UTEP.   ... MORE