Jim Feist's 25-Star Diamond Dominator Total (Mon 7:05PM)
Totals offer just as much value as favorites and dogs, and Jim Feist is set toHAMMER THE BOOKS with a coveted 25-STAR DIAMOND DOMINATOR total. This total encapsulates ALL of Jim's bold handicapping insight that has made him a Las Vegas legend for decades. If you like to play totals, or just like to win, step up to the plate with this exclusive 25-Star Diamond Dominator Total and play Vegas baseball with the big boys TONIGHT!

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Jim Feist's AL West Game of the Year - Tuesday! (Tue 10:10PM)
When ALL the factors come together, you step up to the plate (and the window) with a Game of the Year. That's the situation on the baseball diamond Tuesday for Jim Feist. Jim has found a MONSTER selection where pitching, bullpen, offense and situations all combine to HEAVILY favor one team, strong enough to be his AL West Game of the Year! Go inside the stats and angles, and collect with Jim's AL West Game of the Year, then BLAST your BOOK TONIGHT!

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Jim Feist's 20-Star NBA Hi Roller TV Steamroller - (Mon 9:35PM)
Jim Feist is red-hot in the NBA Playoffs and is lined up to ATTACK another soft number on one of Monday's hardwood tilts, a 20-Star NBA High Roller Playoff TV Steamroller! This is another game that Jim is ready to laugh all the way to the bank with. EXPECT TO WIN with Jim's 20-Star NBA High Roller Playoff TV Steamroller then WATCH and WIN TONIGHT!

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NHL Powerhouse Ice Crusher - Tuesday! (Tue 9:05PM)
Theres a one-sided mismatch on the ice Tuesday, a game that oddsmakers overlooked. There are soft lines all over the NHL board - if you know where to look and what to look for! Jim Feist knows, so go inside that stats, angles and matchups for this Tuesday NHL Powerhouse Ice Crusher and clean up at the window!

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The Value of Senior Leadership

by: Jim Feist

It's time! Time for college basketball teams to begin conference tourney play, also known as separating the contenders from the pretenders. It's important to understand and closely examine the schedule of college hoop teams. Some teams start off the season playing a bunch of cream puffs, while others face a mixture of good and bad teams.
 
What has taken shape the last few months, though, is largely conference play. Since conferences are purposely made up of schools with a similar level of talent, you need to pay attention to how teams start the season and what their schedule was like. Some schools want to get a few cheap victories over smaller schools and fatten up their won/lost record early in the season, while others want to test their teams early to toughen them up for conference play.
  
Now it's time for conference tournament play, essentially the THIRD season of college basketball. The first season was November and December, non-conference games, plus coaches trying to figure out their personnel and strengths and weaknesses. The second season has been conference play the last two months, and now it's tourney time. This is where the weak links drop off, while the better and more motivated teams advance. 
  
So this time of the season, is it important to have senior leadership? The last four years, college basketball's champions, Duke, Kansas, Florida and North Carolina, had a combined 18 of 20 starters who were juniors or seniors. A year ago, Duke started 3 seniors and 2 juniors in the title game against Butler. In 2009 North Carolina had three seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup when they whipped Michigan State for the title, 89-72. Clearly, having that kind of an edge in experience can be an important factor, though it isn't everything, especially with more college athletes leaving earlier for the pros.
  
The two years prior to those teams, Florida and North Carolina had starting fives with no seniors. Eight years ago, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim combined with a gifted group of freshmen and sophomores to win the NCAA title. The Orangemen upset Kansas in a thrilling finale, 81-78, with a starting five of two freshmen (F Carmelo Anthony, G Billy Edelin), two sophomores (C Craig Forth, F Hakim Warrick) and only one senior (G Keith Duany).  The kids played like veterans for the Orangemen and note that Syracuse was 9-3 SU, 8-3-1 ATS on the road. No nerves away from home for the kids, straight up and against the number! 
  
In the final three tournament games they were a +3, +3 and +5 dog to Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas and won them all straight up (+200 in the title game on the money-line). We are in an era with fewer seniors in college hoops, but let's not downplay the value of veteran leadership, as the Blue Devils showcased last season.
  
One characteristic that successful handicappers possess is perspective. In the world of 11-to-10, it's essential to maintain an even keel: one can't get too high over a big point spread victory, or too low when lady luck drops a curveball on a game you have isolated from every angle as a strong play. Perspective is important as college basketball tournament play gets underway, because what Syracuse did in 2003, with so many youngsters, is not that common.
  
The 2006 Florida team had four junior starters who had been together for a while, then came back the next year and repeated. North Carolina in 2005 had three rock solid juniors in Ray Felton, Sean May and Rashard McCants. In 2004, UConn had senior guard Taliek Brown and star junior center Emeka Okafur.
  
If you're looking for a team that might win it all, history suggests talent, depth, good coaching and experienced leadership are four key ingredients for success in March. So, yes, generally speaking, junior and senior leadership are important assets to have during conference tournament play and the upcoming Big Dance.

NCAA Champions:
2010 Duke (4 senior starters, 1 junior)
2009 North Carolina (3 senior starters, 2 juniors)
2008 Kansas (2 junior starters, 2 seniors)
2007 Florida (4 junior starters, 1 senior)
2006 Florida (4 junior starters)
2005 North Carolina (3 junior starters, Felton, McCants, May)
2004 UConn (1 key senior, Taliek Brown, junior Emeka Okafur)
2003 Syracuse (Starters: 2 frosh, 2 soph, 1 senior)
2002 Maryland (2 key seniors, Lonnie Baxter, Juan Dixon)
2001 Duke  (1 key senior, Shane Battier)
2000 Michigan State (Starters: 3 seniors, 2 juniors)
1999 Connecticut (Starters: 2 seniors, 2 juniors)
1998 Kentucky (Starters: 2 seniors, 3 juniors)
1997 Arizona (Starters: 3 juniors)
1996 Kentucky (Starters: 2 seniors, 2 juniors)
1995 UCLA (Starters: 3 seniors)

Jim Feist Past Articles

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Some NBA Teams Pack It In Late
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Tourney Matchup Tips
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All Jim Feist Past Articles

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All Jim Feist Past Picks