March Madness Free Picks - February 17, 2010

We look to build onto our two and a half month CBB picks at 150-128 for +41.7 units today with seven premium picks including three 4 unit selections.

WUNDERDOG 2010 RECENT RESULTS ($100/bet)
SPORT	WINS-LOSSES	%	NET
NFL	46-29 last 75 picks	61%	+$4060
CFB	25-10 last 35 picks	71%	+$6040
MLB	265-219 last 484 picks	55%	+$8370
CBB	150-128 last 278 picks	54%	+$4170
NBA	26-20 last 46 picks	57%	+$1680
NHL	255-177 last 432 picks	59%	+$15920
WNBA	121-90 last 211 picks	57%	+$5490
TOTAL			+$45730

Today's NCAA Basketball Picks:

Game: Illinois Chicago at Butler (7:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Illinois Chicago +23 (-110) (risk 4 to win 3.6)

There is a price for success in the gambling world and that is becoming more and more evident with each Butler win, now 23-4 and winners of their last 15. This is not your typical bigtime winning team. The Bulldogs have topped the 75 point mark just four times all season and they are built to win at the defensive end. That has been their recipe for the last four years with this class. The problem is they face big numbers and can't cover them. The last 35 times they have faced a double-digit line they are 11-24 ATS and that includes 4-9 ATS this season. They are even worse as the numbers reach epic size. The Bulldogs are just 1-7 ATS trying to cover 18 or more. This one is inflated once again, and I'll back Illinois Chicago here.

The Wildcats have played well this season and will be tourney bound in March. This line, however, is inflated in part because of that. They beat Nebraska by 19 in Lincoln and teams in the second game after crushing an opponent the first time often let up, while the opponent brings more to the second one. Nebraska has lost by just 11 at both Kansas and A&M and can certainly hold their own in this one. As good as Kansas St. has played  lately, just two of their last eight have been decided by enough to cover the heavy wood posted for this one. I can see them snoozing into an 8-10 point win here, I'll go with Nebraska.

This is a very questionable line considering Duquense is 2-8 on the road and Charlotte has suffered just one home loss this year. A potential tourney team vs an also-ran. The answer lies right here. I have never seen an 18-6 team that has suffered the six losses by a combined 141 points! That is 23.5ppg. This is a team that has a very good record, but is also very flawed. They are just 4-9 ATS in their last 13 and all four wins came in a row. The fact is this Charlotte team looks good only in the 18-6 you see, but are also 0-5 ATS as a favorite of more than three in their last five. Duquense really has the offense going and their last two games have been by far their best offensively, scoring more points than any previous A-10 game this season in both and they have done well as a dog of 7-12.5 at 10-4 ATS last 14. Charlotte is just 8-20-1 ATS in their last 29 vs a team with a winning record. I'll go with Duquense here.

The Golden Flashes were a redhot team as winners of eight straight, until they went to Buffalo and were dismanted by 15. We often see teams that were riding the motivation and momentum to keep a streak alive, letdown once it comes to an end, especially if not playing a top team, which isn't the case with Ohio. Despite that fact, this is an Ohio team that has gotten quite pesky, improving as the season goes on and are 5-3 in their last eight with two of the losses in overtime, the last being vs Akron on the road, another top of the conference team. The Golden Flashes have proven to let up in this type of game as they are 0-7 ATS as a favorite from 7-12.5. I like Kent here in this one.

The Oklahoma St. Cowboys stand at 17-7 and likely in position to earn an NCAA Tournament at large berth. The biggest reason is of the seven losses, there is not a bad one in the bunch, meaning this team has taken care of business when they have the talent advantage and they certainly do here. The Cowboys have played ten lined games as a favorite and have an impressive 8-1-1 ATS mark. They aren't the type of team that is a no-show vs average competition. Iowa St. has dropped seven of their last eight, winning only vs lowly Colorado and aren't talented enough here vs a team that will definitely show up. I'll go with Oklahoma St. in this one.

Wichita St. has a clean slate at home winning all 15 of their games here. That has boosted this number way beyond where it should be and as good as Wichita St. has been on the season, nothing points to a win of this magnitude. The Shockers last 13 games show nine wins and four losses with the largest margin in any of the wins standing at just 12 with six of them by single digits. This is clearly a heavy overlay. The Purple Aces beat this Shocker team at home, will have confidence here and are also a good bet as a big dog, having a 4-1 ATS mark at +13 or more. Shockers have been a poor bet at -13 or more with a dismal 1-6 ATS mark. Too many points, Evansville the choice here.

Fresno has lost six of their last nine games both SU and ATS, scoring under 60 four times. That's going to make it really difficult to keep up with a Nevada team that averages 83 points per game at home. The recent troubles for the Bulldogs is not surprising as this team is just 92-125 ATS in conference games the past 13 years. Nevada is 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points. They are also seeking revenge for a double-digit loss to Fresno last month. The Wolf Pack are 52-27 ATS over the past 13 years revenging a loss including 30-13 ATS when they gave up 75+ points in that loss. I like the Wolf Pack to return the favor with a double-digit win here.

Results: 6-1

NCAA Basketball Picks Resources:

• View our updated free NCAA basketball predictions.
• Don't forget to read our college basketball prior picks here.
• Here we show our march madness brackets.
• Read our college basketball gambling philosophy here.
• Don't forget to visit our NCAA basketball odds and lines.
• Here we show our blog college basketball picks .
• Don't forget to read our college basketball sports book here.
• Read our NCAA basketball Game Preview here.
• Updated today: ncaa march madness pick .
• Don't forget to visit our 2009 NCAA basketball prior picks.
• Check out 2009 college basketball season preivew here.
• Updated today: NCAA basketball ATS standings.

Check out the last five NCAA Basketball Picks Newsletters:

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-15-2010
Fairfield is 17-8 while Manhattan is just 9-16. Yes, this is nearly a pick-‘em game. The oddsmakers know something and I agree with them that Manhattan could really surprise here. The Stags are ...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-14-2010
When these teams met a month ago, Niagara rolled to a 16-point victory. That can lead to complacency when getting the same team at home, especially when that the team you are facing is winle...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-13-2010
The Commodores are out to a 7-2 start in SEC play and are looking like a championship-caliber team, but not so fast. Their last three out of four games have been less than stellar performances with a ...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-12-2010
The Penn Quakers take on an unfamiliar role, that of a huge dog in this one. This team was getting steamrolled by everyone early, but has found the win column in the Ivy a few times, and their last tw...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-11-2010
Charleston has the program back on track as former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins is recruiting superior athletes, and good enough to even beat North Carolina here. The Cougars are 10-1 at home on t...