Ncaa Picks - February 28, 2009

We missed on last night's pick. Over the last seven weeks, our premium college hoops plays are 76-60. Today we feature seven premium CBB picks.

Today's NCAA Basketball Picks:

Game: Notre Dame at Connecticut (2:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Game Total UNDER 150.5 -110 (risk 3 to win 2.7)

Notre Dame has certainly displayed the firepower to put up a lot of points, but the Huskies have one of the top defenses in the country, and that has been personified at home. The Huskies have played 15 home games, and are allowing a very stingy 59.6 points per game in those games. They have allowed just three teams to make it to 70 points in the 15-game stand. The Huskies have not reached 70 points themselves in their last four Big East home games. This one will have a very difficult time getting into the 150s as the oddsmakers suggests. As a result, I will play on the UNDER here.

Oklahoma has not been the same team without Blake Griffin. They have dropped their last two games. The Red Raiders are definitely in a down year and have not had too much success in a highly competitive Big-12 conference this season. They have been much more competitive of late as the team gains experience, and have not lost by more than 10 points in their last three games. While the Sooners are piling up the wins, that hasn't gotten them the money when playing on the road against a team with a winning home record as they are just 20-41-3 ATS in their last 64 games facing that situation. The Red Raiders are 5-2 ATS at home against a team with a winning road record. I like them to stay close and get the cover in this one.

The Hokies are sitting at 17-10. But, by losing three of their last four, they have put themselves firmly on the bubble for an NCAA Tournament bid. They will be a hungry team needing a quality win, and I expect an inspired performance here. Duke, at just 4-4 in the conference in their last eight games, has been a much more vulnerable team than past editions. That is especially true on the road where the Dukies are just 1-6 ATS in their last seven. They are not only 1-6 ATS, they have been outscored by a total of 14 points in those seven games. Virginia Tech may have 10 losses on the season, but they have had a lot of bad breaks as seven of the 10 losses have come by four points or less, so they have played close to just about everyone. There hasn't been a team yet to beat them on their home floor by more than four points and they are a live dog here, so I'll back them in this one.

There has been no place like home for this USC team on the season as the road has not been kind to them. They are now 1-6 on the road and it has cost them to slip to a 16-11 mark and on the tourney bubble. They have also been in a horrid slump as they have just one win to show for their last six games. The problem is mostly on the offensive end, where they have been held to 61 points or less in four of the six games. Stanford almost got the win at USC - dropping the game by a point and will be out to extract a bad taste from that one. The Cardinal is getting it done as a home favorite as they are 13-5 in their last 18 in that role. I like them to continue that success and get the win and cover in this one.

The Bradley Braves have had an up-and-down season. After opening poorly at 1-2, they went on a nice run where they went 9-3. The results have not been kind to the Braves since. They have struggled over the second half of the season going just 6-8 in their last 14 games. The Bulldogs were the surprise in the MVC a year ago, but certainly haven't snuck up on anyone this season. What they have done however, is played well against the top of the conference - especially on the road. The Bulldogs own upset wins on the road at the Conference Co-leaders, Northern Iowa and Creighton. They also own a 14-point win over this same Bradley team. I like Drake to get this one on the road and will play them on the moneyline.

I have to say the Eastern Kentucky Colonels have been a surprise in the OVC. This team has come on strong after a four-game losing streak right after the first of the year, going 11-4 since. The offense has been consistently good as they have put up 70+ points in eight of their last nine, leading to a 7-2 mark. Murray State has been playing well themselves and beat this Colonels’ team on the road by eight, but that was way back in the first week of December and E. Kentucky has made great strides since then. The key here is the E. Kentucky offense that has generated 70+ in eight of their last nine games. Murray St. has had trouble all year against teams that can score. They are just 1-6 SU on the season when they allow 70 or more, giving E. Kentucky a good chance for the upset here, and I'll take them on the moneyline.

Southeast Missouri State has truly had a lost season and has played with just seven scholarship players for most of the second half of the season. They have now lost 18 straight games. The oddsmakers have certainly made it difficult to play against this team with some high lines, and their backers have certainly benefited by going 7-4 ATS in their last 11 when a dog of +8.5 or more. Austin Peay has been an extremely streaky team this season. They have sandwiched a 6-12 season around a four-game and six-game winning streak. They are just 4-5 in their last nine, and aren't on the top of their game right now. This is simply too many points and SE Missouri St. stays within the inflated number here.

Results: 3-4

NCAA Basketball Picks Resources:

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• Check out our updated blog NCAA basketball picks.
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• Don't forget to read our ncaa march madness pick here.
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Check out the last five NCAA Basketball Picks Newsletters:

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-27-2009
Brown opened the season with promise as they dropped a two-point decision on the road at 21-8 Rhode Island, and it has been a battle ever since. They currently sit at 1-9 in the Ivy League. That may s...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-26-2009
This is a most difficult spot for Pepperdine as they will face a very good St. Mary's team that is fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives. The Waves just have no talent and have lost their last ...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-25-2009
Arkansas is another one of those young teams that has talent, but it is so difficult for them to learn how to win on the road where they have managed just one win all season. That came very early and ...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-24-2009
The Bayou Bengals have been almost impossible to take down at home this year, as they bring in an 18-1 mark. The lone setback came against a red-hot Xavier team that was in the midst of an 11-0 run. N...

NCAA-Basketball-Picks-February-23-2009
Tennessee Chattanooga has really been rolling with the start of conference play as they are now 11-3 overall in their last 14 games. Their only home loss was at the hands of Davidson, who has beaten j...