This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
What a week it was and what a day we have today! Championship Week NEVER disappoints and it all culminates into fun little day we like to call Selection Sunday. Add in St. Patrick's Day and a mysterious five-game slate today and we have a wonderful concoction to close out conference play. There are no games tomorrow so this will be one of my final articles of the season. I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing! Here we go!
Brown Bears vs Yale Bulldogs 
I don't think there is much argument that Yale is the best team in the Ivy, but the best team doesn't always win, and it certainly don't always cover. The Bears' season completely turned around in mid-February when AJ Lesburt Jr. was inserted into the starting lineup. Brown lost their first game with Lesburt in the lineup (at Princeton) but have rattled off seven straight since and were my choice to take the Ivy tourney title. The Bears have won and covered each of their last five games away from home, and while Yale has had their number historically, Brown beat the Bulldogs on the road to end the regular season. With confidence and momentum, I like Brown to at least cover this number if not win outright.
College Basketball Best Bet: Brown +8 (@ PointsBet)
Temple Owls vs UAB Blazers 
What a wacky AAC tournament it has been! In mid-February, Temple sat at 1-11 in AAC play and looked like a team that was ready to mail it in. Since then, the Owls are 8-2, including a 4-0 record in the conference tournament. Winning five games in a conference tourney is rare, but confidence and momentum are real. The Owls are 7-3 ATS in those last 10 games I mentioned and are also 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 away from home and a sparkling 9-1 ATS in their last 10 as underdogs. Credit is due to UAB who has finished strong and is playing good basketball, but in a game with such a wide range of possible outcomes, I'm going to gobble up all those points and fly with the Owls.
College Basketball Best Bet: Temple +7.5 (@ PointsBet)
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Wisconsin Badgers 
The last game of the day is also my top play for today. I had the privilege to witness the Wisconsin/Purdue game in Minneapolis yesterday -- what an amazing college basketball game that was. The 44 fouls called took a little of the shine off, but I digress. That game meant a LOT to the Badgers, and it is going to be very hard to come back with the same intensity the next day. Illinois looked like it was in trouble against Nebraska, but Terrence Shannon merely put the pedal down and easily pulled away from the Huskers. I've said all year, with Shannon, Illinois is one of the top teams in the country. The Illini also own this matchup recently with a 7-3 SU/8-2 ATS mark in their last 10 against Wisco. This Badger team will be a handful in the Big Dance, but Illinois is too much for them with this quick turnaround.
College Basketball Best Bet: Illinois -2.5 (@ FanDuel)
Sunday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Sunday, March 17:
- Brown +8 (@ PointsBet)
- Temple +7.5 (@ PointsBet)
- Illinois -2.5 (@ FanDuel)
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
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