Saturday saw one winner, one hook, and one trend that didn’t work out in our favor. Let’s end conference tournament season with a sweep before the field of 68 is announced in the evening. We’ve only got five games to pick from, but we’ve found a few odd numbers that you’ll want to take advantage of. Let’s dive into my Underdog Fantasy college basketball picks for March 17.
Remember, playing three of these on Underdog Fantasy would 6X your money on a single three-leg parlay!
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Underdog Fantasy College Basketball Picks March 17
Matthew Dewoskin Underdog Fantasy College Basketball Pick Em Record (Est 3/1/2024)
All Pick Em Selections: 30-18-0 (62.5%)
Spicy Multiplier Picks: 1-0 (100%)
Perfect 3-0 Pick Em Entries: 4-11 (+1.8 units)
Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois) Higher Than 21.5 Points
This may seem like the most obvious play on the board today. That’s because it is the most obvious play on the board today. Shannon just got done roasting Nebraska for 40 points less than 24 hours ago, and now he gets to do it again in the Big 10 conference tournament championship against Wisconsin.
Shannon comes into this game averaging 22.6 points per game. He’s cleared 21.5 points in five of his last six games, including his only matchup against Wisconsin. He played in Madison on March 2nd and put up 23 points. He should see a higher usage rate in the conference final, and he should clear 21.5 points again.
Higher than 2.5 three-pointers made gets a spicy multiplier, and is also in play for Shannon today.
Eric Gaines (UAB) Higher Than 21.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists
If UAB is on the slate, this is usually the space reserved for a Yaxel Lendeborg Higher Than prop. Lendeborg is a bit too juicy today, so we’re going to roll with UAB point guard Eric Gaines.
Gaines is coming into the AAC final averaging `12.2 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.8 boards per game this year. He’s cleared 21.5 PRA in four of his last five games. His only miss was by the hook against Wichita State.
Gaines should play almost the full 40 minutes in the final. He also just went off against the Temple Owls for 17 points, 10 assists, and three rebounds on March 7th. Look for Gaines to go higher against the Owls again in your Underdog Fantasy college basketball pick’em entry on March 17.
Jake DiMichele (Duquesne) Lower Than 4.5 Rebounds+Assists
This total may seem too low to fade, but it’s one of the better plays on the board today. Duquesne freshman Jake DiMichele is coming into the A-10 conference championship game averaging 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. If he just plays to his average, we cash.
However, DiMichele has failed to clear 4.5 RA in six straight games, including three straight games with over 30 minutes. DiMichele is essentially doing cardio while looking for places to shoot from.
Look for VCU to keep him off the boards and isolated in the corner. He should go lower on his RA total today and help us sweep this card.
The College Basketball Experience
For more analysis on every college basketball game for the 2023-24 season, make sure you tune into The College Basketball Experience. Colby Dant, Moneyline Mac, and Noah Bieniek talk about each game on the entire slate. Listen for input on ATS and moneyline college basketball picks every night!
