College Basketball Handicapping: Under-the-Radar Teams to Bank On

by Trevor Whenham - 2/10/2016

We focus mostly on the big names and the ranked teams in college basketball. That only makes sense. There are so many teams, though, that there are plenty of teams out there quietly producing profits while operating well outside of the national spotlight. Of the 15 most-profitable betting teams in the country right now, for example, just three are from major conferences - South Carolina, USC, and Kansas State. On the other hand, there are the eight teams we'll discuss here that get no attention but are being very good to bettors' bankrolls:

IUPU - Ft. Wayne (17-4 ATS): This team, which I know almost nothing about, is named the Mastodons. What could be cooler than that? This team is fighting for first in the Summit League - currently a half game back of South Dakota State if you are following along at home. They haven't played a killer schedule - they are 1-1 ATS against major-conference foes, though they were blown out in both games against Utah and Indiana. Overall, though, they are the most successful betting team in the entire country. You don't have to know anything about them to have an appreciation for that.

Oakland (15-4-1 ATS): Like the Mastodons, Oakland sits in second in their conference - in the Horizon League behind Valparaiso in their case. They are the second-most-profitable team in the country to date, though. They have also done very well in their two major conference games - they covered at Virginia and had a shocking upset at Washington as 10.5-point underdogs. They are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games and 4-0-1 ATS on the road over that stretch, so they are still in prime profit-producing form.

William & Mary (13-4 ATS): I sense a developing trend here - the Tribe are also in second place in the CAA. They have played just one major conference team, failing to cover against Virginia. They are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games, though - a stretch that covers all of 2016 - so they are in a very good place right now.

Monmouth (16-7 ATS): Finally, we have a team leading their division - the Hawks are tops in the MAAC, though the margin is slim. Outside of the conference, though, the team has been giant killers. They beat UCLA on the road as 14-point underdogs in their opener. They lost to USC three days later but bounced back to win and cover against them in a tournament two weeks later - three days after upsetting Notre Dame. They also won at Georgetown. Four wins against major conference teams - makes them a tournament team to watch if they get that far. It has also made their home tickets very popular, thus enhancing a home-court advantage.

St. Joseph's (15-6-1 ATS): It has been a long time since Jameer Nelson and Delonte West led this team to the Elite Eight in 2004. Coach Phil Martelli is still plugging away, though, quietly making people a lot of money in his 21st season at St. Joe's. They are third in the deep A-10 but are just 1-2 ATS against major-conference foes, and since that cover only came against Virginia Tech it hardly counts.

Idaho State (13-5 ATS): Unlike the other teams on this list, the Bengals aren't very good. They are fifth in the lousy Big Sky and are just a .500 team at 11-11. They lost to Utah and Washington State by an average of 24 points. They have started to find their form, though - after starting 3-7, they are 8-4 since. They are also covering spreads nicely right now - they are 5-1 ATS in their last six games.

North Dakota (13-5-1 ATS): These are the Fighting Hawks, becoming a rare team respectful enough to get a better name than the Fighting Sioux they were known as from 1930 until last fall. They sit just a half game ahead of Idaho State in the Big Sky standings - proof that the middle of that conference is a great place for bettors to be. The Hawks have been quietly solid against major-conference foes, losing to both Kansas State and Wisconsin but staying close enough both times to cover.

Little Rock (13-6 ATS): Here's another team with a name change but a far less controversial one - the former Arkansas- Little Rock has simplified their moniker. The Trojans are the most successful team on this list by the standings - they are 21-2 overall and leading the Sun Belt with an 11-1 record. Not bad for a team that finished 13-18 last year and fired their coach. New Head Coach Chris Beard has coached at a bunch of schools that only he has heard of before now, but at this rate he'll be climbing the ladder quickly. Hi success has been helped by the fact that he has only one game against a major-conference team - a loss against Texas Tech in which they didn't cover the spread. His third game at the school made a real statement, though - he won by six at San Diego State as 16.5-point underdogs.

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