Yes you can winter them in the basement, and I have done it. But I wouldn't recommend it, nor do I do it anymore. When it got too cold for them to fly, I would close off the tube to eliminate the draft. The main problem that I found was since it was in the basement, it was realitively always cool, which in itself was not a problem. But come Spring when you want them to fly, they don't get the benefit of the sun heating them up and getting them going. They were always a month or so behind the bees kept outdoors.
I have since moved to a method modeled after Finmans aquarium heater method. Too cheap to invest in $20 heaters for each hive, I simply placed two 7 watt night lights (I actually picked up the light/cord that they use to light up the ceramic christmas houses at the dollar store) between the screen in the bottom board and slide in cover (see SBB plans at BeeSource and you'll get the picture). I also placed a sugar board on top with an upper entrance, and wrapped the whole thing in tar paper. For most of the winter I used just 1 light in each (2 was causing them to fly when it was too cold). Once spring came and they where taking cleansing flights, I turned on the 2nd light. The two lights gave them enough heat to raise a good amount of brood (the queen actually laid in the bottom of the frames right over the bulbs). Both nucs I tried this with survived nicely and are just as strong as my other hives.
I suppose you could provide artificial heat inside as well, but why mess with bringing them inside and risking them getting loose. It was also fustrating not being able to open them up for inspection inside.