At last, the madness of March is here.
The action continues this week as the major conference tournaments get underway and carry us right into Selection Sunday.
In this piece, we’ll dive into the brackets and give out some of our favorite NCAAB conference tournament best bets.
NCAAB Conference Tournament Predictions
All college basketball odds used for these conference tourney predictions are current as of Monday, March 11, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Big East Tournament Prediction
Best Bet: UConn to Win Big East (-135)
The reigning national champions are the favorites to win the Big East, and they are also the team to beat in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Led by Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer, and 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan, UConn (28-3) has the firepower, depth, and moxie to blitz the field at Madison Square Garden, the Huskies’ home-away-from-home.
UConn went 18-2 to capture its first Big East regular-season championship since 1999, the same year it won its first of five NCAA titles.
Creighton is a threat, but Tyler Kolek’s injury has cast doubt on Marquette’s chances. At this point, it’s hard to bet against the Huskies.
[pick id="177000"]
Big Ten Tournament Prediction
Best Bet: Purdue to Win Big Ten (+100)
If you’re looking for a sleeper to shake up the Big Ten Tournament, you’re out of luck.
After being humiliated last March, Purdue re-established itself as a No. 1 in the Big Dance by going 28-3, including 17-3 in Big Ten play.
Opponents continue to have little answer for 7-foot-4 Zach Edey, who has a chance to become the first repeat Naismith Award winner in men’s basketball since Ralph Sampson in the early 1980s.
Edey is second in the country in scoring (24.2) while ranking third in rebounds (11.7). He also leads the Big Ten in both field goal percentage (61.9%) and blocks (2.2). Seventeen of his 22 double-doubles have come in conference play.
Of course, the Boilermakers are more than just Edey, but he is what sets them apart.
No. 2 seed Illinois stands the best chance to knock them off.
[pick id="177001"]
SEC Tournament Prediction
Best Bet: Kentucky to Win SEC (+400)
Top-seeded Tennessee may be the favorite but don’t overlook Kentucky.
John Calipari’s crew got off to a ho-hum 5-4 start in SEC play but have turned a corner over the last month and are shaping up to be a tough out in March.
The Wildcats have won five straight and seven of their last eight games, including victories over Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee. As such, they’ve climbed to +1800 odds to win the NCAAB National Championship, matching the sixth-shortest odds on the board.
Kentucky still lacks experience aside from leading scorer Antonio Reeves (20.2), but that may not matter with how freshmen Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard have performed.
We’ve already seen the Wildcats have the offensive punch to outlast Dalton Knecht and the Volunteers.
[pick id="177002"]
ACC Tournament Prediction
Best Bet: North Carolina to Win ACC (+150)
The ACC has been underwhelming. There’s no way around it. Aside from North Carolina, Duke, and Clemson, is anyone worthy of making the NCAA Tournament?
Wake Forest? Eh. Virginia? Meh. Miami, on the heels of last year’s Final Four appearance, isn’t even on the bubble.
At least, the conference can rest its laurels on the Tar Heels (25-6, 17-3), who continue to look more and more like legitimate national title contenders.
Portal additions Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan have fit seamlessly with RJ Davis and Armando Bacot because of their size and shooting touch.
The Tar Heels have already beaten Duke twice, including 84-79 on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium to claim the outright regular-season title.
Clemson looms as a threat, but the Tigers don’t have enough to cool off North Carolina.
[pick id="177003"]
Big 12 Tournament Prediction
Best Bet: Baylor to Win Big 12 (+750)
The Big 12 is the country’s strongest conference this season, and thus we could be in for a surprise or two.
As the No. 1 team in the AP poll, Houston is the obvious favorite. Led by likely Big 12 Player of the Year Jamal Shead, the Cougars have won nine straight games and could potentially lock up the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed with three more victories this week.
Houston’s defense is lethal, but No. 3 seed Baylor may pose the biggest threat because of its versatility on offense with RayJ Dennis and Ja’Kobe Walter.
Given the parity of this league, I’m reaching for value and taking Baylor at +750 odds to outlast Houston.
[pick id="177004"]
Pac-12 Tournament Prediction
Best Bet: Arizona to Win Pac-12 (-160)
Much like the ACC, the Pac-12 has been extremely top-heavy.
Washington State knocked off Arizona on the road but proceeded to drop two of its next four games to Arizona State and Washington. Colorado has won six straight but was also blown out by Arizona twice by an average of 33.5 points.
That could make for a dramatic few days in Las Vegas. However, I’m going to stick with the chalk and take Arizona to win the final Pac-12 Tournament.
With a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament at stake, the Wildcats (24-7, 15-5) will do what they must to bolster their resume thanks to Caleb Love and Oumar Ballo.
[pick id="177005"]