It's NCAA Conference Tournament Week! Here Are the Current Odds (And Picks)
Madness looms! We’re just days away from the beginning of March Madness, but first, we get the most exciting undercard of all – conference tournaments. Whether large or small, schools across the nation compete this week to earn automatic bids into the NCAA Tournament. For many, it’s their last chance to play in the greatest tournament in America.
Soon, we’ll have a solid idea of what the NCAA Tournament bracket will look like (the full bracket completes Sunday, March 14), but for now, sports bettors have an excellent appetizer to snack on before the main course. Ahead is a look at current futures odds and picks for some of the biggest conference tournaments this week.
Now, let’s take a look at each conference’s respective odds.
American Athletic Conference – March 11-14
It’s no surprise that No. 7 ranked Houston (-165) is a decently-sized favorite after finishing the season 21-3, capping their brilliant season with a 67-64 buzzer-beater win over Memphis on Sunday. But it’s Memphis (+420) who I’m eyeing to win the AAC tournament.
Memphis is almost certainly in a win-and-in/lose-and-out situation. At fairly significant plus money, Memphis is the pick with the most value, well deserving of a flyer. But even more importantly, I think they can win the tournament outright.
Before Sunday, the Tigers had won six games in a row with their backs against the wall while making their final push to gain favor with tournament selectors. If Sunday’s game was a preview for the championship game, I’m rolling with Memphis to come out strong and win the re-match over Houston.
Atlantic Coast Conference – March 9-13
We love a competitive field! The ACC quietly has three teams inside AP’s top 25. You can never go wrong with betting Tony Bennett (the basketball coach, not the singer) and the No. 16 Virginia Cavaliers (+310), so they’re my pick to win the tournament. But I’ll also put cash on North Carolina (+450), who has reportedly received respected money from sharp bettors. The Tar Heels also appear to have the easiest path to victory amongst the tournament favorites to reach the finals.
As for a dark horse pick: Georgia Tech (+1000). Sharps are sprinkling cash on the Yellow Jackets. It makes sense. Georgia Tech might be the ACC’s hottest team, closing out the season on a six-game win streak.
Big 12 – March 10-13
No. 2 Baylor (-140) is the obvious pick, though they don’t need to win the Big 12 tournament. They’ve entrenched themselves as a No. 1 seed and are arguably the best team in the country. (Don’t come for my head, Zags fans. I said arguably!)
The way the bracket sets up, I see No. 11 Kansas (+500) as the most likely team to meet Baylor in the finals (unless No. 10 WVU beats Baylor first). The Jayhawks beat Baylor, 71-58, in their last meeting on February 27. My recommendation: Don’t sleep on “Rock Chalk.”
Big Ten – March 10-14
As of this writing, there aren’t odds posted for this conference in the FanDuel Sportsbook.
This tournament is must-watch television. Two weeks ago, it seemed No. 4 Michigan would run away with the Big Ten championship, earning a comfortable first-seed position in the NCAA tournament. Then No. 3 Illinois and unranked Michigan State smacked them in the mouth. Illini finished 11-1 in its final 12 games.
Both teams likely get a No. 1 spot on the bracket, but a tournament win solidifies it. Familiar foes lie in the distance, though – No. 5 Iowa and No. 9 Ohio State. It’s not crazy to think two-plus Big Ten teams will be playing in the Sweet 16.
Southeastern Conference – March 10-14
No. 6 Alabama (+240) vs. No. 8 Arkansas (+300). That’s the way the SEC tournament bracket sets up, so I’ll take both to guarantee a profit, hopefully. Though they traded blows in the regular season, the Crimson Tide are the better team and have a little more at stake. A conference tournament win could potentially get them into a top seed. Roll Tide.
We're in for a solid week of hoops! What are your picks? Happy betting, everyone.
Erick Valenciano is a sports betting writer for OutKick. For more betting tips, follow @ErickValenciano on Twitter. Make sure you’re following our sports betting account, too: @OutKickBets.