We still have some time to kill before the NCAA Tournament and March Madness betting officially tip off next week. What better way to satisfy our hunger for high-stakes college hoops than by tuning into conference championship week?
This is the time when potential champions really begin to emerge. It’s also a great opportunity to get in on the action before we experience true chaos for the remainder of the month.
Here are my best bets to make for this week’s NCAA conference tournament games. (In the meantime, don’t miss our top March Madness betting promos with which you can place many of these bets.)
CBB Conference Tournament Best Bet
Please note that all CBB odds and lines in betting picks were current as of Tuesday, March 12, and found at bet365 Sportsbook.
See why I’m going with the Volunteers and more with my best conference tournament bets.
CBB Conference Championship Tournament Odds
Use our odds widget below for a quick glance at each conference championship.
CBB Conference Championship Winner Best Bets
ACC Tournament Winner: North Carolina ()
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
One factor I like to look for when weighing potential conference tournament winners is momentum. North Carolina certainly has it.
The Tar Heels finished the regular season as strong as they could’ve hoped, winning each of their last six games and closing with a convincing victory over rival Duke on the road. As a result, UNC earned the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament and figures to have the easiest path to the title game.
With no obvious weaknesses on either end of the floor, teams will be hard-pressed to knock North Carolina out of the tourney — especially early on. Should the Tar Heels reach the championship, they’ll likely have shorter odds to win it, making now the best time to get in on UNC.
Big 12 Tournament Winner: Houston ()
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
Can any team break this Houston defense? The Cougars rank No. 1 in the nation in points allowed per game (56.9) and defensive rating, putting them in a class of their own among their Big 12 peers.
Houston also has a lengthy winning streak on its side, claiming victories in each of its last nine games to finish the regular season at 28-3. Kelvin Sampson’s squad left no doubts about its standing atop the conference in its final contest, stomping rival Kansas 76-46.
Iowa State looks like the biggest threat to upend Houston — Baylor is up there, too — but the Cougars’ consistency gives them a clear edge over the competition. I don’t love the price at (-135), but it’s difficult to go any other way.
Big Ten Tournament Winner: Nebraska (+700)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
I’m banking on a big upset in the Big Ten. Nebraska, which handed Purdue its most lopsided loss of the season, has a real chance to punch its ticket with a conference title.
Although the Cornhuskers dropped some questionable games throughout the regular season, their ability to hang with top-tier competition is worth noting. On top of defeating the Boilermakers by 16, Nebraska suffered a narrow overtime loss at Illinois and knocked off then-sixth-ranked Wisconsin in early February.
What stands out to me is the Cornhuskers’ willingness to fire away from three-point range. Nebraska ranks inside the top 35 in three-point makes and attempts per game, and if it can sink those shots consistently throughout the Big Ten Tournament, it could take down any opponent.
Big East Tournament Winner: Creighton (+425)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
UConn is the obvious choice to win the Big East, but at (-135), there’s not much value in actually betting on the Huskies to do so. Instead, I’m suggesting a smaller wager on one of the three teams that beat them this year: Creighton.
The Bluejays have a spectacular offense headlined by Baylor Scheierman, who averaged 18.5 points per game on 38% shooting from three-point range. Plus — if you’re catching on — you’ll know I love the fact that Creighton ranks inside the top 10 in two-point percentage, three-point makes, and three-point attempts.
And although the Bluejays give up nearly 70 points per game, they play a clean game defensively. Creighton committed the fewest fouls in the nation this year, with opponents taking just 10.6 free-throw attempts per game.
Pac-12 Tournament Winner: Washington State (+500)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
Arizona is a considerable (-155) favorite to win the Pac-12 Tournament, but I’d keep an eye out for Washington State. The Cougars won both of their matchups with the Wildcats this season and finished the year as winners in 10 of their final 12 games.
Wazzou isn’t spectacular in any particular area, but it also doesn’t have any major weaknesses. Their three-point attempt rate is low, but the Cougars also limited opponents to just 5.8 three-point makes per game — good for 16th in the nation — so they tend to win the battle on the perimeter.
My biggest concern with Washington State is actually getting to the title game, because it lost some winnable contests against inferior opponents like Arizona State and California. However, if they ever meet up with Arizona, the Cougars have to feel good about their chances.
SEC Tournament Winner: Tennessee (+130)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
It felt like the SEC was up for grabs for a big chunk of the season — it had three teams ranked inside the top 10 in late January — but Tennessee did well to distance itself from the crowd down the stretch. Now, the Volunteers appear to be in excellent shape ahead of the conference tournament.
Standout guard Dalton Knecht is a big reason why Tennessee is where it is. The senior averaged 21.4 points per game and shot 40.5% from three-point range this season, and he made big statements by dropping 39 and 40 on Auburn and Kentucky, respectively, over the last few weeks.
Knecht may well be the most outstanding player in college basketball, and I expect that to show throughout the SEC Tournament. Lock in the Volunteers at (+130).
CBB Conference Tournaments Schedule & Winner Results
- America East: March 9-16
- American Athletic: March 13-17
- Atlantic 10: March 12-17
- ACC: March 12-16
- ASUN: Stetson
- Big 12: March 12-16
- Big East: March 13-16
- Big Sky: March 9-13
- Big South: Presbyterian
- Big Ten: March 13-17
- Big West: March 13-16
- CAA: March 8-12
- Conference USA: March 12-16
- Horizon League: March 5-12
- Ivy League: March 15-17
- MAAC: March 12-16
- MAC: March 14-16
- MEAC: March 13-16
- Missouri Valley: Drake
- Mountain West: March 13-16
- Northeast: March 6-12
- Ohio Valley: Morehead State
- Pac-12: March 13-16
- Patriot League: March 5-13
- Southern: Samford
- Southland: March 10-14
- SWAC: March 13-16
- Summit League: March 8-12
- Sun Belt: James Madison
- WAC: March 13-16
- West Coast: March 7-12
