March Madness 2026: College basketball conference tournament predictions, picks, odds, upsets, sleepers

College basketball's top conferences are preparing for their respective tournaments this week before the chaos of the NCAA Tournament begins. With multiple automatic bids up for grabs and bubble teams hoping to make one final impression before Selection Sunday, this week should provide fireworks.

There are multiple teams in action this week in need of a deep run in their respective conference tournament to feel safe for an at-large berth this weekend. One of the conferences to watch is the ACC. 

SMU, Stanford and Cal are among the teams on the bubble, hoping to be one of the final teams in the field.

Bracketology: Top storylines, questions, seeding scenarios with a week until NCAA Tournament selection show

David Cobb

Elsewhere, all eyes will be on the SEC Tournament. Missouri, Auburn and Oklahoma are all on the bubble, and could be on the outside looking in when it's all said and done. Speaking of the SEC, Kentucky will play on Wednesday (first round) of the SEC Tournament for the first time. Year 2 of the Mark Pope era at his alma mater has been a mixed bag, but Kentucky is still safely in the field for now.

Our experts have combed through the conference tournament brackets of the sport's top leagues and have come up with championship predictions and sleeper picks from each bracket. All odds via FanDuel.

ACC Tournament 

ACC Tournament bracket, schedule, pairings

Breakdown: Duke is the consensus favorite to win the ACC Tournament title for the second consecutive season. Last year, Duke had to play the ACC Tournament without star freshman Cooper Flagg. This time around, Duke could be without starting guard Caleb Foster and starting center Patrick Ngongba II due to injury. Virginia, led by first-year coach Ryan Odom, is the No. 2 seed. Miami also has a first-year coach (Jai Lucas) and is the No. 3 seed. UNC, the No. 4 seed, will be without star forward Caleb Wilson for this week and the remainder of the season due to a broken thumb.

	Matt Norlander		David Cobb		Isaac Trotter	Cameron Salerno
WINNER	Virginia		Duke		Virginia	Duke
SLEEPER	Florida St.		Florida St.		Va. Tech	Louisville

Odds to win ACC Tournament

Big East Tournament

Big East Tournament bracket, schedule, pairings

Breakdown: It's not surprising who the top contenders are to win the Big East. That would be UConn and St. John's. Those teams split the season series and could be on a collision course to face each other in the championship game. Keep an eye on Villanova, a program coached by Kevin Willard. The Wildcats are the No. 3 seed. Seton Hall will likely be on the outside looking in on Selection Sunday, barring a deep run in the Big East Tournament.

	Matt Norlander		David Cobb		Isaac Trotter	Cameron Salerno
WINNER	UConn		St. John's		UConn	UConn
SLEEPER	DePaul		Providence		Providence	DePaul

Odds to win Big East Tournament

Big Ten Tournament 

Big Ten Tournament bracket, schedule, pairings

Breakdown: Michigan just completed one of the most dominant seasons in Big Ten history. The Wolverines went 19-1 in Big Ten play, with the only loss coming against Wisconsin. There are multiple contenders who could challenge Michigan for the title. Nebraska has been one of the best stories in the sport this season and is seeking its first NCAA Tournament win later this month. Of course, you can't forget about Michigan State, a team that tends to play its best basketball in the month of March under coach Tom Izzo.

	Matt Norlander		David Cobb		Isaac Trotter	Cameron Salerno
WINNER	Houston		Michigan		Michigan St.	Michigan
SLEEPER	BYU		Wisconsin		Purdue	Wisconsin

Odds to win Big Ten Tournament

Big 12 Tournament 

Big 12 Tournament bracket, schedule, pairings

Breakdown: The Big 12 will be the most competitive power conference tournament when it's all said and done. Arizona, the regular-season champion, is the favorite. However, Houston and Iowa State are strong contenders to make things interesting. Of course, you can't forget about Kansas. The Jayhawks, led by the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Darryn Peterson, have shown they can beat anyone. It's very unlikely, but it's possible college basketball fans can get Peterson vs. AJ Dybantsa Part 2 if Kansas and BYU advance to the semifinals.

	Matt Norlander		David Cobb		Isaac Trotter	Cameron Salerno
WINNER	Alabama		Houston		Arizona	Houston
SLEEPER	Texas A&M		TCU		Cincinnati	Iowa St.

Odds to win Big 12 Tournament

SEC Tournament

SEC Tournament bracket, schedule, pairings

Breakdown: Reigning national champion Florida is the favorite to win the SEC title, again, but keep an eye on Arkansas and Alabama. More teams to keep an eye on this week are the bubble teams: Missouri, Auburn and Oklahoma. All three of those teams could benefit from a strong showing in Nashville. Auburn, less than a year after earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, is in danger of being left out entirely. The Tigers face Mississippi State in the opening round.

	Matt Norlander		David Cobb		Isaac Trotter	Cameron Salerno
WINNER	Alabama		Florida		Alabama	Florida
SLEEPER	Texas A&M		Texas A&M		Tennessee	Texas A&M

Odds to win SEC Tournament