2026 Elite Eight odds, March Madness picks: Tennessee vs. Michigan predictions from expert on a 44-28 run

The sixth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers look to reach the Final Four for the first time in school history when they battle the Big Ten regular-season champion and top-seeded Michigan Wolverines in an NCAA Tournament Midwest Region Elite Eight matchup on Sunday. Tennessee brushed aside second-seeded Iowa State 76-62 in a Sweet 16 matchup on Friday, while Michigan overpowered fourth-seeded Alabama 90-77. The Volunteers (25-11), who tied for fourth in the Southeastern Conference at 11-7, have won three in a row and are 6-5 against ranked opponents. The Wolverines (34-3), who won the Big Ten Conference regular-season title at 19-1, have won three straight and are 10-2 against ranked foes.

The game from United Center in Chicago tips off at 2:15 p.m. ET. Michigan leads the all-time series 7-5, including the last meeting, a 76-68 win in the NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2022. Michigan is an 8.5-point favorite in the latest Tennessee vs. Michigan odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 146.5. Before making any Tennessee vs. Michigan picks, check out what SportsLine college basketball expert Bob Konarski has to say.

Konarski specializes in college basketball, displaying in-depth knowledge of hundreds of Division I teams. He is a regular presence in the SportsLine Discord, co-hosts a weekly X Spaces with fellow CBB expert Tom Casale and can be seen on the "Early Edge" breaking down his college hoops plays. He enters the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on a 44-28 run on college basketball spread picks, returning more than 13 units.

Now, Konarski has his sights set on Tennessee vs. Michigan, and just revealed his Elite Eight picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Konarski's picks. Here are several men's college basketball odds and men's college basketball lines for Michigan vs. Tennessee:

Top Tennessee vs. Michigan predictions

Konarski is going Over on the point total (146.5). Both teams have explosive offenses, as Michigan ranks eighth in the nation in scoring at 87.5 points per game. The Wolverines also have the fifth-best point differential among NCAA Division I teams at plus-17.7. Tennessee, meanwhile, is 94th in the country, scoring 79.3 points. The Volunteers have the 29th-best point differential at plus-10.4.

Three players average at least 10.1 points for Tennessee, with Ja'Kobi Gillespie leading the way with 18.3 points. Michigan, meanwhile, is led by Yaxel Lendeborg at 14.9 points per game as four Wolverines average at least 14.9 points. Konarski likes the Over in this spot. You can see his spread picks at SportsLine.

How to make Michigan vs. Tennessee picks

Konarski has also found a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Michigan vs. Tennessee in the 2026 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert on a 44-28 roll on his college basketball spread picks, and find out.