2026 NCAA Conference Tournament odds, predictions as March Madness begins

The best part of the college basketball calendar is here.

Conference tournaments have begun, signaling the true tip-off of March Madness, as games will run nearly nonstop for the next three-plus weeks.

Below, we take a lay of the land of what the conference tournaments have in store for us, including the favorites of each conference as the brackets come into focus.

The Power 5 conference tournament begins the week of March 9, though some smaller conferences will crown their champions beginning the week of March 2.

2026 Conference Tournament March Madness bracket

Ohio Valley Conference

Saturday, March 7, 9 p.m. ET

Favorite: Tennessee State (+220, DraftKings)

Tennessee State has given teams fits, with seniors Travis Harper II, Aaron Nkrumah and Dante Harris leading the way. They will be tightly contested with the University of Tennessee Martin (+370), Southeast Missouri State (+400) and Morehead State (+400).

Prediction: Tennessee State +220

Big South Conference

Sunday, March 8, noon, ESPN2

Favorite: High Point (-165, DraftKings)

High Point has dominated this league most of the season, going 15-1 in conference. Their major challenger will be the Winthrop Eagles (+300) with no other team below 10/1 to win this conference.

Prediction: High Point -165

Missouri Valley Conference

Sunday, March 8, noon, CBS

Favorite: Belmont (+160, BetMGM)

Followed by Northern Iowa (+475), Illinois State (+500), and Bradley (+750), the conference should be highly competitive. The Bruins went 26-5 with a strong 16-4 conference record.

Prediction: Belmont (+160)

ASUN Conference

Sunday, March 8, 2 p.m., ESPN2

Favorite: Austin Peay (+225, BetMGM)

Central Arkansas (+250) is surely the most tempting bet, considering its incredible conference record. The Bears went 15-3 in the ASUN, tied with Austin Peay, who is also 15-3 in conference.

Prediction: Central Arkansas (+250 DraftKings)

Summit League

Sunday, March 8, 9 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Favorite: St. Thomas-Minnesota (+135, Caesars)

North Dakota State Bison are the top seed in the Summit League, but just below is St. Thomas-Minnesota, which is the favorite. The Bison went 14-2 in conference play this season, and no other team is below 10/1.

Prediction: St. Thomas-Minnesota (+135, Caesars)

Southern Conference

Monday, March 9, 7 p.m., ESPN Networks

Favorite: East Tennessee State (+190, FanDuel)

The odds for this conference tournament are fascinating. KenPom rates East Tennessee State at 141, while FTN ranks them 146. Furman, Mercer, and Samford are rated between 167 and 173 on FTN. Of those three, Mercer is rated the highest; they’re the team you should be targeting here.

Prediction: Mercer (+550, Caesars)

Sun Belt Conference

Monday, March 9, 7 p.m., ESPN Networks

Favorite: Troy (+165, Caesars)

The dark horse of this conference is Arkansas State, which has been dealing with some injuries, though it is unclear whether Chudi Dioramma will miss significant time. If he is healthy, Arkansas State is a great bet as they’re rated higher than every team in the conference.

Prediction: Arkansas State (+800, FanDuel)

Horizon League

Tuesday, March 10, 7 p.m., ESPN

Favorite: Wright State (+200, theScore Bet)

Heat check spot here for Green Bay and Doug Gottlieb’s group that is playing red-hot hoops right now. Oakland is an interesting wager as currently constructed, as well, with most ranking systems having them very close to the favorites, Wright State.

Prediction: Green Bay (+1000, FanDuel)

Northeast Conference

Tuesday, March 10, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Favorite: Long Island University (-150, DraftKings)

Le Moynne is rated far too high according to the national markets to be sitting at +800. Most other oddsmakers have them closer to +600 and dropping.

Prediction: Le Moyne (+800, Caesars)

Coastal Athletic Association

Tuesday, March 10, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

West Coast Conference

Tuesday, March 10, 9 p.m., ESPN

Favorite: Gonzaga (-190, BetMGM)

This conference is sneaky good with a bunch of very strong teams to consider. Santa Clara is one that interests me at +900. Those odds will surely evaporate soon, but Gonzaga is too talented to bail on here.

Prediction: Gonzaga

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

Tuesday, March 10, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Favorite: Merrimack (+280, Caesars)

My other pick for this conference is Marist (+575, Caesars), but Merrimack is getting quite a bit of love from KenPom to make me rethink my position there. KenPom has Merrimack rated in the 170s, while FTN has Marist as the No. 1 rated MAAC team. It’s an interesting thought experiment for these two ranking systems.

Prediction: Merrimack

Southland Conference

Wednesday, March 11, 5 p.m., ESPN2

Favorite: McNeese (+115, DraftKings)

McNeese is clearly the highest-rated Southland squad and should be able to walk through the conference until the championship game with Stephen F. Austin.

Prediction: McNeese

Patriot League

Wednesday, March 11, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Favorite: Navy (-180, Fanatics Sportsbook)

Navy is the only team on KenPom that’s rated better than 200, coming in at 136 overall. Some betting sites have Navy as high as -240 so there’s legitimate value on this spot.

Prediction: Navy

Big Sky Conference

Wednesday, March 11, 11:30 p.m.

Favorite: Montana State (+340, DraftKings)

This conference is wide open, and it could go anywhere. No prediction, for now.

Prediction: Flip a coin

America East Conference

Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m., ESPN2

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Saturday, March 14, 1 p.m., ESPN2

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Mountain West Conference

Saturday, March 14, 6 p.m., CBS

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Big 12 Conference

Saturday, March 14, 6 p.m., ESPN

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Big East Conference

Saturday, March 14, 6:30 p.m., FOX

Favorite: UConn (-250, BetMGM)

Prediction: UConn

UConn smashed St. John’s embarrassingly last time out, and it’s hard to pick Rick Pitino’s group right now. Dan Hurley’s squad is rated No. 10 overall for a reason.

Southwestern Athletic Conference

Saturday, March 14, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

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Mid-American Conference

Saturday, March 14, 8 p.m., ESPN2

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Conference USA

Saturday, March 14, 8:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Atlantic Coast Conference

Saturday, March 14, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Big West Conference

Saturday, March 14, 10 p.m., ESPN2

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Western Athletic Conference

Saturday, March 14, midnight, ESPN2

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Ivy League

Sunday, March 15, noon, ESPN2

Favorite: Yale (+110, Caesars)

Prediction: Yale

Yale is 21-5 this year and is ranked higher than an undefeated Miami (Ohio) squad. Anything can happen in this rivalry games but I got Yale to win this one goingn away.

Atlantic 10 Conference

Sunday, March 15, 1 p.m., CBS

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Southeastern Conference

Sunday, March 15, 1 p.m., ESPN

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

American Conference

Sunday, March 15, 3:15 p.m., ESPN

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

Big Ten Conference

Sunday, March 15, 3:30 p.m., CBS

Favorite: Odds not available

Prediction: Odds not available

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