The 2026 NCAA Tournament rolls on into the Elite Eight. We have two more March Madness games on tap for Sunday, March 29th. Let’s dive into our College Basketball Elite Eight Best Bets Today with some Final Four berths at stake. Note that all odds and betting lines are accurate as of this writing, but are always subject to change. Good luck with these college basketball picks!

College Basketball Elite Eight Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/29

Our NCAA Tournament college basketball Elite Eight best bets today begin with No. 1 seed Michigan taking on No. 6 seed Tennessee in the Midwest region of the March Madness bracket. Plus, our college basketball picks feature No. 1 seed Duke and No. 2 seed UConn battling it out in the East with a Final Four berth on the line. Check out even more college basketball predictions below, including some player props to lock in. Best of luck with our college basketball Elite Eight best bets today. 

 

 

 

Tennessee vs. Michigan Prediction: Sunday, 3/29

Both Michigan and Tennessee reeled off comfortable double-digit wins in the Sweet 16. The Wolverines handled Alabama, 90-77, while the Volunteers earned a 14-point victory over Iowa State. Now they face off in the Elite Eight on Sunday in a matchup of Big Ten and SEC schools. 

Michigan enters as a 7.5-point favorite, and it owns a few key edges on both ends of the court to win by a decent margin and cover the spread. Give credit to Tennessee for reaching a third straight Elite Eight under Rick Barnes, but this is where the run ends. The Vols will likely be overmatched here and struggle to keep it close. 

Tennessee’s biggest strengths on offense are its rebounding and ability to score in the paint. The Vols lead the country in offensive rebounding rate with plenty of frontcourt size and depth. That was very evident in the win over Iowa State, as they out-rebounded the Cyclones by 21 and shot 62% on two-pointers. 

However, Michigan can neutralize that advantage with tons of size and an elite interior defense. The Wolverines rank fourth nationally in two-point defense and third in block rate, with a top-40 defensive rebounding rate as well. They do an exceptional job of keeping teams out of the paint while defending the rim at a high level. 

This will force Tennessee to be too reliant on perimeter scoring. That doesn’t bode well, either, as Michigan has held opponents to 30.7% on three-pointers (28th in Division I). Vols point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is an electric playmaker and shot-maker, but Michigan’s length in the backcourt can also keep him quiet. 

The one flaw in Michigan’s defense is forcing turnovers, ranking 277th nationally in that area. However, that won’t matter as much against a Tennessee offense that’s 235th in offensive turnover rate. If the Vols can’t score inside and get their usual second-chance points, the offense can easily slog through empty possessions. 

That’s trouble against Michigan’s fast-paced and efficient offense that can go on runs to pull away. The Wolverines play at the 14th-fastest pace in the country and excel at scoring in transition. They also shoot it well from three at 36.9%, which is 30th in the country. 

The big X-factor again, though, will be inside. Tennessee is at its best defensively when facing smaller teams where the Vols’ size can own the paint. That won’t be the case against Michigan, which ranks second nationally in two-point offense. Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson, and Aday Mara can dominate down low and get some of Tennessee’s bigs into foul trouble. 

Finally, Tennessee has notably struggled in some of its toughest games this season. The Volunteers went 3-5 against top-15 KenPom teams ahead of the NCAA Tournament. That includes an 0-2 mark when facing top-10 opponents, losing by double digits to both Illinois and Florida. Yes, they just beat Iowa State, but the Cyclones were clearly missing the injured Joshua Jefferson. 

 

 

 

UConn vs. Duke Prediction: Sunday, 3/29

Both UConn and Duke endured hard-fought battles in the Sweet 16 to advance. The No. 2 seed Huskies survived a furious comeback by Michigan State to win 67-63 in a low-scoring barnburner. Meanwhile, the No. 1 seed Blue Devils outlasted St. John’s, 80-75, in a back-and-forth classic. 

These storied programs will now face off in a marquee matchup on Sunday with a Final Four bid up for grabs. Duke is a 5.5-point favorite, but UConn is very live to pull the upset, especially considering the Huskies’ stellar March Madness record in recent years. Instead of picking against the spread, let’s look at the total. 

This Elite Eight matchup projects to be a defensive grinder of a game. Both teams bring in top-10 defenses and play at slow paces. Duke is third nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency while allowing just 63.4 PPG (fourth in Division I). Meanwhile, UConn is ninth in defense and allows 65.0 PPG (10th). In terms of tempo, UConn ranks 320th in the country and Duke is 286th. 

Both squads prefer to lean on their defenses to set the tone and limit opposing scorers. We should see that on either end of the floor in a low-scoring battle. These defenses are specifically elite at stopping what each offense prefers to do. 

Duke is at its best offensively when scoring inside, with Cameron Boozer leading the way and the slew of wings/guards cutting to the rim. Well, UConn owns the 12th-best two-point defense in the country and it blocks shots at the 9th-best rate. The Huskies are also holding opponents to just 30.6% from three-point range (21st in Division I). 

On the other side, UConn’s offense will also try to assert itself inside with paint points and second-chance opportunities. That’s tough to do against Duke, which ranks 14th nationally in two-point defense and 9th in defensive rebounding rate. The Blue Devils also defend the perimeter well, allowing 30.8% on three-point shots (30th). Plus, they rank second in the country in free-throw attempts allowed. 

We may see multiple scoreless stretches for both teams in this defensive slugfest. In addition, the high stakes of an Elite Eight matchup can also lead to a slower pace overall with both offenses operating in the half court. Let’s grab the under. 

Notably, both teams bring in profitable under trends. The under has cashed in 10 of 14 NCAA tournament games for Duke under Jon Scheyer. Plus, the under is 12-4 in the Blue Devils’ non-conference games this season. Meanwhile, the under has also cashed in 11 of the last 14 NCAA Tournament games for UConn under Dan Hurley. The under is also 7-3 in the Huskies’ last 10 games this year. 

 

 

 

Best College Basketball Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/29

 

 

 

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