The 2026 NCAA Tournament rolls on into the Elite Eight. We have a pair of March Madness games on tap for Saturday, March 28th. 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, 3/28

Our NCAA Tournament college basketball Elite Eight best bets today begin with No. 3 seed Illinois taking on No. 9 seed Iowa. Plus, our college basketball picks feature No. 1 seed Arizona facing No. 2 seed Purdue. Which teams will punch their ticket to the Final Four? Check out even more March Madness college basketball predictions below, including some player props to lock in. Best of luck with our college basketball Elite Eight best bets today. 

 

 

 

Iowa vs. Illinois Prediction: Saturday, 3/28

The South region of the March Madness bracket has effectively become the Big Ten Invitational. No. 3 seed Illinois will face No. 9 seed Iowa in the Elite Eight on Saturday night. With a Final Four berth on the line, let’s take a closer look at how these conference rivals stack up. 

Illinois is the overall better and more talented team, and it’s rightfully favored. However, Iowa’s current run cannot be ignored. The Hawkeyes can easily pull off yet another upset, especially against a familiar Big Ten foe. Instead of looking at the spread, let’s target the total in what should be a lower-scoring contest. 

Iowa’s style usually grinds games into half-court battles. The Hawkeyes play at one of the slowest tempos in the country (361st), led by a methodical offense that can dictate the flow. That has already shown up in this tournament. Both of Iowa’s first two wins over Clemson and Florida were slower-paced games in which the under cashed. 

Though the Sweet 16 victory over Nebraska saw 148 total points, it was a tale of two halves. The Cornhuskers were on fire from three-point range early, but eventually saw negative regression in the second half. Iowa then controlled the pace later on to grind the game to a halt. 

Illinois will be content to play a slower-paced game. The Fighting Illini play at the 332nd-slowest offensive tempo in the country and don’t look to score in transition often. The majority of their losses this year have come in higher-scoring and back-and-forth shootouts. We just saw Illinois win a 65-55 rock fight against Houston, showing it’s willing to slow things down against quality opponents. 

Iowa had some defensive issues during the regular season, but it’s figured things out in the NCAA Tournament. In the past two games, the Hawkeyes have held the dangerous offenses of Florida and Nebraska to 72 and 71 points, respectively. Illinois boasts a top-five offensive efficiency nationally, but the Hawkeyes will be up for the challenge. In particular, they force turnovers at the 16th-best rate in the country.

When these teams met in the regular season, Illinois took the 75-69 victory. This rematch should be more lower-scoring than that. Late-round tournament games usually lead to tighter defense, longer possessions, and more half-court sets on offense. Plus, the high stakes of an Elite Eight game adds another wrinkle. This setting typically sees more defensive intensity, fewer transition opportunities, and slower offense. 

 

 

 

Purdue vs. Arizona Prediction: Saturday, 3/28

The spread for this Elite Eight matchup has Arizona favored by 5.5 points over Purdue. At first glance, it may seem like the Boilermakers can keep this close and possibly win outright. However, the Wildcats are the play to cover en route to a Final Four berth. 

Arizona’s high-powered offense will be the main difference-maker in this game. The Wildcats just exploded for 109 points in a comfortable win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16. When the offense is clicking like this, Zona is extremely difficult to slow down because of their pace, ball movement, and scoring depth. 

The Wildcats rank fourth nationally in offensive efficiency while playing at a top-50 tempo in the sport. They’re averaging 85.4 points per game over the past 10 contests and the offense is showing no signs of letting up. Arizona boasts multiple scorers to lean on in any given possession. Brayden Burries (16.2 PPG) and Jaden Bradley (13.3) anchor the backcourt, while Koa Peat (13.9) and Motiejus Krivas (10.5) can dominate inside. Plus, secondary scorers like Ivan Kharchenkov and Anthony Dell’Orso excel in their roles. 

All in all, this offense will be too much for Purdue to handle. The Boilermakers’ defense looked very vulnerable against Texas on Thursday, allowing 77 points with the Longhorns shooting 11-for-25 on three-pointers (44%). It was reminiscent of the defensive struggles to end the regular season, when Purdue allowed 79.3 PPG over the final six games. That stretch also included 90+ points allowed to elite offenses of Michigan and Wisconsin. 

Arizona can dictate the flow with its offense. The Wildcats’ transition scoring will be a major factor to turn this into an up-and-down game, which forces Purdue out of its comfort zone. The Boilermakers prefer to play slow, especially on offense through half-court sets. However, Zona brings in a top-5 defense in the country. They defend the three-pointer well and boast an elite interior defense. 

We also have to factor in Purdue surviving a tight, hard-fought game against Texas in the Sweet 16. The two-point win in the final seconds can be draining, and now the Boilermakers have to turn around and take on a dominant Arizona squad. Even if Purdue keeps it close early, the Wildcats have the ability to go on quick scoring runs and pull away. 

Ultimately, Arizona’s offense ceiling is the deciding factor. The Wildcats can easily turn a three-point margin into a double-digit lead in the matter of a few possessions. Plus, they boast a notable edge in scoring and bench depth, which will be key if Purdue’s stars get into any foul trouble. 

 

 

 

Best College Basketball Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/28

 

 

 

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