Following Saturday’s contests, the 2026 men’s college basketball competition field was reduced to 24 teams; only sixteen will be left once Sunday’s matches conclude.
A pivotal contest is slated between Arizona and Utah State, potentially deciding which squad proceeds into the upcoming week as the championship’s leading contender. Duke had commenced the competition as the top contender but yielded that status to Arizona following a challenging opening to their initial game against the 16-seed Sienna Saints. Today, Michigan holds the prime position, having already guaranteed its place in the Sweet Sixteen following an overwhelming win against 8-seeded Saint Louis. Florida, among the top-ranked teams, has been assigned the highest odds of 8-1 for winning the title and is scheduled to compete against the Hawkeyes.
The day’s contests commence at 12:10 p.m., featuring Purdue and Miami. Presented below are the wagering odds and BPI forecasts for each of the eight matches.
FURTHER DETAILS: Chances for each squad to progress and claim the title | Re-entry tournament bracket
Betting figures provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, reflecting the most recent recorded time, and are liable to fluctuate.
(7) Miami Hurricanes
(2) Purdue Boilermakers favored by 7.5 points
St. Louis, 12:10 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
Miami Hurricanes +270
Purdue Boilermakers -340
Combined Score (Over/Under): 147.5
Miami: 25 victories, 8 defeats; 13 wins, 5 losses in ACC conference play
Purdue: 26 victories, 8 defeats; 13 wins, 7 losses in Big Ten conference play
BPI forecast: Purdue Boilermakers projected to win by 7.9 points, prevailing outright 78% of the time
(7) Kentucky Wildcats
(2) Iowa State Cyclones favored by 4.5 points
St. Louis, 2:45 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
Kentucky Wildcats +190
Iowa State Cyclones -230
Combined Score (Over/Under): 145.5
Kentucky: 21 victories, 13 defeats; 10 wins, 8 losses in SEC conference play
Iowa State: 27 victories, 7 defeats; 12 wins, 6 losses in Big 12 conference play
BPI forecast: Iowa State Cyclones projected to win by 5.5 points, prevailing outright 71% of the time
(5) St. John’s Red Storm favored by 3.5 points
(4) Kansas Jayhawks
San Diego, 5:15 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
St. John’s Red Storm -166
Kansas Jayhawks +140
Combined Score (Over/Under): 144.5
St. John’s: 28 victories, 6 defeats; 18 wins, 2 losses in Big East conference play
Kansas: 23 victories, 10 defeats; 12 wins, 6 losses in Big 12 conference play
BPI forecast: St. John’s Red Storm projected to win by 1.8 points, prevailing outright 57% of the time
(6) Tennessee Volunteers favored by 1.5 points
(3) Virginia Cavaliers
Philadelphia, 6:10 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
Tennessee Volunteers -118
Virginia Cavaliers -102
Combined Score (Over/Under): 137.5
Tennessee: 22 victories, 11 defeats; 11 wins, 7 losses in SEC conference play
Virginia: 29 victories, 5 defeats; 15 wins, 3 losses in ACC conference play
BPI forecast: Tennessee Volunteers projected to win by 2.7 points, prevailing outright 61% of the time
(9) Iowa Hawkeyes
(1) Florida Gators favored by 10.5 points
Tampa, Florida, 7:10 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
Iowa Hawkeyes +440
Florida Gators -600
Combined Score (Over/Under): 145.5
Iowa: 21 victories, 12 defeats; 10 wins, 10 losses in Big Ten conference play
Florida: 26 victories, 7 defeats; 16 wins, 2 losses in SEC conference play
BPI forecast: Florida Gators projected to win by 8.1 points, prevailing outright 79% of the time
(9) Utah State Aggies
(1) Arizona Wildcats favored by 11.5 points
San Diego, 7:50 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
Utah State Aggies +550
Arizona Wildcats -800
Combined Score (Over/Under): 154.5
Utah State: 28 victories, 6 defeats; 15 wins, 5 losses in MW conference play
Arizona: 32 victories, 2 defeats; 16 wins, 2 losses in Big 12 conference play
BPI forecast: Arizona Wildcats projected to win by 9.9 points, prevailing outright 83% of the time
(7) UCLA Bruins
(2) UConn Huskies favored by 4.5 points
Philadelphia, 8:45 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
UCLA Bruins +164
UConn Huskies -198
Combined Score (Over/Under): 137.5
UCLA: 23 victories, 11 defeats; 13 wins, 7 losses in Big Ten conference play
Uconn: 29 victories, 5 defeats; 17 wins, 3 losses in Big East conference play
BPI forecast: UConn Huskies projected to win by 4.3 points, prevailing outright 67% of the time
(5) Texas Tech Red Raiders favored by 1.5 points
(4) Alabama Crimson Tide
Tampa, Florida, 9:45 p.m. ET
Outright Winner Odds:
Texas Tech Red Raiders -118
Alabama Crimson Tide -102
Combined Score (Over/Under): 164.5
Texas Tech: 22 victories, 10 defeats; 12 wins, 6 losses in Big 12 conference play
Alabama: 23 victories, 9 defeats; 13 wins, 5 losses in SEC conference play
BPI forecast: Alabama Crimson Tide projected to win by 1 point, prevailing outright 54% of the time
The College Basketball Power Index (BPI) serves as an indicator of team prowess, intended to be the most accurate forecaster of future performance. BPI signifies a team’s scoring differential relative to the average. Strength of Record (SOR) quantifies a team’s achievement, assessed by the difficulty of its win-loss record. Match forecasts consider opponent capability, game tempo, venue, travel duration, recovery time, and elevation, and are utilized to simulate the season ten thousand times to generate seasonal outlooks. Figures are refreshed daily. ESPN Men’s College Basketball Championship BPI >>