Men’s College Basketball Best Bets:
We’re down to just 12 teams remaining in the NCAA tournament as of Friday morning, with Illinois, Arizona, Purdue, and Iowa all advancing Thursday night and I’m excited to see what Friday night has in store for us with Duke/St. John’s, Michigan/Alabama, U Conn/Michigan State, and Iowa State/Tennessee on deck. I’ve given my projections for those games already so be sure to go check that out on VSiN.com. I will continue to post the men’s and women’s NCAA tournament projections here on VSiN ahead of time, so be sure to check back daily for projections and bets. As always, be sure to follow me on X @TShoeIndex for all the latest tidbits and analysis, as well as women’s best bets as they come throughout the tournament as well.
Men’s Projections for the Elite Eight
Illinois (-6.5) vs Iowa, O/U 138.5
Both of these teams probably surprised a lot of people by being in this position (and although my bracket has been terrible, I do have Illinois going to the national championship game and losing). Iowa has gotten here by beating Clemson, #1 Florida and Nebraska, while Illinois knocked off Pennsylvania, VCU and #2 Houston. TSI projects Illinois -8.5 with a total of 141.5 in this game. The last three games’ formula (which has been popular throughout the tournament and can be a useful guide to capture recent form) is actually basically the same: Illinois -9 with a total of 142. I think Iowa has had a great run, but I believe it’s going to end Saturday at the hands of the Illini.
Bet: Illinois -6.5
Arizona (-6.5) vs Purdue, O/U 152.5
Definitely the more high-profile of the Saturday games is the Arizona Wildcats vs. Purdue Boilermakers, two of the true championship contenders based on pre-tournament perception. Arizona has knocked off LIU, Utah State and John Calipari’s Arkansas to get here, while Purdue beat Queens, Miami, and Texas to punch their Elite Eight ticket. TSI projects Arizona -5 with a total of 158.5. The last three games’ formula makes Arizona an 8.5-point favorite with 157 points projected in total. I’d lean Over here, but I am a tad hesitant because it’ll be the second of two high-level games in 48 hours for these teams, so I wonder how much fatigue sets in.
Lean: Over 152.5
