College Basketball Conference Tournament Predictions & Odds

• Some March Madness bids have been clinched, but college basketball conference tournaments continue through this week
• Odds are out now available for the Power 5 Conference Tournament winners
• See below for my latest college basketball conference tournament picks, predictions, and odds

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One of the best weeks for sports bettors is upon us. Yes, March Madness is amazing, but don’t sleep on the conference tournaments. Teams are battling for their NCAA Tournament lives. Bubble teams are able to add to their resume, and teams can steal bids from those bubble teams by winning their tournament.

A few conference tournament winners have already clinched their spot in the dance, but the Power 5 conference tournaments start this week.

Keep reading for my Big 12, ACC, SEC, Big Ten, and Big East Conference Tournament predictions.

Big 12 Conference Tournament Odds

The Big 12 Tournament tips off on March 11 and wraps up on March 15. The top four seeds all have double-byes and will play their first games on Thursday, March 13. Houston is the -105 favorite to win the Big 12 Tournament after winning the regular season title for the second straight year.

Big 12 Conference Tournament Predictions

I am predicting that Texas Tech will upset the 1-seed and tournament favorite, Houston in the 2025 Big 12 Conference Tournament. The Red Raiders already defeated the Cougars once this season on the road and have the easier path to the championship game on Saturday. In the semifinals, they will likely play 3-seed Arizona who has lost six of their last eight games.

Houston is the best team in the conference, but I would rather bet on the Red Raiders at +425 odds. Worse comes to worse, if Texas Tech makes it to the championship game, you will have an opportunity to hedge your bet. Texas Tech is ranked seventh overall in KenPom and seventh in offensive efficiency. They are a good defensive team as well and have won six of their last eight games.

Take the value Texas Tech offers to win the Big 12 Tournament.

• Big 12 Conference Tournament Pick: Texas Tech (+425)

ACC Conference Tournament Odds

Duke is the heavy favorite to win the ACC Tournament, which is a surprise to no one. With Cooper Flagg and Co., the Blue Devils are a true National Championship contender. The conference as a whole was weak this year, but Louisville and Clemson showed flashes this season and are second and third in the odds. After them, there is a significant drop-off.

ACC Conference Tournament Predictions

In a conference as weak as the ACC, it is difficult to predict anyone besides Duke, but I will not be laying -320 on the Blue Devils. Instead, I am going to take a shot and pick the Clemson Tigers to win the ACC Tournament that starts on March 11.

Clemson went 18-2 in conference play this season and even beat Duke 77-71 back in early February. The Tigers went on a little run in March Madness last year and are poised to do it again this year. They have a strong interior defense, slid half-court offense, and limit the opposition from getting rebounds. At +650, Clemson offers the most value to win the tournament.

• ACC Conference Tournament Pick: Clemson (+650)

SEC Conference Tournament Odds

The SEC Tournament tips off on March 12 and will be must-watch TV. Auburn is the +150 favorite to win the tournament for the second-consecutive season.

Four of the top six teams in KenPom are from the SEC and there are 12 projected March Madness teams in the conference, so a lot of teams have the talent to win this tournament. It is going to come down to the bracket and who gets hot at the right time.

SEC Conference Tournament Predictions

In the 2025 SEC Tournament, I am predicting a rematch of last year’s championship game, but with a different result. I believe Florida matches up well against the other top teams in the conference. There is a clear top 4 teams in this tournament: Auburn, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee. The Gators beat all of those teams in the regular season and went 3-1 overall against those three.

They have an offense that can catch fire at any time, which is needed in a tournament with this much firepower, and they are ranked tenth in defensive efficiency. Florida is also a great rebounding team as they are second in the conference in both total rebounds and offensive rebounds.

I like their spot in the tournament bracket and believe the Gators will get revenge on Auburn from last year’s SEC Tournament Championship.

• SEC Conference Tournament Pick: Florida (+270)

Big Ten Conference Tournament Odds

The Big Ten Tournament is wide-open with six teams having odds of +750 or shorter. The regular season champion, Michigan State is the +250 favorite, and they are followed closely by Maryland at +350.

The tournament tips off on March 12 from Indianapolis.

Big Ten Conference Tournament Predictions

I am predicting that the favorite, Michigan State, will win the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans have been very impressive this year and ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak. To make that winning streak even better, six of those seven were against ranked opponents.

Michigan State plays great team defense and marches up well with every team in the tournament. They are the 1-seed for a reason, and I love that they have the best two West Coast teams on their side of the bracket. They will play the winner of Indiana vs Oregon in their first game and then potentially UCLA in the semifinals. Travel has been a big part of the Big Ten season, and I do not expect the West Coast teams to have a lot of success in Indianapolis.

That track likely puts the Spartans in the championship game where they would need to beat Maryland or Michigan again. It’s March. Bet on Tom Izzo.

• Big Ten Conference Tournament Pick: Michigan State (+250)

Big East Conference Tournament Odds

St. Johns is the favorite to win the 2025 Big East Conference Tournament that starts on March 12. They are followed by Creighton, UConn, and Marquette.

Big East Conference Tournament Predictions

For the Big East Tournament, I am betting on Rick Pitino and the Johnnies to win. St. Johns ended the season with six consecutive wins, including victories over Creighton and Marquette. They went 18-2 in Big East play this season.

There is a lot of talent in this league, but St. Johns has done well against their competition. They are third in the country in defensive efficiency and make it extremely difficult for teams to score on them. The Red Storm have a tough time themselves scoring at times, but RJ Luis Jr. does have the ability to take over games.

Another big advantage this team has is that they are playing on their home floor. The tournament is at Madison Square Garden in New York where St. Johns plays in the regular season. This team and this year just feels special with Rick Pitino on the sideline, so I am betting on the Johnnies to win the Big East Tournament.

• Big East Conference Tournament Pick: St. Johns (+155)

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All odds and predictions are updated as of March 10. See below for my earlier conference tournament picks.

Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Odds

Odds as of March 5.

Arch Madness tips off on March 6 at noon CT from St. Louis. Drake is the -110 favorite to win the tournament after finishing their regular season with a 27-3 record overall. The Bulldogs went 17-3 in conference play, and their only losses came to Bradley, Murray State, and UIC.

The Missouri Valley has some depth, but this year, one of the top three favorites will win. Drake is the team to beat, but there is another team that offers some value.

Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Picks

Surprisingly, I am not taking one of the teams that has beaten Drake already this season. Instead, I am looking to a squad that took them to overtime the last time they played the Bulldogs, and that is Northern Iowa. UNI has made some noise in this tournament before and has had some great upsets in March Madness.

Drake is clearly the best team in the conference, but there are two areas where they struggle: interior defense and turnovers. I believe the Panthers present a potential advantage with center Jacob Hutson. He scored 14 points in the overtime loss to Drake earlier this season and could give his team the edge if the two were to meet again. As the 3-seed, Northern Iowa would avoid Drake until the Missouri Valley Tournament final, and I like their chances against Bradley in the semifinals. Northern Iowa did just lose to Bradley in their last regular season game, but they won by 14 in their first meeting this year.

At +475, the Panthers provide bettors with a chance for guaranteed profit via hedge if they make it to the championship game, but do not get me wrong, I think Northern Iowa can win the whole thing and make it to the NCAA Tournament.

• Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Pick: Northern Iowa (+475)

Sun Belt Conference Tournament Odds

All remaining odds as of March 4 at DraftKings Sportsbook

As you can see, the odds to win the Sun Belt Conference Tournament drop dramatically after the first four favorites. That is mostly due to the way the bracket is set up.

This conference tournament is a gauntlet. the 11-seed plays the 14-seed and the 12-seed and 13-seed play each other in the first round. Then the winner of each game moves to play the 8 and 9 seeds respectively. IT moves like that so on and so forth. Because of this layout, the 3 and 4 seeds are locked into the quarterfinals, and the 1 and 2 seeds are guaranteed to play in the semifinals.

That is a huge advantage for South Alabama and James Madison. They just need to win two games to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Despite that, the 3-seed Arkansas State is actually the odds-on favorite to win the tournament. The Red Wolves are ranked 87th in KenPom, the highest rating of any team in the conference.

Sun Belt Conference Tournament Predictions

When making my prediction for who will win this tournament, I am looking at the 2-seed James Madison. They offer value with the fourth-best odds to win at +380. They just need to win two games, and they are on the other side of the bracket than the surging 5-seed Marshall and the odds-on favorite Arkansas State. The Dukes won the tournament last season and went 2-1 in the regular season against Troy, Arkansas State, and South Alabama. James Madison will likely play Troy in their semifinal matchup, who they beat 64-61 back in early February.

Their head coach has tournament experience, and James Madison won five of their last six games to end the regular season. In the month of March, it is important to look at guard play, and the Dukes have a great duo in Mark Freeman and Bryce Lindsay. They are great from behind the arc and don’t turn the ball over. Bet the Dukes to win their second straight Sun Belt Conference Tournament due to their coaching, talent, and being on the favorable side of the bracket.

• Sun Belt Conference Tournament Pick: James Madison (+380)

Horizon League Conference Tournament Odds

The Horizon League tournament tips off on March 4 and is wide open. Any of the top seeds have a good chance of winning and clinching a spot in March Madness. Last year’s winner Oakland made some noise in the tournament on the back of Jack Gohlke, but the Golden Grizzlies are +1400 to win the Horizon League this year.

Horizon League Conference Tournament Prediction

Oakland beat Milwaukee in the Horizon League final last season, so the Panthers are out for revenge this season. They are the highest KenPom-rated team in the conference and can attack you in a number of ways with five players averaging at least 11 points per game this season. The Panthers also have an advantage on the glass with Jamichael Stillwell who averages just under 11 rebounds per game. Milwaukee went 14-6 in conference play and won five of their last six games.

I can see any of the top five teams winning this tournament, but I am rolling with the only team that is in the top four in the conference in both scoring offense and defense.

• Horizon League Conference Tournament Pick: Milwaukee (+280)

Big South Conference Tournament Odds

In the Big South Conference Tournament that tips off on March 5, all eyes are on the favorite, High Point. The Panthers are 26-5 overall, lost just two conference games all year, and have won eleven games in a row.

As the college basketball odds suggest, there is a huge drop-off after High Point. If you are looking for a value pick, I would look at UNC Asheville at +750. The Bulldogs split the season series with the Panthers. UNC Asheville won the first meeting 103-99 but lost later in the season 104-100. Both were high-scoring, close games and if there is any team that can match up well with High Point, it is them.

Big South Conference Tournament Prediction

Still, I am betting on High Point to come out on top and reach the NCAA Tournament. According to KenPom, the Panthers are a top 90 team in the country and are 26th in offensive efficiency. This team can score at ease on any team they face and need to win this tournament to make the dance. Bet on High Point to keep rolling.

• Big South Conference Tournament Pick: High Point (-250)

Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Odds

The OVC tournament starts on March 5, and just eight of the eleven teams in the conference make the tournament. Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) is the favorite after winning the regular season title. The Redhawks lost their regular season finale after clinching the 1-seed in this tournament, but before that, they rattled off ten straight wins.

OVC Tournament Prediction

This tournament is a two-horse race between the favorites: SEMO and SIU Edwardsville. The Redhawks swept the season series between the two schools, winning both matchups by at least 15 points. These two top seeds have a double bye and are guaranteed to play in the semifinals, so each team needs just two wins to clinch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

SEMO is first in the conference in offensive efficiency and second in defensive efficiency. Brad Korn took over as the head coach in 2020 and won the OVC Tournament in 2023 with the Redhawks, but this appears to be the best team he has had to date. Their offense is led by Rob Martin and Teddy Washington, who combine for almost 30 points per game. Take the most complete team to win the OVC.

• Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Pick: Southeast Missouri State (+150)

West Coast Conference Tournament Odds

As it is every year, the WCC tournament that tips off March 6 is basically a tournament between two teams. Gonzaga and Saint Marys have played each other in the tournament final in seven of the last nine years, and the Bulldogs have reached the final in the last 27 WCC tournaments. With the tournament format, both Gonzaga and Saint Marys are guaranteed a spot in the semifinals.

WCC Tournament Prediction

Santa Clara and San Francisco have gotten better and can cause problems for the top two teams in the regular season, but they cannot seem to get past the Bulldogs or Gaels in the tournament. If you are looking for a value, you could do worse than Santa Clara, but the winner will likely be Saint Marys or Gonzaga.

This might not be the Gonzaga team of years past, but I still like the Bulldogs to win this tournament. With head coach Mark Few and guard Ryan Nembhard, the Bulldogs will be a tough out. Not only are they trying to reach their 28th straight WCC final, but they are also trying to keep their Sweet 16 streak alive. Gonzaga has reached nine straight Sweet 16s.

Gonzaga also has Graham Ike who has tournament experience, is dominant down low, and can knock down jumpers. They lost twice to Saint Marys in the regular season, but I like for them to get their revenge when it matters the most. Santa Clara is the biggest threat to either of these teams, and Gonzaga is on the other side of the bracket. Bet on Gonzaga to win the WCC tournament, no matter how boring it is.

• West Coast Conference Tournament Pick: Gonzaga (-125)