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College Basketball Playoffs: Who’s Favored and Why
USATuesday, March 17, 2026
The 68 teams are set, and the playoffs are about to kick off. Below is a concise yet engaging rundown of every first‑round matchup, highlighting the clear favorites and potential upsets.
First Four (Tuesday & Wednesday)
| Matchup | Favorite |
|---|---|
| UMBC vs. Howard | UMBC – slight edge |
| NC State vs. Texas | NC State – recent win over Texas |
| SMU vs. Miami (OH) | SMU – strong favorite |
| Lehigh vs. Prairie View A&M | Lehigh – league champion |
Note: Texas previously defeated NC State at a neutral site, adding intrigue.
Main First‑Round (Tuesday)
| # | Matchup | Favorite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State vs. TCU | Ohio State |
| 2 | Nebraska vs. Troy | Nebraska – almost certain win |
| 3 | Louisville vs. South Florida | Louisville |
| 4 | Wisconsin vs. High Point | Wisconsin |
| 5 | Duke vs. Siena | Duke – massive favorite |
| 6 | Vanderbilt vs. McNeese | Vanderbilt |
| 7 | Michigan State vs. North Dakota State | Michigan State |
| 8 | Arkansas vs. Hawai‘i | Arkansas |
| 9 | North Carolina vs. VCU | North Carolina |
Main First‑Round (Wednesday)
| # | Matchup | Favorite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Louis vs. Georgia | Saint Louis |
| 2 | Gonzaga vs. Kennesaw State | Gonzaga |
| 3 | Houston vs. Idaho | Houston |
| 4 | Illinois vs. Opponent | Illinois – heavy favorite |
| 5 | Kansas vs. Opponent | Kansas – heavy favorite |
| 6 | UConn vs. Opponent | UConn – heavy favorite |
Late‑Day Action
| # | Matchup | Favorite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky vs. Santa Clara | Kentucky |
| 2 | Texas Tech vs. Akron | Texas Tech |
| 3 | Arizona vs. Long Island | Arizona – huge favorite |
| 4 | Virginia vs. Wright State | Virginia |
| 5 | Tennessee State vs. Iowa State | Iowa State – likely win |
| 6 | Alabama vs. Hofstra | Alabama |
| 7 | Villanova vs. Utah State | Villanova |
Evening Games
| # | Matchup | Favorite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMU vs. Miami (OH) | SMU |
| 2 | Tennessee vs. Underdog | Tennessee |
| 3 | Clemson vs. Iowa | Clemson |
| 4 | St. John’s vs. Northern Iowa | St. John’s |
| 5 | UCLA vs. UCF | UCLA |
| 6 | Purdue vs. Queens | Purdue |
| 7 | Florida vs. Lehigh | Florida |
| 8 | Kansas vs. California Baptist | Kansas |
| 9 | UConn vs. Furman | UConn |
| 10 | Miami vs. Missouri | Miami |
All odds sourced from a popular sports‑betting platform and are subject to change.
Takeaway
Every higher‑seeded team is projected to dominate, but the playoffs always keep fans on edge—upsets could still swing the narrative. Stay tuned to see if the favorites hold up or if the underdogs rise.
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