March Madness Betting Predictions: Upsets, Elite 8 and Final Four After the Second Round

The NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament tips off on Tuesday when the First Four play their games to make it to the Round of 64. Before the festivities tip, it makes sense for us to make our NCAAB betting predictions regarding the top upsets, the Elite 8, and the Final Four. Check out analysis and predictions for the 2024 March Madness Tournament.

2024 March Madness Betting Predictions: Final Four, Elite 8 & Upsets | College Basketball Betting Analysis for the NCAA Tournament

2024 March Madness | 85th edition of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament
Tuesday, March 19th – Monday, April 8th, 2024

Predicted Upsets

#8 Utah State upsets 1-Purdue in the second round

It won’t be easy for Utah State Aggies to beat TCU in the first round. The Horned Frogs are a solid team. So the Aggies will eke out a 2 points to 3 points victory. But in the second round, heavy favorite Purdue falls. Yes, Zach Edey is dominant, but Utah State boasts excellent guard play and the Aggies played great in the deep Mountain West Conference. Also, Purdue’s guards are good, but will struggle in the tournament.

#12 James Madison upsets 4-Duke in the second round

Duke doesn’t seem to have the mental fortitude for a deep NCAA Tournament run. James Madison lost a total of 3 games this season. So after the Dukes, that’s James Madison’s mascot, send Wisconsin packing, they’ll unleash their excellent defense and guard rotation against the Blue Devils in the second round.

#7 Florida beats 2-Marquette in the second round

This one makes a ton of sense. Florida made it to the SEC Tournament Final, not a small task considering how deep the SEC was this season. Also, Marquette could be without Tyler Kolek. If Kolek doesn’t play, the Golden Eagles struggle to beat first round Western Kentucky. Taking down Florida this weekend won’t happen.

Elite 8 Prediction

• East: 1-UConn vs 2-Iowa State
• West: 1-North Carolina vs 2-Arizona
• South: 1-Houston vs 7-Florida
• Midwest: 12-McNeese State vs 3-Creighton

Analysis: The East and West should play out as advertised. Arizona is a solid team. So if Zona keeps their mind on business, the Wildcats should make it to the Elite 8 where they will square off against top seed North Carolina.

UConn is the best team in the nation. Iowa State will find it difficult to make it to the Elite Eight, but the Cyclones have excellent guards and Hason Ward is becoming a fantastic sixth man.

Houston will struggle to get by James Madison in the Sweet 16. Still, the Cougars are too good of a team to fall to the Dukes. But it will be close. So don’t dump on the Cougs. McNeese State is on fire. Utah State will knock off Purdue and then bounce against McNeese. Creighton has the talent to win it all.

Final Four Prediction

• East: 1-UConn
• West: 2-Arizona
• South: 7-Florida
• Midwest: 3-Creighton
• National Championship: 1-UConn vs 3-Creighton

Connecticut will be too much for the Arizona Wildcats. Dan Hurley always has his team mentally prepare while the young Cats allow their minds to float off into who knows where during games. So the Huskies beat the Wildcats in the Final Four Semifinals.

Florida will have a dream run to the Final Four. Then, it will come crashing down versus the Blue Jays. Creighton is ready for a deep tournament run.

In the National Championship, the best team in the nation gets it done. Sure, picking chalk to win the title is never ideal or fun, but facts are facts. UConn is the most experienced, polished, and best team in the nation. The Huskies win their second straight championship.

National Champion: 1-UConn | NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds Las Vegas Odds NCAA Basketball Tournament

We are ever so close to Selection Sunday, and the fact that we will have a bracket for the big dance.

2024 March Madness Betting Predictions: Final Four, Elite 8 & Upsets before Selection Sunday | College Basketball Betting Analysis for the NCAA Tournament

2024 March Madness | 85th edition of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament
Tuesday, March 19th – Monday, April 8th, 2024

Before we get a bracket though, we wanted to go over some upsets we think could happen, and then give our Elite 8 and Final 4 predictions. Here they are:

Kansas Jayhawks

Upset Loser #1: Bill Self and his Kansas Jayhawks are in a big time mess right now. The Jayhawks have very little depth, and now have their best two players in question with injuries. There are some seasons where it is just not your year, and this appears to be one of those for the Jayhawks. Obviously it will depend on the matchup, but the Jayhawks are prime for a 12, 13 or 14 seed to knock them off in the first round.

Marquette Golden Eagles

Upset Loser #2: The injury to Tyler Kolek is a big one. This is a team that needs his leadership. Marquette is a really good basketball team, but when you lose a guy that can score 20+ points per game, and also dish out 10 assists or so, you are in big trouble. When push comes to shove in a big game, you need your leadership. Kolek sitting out of the first round of the NCAA tournament would be a disaster. Marquette is likely to fall into a #3 seed. There is a #14 seed out there ready to take them out.

Wisconsin Badgers

Upset Loser #3: One of the most overrated and overhyped teams in College Basketball all season. Out of the Big Ten – this is a league that has Purdue and Illinois, and the rest of the league was not very good. The Badgers struggle to shoot the ball right now, and do not play good enough defense to lock opponents down in late game situations. Wisconsin may even be an underdog when they start their first round matchup. But, a month ago, Wisconsin was looking at a potential top 5 seed in the big dance.

Drake Bulldogs

Upset Winner #1: The Missouri Valley Conference winners are in the tournament for the 7th time in school history. Tucker DeVries is one of the better, underknown scorers in all of the tournament. The Bulldogs were able to knock off Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Conference title game. This is going to be a team to watch, especially with their ability to knock down shots. The Missouri Valley Conference has a good track record in the tournament before, and we expect them to fare well here as well.

James Madison Dukes

Upset Winner #2: Out of the Sun Belt Conference; Terrence Edwards Jr. is going to be a problem for one of the better seeds in this tournament. James Madison will not be at the bottom of the seedings, as they come into the tournament with a 31-3 record. The Dukes smacked Arkansas State in the finals of the conference tournament. This is the sixth time they have played in the big dance, but the first time since 2013. This is the type of team that the whole building will get behind when they are ahead or in a competitive game late. James Madison has two win potential in this tournament, and we cannot wait to see their matchup.

McNeese Cowboys

Upset Winner #3: You all remember Will Wade? Will Wade was at LSU and got fired, and is now the head coach of McNeese. They are in the big dance for the first time since 2002. They have just three losses on the season. They made quick and easy work of Nicholls in the Southland Conference title game. Much like James Madison, they are familiar and addicted to winning, and will make sure they are competitive in their first round game. Do not be one bit surprised if they are playing over the weekend in their bracket.

NCAA Elite 8

Purdue Boilermakers, Houston Cougars, North Carolina Tar Heels, Kentucky Wildcats, Duke Blue Devils, Creighton Blue Jays, Illinois Fighting Illini, Iowa State Cyclones

This NCAA Tournament Elite 8 does not have many surprises in it. Each of these 8 teams are likely to fit into the Top 16 when the seeds come out Sunday evening. In fact, most of these teams are going to be 1, 2 or 3 seeds. This is the season where the best teams rise to the top, and you have an Elite 8 full of really good basketball teams. These are our final 8 before the bracket come out. Certainly things will change, and a new team or two will need to be in, and some will need to be out. But this is what we have!

NCAA Final 4: Purdue Boilermakers, Houston Cougars, North Carolina Tar Heels, Kentucky Wildcats

Obviously, without a bracket, it’s quite difficult to really predict who is going to make the Final Four. But, if these four teams are in separate brackets, this is a real possibility. Purdue and Houston will not be together. They are both going to be #1 seed. The North Carolina Tar Heels are experienced, and loaded with talent. They are likely to be #2 seed in one of the regions. If they can avoid the Midwest or South, they have a great chance to get into the Final Four. The final team is John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats are deadly on offense, and their defense is starting to figure things out. Whether they are a 2 or 3, or even 4 seed, we like the Wildcats as the fourth team in.

There you have it. We hope you enjoyed our look at the March Madness betting predictions, with our Final Four, Elite 8 and upsets before Selection Sunday that we think could happen. Let’s get to the big dance, and start talking about the matchups, and what four teams will get to the Final Four once the bracket is out. Enjoy and best of luck!

Previous Betting News

The 2024 March Madness Tournament kicks off with the First Four stepping onto courts on Tuesday, March 19. The NCAA Men’s College Hoops Tournament concludes on Monday, April 8 when the Final Four semifinal winners throw down in the championship game.

With about a month before the tournament, it’s time for us to consider the biggest upsets, a potential Elite Eight, and predict the Final Four and the National Championship winner.

Thanks to the handful of first-round upset predictions, Elite 8 picks and a brief look at my NCAAB betting favorites for the Final Four, you’ll be well-armed with expert information that could help you strike pay dirt from beginning to end this March Madness.

2024 March Madness Betting Predictions: Final Four, Elite 8 & Upsets | College Basketball Betting Analysis for the NCAA Tournament

2024 March Madness | 85th edition of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament
Tuesday, March 19th – Monday, April 8th, 2024

March Madness Betting Predictions

Biggest Upsets: Kansas, Purdue, and North Carolina fall before the Elite Eight

Kansas opened the season as the top team in the nation. Unfortunately, Rock Chalk has lost 5 games. The problem Kansas has is that they rely way too much on point guard Dujuan Harris.

Harris is elite, but if he’s banged up, or tired, Kansas won’t make it to the Elite Eight. Purdue is another team that relies too much on a single player. Guard play is the key in the tournament and Purdue’s success relies on big Zach Eddy. Right now, that’s not an issue because Brady Smith is playing great. But what happens in the tournament when the Boilermakers face deep guard laden squads?

North Carolina’s problem is that it’s too inconsistent. The Heels bounced big time after beating the rival Duke Blue Devils. You can’t lose a single game in the NCAA Tournament. So any bounce will end your run.

Biggest Upsets
Kansas, Purdue, and North Carolina fall before the Elite Eight | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Elite Eight Predictions

Midwest: 5-San Diego State vs 3-Iowa State

Lat year’s NCAA Tournament runner up is ready for another deep run. The prediction is that San Diego State knocks off Purdue while Iowa State cruises to the Elite Eight.

SDSU’s Jaedon LeDee is good enough to give Edy fits if the Boilermakers and Aztecs meet in the tournament. SDSU is long, which means they will be difficult for any team to beat.

Iowa State is on fire. The Cyclones have beaten TCU twice, Kansas State, Texas, and Kansas in their last 7 games. The only loss came in a 2-point defeat to Baylor in Waco. Iowa State continues their excellent play in the tournament.  

San Diego State vs Iowa State
Elite Eight Pick: Iowa State Cyclones | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

West: 1-Arizona vs 6-Clemson

The projection is that Clemson ends up in the West. Although the Tigers had a bad stretch earlier in the season, they’ve bounced back in the last couple of weeks with 3 wins in their last four, including a beating North Carolina.

Arizona also had a bad stretch. But Zona has begun to assert their dominance, winning 7-of-8. The Wildcats boast the perfect mix of inside and outside shooting, rebounding, and assists. Caleb Love could be the difference maker in the tournament.

Arizona vs Clemson
Elite Eight Pick: Arizona Wildcats | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

East: 1-UConn vs 3-Baylor

UConn has become the most consistent and best program in college basketball. The defending champs boast more than enough for the repeat victory. Give the Huskies a big shot to secure the 1-seed.

Baylor’s program is in the top five. The Bears don’t have the same amount of talent as they have in the past. But Baylor does have a solid group of players and every player knows their role. Also, no team in the Big 12 plays defense with as much ferocity as the Bears.

UConn vs Baylor
Elite Eight Pick: Baylor Bears | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

South: 1-Houston vs 3-Duke

Analysis: Is this the season Kelvin Sampson’s squad makes the Final Four? Maybe. The Cougs should at least make it to the Elite Eight. Houston’s brand of defense is on par with the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons in the 1980s. It’s lockdown city when you play the Cougars.

Duke’s Kyle Filipowski is a talented player. He can take over a game. If Tyrese Proctor continues to develop at the point, and he’s starting to assert his influence, watch out. The Dookies might be back.

Houston vs Duke
Elite Eight Pick: Duke Blue Devils | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Final Four Predictions

Midwest: 5-San Diego State
West: 1-Arizona
East: 1-UConn
South: 3-Duke

The Aztecs have been here and done that. San Diego State should be this season’s superstar 5-seed. SDSU will make life difficult for Arizona, but the Wildcats prevail because they’ve got Oumar Ballo in the middle and Love and Kylian Boswell in the backcourt. Also, the Cats are deep.

Filipowski is good enough to pull a Danny Ferry and lead Duke to the Final Four. He will take over games in the NCAA Tournament up until the Dookies face the Huskies in the Final Four. At that point, Connecticut beats Duke.  

Both Arizona and UConn are 1-seeds and if they play to their top level won’t lose until the title game. Which team cuts down the nets on April 8? Arizona pulls off a slight upset because of their excellent mix of three-point shooters and in the paint rebounders.

Final Four Predictions
NCAAB Pick: Arizona Wildcats | Odds for College Basketball MyBookie Betting Lines for the Tournament

Previous Betting News

If you’re a March Madness betting buff that is making preparations for the quickly approaching 2018 edition, then you’ve come to the right place. If you’re looking for some helpful collegiate hoops insight that will help you in your efforts to cash in early and often come tourney time, then consider your ticket punched!

Thanks to the handful of first-round upset predictions, Elite 8 picks and a brief look at my NCAAB Betting favorites for the Final Four, you’ll be well-armed with expert information that could help you strike pay dirt from beginning to end this March Madness.

2018 March Madness Betting Predictions: Final Four, Elite 8 & Upsets

First Round Upsets

Florida Gulf Coast (21-10) over Xavier (25-4)

If the name of Florida Gulf Coast sounds familiar, it should, seeing as how the Atlantic Sun-based Eagles already made one Cinderella run back in 2013 as a No. 15 seed. This season, Florida Gulf Coast could very well take down an Xavier team that may have reached No. 4 in the nation, but one that is super dependent upon star guard Trevon Bluiett has a great game. The Eagles can score the ball with the best teams in the nation (80.3 ppg, 45th) and they have a big-time leader in senior point guard Brandon Goodwin (17.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.8 apg). It could happen!

Kansas State (20-8) Over Kentucky (19-9)

I don’t know why I even have this matchup as a possible upset, seeing as how K-State has a better record than Kentucky, but it would go down as just that! K-State is very good and well-rounded with four double-digit scorers while Kentucky has a bunch of high school All-Americans that still haven’t figured out how to either play together or sacrifice.

Western Kentucky (21-7) over TCU (19-9)

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers beat previously No. 3 Purdue 77-73 and almost beat previous, No. 1 Villanova before falling 66-58 and that alone should tell you they can beat any team in the nation! Western Kentucky has a nice mix of youth and veteran leadership – and is extremely well-balanced with five players that average double figures in scoring. TCU can score the ball like crazy as they rank 12th nationally (84.6 ppg) but they also leave a lot to be desired defensively as they give up 76.9 points per game defensively. At the time of this writing, the Horned Frogs had lost five of 10 so I could see an upset happening!  

Elite 8

Virginia (25-2) vs. Cincinnati (24-4)

Cincinnati’s got defense, but they’re a little inconsistent offensively and they’ll find scoring really tough against Virginia, which is why they’ll go no further than the Elite Eight if that!

Villanova (25-3) vs. Duke (23-5)

This should be the best Elite 8 game on the board as the nation’s top two offenses go at it. In the end, the more mature – and much deeper – Villanova Wildcats should advance!

Michigan State (27-3) vs. Kansas (22-6)

This matchup should be a thriller, but Michigan State’s focus and almost unrivaled athleticism should get them by!

Purdue (25-5) vs. Wichita State (22-5)

No one is paying attention to Wichita State, but everyone should be. The Shockers will reach the Elite Eight, before Purdue’s superior athleticism brings an end to their postseason party!

Final Four

I’m going with a Final Four featuring Virginia, Villanova, Michigan State and Purdue.

In the case of the currently, top-ranked Cavaliers, they play some defense and hold opponents to numbers that no one’s seen since before the advent of the shot clock! No. 2 Michigan State just has a boatload of tall athletic players that make life tough on their opponents and three guys that have sure-fire NBA performer written all over them.

In the case of currently, third-ranked Villanova, the Wildcats are mature and super versatile with a whopping six players that all average double digits in scoring for the nation’s best offense. Last but not least, I like Purdue to round out my Final Four. They’re athletic, can score the ball (81.2 ppg) and play defense kinda’ like Virginia (64.3 ppg).