Top 2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Winners & Predictions

If you’re a college basketball betting enthusiast that is fired up about the quickly approaching start of conference championship play and the ensuing March Madness National Championship Tournament, then you’re in for a treat. Thanks to the in-depth analysis and expert predictions that you’re about to get, you’re going to have a fantastic idea of just which teams will likely win their respective conference crowns in 2019.

Knowing which teams are looking good as far as their conference championships are concerned is a great way to identify strong odds to win the 2019 college basketball championship, so let’s get down to business right now.

Top 2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Winners & Predictions

ACC

Virginia (24-2, 12-2 conf.), Duke (24-3, 12-2 conf.) and North Carolina (22-5, 12-2 conf.) are all tied atop the ACC standings right now, but I’m going with Carolina as my surprise pick to win the ACC after it mostly looked like a two-team race between Duke and Virginia for the vast majority of the season. While Duke’s Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish get a ton of national notoriety because of their blue-chip, five-star status, but I like Carolina’s trio of Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye and the blossoming Nasir Little. The Tar Heels are the nation’s best rebounding team and they average a stupendous 87.1 points per game to rank third in scoring. No one saw it coming, but I’m going with Carolina for the conference crown ‘upset.’

2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Pick: North Carolina

Big 12

Kansas State (21-7, 11-4 conf.) is leading the race for first place in the Big 12, but the Wildcats have some serious problems scoring the ball in averaging just 65.9 points per game (325th). Yes, K-State limits the opposition to just 59.5 points per game (4th), but their lack of scoring is a big problem to me.

Texas Tech (22-5, 10-4 conf.) is quite similar in limiting the opposition to just 57.3 points per game to rank second nationally in points allowed, while averaging a modest 72.2 points per game offensively (192nd). Kansas (21-7, 10-5 conf.) has the best offense of the three teams (75.9 ppg) and the Jayhawks have a solid defense as well (69.9 ppg, 139th).

Still, for me, I’m going with Texas Tech to get it done this year after seeing the way they smacked Kansas senseless 91-62 this past Saturday. I know the Red Raiders did get smacked around by K-State in late January and they also fell to the Jayhawks by 16 on Feb. 2, but right now they’re looking like the most confident and balanced of the three teams.

2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Pick: Texas Tech

Big East

I hail from Philadelphia and I’m a huge Villanova (20-8, 11-4 conf.) fan, but I’m going on record right now to say that Marquette (23-4, 12-2 conf.) has got the conference crown on lockdown this year. The Golden Eagles have a big road date against the Wildcats this week, but they did manage to get past Nova 66-65 on Feb. 9 and I believe their blossoming confidence and Villanova’s sudden lack of experience is going to lead Marquette to the conference crown this year.

2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Pick: Marquette

Big Ten

Michigan State(23-5, 14-3 conf.) has the slight edge over Purdue (20-7, 13-3 conf.) and Michigan (24-4, 13-4 conf.) right now and there’s a major reason why I like the Spartans to win the conference crown this year. Michigan is elite defensively in ranking third nationally in points allowed (58.4 ppg), but the Wolverines average just 70.3 points per game (247th) and often struggle to score the ball. Purdue is more balanced in putting up 76.6 points per game (84th) and allowing 67.6 per contest defensively (78th), not to mention the Boilermakers have a legitimate star in Carsen Edwards (23.4 ppg).

However, Michigan State is basically better at both ends of the floor than either of their top conference title contenders in ranking 35th in scoring (80.1 ppg) and 45th in points allowed (65.8 ppg). I’m a bit concerned about their lack of offensive depth with just three players averaging double figures in scoring, but all three of those same players (Cassius Winston, Nick Ward and Joshua Langford) are all likely next-level performers at some point in the near future. I like the Spartans to win the Big Ten because of their experience and the coaching of Tom Izzo.

2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Pick: Michigan State

Pac-12

Washington (22-5, 13-1 conf.) is up on second place Arizona State (19-8, 10-5 conf.) by three games with four left to play in the regular season. The Huskies have an elite defense that ranks 19th nationally in points allowed (63.6 ppg) and they’ve only suffered one conference loss all season. I don’t think there’s any way the Huskies fail to win the conference crown this year.

2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Pick: Washington

SEC

Tennessee (24-3, 12-2 conf.), Kentucky (23-4, 12-2 conf.) and LSU (22-5, 12-2 conf.) are all tied atop the SEC standings at 12-2 and there’s a case to be made for each winning the conference title this season.

Tennessee can light it up with any team in the nation as the Vols average an impressive 83.6 points per game (13th) while shooting an incendiary 50.4 percent from the field to rank third nationally. Tennessee also plays solid defense in limiting the opposition to just 68.0 points per game (86th).

Kentucky is solid at both ends of the floor in ranking 55th in scoring (78.3 ppg) and an encouraging 33rd in points allowed (64.9 ppg). While I’m not real fond of all the youth on their roster and lack of a go-to scorers, the Wildcats did pound the Volunteers by 17 points on Feb. 16 in a statement-making performance.

Texas A&M is looking quite dangerous right now and they can score the rock with anyone in putting up 82.7 points per contest to rank 19th in scoring. More importantly, the Aggies beat Kentucky on the road by a basket on Feb. 12 and topped Tennessee by a bucket in overtime at home this past weekend.

I know Tennessee has lost to both of their conference championship rivals the last time they faced them, but I still like the Vols to win the SEC title this year by learning from both defeats. The Vols have a legitimate NBA performer in junior forward Grant Williams (19.0 points, 7.6 rebounds) and four other double-digit scorers that share the ball and play defense. Tennessee isn’t very big and that could be a problem at some point this postseason, but again, the Vols are elite at both ends of the floor and that’s why I like them to win the SEC this season.

2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Pick: Tennessee

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Top 2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Winners & Predictions

Top 2019 NCAA Basketball Conference Winners & Predictions