NCAA Elite Eight 2026 Betting Preview: Predictions, Odds, & Best Bets

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Illinois Fighting Illini: Iowa +6 (-105)

If you want to call them that, the Iowa Hawkeyes are the Cinderella team of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. I’m not sure a Big Ten school can truly qualify as a Cinderella, but as a No. 9 seed, the Hawkeyes certainly fit the bill.

Iowa is coming off an impressive 77–71 upset of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, which followed an even bigger shocker: a 73–72 win over No. 1 seed Florida in the Round of 32. Still, I don’t see that Florida win as a massive fluke.

This is a quality team that was probably under-seeded going into the tournament. The Hawkeyes battled hard down the stretch, including a narrow 71–68 loss to the Michigan Wolverines. In other words, Iowa has been just a few plays away from knocking off two No. 1 seeds in less than a month.

They fell in January by a score of 75-69 against Illinois, and the point spread here happens to be six points. Iowa is playing like a much better team than they were in January. Also, keep in mind that guard Bennett Stirtz struggled from the field. He couldn’t buy a bucket, but that was an outlier for Stirtz.

From DII to the Elite 8, Bennett Stirtz has won on every level 🔥

Stirtz played 40 minutes and finished with 20 points and 4 assists in the win. pic.twitter.com/3Sy9EuBqLN

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 27, 2026

If he had been in his current form back then, Iowa probably would have won that game. Stirtz enters this matchup averaging 19.7 points per game on 47.8% shooting from the field. While Illinois’ elite offense can’t be dismissed, Iowa quietly has one of the most underrated attacks in college basketball.

The Hawkeyes rank 23rd in offensive efficiency in the NCAA and can generate points from all five spots on the floor. More importantly, they’re hot right now and the chemistry is clicking.

After dropping 73 points on strong defensive teams like Florida and Nebraska, they should be ready to roll against Illinois, whose defense grades out well below both.

Florida and Nebraska both rank inside the top 25 in defensive efficiency, while the Fighting Illini sit 69th. That’s the edge that allows Iowa to hang around and potentially take this to the wire. Illinois managed to keep an inconsistent Houston offense in check, but Iowa is playing with a ton of confidence at the moment.

So, in review, I like Iowa +6 as one of the best March Madness Elite Eight betting picks.

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Arizona Wildcats: Arizona -6 (-115)

Is anyone going to stop the Arizona Wildcats? This squad is demolishing the competition and leaving no doubts on the basketball court. After a 109-88 win over Arkansas, Arizona looked unstoppable, winning by double digits for the third straight time in the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats have been relentless on offense, dropping 54 points in the first half and 55 in the second against the Razorbacks. Brayden Burries and Koa Peat both topped 20 points, and every starter finished with at least 14.

Arizona hands Coach Cal his worst tournament loss ever 😲 pic.twitter.com/DED0qentfG

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 27, 2026

For the season, Arizona is averaging 86.7 points per game, and that number has climbed to 93 points per game over their three NCAA Tournament matchups. When the Wildcats get rolling, no defense in the country can slow them down. That’s the challenge Purdue faces, and I’m not confident the Boilermakers can handle it on Saturday night.

Purdue doesn’t have the physicality to derail the Arizona buzzsaw. They rank just 171st nationally in defensive efficiency and allow 70.3 points per game, which is only 62nd in the country. Expecting them to win a shootout against this Wildcats team is a stretch. That’s their most realistic path to an upset, but they’re likely to get beaten at their own game by a team that can run and gun even better.

On the other side, Arizona is the more effective defensive unit by a wide margin. Their offense gets the headlines, but their defense is underrated. Tommy Lloyd’s team sits sixth in defensive efficiency and should match up well with Purdue’s potent attack.

If Arizona can take away Trey Kaufman-Renn’s touches in the paint and use their length to clog Braden Smith’s passing lanes, the Boilermakers are in serious trouble. I expect the Wildcats to do exactly that and gradually pull away after halftime.

Look for Arizona to separate in the second half and win comfortably. Back the Wildcats to cover the spread for your best Elite 8 bets.