NCAA Tournament 2026 Probabilities: Selecting All Elite Eight Games, Including a Trio of Top Seeds The NCAA Tournament may not be as unpredictable as last year, when the top four seeds reached the Final Four, but it remains a fiercely competitive event. While there have been some surprises this season, the path to the Elite Eight still holds the potential for three top seeds to advance to the Final Four. These three teams are currently considered favorites for this weekend’s matchups. Whether the tournament will continue to deliver chaos or follow a more predictable pattern remains to be seen. Here are the selections for the Elite Eight games, as outlined by BetMGM’s betting odds: Illinois (-6.5) over Iowa Illinois’ victory over Houston, the second-seeded team from their region, sets up a showdown against the ninth-seeded team, marking the first time the Fighting Illini have reached the Final Four since 2005. Illinois is a formidable squad, capable of finishing as high as first place, despite finishing second in their conference. The team has endured four overtime losses in their first nine NCAA Tournament games, yet they boast an efficient offense and a potential NBA lottery pick in freshman guard Keaton Wagler. While Iowa, the ninth seed, is a tough opponent, Illinois’ size and shooting accuracy—hitting 62.1% of their three-point attempts—gave them an edge in their previous matchup. Iowa’s recent strong performance, including a comeback win over Nebraska, does not diminish Illinois’ status as the superior team in this matchup. Arizona (-6.5) over Purdue Arizona has dominated the NCAA Tournament this season, defeating opponents by margins of 34, 12, and 21 points. Their Sweet 16 victory over Arkansas was particularly impressive, as they shot 37 of 58 field goals (64%) against the Razorbacks.#arizona #illinois #iowa #purdue #ncaa_tournament_2026
