The wait is officially over for college basketball fans everywhere. That's because the heart of March Madness is here and it has come at the right time. As things stand, it seems like there are three clear-cut contenders to win the national title. That'd be Duke, Michigan and Arizona. However, with all of that said, Michigan is our pick to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament title.
Will Dusty May and his players get the job done? For most of the season, the Wolverines have looked like one of the best teams in the country. Now, that's going to be put to the test. Despite losing to Purdue in the Big Ten title game, Yaxel Lendeborg, Elliot Cadeau and their teammates are going to want to put on a show. May is going to want his guys to make a statement too and they're in a solid position to do so.
| NCAA Tournament odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke to win | +370 | +370 | +370 |
| Arizona to win | +380 | +380 | +380 |
| Michigan to win | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Florida to win | +500 | +500 | +500 |
According to the online sports betting sites, Michigan holds +400 NCAA betting odds to win it all this year. That tells you that the Vegas oddsmakers are pretty dang high on this team being able to make a lot of noise over the next couple of weeks. It's not going to be easy and it will be interesting to see how things go down, but we're going with UM as our selection here.
Michigan fell in the Big Ten championship, but heads into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed.
"We're just excited to get back on the court, playing again, and try to extend our season as long as we possibly can," Dusty May told @EdUofM. pic.twitter.com/abj1LLdSnM
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 17, 2026
Duke is a small favorite to win the national championship this season
While we are quite high on Michigan, keep in mind that Duke is a small favorite to win the national championship this season. This isn't a surprise at all, as Cameron Boozer is an All-American and the Blue Devils are fresh off an ACC title victory. With Boozer playing so well, he's expected to keep things rocking. Injuries are a concern for this team, with Patrick Ngongba and Caleb Foster still sidelined.
“He does a lot for us, offense, defense,” Duke star Maliq Brown said of Ngongba in a recent interview. “We definitely miss them (Ngongba and Foster) a lot on the court. Pat is a very good rim protector. His scoring, passing, awareness of being on the court, he can do just about everything for us. It’s just something we all have to double-up on.”
Duke completes the ACC title sweep 🏆
The Blue Devils held off Virginia 74-70 to claim their second straight ACC Tournament title in a game featuring 16 lead changes. Isaiah Evans led Duke with 20 points, while Cameron Boozer earned Tournament MVP. Duke is the first ACC school… pic.twitter.com/P8KEXVuXC3
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) March 15, 2026
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As for the action on the hardwood, Duke holds +370 March Madness betting odds to win the title, which is pretty dang impressive. Arizona is also in the mix with +380 odds, as Tommy Lloyd has his players operating at a high level. We're going to double down with Michigan as our pick, but we also would not be surprised in the slightest to see Duke reach the title game. They're simply that good.
Wisconsin is an underrated team to keep a close eye on
Every single season, there's always one team that goes on a deep run that surprises a lot of people. In this case, it's clear in our heads that Wisconsin is an underrated team to keep a close eye on. The Badgers hold a No. 5 seed and they are set to take on No. 12 High Point to start the tourney. Not many people think they can push for a Final Four spot, but you've got to remember Wisconsin has one of the best wins of the year.
Earlier this season, the Badgers went to Ann Arbor and took down the Wolverines. Then in the Big Ten Tournament, the Badgers gave absolutely everything they could handle, with Lendeborg drilling a game-winning three-pointer to save the day for Michigan. Still, May knows how dangerous Wisconsin can be, as they are loaded with talent and Greg Gard is a fantastic coach.
Wisconsin is also known for its incredible backcourt, with Nick Boyd and John Blackwell leading the way. Will these two be able to lead the Badgers on a Final Four run? The odds would say no, as Wisconsin is set at +2000. However, UW could end up surprising some people and pulling off several upsets. They're a team who indeed could end up shocking a lot of hoops fans in the near future.
