Selection Sunday is only a few days away, but in the meantime we have a feast of conference tournament games to watch — and potentially wager on. We've already seen upsets that will impact the bracket and plenty of buzzer-beaters — all signs that March is here.

Our college basketball handicappers — Matt Russell and Corbie Craig — will be here throughout March, providing their analysis on all things college basketball betting for Yahoo Sports. To begin, they look at their favorite bets for Tuesday's conference tourney games, along with a couple of futures wagers.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM.

Today's best college basketball bets

Big Ten: (17) Maryland vs. (16) Oregon (-3.5, 138.5)

Russell: That there’s such a thing as a 17-16 seed game is dark, but it’s particularly unbecoming for Maryland and Oregon. That said, Buzz Williams is building for next season, while Dana Altman is lamenting a lost season.

During the usual time that the Ducks start to get dangerous in January, star big man Nate Bittle missed a month and the season got away from Oregon. Bittle’s been back for seven games, and while the Ducks aren't a threat to win six games in a row, they’re better currently constructed than their rating in the market and the number next to their name in the bracket. 

Altman will give it his all, and the Ducks will be around for a few days, starting by covering this short number.

Bet: Oregon -3.5

Big Ten: (18) Penn State vs. (15) Northwestern (-6.5, 146.5)

Craig: There was a stretch earlier in 2026 where it looked like Penn State might actually be turning a corner. 

During Kayden Mingo’s three-game absence, the offense unexpectedly found a spark in Freddie Dilione: one of the few guards on the roster willing to consistently hunt his own shot. For a moment, the idea of Penn State operating with two primary creators hinted at some upside — but that optimism faded quickly. 

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The backcourt duo has struggled mightily from deep, combining to shoot around 26% from 3 while often dominating possessions before kicking the ball out late in the shot clock. The stagnant approach shows up in the numbers, with Penn State sitting just 94th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom. That plays into the hands of Northwestern, which has already shown the defensive blueprint in a 94-73 win over Penn State back in January. 

Northwestern’s stretch bigs create awkward matchups while still having the length to contain slashing guards, making life difficult for a half-court offense that already struggles to create clean looks. With the structure of the conference tournament also incentivizing Northwestern to slow things down once ahead, this game profiles as more controlled than the market suggests.

Bet: Penn State-Northwestern under 146.5

ACC: (13) Wake Forest vs. (12) Virginia Tech (-2.5, 151.5)

Russell: No one can do it alone, and with the injury to Nate Calmese, Juke Harris has been left to single-handedly win games for Wake Forest.

In two meetings this season, Virginia Tech — a team that defends the 3 well — has mostly silenced Juke, holding Harris to 11-for-29 shooting.

The Demon Deacons got the first game, because Calmese was able to pick up the slack. In the rematch, without his running mate, Harris and Wake Forest got blown out. While my projections have this slightly closer to a pick’em, once you factor how much easier it is to defend Wake, the favorite is the play here.

Bet: Virginia Tech -2.5

Big 12: (15) Kansas State vs. (10) BYU (-10.5, 166)

Russell: I don’t like it anymore than you do, as I was hoping to not be compelled to bet on Kansas State for the remainder of the season, but BYU’s defense is so bad that they can’t be trusted to cover a big number. Calling the Cougars 68th nationally in KenPom’s season-long metrics is flattering.

The market’s back to liking BYU a little big after Saturday’s win over Texas Tech, but that was at home. While we don’t expect many K-State diehards in Kansas City, and this game might be played 2-on-1 with AJ Dybantsa and Robert Wright trying to outscore PJ Haggerty, getting 10.5 points is too many to pass up while hoping the Wildcats aren’t completely checked out.

Bet: Kansas State +10.5

Conference tourney futures we like

Craig: The Big 12 is absolutely loaded this year. The league brings six teams ranked inside the KenPom top 25 and four of the top 10 players in the country — and that’s before you even get to Darryn Peterson, the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. In a conference this deep, the bracket path matters, and things set up pretty well for the Kansas Jayhawks. 

Kansas likely opens with TCU, then would see Houston or BYU before a potential title game appearance. Compared to the rest of the bracket, that’s a pretty solid draw. Houston has to get through BYU while Texas Tech runs into a clash with Iowa State, two matchups that could easily turn into grind-it-out battles. There really aren’t many easy paths in this tournament, but Kansas avoiding some of those early heavyweight games is notable. 

At the current market price, it’s a good buy-low spot on the Jayhawks to make a run.

Bet: Kansas to win the Big 12 tournament (+850)

Russell: Maybe it’s the green, or that Tom Izzo seemed like he’s up for a fight the next time Michigan State plays Michigan, or maybe it’s a path that (like Kansas, which I agree with Corbie on) seems pretty comfortable, but the Spartans are another 3-seed price just shy of 10-1 that has a better-than-that-line chance of winning their tournament.

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UCLA rarely beats anyone of note outside of Pauley Pavilion, and we’re still waiting on something, anything from Purdue. Nebraska has had a great season, but Michigan State is the second-best all-around team in the Big Ten, as evidenced by Sunday’s slugfest in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines pulled away late, but with Illinois and Wisconsin on their half of the bracket, Sparty might get to Sunday, and find someone else there.

When it comes to conference tournaments, caring about winning them can be a factor, and Michigan State would love to take this one down. Since defense is tied to effort, and the Spartans are eighth in KenPom’s defensive rating, that should be on the expected level right through Sunday.

Bet: Michigan State to win Big Ten tournament (+750)