Bold predictions for the College Basketball conference tournaments

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13 March 2026 at 17:32

You snooze, you lose. I had previously drafted up one of my bold predictions this week to be “Miami (Ohio) loses before the Finals of the MAC tournament.” Well, before I could finish the full article and get it posted, they had already lost in the first game of the Quarterfinals to UMass. So now I have to find another. Conference Tournament weekend moves fast! Here are the bold predictions for the College Basketball conference tournaments.

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Kansas wins the Big 12 tournament with a full-go Darryn Peterson

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) during a break in play during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images

Darryn Peterson must have seen what the internet was saying about him. He’s played at least 29 minutes in the last 5 games, and he’s also upped his assist and rebounding numbers. When he’s in the lineup, this Jayhawks squad can beat anyone, and that’s exactly what I predict for them this weekend.

Miami wins the ACC Tournament for the first time in over a decade

The Hurricanes are playing some good basketball right now, and the two “boogeymen” of the ACC, Duke and North Carolina, are limping in with major injury concerns. A victory over Virginia on Friday would put the Canes one game away from a monumental accomplishment in Jai Lucas’ first season as head coach.

The Atlantic 10 has a dream scenario and gets 3 teams in the NCAA Tournament

Nov 28, 2025; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Dayton Flyers head coach Anthony Grant reacts after a call against the Brigham Young University Cougars in the first half during the ESPN Events Invitational at State Farm Field House. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

This is not all that far-fetched of an idea, so hear me out: Saint Louis will be dancing no matter what happens this weekend, and all of the other losses by bubble teams have put VCU in a solid position to earn an at-large berth as well. So, all that we need to happen is for someone else to win the tournament. My nominee: the 4-seeded Dayton Flyers. This team is talented and coming in winners of 6 of their last 7, and this would be the perfect time for Anthony Grant to finally win his first A10 tournament as head coach of the Flyers.

UConn wins every game by double digits to showcase their dominance in the Garden

The UConn Huskies have been one of the least impressive top-10 teams on a game-by-game basis this season. We know they’re good, but they haven’t played well on a nightly basis. With a loss to Marquette to wrap up the regular season, I think Danny Hurley has enough reason to wake this team up and command their best this week and show the rest of the conference that it’s the Huskies who run the Big East.

Purdue makes it to the finale of the Big Ten gauntlet

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) shoots a free throw against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Thanks to finishing 7th in the league in the regular season, the Boilermakers are in a position where they have to win 4 games in 4 days to cut down the nets. My prediction is that they get at least 3. They match up really well with their half of the bracket, and seniors Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn have plenty of motivation to go out on top. Will they win it all? I like their chances as long as someone else knocks off Michigan.