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NCAA Basketball Championship Week Picks
NCAA basketball Championship Week picks for each conference tournament. Find out who's a sleeper, challenger and predicted to win.
March 8, 2016
NCAA basketball Championship Week is upon us. Below are picks for each conference tournament.
It’s Championship Week, that thrilling hors d’oeuvre that tantalizes and gets you ready for the NCAA Tournament. It gives the teams that are locks to go to the Big Dance a chance to improve their seedings a spot or two, and gives the programs that haven’t enjoyed the most successful season to take the floor with a clean slate and the opportunity to make some March magic.
Here’s a look at the key info for the conference tournaments that are starting this week, including our picks as the favorites and the other teams that have the best shot at earning an automatic bid.
American Athletic Conference
When: March 10-13
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Fla.
Favorite: Temple Owls
Challengers: Houston Cougars, Cincinnati Bearcats
Sleeper: Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Connecticut Huskies
Tournament Pick: Houston
Atlantic 10 Conference
When: March 9-13
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Favorite: Dayton Flyers
Challengers: St. Bonaventure Bonnies, VCU Rams
Sleeper: George Washington Colonials
Tournament Pick: Dayton
Atlantic Coast Conference
When: March 8-12
Where: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
Favorite: North Carolina Tar Heels
Challengers: Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes, Virginia Cavaliers, Duke Blue Devils
Sleeper: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Tournament Pick: Virginia Cavaliers
Big 12 Conference
When: March 9-12
Where: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.
Favorite: Kansas Jayhawks
Challengers: West Virginia Mountaineers, Oklahoma Sooners
Sleeper: Texas Longhorns, Iowa State Cyclones
Tournament Pick: Kansas Jayhawks
Big East Conference
When: March 9-12
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.
Favorite: Villanova Wildcats
Challengers: Xavier Musketeers, Seton Hall Pirates
Sleeper: Butler Bulldogs
Tournament Pick: Villanova Wildcats
Big Sky Conference
When: March 8-12
Where: Reno Events Center, Reno, Nev.
Favorites: Weber State Wildcats
Challenger: Montana Grizzlies, Idaho Vandals
Sleeper: Idaho State Bengals
Tournament Pick: Weber State Wildcats
Big Ten Conference
When: March 9-13
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.
Favorites: Indiana Hoosiers, Michigan State Spartans
Challengers: Maryland Terrapins, Purdue Boilermakers
Sleeper: Wisconsin Badgers
Tournament Pick: Michigan State Spartans
Big West Conference
When: March 10-12
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.
Favorites: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, UC Irvine Anteaters
Challenger: Long Beach State 49ers
Sleeper: UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Tournament Pick: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Conference USA
When: March 8-12
Where: Bartow Arena/Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Ala.
Favorite: UAB Blazers
Challengers: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Sleeper: Old Dominion Monarchs
Tournament Pick: UAB Blazers
Mid-American Conference
When: March 7-12
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Favorite: Akron Zips
Challenger: Ohio Bobcats, Ball State Cardinals
Sleeper: Kent State Golden Flashes
Tournament Pick: Akron Zips
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
When: March 7-12
Where: Scope Arena, Norfolk, Va.
Favorite: Hampton Pirates
Challenger: South Carolina State Bulldogs, Norfolk State Spartans
Sleeper: Bethune-Cookman Tigers
Tournament Pick: Hampton Pirates
Mountain West Conference
When: March 9-12
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nev.
Favorite: San Diego State Aztecs
Challenger: Fresno State Bulldogs
Sleeper: Boise State Broncos
Tournament Pick: San Diego State Aztecs
Pac-12 Conference
When: March 9-12
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.
Favorite: Oregon Ducks
Challengers: Utah Utes, Arizona Wildcats
Sleeper: Colorado Buffaloes
Tournament Pick: Utah Utes
Southeastern Conference
When: March 9-13
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
Favorites: Kentucky Wildcats, Texas A&M Aggies
Challengers: South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sleeper: LSU Tigers
Tournament Pick: Kentucky Wildcats
Southland Conference
When: March 9-12
Where: Merrell Center, Katy, Texas
Favorite: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
Challenger: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders
Sleeper: Sam Houston State Bearkats
Tournament Pick: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
Southwestern Athletic Conference
When: March 8-12
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Favorite: Texas Southern Tigers
Challenger: Alcorn State Braves
Sleeper: Southern Jaguars
Tournament Pick: Texas Southern Tigers
Sun Belt Conference
When: March 10-13
Where: Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, La.
Favorite: UALR Trojans
Challenger: Louisiana Monroe Warhawks, UT Arlington Mavericks
Sleeper: Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns
Tournament Pick: UALR Trojans
Western Athletic Conference
When: March 10-12
Where: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.
Favorite: New Mexico State Aggies
Challenger: Grand Canyon Antelopes, Cal State Bakersfield Road
Runners
Sleeper: Seattle Redhawks
Tournament Pick: New Mexico State Aggies
