We’ve reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, with March Madness largely anticipated as three of the No. 1-seeded teams have advanced to this round. We will now get real matchups between the best college basketball teams in 2026, creating high stakes and a lot of excitement this weekend.
Let’s take a look at our Elite Eight predictions for the weekend matchups in the men’s NCAA Tournament.
(3) Illinois Fighting Illini vs. (9) Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the lowest-seeded team in the NCAA Tournament and are coming off a stretch that includes a last-second win over the defending national champion Florida Gators. The three-ball has been a key factor in the Hawkeyes’ success during this journey to the Elite Eight, with the team scoring a combined 20 runs in the last two games. The Illinois Fighting Illini are favored to punch their ticket to the Final Four, but it’s worth noting that the program allowed 8.4 three-pointers to be made per game (275th in the NCAA) during the season. That said, Illinois has played strong defensive play throughout the tournament and its scoring ability is nearly unmatched. We’re calling for upsets, with Iowa dictating the pace of the game and dropping three wickets in a thrilling win.
- Prediction: Iowa Hawkeyes – 74, Illinois Fighting Illini – 71
RELATED: Saturday’s Elite Eight schedule
(1) Arizona Wildcats vs. (2) Purdue Boilermakers
The Arizona Wildcats are in a tough position to advance to the Elite Eight, with their last loss coming on February 14 against Texas Tech. During this winning streak, the program picked up two top-10 wins over Houston and Iowa State, and then it handed coach John Calipari his most lopsided defeat ever in the NCAA Tournament. The Purdue Boilermakers’ resume may not be as impressive, especially after a narrow win over No. 11-ranked Texas in the Sweet Sixteen. However, Purdue has its own wave of momentum in this matchup with Braden Smith and Trey Coffman-Renn looking unstoppable. Against any other opponent, we might be inclined to pick Purdue. However, this draw favors Arizona to win comfortably.
- Prediction: Arizona Wildcats – 80, Purdue Boilermakers – 71
RELATED: Arizona Wildcats HC forward tied to UNC Tar Heels
(6) Tennessee Volunteers vs. (1) Michigan Wolverines
If you’re a fan of watching defense, this Elite Eight matchup between the Tennessee Volunteers and Michigan Wolverines is the one for you. Rick Barnes has taken Tennessee to the Elite Eight for the third consecutive season, a run most notable considering the amount of roster turnover during the offseason. Tennessee is coming off two impressive wins over Virginia (79-72) and Iowa State (76-62), but this looks like a matchup where the story ends. Michigan’s suffocating defense and ability to score efficiently should lead the Wolverines to a win and a berth in the Final Four.
- Prediction: Michigan Wolverines 73, Tennessee Volunteers 68
(2) UConn Huskies vs. (1) Duke Blue Devils
The Duke Blue Devils haven’t exactly looked like one of the best college basketball teams during the NCAA Tournament. They took on Siena lightly in the first round, narrowly escaping with a six-point win, then narrowly lost to St. John’s in the Sweet Sixteen. Still, All-American freshman forward Cameron Boozer is capable of taking over a game, and we just saw Caleb Foster score 11 points in the second half less than a month after suffering a broken foot. Duke has proven itself comfortable in tough games. Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies, on the other hand, have handled their business against the likes of UCLA and Michigan State, but have struggled against top competition. We think talent won out in this one, Duke is back in the Final Four.
- Prediction: Duke Blue Devils – 77, UConn Huskies – 71
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