Howie Hoops makes his five best bets for Thursday’s men’s NCAA Tournament Round of 64 college basketball games.
Houston's Milos Uzan heads to the basket past Arizona's Anthony Dell'Orso during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Big 12 Conference tournament March 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo.
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.Since starting 20-0 and becoming one of the season’s best stories, Nebraska has gone 6-6. The Cornhuskers’ inability to score easy points — they are among the nation’s lowest-ranked teams in free-throw attempts and fast-break points — will increase the pressure in this long-awaited opportunity. They face an opponent that is making its second straight tournament appearance, is 6-2 against the spread as an underdog this season and performed well in its toughest tests . March Madness 2026 First Four odds, predictions: Miami vs. SMU, Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh best bets, picks Wednesday The Panthers are as dangerous as any potential Cinderella in the field, boasting a 30-4 record, a 90-point-per-game offense and the best turnover margin in the nation. Meanwhile, Wisconsin coach Greg Gard carries the scars of two losses against No. 12 seeds since 2019, plus a near-upset to a 14-seed.after watching Darius Acuff Jr. lead his team to the SEC title, but the sharp money is on the Rainbow Warriors, whose disciplined defense, depth and large frontcourt — anchored by 7-footer Isaac Johnson — can create problems for John Calipari, who has stumbled in his past two trips as such a heavy favorite, falling to No. 15 seed St. Peter’s and No. 14 seed Oakland .Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks warms up during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 18, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.The Aggies will try to push the pace, but the Gaels would continue crawling if Michael Myers were stalking them. In addition to ranking fourth in the nation in rebounding rate and 11th in 3-point percentage , Saint Mary’s can be trusted as the owner of the best free-throw rate in the country. Texas A&M — which is 4-7 in its past 11 games — will pay for its overaggressiveness, averaging more than 19 fouls per game.Under Kelvin Sampson, Houston has been a No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 seed five times since 2019, winning those games by an average of nearly 30 points. Another elite defense will smother the overmatched Vandals — a No. 7 seed in the Big Sky Tournament, which went 3-7 against the spread as an underdog this season — while lottery pick Kingston Flemings raises the offensive ceiling of last season’s runner-up.Howie Kussoy has long been the New York Post’s main handicapper in college basketball and college football .Ex-WWE star purchased $1M home, boat with stolen welfare funds in state's largest fraud case: prosecutorsJudge rules on Jets legend's $25M lawsuit against ESPN over Brett Favre dramaStream It Or Skip It: 'Imperfect Women' On Apple TV, Where A Murder Unearths Secrets Among A Group Of Longtime Friends
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