Our experts give their opinion on Sunday's Elite Eight games in the 2026 NCAA Tournament
By Chip Patterson Mar 28, 2026 at 5:50 pm ET • 3 min read 
Getty Images The final two spots in the Final Four will be decided Sunday as the 2026 NCAA Tournament concludes regional play with the Elite Eight in the Midwest and East. Reaching this stage is an accomplishment, but with a Final Four berth on the line, anything short of a win will feel like a missed opportunity. With four power programs remaining, there are no true Cinderella stories, but there is a chance to cement legacies and fulfill championship expectations.
If there is an underdog angle, it comes by seed. No. 6 seed Tennessee faces No. 1 seed Michigan in the Midwest Regional final in the first game of the day. The Volunteers are surging after a double-digit win over Iowa State in the Sweet 16, and coach Rick Barnes is back in the Elite Eight for a third straight season. Barnes has reached the Final Four once in his 38-year career -- in 2003 with Texas -- but Tennessee is still seeking its first appearance.
The challenge is significant against a Michigan team that has looked dominant all season, including in its Sweet 16 win over Alabama. With 34 wins and Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg, the Wolverines are aiming to capitalize on a Chicago setting that could feel like a home advantage after a 14-0 start put them in the national title conversation.
The second game features two of the most successful programs of the 21st century, with No. 1 seed Duke facing No. 2 seed UConn. With the final Final Four berth on the line, the late Sunday matchup provides a marquee stage. UConn has won two of the past three national titles and six since 1999, a run that began with a championship win over one of Mike Krzyzewski's best Duke teams.
Duke, the No. 1 overall seed, is pursuing its sixth national title and first under coach Jon Scheyer. The matchup features high-level coaching and talent, including a marquee frontcourt battle between Cameron Boozer and Tarris Reed Jr..
With the stage set, attention turns to the betting board. Below are our favorite plays for each game, along with additional options, including team totals, first-half angles, against-the-spread picks and straight-up selections from our expert panel.
(1) Michigan vs. (6) Tennessee
2:15 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live
Rick Barnes has really re-written his reputation as an NCAA Tournament coach in these last couple of years with Tennessee, reaching at least the Sweet 16 four years in a row without ever being a No. 1 seed. The Vols fell to a No. 6 seed this season after totaling 11 losses playing against one of the toughest schedules in the country, but this group has hit its stride in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 77.7 points per game and winning by an average of 14.3 points across the three wins. Now, Michigan presents major challenges to any offensive effort with their size and skill, but Tennessee brings grown men to the offensive glass to help generate some easy offense. Michigan is an elite defensive team and seems to have the bodies needed to deny the rim and win the glass, but just like how Duke was able to attack with physicality, I think the same game plan will be there for the Vols. That could lead to some foul trouble, free-throw opportunities and more ways to pick up points at the margins. Pick: Tennessee Team Total Over 69.5
Gary Parrish 
Matt Norlander 
Chip Patterson 
David Cobb 
Cameron Salerno 
Isaac Trotter MICH -7.5
MICH MICH TENN TENN MICHS/U
MICH MICH MICH MICH MICH(1) Duke vs. (2) UConn
5:05 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live
All season long, Duke has been elite in winning time, locking down on defense for crunch time possessions and letting Cam Boozer be the engine of the offense in the final minutes. The Blue Devils have not, however, been an elite team early in games and frequently found themselves problem-solving within a contest to get control of the game. Duke was trailing at halftime in two of its three NCAA Tournament games, only leading by four points against TCU in the Round of 32. UConn, meanwhile, got off to a blistering start against Michigan State, outscoring the Spartans 25-6 in the first 10 minutes and that ability to start on the front foot will be important to set the tone in this heavyweight battle. Look for UConn to scheme up lots of creative ways to get Tarris Reed touches early and potentially draw some fouls against Boozer, which could lead to crucial first-half minutes with Duke's star on the bench. So between Duke's slow starts and UConn's plan to get its big man going, we're going to back the Huskies for the first 20 minutes and then buckle up for what should be a thrill ride of a game the rest of the way. Pick: UConn 1H +2.5
Gary Parrish Matt Norlander Chip Patterson David Cobb Cameron Salerno Isaac Trotter DUKE -5.5
UCONN UCONN UCONN DUKE UCONNS/U
UCONN UCONN DUKE DUKE UCONN Join the Conversation comments 
