ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 11: Bernard James #5 of the Florida State Seminoles fights for control of the opening tip-off against Tyler Zeller #44 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the Final Game of the 2012 ACC Men's Basketball Conference Tournament at Philips Arena on March 11, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)With major conference tournaments taking place this week, several teams will earn an automatic bid to the big dance. The unpredictability of March should call for a few upsets, but there will definitely be favorites heading into these matchups.
College hoops expert Ken Pomeroy is clearly ready for the madness that will take place this month, as he released his predictions for each tournament. Surprisingly enough, the winner of the ACC Tournament actually is projected to be Virginia by an overwhelming amount.
It’s possible that the uncertainty of Zion Williamson plays a factor in these projections. Nonetheless, the Cavaliers have a 44.0 percent chance of winning the ACC title.
Atlantic Coast Conference. All games at Charlotte. #log5 pic.twitter.com/CUfsA01gXz
— Ken Pomeroy (@kenpomeroy) March 10, 2019
Moving over to the Big 12, Pomeroy gives Texas Tech a 36.6 percent chance of winning the tournament.
Kansas State is second in the rankings, meanwhile Kansas is just behind its rivals. It’d be fitting if the Jayhawks win the postseason conference title, especially since their regular season streak was snapped.
Big 12 Conference. All games at Kansas City. #log5 pic.twitter.com/SGqh8GXqF0
— Ken Pomeroy (@kenpomeroy) March 10, 2019
When it comes to the analytics for the Big Ten, it’s pretty evident that Michigan State doesn’t have the cushion that both Texas Tech and Virginia have. Pomeroy currently gives the Spartans a 35.3 percent chance of winning their conference championship.
Injuries struck the Spartans multiple times this season, but the poise of Cassius Winston has them in contention. However, the Purdue Boilermakers and the Michigan Wolverines have strong odds to hoist the trophy by this weekend.
Big Ten Conference. All games at Chicago. #log5 pic.twitter.com/DjaCkybkD8
— Ken Pomeroy (@kenpomeroy) March 11, 2019
Perhaps the toughest conference champion to decide resides in the SEC. Kentucky and Tennessee are legitimate threats to win the national championship, and it’s not surprising to see Pomeroy favor them in this tournament.
The Volunteers have a 29.4 percent chance to win the SEC, meanwhile the Wildcats’ odds are slightly lower at 28.8 percent.
Southeastern Conference. All games at Nashville. #log5 pic.twitter.com/yafNp7gyRn
— Ken Pomeroy (@kenpomeroy) March 10, 2019
Another tough conference to predict will be the Big East, as the current odds have Villanova edging out Marquette by just 1.6 percent.
If the Golden Eagles are going to leave Madison Square Garden as champions, then Markus Howard will have to shine on the grand stage.
Big East Conference. All games at Madison Square Garden. #log5 pic.twitter.com/5yYfKt9B1b
— Ken Pomeroy (@kenpomeroy) March 10, 2019
The final major conference in the NCAA features a little more clarity, as Washington leads by a comfortable margin.
Pac-12 Conference. All games at Las Vegas. #log5 pic.twitter.com/K1v0Ar8PyW
— Ken Pomeroy (@kenpomeroy) March 10, 2019
While the actual NCAA Tournament isn’t here just yet, all these conference showdowns will be important.
March Madness is truly upon us.
