Just a few more weeks of college basketball until the 2024 college conference tournaments (CCT's) begin. The Top 25 teams and other leading contenders are pushing towards conference titles ahead of the CCT's with the major conferences CCT's starting in three weeks on March 12 and 13. Then it's selection Sunday on March 17 and the biggest betting week of the college basketball season begins with March Madness and opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament on March 21-24. 

Some of the top teams stats and efficiency ratings were outlined this past weekend in my college basketball update, and one of those top teams, No. 2 Purdue lost on the road to Ohio State. The Boilermakers fell from No. 2 to No. 3 in the AP Poll with the Week 16 poll released Feb. 19. Recall last year No. 1 seed Purdue (-23.5) lost to No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson in the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history while becoming the second No. 1 seed to ever lose to a No. 16 seed (#1 Virginia lost in 2018). 

History was also made when the 2023 NCAA Tournament became the first to have a No. 1 seed fail to reach the Elite Eight. It was just the third time no March Madness top-seed reached the Final Four, as two No. 5's a No. 4 and No. 9 Florida Atlantic made it to the Final Four. Miami, Florida (No. 4) made the Final Four last year, but the Hurricanes (15-11) are just 6-9 in the ACC this season and will miss the NCAA Tournament unless they win the ACC Tournament. 

I've chipped-in the AP Top 25 teams remaining regular season key games that could impact the Top 25 rankings, conference tournament titles and seedings. The CCT's will determine the fate of more teams at-large invitations to the Big Dance, and other Top 25 teams seedings. 

Many of the Top 25 teams will be featured again in my Countdown to the NCAA Tournament where I feature top teams and seeds 1-2 along with teams seeded 3-5. Recall that last year Connecticut out of the Big East was a No. 4 seed in the Big Dance and went on to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament against No. 5 seed San Diego State. 

Connecticut went a perfect 6-0 SU/ATS in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, and the Huskies are currently ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll and certain to be a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament as they try to become the eighth college basketball program to repeat as national champions. 

AP Top 25 (Feb. 19)

Others teams to watch and receiving more votes in the current AP Poll: 

- Virginia (20-7)
- Gonzaga (20-6)
- Wisconsin (17-9)
- Michigan State (17-9)
- TCU (18-7)
- South Florida (19-5)
- New Mexico (20-6)
- Florida Atlantic (20-6)
- Utah State (21-5)

Basketball Bracketology

Basketball Bracketology by Joe Lunardi on ESPN is updated every Tuesday and Friday with a NCAA Tournament bracket watch. 

Currently, these conferences are expected to place a majority of the teams into the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 

- Big 12 (9)
- SEC (9)
- Big Ten (6)
- Mountain West (6)
- Big East (5)
- ACC (4)
- Pac 12 (2)
- American (2)
- West Coast (2)

Heading into this past weeken's games, the Mountain West Conference had seven teams separated by 2.5 games at the top. It’s as close a conference as there is nationally, and the Mountain West is projected to send the most teams ever from the MWC to the NCAA Tournament one year after San Diego State played in the national championship game. 

Key Games Remaining

Betting lines on favorites from leading online sportsbooks, and BetOnline has a $200,000 prize pool NCAA Tournament contest for just a $20 entry. And OSGA will have its 22nd annual NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge that's free to enter with a $1,000 prize pool and $500 to the winner. 

College basketball betting lines and odds courtesy of BetOnline and updated day of games. Results posted for tracking after games completed. 

Tuesday, Feb. 20 

Connecticut (-2.5) at Creighton - Creighton wins 85-66 
Tennessee (-12) at Missouri - Tennessee wins 72-67
Iowa at Michigan State (-10) - Iowa wins 78-71
Maryland at Wisconsin (-7) - Wisconsin wins 74-70
Akron at Toledo (-2.5) - Toledo wins 72-64
San Diego State Utah State (-2.5) - Utah State wins 68-63
TCU at Texas Tech (-5.5) - Texas Tech wins 82-81
Baylor at BYU (-4) - BYU wins 78-71
San Francisco at St. Mary's (-7) - St. Mary's wins 70-66

Favorites 7-2 SU, 3-6 ATS

Wednesday, Feb. 21

Illinois (-7.5) at Penn State - Penn State wins 90-89
Dayton (-3.5) at George Mason - George Mason wins 71-67
Duke (-6.5) at Miami - Duke wins 84-55
Florida at Alabama (-10) - Alabama wins 98-93 OT
Nebraska at Indiana (-1.5) - Nebraska wins 85-70
Kentucky (-6.5) at LSU - LSU wins 75-74
Ole Miss at Mississippi State (-6.5) - Miss State wins 83-71
Colorado State at New Mexico (-7.5) - New Mexico wins 68-66

Favorites 5-3 SU, 3-5 ATS

Thursday, Feb. 22

SMU at Florida Atlantic (-5.5) - FAU wins 80-70
Rutgers at Purdue (-16) - Purdue wins 96-68
Ohio State at Minnesota (-3.5) *MIN 8-0 ATS run - MIN wins 88-79
Washington State at Arizona (-12) - WSU wins 77-74
Morehead State (-5) at Western Illinois - Morehead State wins 78-57

Favorites 4-1 SU/ATS

Friday, Feb. 23

Yale at Cornell (-2) - Cornell wins 65-62. 
Fairfield at Quinnipiac (-3) - Fairfield wins 85-81

Favorites 1-1 SU/ATS 

Saturday, Feb. 24

Houston (-2.5) at Baylor - Houston wins 82-76 OT 
Duke at Wake Forest (-1.5) Wake Forest wins 83-79
Iowa at Illinois (-9.5) - Illinois wins 95-85
South Carolina at Ole Miss (-3.5) - SC Wins 72-59
North Carolina (-2) at Virginia - NC wins 54-44
Alabama at Kentucky (-2) - Kentucky wins 117-95
Texas at Kansas (-8.5) - Kansas wins 86-67
Villanova at Connecticut (-12) - UCONN wins 78-54
Utah at Colorado (-6.5) - Colorado wins 89-65
Colorado State at UNLV (-1) - UNLV wins 66-60
Cal Irvine at San Diego (-1) - San Diego wins 92-88 OT
Grambling at Southern (-5) - Grambling wins 63-57 

Favorites 9-3 SU/ATS

Sunday, Feb. 25

SMU (-1.5) at South Florida - So. Florida wins 79-68
FAU (-1.5) at Memphis - Memphis wins 78-74
Minnesota at Nebraska (-7) - Nebraska wins 73-55

Favorites 1-2 SU/ATS

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Pittsburgh at Clemson (-7.5) - Clemson wins 69-62
Kentucky at Mississippi State (-4) - Kentucky wins 91-89
BYU at Kansas - (-7.5) - BYU wins 76-68
Texas at Texas Tech (-3.5) - Texas wins 81-69
Nevada at Colorado State (-7) - Nevada wins 77-74

Favorites 1-4 SU, 0-5 ATS

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Auburn at Tennessee (-7) - Tennessee wins 92-84 
Oklahoma at Iowa State (-9.5) - Iowa State wins 58-45
Minnesota at Illinois (-12) - Illinois wins 105-97
Alabama (-5) at Ole Miss - Alabama wins 103-88
Seton Hall at Creighton (-9.5) - Creighton wins 85-64
South Carolina at Texas A&M (-6) - SC wins 70-68

Favorites 5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS

Thursday, Feb. 29

Gonzaga (-3.5) at San Francisco - Gonzaga wins 86-68

Favorite 1-0 SU/ATS

Friday, March 1

Dayton (-1) at Loyola-Chicago - Loyola-Chi wins 77-72

Favorite 0-1 SU/ATS

Saturday, March 2

Florida at South Carolina (-1.5)
Kansas at Baylor (-6)
Villanova at Providence (-2.5)
Illinois at Wisconsin (-3)
Arkansas at Kentucky (-13.5)
Oregon at Arizona (-13)
Marquette at Creighton (-4.5) 
NC State at North Carolina (-10.5)
Mississippi State at Auburn (-9.5)
Iowa at Northwestern (-3)
VCU at Richmond (-3)
Virginia at Duke (-9)
Cornell at Princeton
UCLA at Washington State (-5)
Michigan State at Purdue (-10.5)
Houston (-6.5) at Oklahoma
Tennessee at Alabama (-3)
New Mexico at Boise State (-3.5)
TCU at BYU (-7)
Gonzaga at St. Mary's (-2.5)

Sunday, March 3

Seton Hall at Connecticut
UAB at Memphis

Monday, March 4

Duke at NC State
Texas at Baylor

Tuesday, March 5

Purdue at Illinois
Alabama at Florida
Nevada at Boise State
San Diego State at UNLV

Wednesday, March 6

Villanova at Seton Hall
Northwestern at Michigan State
Tennessee at South Carolina
BYU at Iowa State

Thursday, March 7

Colorado at Oregon

Friday, March 8

VCU at Dayton
Boise State at San Diego State

Saturday, March 9

Marquette at Xavier
Connecticut at Providence
Creighton at Villanova
Oklahoma at Texas
South Carolina at Mississippi State
Richmond at George Mason
Kansas at Houston 
Connecticut at Tennessee
Clemson at Wake Forest
Baylor at Texas Tech
North Carolina at Duke
Utah at Oregon
NC State at Pittsburgh
New Mexico at Utah State
Minnesota at Northwestern
UNLV at Nevada

Sunday, March 10

Wisconsin at Purdue
Michigan State at Indiana
Illinois at Iowa

We'll update more ahead on odds, results and small conference teams and mid majors. Note that those regular season titles don't ensure a NCAA Tournament bid as only the CCT champions will earn the automatic invitation to the NCAA Tournament in those remaining 23 confererences not mentioned above with multiple bids. 

Follow FairwayJay here at OSGA.com and on X (Twitter) @FairwayJay for more sports betting news and insights.