After a historic college basketball regular season filled with perhaps the most talented freshman class ever, here are picks against the spread for each region of March Madness for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
BY MATTY D.
CollegeBaketballEyeTest.com Reveals Entire Bracket on Twitter
As the nation weighs in on who they think will be the biggest underdogs to make a run in March Madness 2026, Collegebasketballeyetest.com author Matty D. has already released his full bracket of choices on Twitter.
The South Region Shows the Highest Potential for Madness
The South Region offers a wide spectrum of point-spread opportunities, and CollegeBasketballEyeTest.com blogger Matty D. has identified several spots where the number itself creates betting value. In the Friday slate, Matty D. likes Iowa laying 2.5 points against Clemson, believing the Hawkeyes are positioned to clear the modest spread in that matchup.
Thursday’s board presents a deeper collection of underdog tickets. Matty D. is backing McNeese plus 11.5 points against Vanderbilt, viewing the double-digit cushion as a worthwhile investment. He is also taking Troy plus 13.5 against Nebraska, grabbing what he sees as one of the larger leverage spreads on the opening round card. In another early game, Matty D. likes VCU plus 2.5 points against North Carolina, siding with the Rams as short underdogs.
Nebraska is one of many teams in the tournament and across college basketball that has the son of an NBA player in its lineup. Click here to see our full roster of 2nd generation players.
Further down the bracket, Matty D. is supporting Penn plus 23.5 against Illinois, locking in a substantial number that could create late-game cover potential. He is also taking Texas A&M plus 2.5 against Saint Mary’s, stepping in on the Aggies as a slight underdog in what projects as a competitive contest. Finally, Matty D. is laying the points with Houston at minus 22.5 against Idaho, trusting the Cougars to handle business against an overmatched first-round opponent.
These selections reflect a philosophy centered on spread value rather than bracket advancement projections. By targeting numbers that offer leverage relative to public perception and seeding expectations, Matty D. approaches the South Region as a collection of individual betting markets rather than a single elimination puzzle.
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