2026 College Basketball Crown Odds: 2 Underdogs to Back in Round 1

The NCAA Tournament won’t resume until Saturday in Indianapolis, but there is another college basketball tournament that gives hoops junkies something to scratch that itch. The College Basketball Crown is back for its second year, featuring eight teams from major conferences, with a huge pile of NIL cash going to the tournament champion. Last year, Nebraska captured the first ever Crown title. The Cornhuskers used the momentum from that title run and went on to achieve their best season in school history, winning their first ever NCAA Tournament game and advancing to the Sweet 16. With four first-round games ahead, let’s take a look at the matchups and find a few best bets. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Oklahoma vs. Colorado Oklahoma was surging when we last saw it a few weeks ago. Winners of six of their last seven to close out the season, the Sooners nearly snuck in the Big Dance, beating Tournament teams Missouri, Texas and Texas A&M in that stretch. Nine points might seem like a lot here, but Oklahoma was surging toward the end of the season and the roster appears to be intact. That’s unlike its opponent, Colorado, which will lose three of its top four scorers to the transfer portal. In this battle of former Big 12 rivals, I like Oklahoma to win comfortably. PICK: Oklahoma (-9) to win by more than 9 points Baylor vs. Minnesota While Baylor is just five years removed from winning the national championship, this season saw a 13th-place finish in the Big 12 for the former champs. Scoring wasn’t an issue, as the Bears averaged over 82 points per game. The defense was the problem, as Baylor was 268th in the country, allowing over 77 points per game. The lack of defense bit the Bears when they faced better opponents, as they went winless against NCAA Tournament teams. Meanwhile, Minnesota logged wins over Iowa, Michigan State and UCLA. I’ll take the underdog here and bet against Baylor and its lackluster defense. PICK: Minnesota (+3.5) to lose by fewer than 3.5 points or win outright Stanford vs. West Virginia This is a pretty evenly matched game here between two teams that fell just short of the NCAA Tournament. Interestingly, each of these teams went 9-9 in their conferences, while both teams played in a conference that sent eight squads to the Big Dance. It’s the performance in the Tournament that points me to West Virginia, as going 9-9 in the Big 12 is more impressive than doing so in the ACC. Only Duke from the ACC advanced past the first weekend, with the conference as a whole going a combined 3-11 against the spread (ATS) in the Tournament. Meanwhile, the Big 12 sent three teams to the Sweet 16. That includes Arizona, the team that night end up holding the trophy in the coming week. PICK: West Virginia (+1.5) to lose by fewer than 1.5 points or win outright Creighton vs. Rutgers Creighton coach Greg McDermott will retire after the season, and I’m sure his players would love to send this program legend out on the high note of winning this tournament. While both teams have their flaws, McDermott’s retirement, I think, will serve as motivation for his squad, a team that did notch a road win against UConn back in February. PICK: Creighton (-4) to win by more than 4 points