Best Bets for Monday, March 1, 2026
Happy March. The madness is officially here, and this is when everything starts to tighten up. Conference races, bubble talk, seeding battles. It is all on the table now.
We went 4-1 on Saturday.
On the season, we are 276-257-1.
Be sure to follow all our picks at BetStamp.
Tulane Green Wave at South Florida Bulls
Tulane enters at 17-11 and has put together a solid season. But this is a tough road trip. South Florida looks like the team to beat in the AAC right now and continues to stack wins. The Bulls are chasing their 21st victory and have been dominant when they get rolling offensively.
The spread is hefty, but when South Florida finds rhythm at home, they can separate quickly. Expect that to happen here.
Betting Pick: South Florida -14.5 over Tulane
Final Score Prediction: South Florida 81, Tulane 65
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Maryland Terrapins
This is a Big Ten matchup between two programs that have struggled. Both teams sit at 11-17, which is not where either fan base expected to be.
Maryland being at home is the deciding factor. In a game that likely stays competitive into the second half, the Terrapins should have enough shot-making and energy to pull away by a couple possessions.
Betting Pick: Maryland -4.5 over Rutgers
Final Score Prediction: Maryland 72, Rutgers 65
Purdue Boilermakers at Ohio State Buckeyes
Purdue is coming off a home loss to Michigan State and now heads on the road again. Ohio State is 17-11 and squarely on the bubble. The urgency factor matters here.
The Buckeyes should bring tournamnt-level intensity. They need this one for their tournament resume, and expect them to respond with strong guard play and timely defense late.
Ohio State does not just cover. They win outright.
Betting Pick: Ohio State +6.5 over Purdue
Final Score Prediction: Ohio State 79, Purdue 77
Charlotte 49ers at Florida Atlantic Owls
Charlotte is 15-13 and comes in on a bit of momentum after a home win over North Texas. Florida Atlantic is 16-13 and also coming off a home victory against Temple.
Home court feels like the difference here. The Owls have shown they can score in bunches, and if they get going early, Charlotte could struggle to keep pace on the road.
Betting Pick: Florida Atlantic -7.5 over Charlotte
Final Score Prediction: Florida Atlantic 82, Charlotte 60
Belmont Bruins at Illinois State Redbirds
Belmont remains the class of the Missouri Valley Conference. Illinois State secured a bye after Valparaiso’s loss to Evansville, which locked the Redbirds out of Thursday play in the conference tournament.
That can sometimes lead to a slight letdown. Belmont still has at-large positioning to think about and needs to keep building its resume. Expect the Bruins to stay aggressive and capitalize.
Betting Pick: Belmont +1.5 over Illinois State
Final Score Prediction: Belmont 77, Illinois State 74
Enjoy the games and welcome to March. This is what we wait all season for.
Be sure to follow all our picks at BetStamp.