The 2026 NCAA Tournament rolls on Friday night with a pair of marquee matchups. Duke faces St. John’s at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., followed shortly by Alabama vs. Michigan tipping off in Chicago. Below, we break down these pivotal showdowns with the latest odds, player props, and betting splits from Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.
No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 1 Duke
Friday’s early matchup pits Rick Pitino and his surging St. John’s squad (30–6) against East top seed Duke (34–2) in Washington, D.C. Duke entered the tournament as the betting favorite, but a sluggish showing against No. 16 Siena and an uneven first half against TCU have fueled the sense that the Blue Devils may be more vulnerable than their record suggests.
That record, however, still speaks for itself – just two losses all season. St. John’s, meanwhile, has been on a tear, going 21–1 since a January 3 loss to Providence. In other words: Duke brings the pedigree, but the Red Storm are hot.
Duke vs. St. John’s game info
- 📍 Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
- 📅 Date: Friday, March 27
- ⏰ Start Time: 7:10 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: CBS
Current odds: Duke vs. St. John’s
- Moneyline: Duke -275, St. John’s +220
- Point Spread: Duke -6.5, St. John’s +6.5
- Over/Under: 140.5 points
Current betting splits: Duke-St. John’s
- 71.7% of total moneyline bets are on Duke to win outright, with 69% of the money following.
- 65.5% of bets and 65% of the money are on St. John’s to cover the spread.
- 74% of bets are on the game to eclipse its point total (currently 140.5 points). However, 52.6% of the money is on the under.
No. 4 Alabama vs No. 1 Michigan
Alabama vs. Michigan. No, not a College Football Playoff showdown – this time it’s a Midwest Regional semifinal in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Michigan (33–3) entered this round as the betting favorite at +300 to win it all and will like its chances against a shorthanded Alabama squad missing star guard Aden Holloway.
Michigan vs Alabama game info
- 📍 Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
- 📅 Date: Friday, March 27
- ⏰ Start Time: 7:35 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: TBS
Current odds: Michigan vs Alabama
- Moneyline: Michigan -500, Alabama +375
- Point Spread: Michigan -9.5, Alabama +9.5
- Over/Under: 172.5 points
Current betting splits: Alabama-Michigan
- 85.3% of the winner bets are on Michigan, with 90% of the money following.
- 54.7% of the spread bets say that Alabama will cover, and 50.9% of the money.
- Bettors like the over: 59% of bets and 66% of the money are on the game eclipsing its total (currently 172.5)
All referenced odds are subject to change.
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