5 College Basketball 2020 Conference Tournament Top Picks

The craziest college basketball tournament is around the bend, but before it starts, this week is packed with the conference tournaments. Get ready to make your picks with these top 5 selections!

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Big East – Villanova Wildcats +250 

Can Villanova beat the odds? It’s hard to say, for the first time in a long time, the Wildcats aren’t favorites to win the conference.

The Wildcats trail Creighton to win the Big East, and it’s something that’s got their fan base sweating in their pants. And, the race is close.

However, Creighton may have an easier path to cut down the nets. Whichever team wins, though, would get extra points to snatch a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Big East is a tough conference that has three Final Four prospects in the competition (Creighton, Villanova, and Seton Hall) with another team, Butler, that’s among the AP  Top 25.

Villanova is my pick to win the Big East, they’ve got a dangerous blend of offensive and defensive talent, and they’ve got the experience to see this through to the cutting down of the nets.

Pick: Villanova +250

Big 12 – Kansas Jayhawks -135

The Jayhawks are the front-runners to win this conference as its No. 1 seed. But, they’re also pretty much a lock for the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA tournament.

However, even if the Jayhawks are the No. 1 team in the country by most measures, they can’t afford to rest on their laurels. And, it doesn’t mean they’ll win the Big 12 tournament.

To be sure, this is arguably the best Kansas team that Bill Self has coached. The Jayhawks are the top team in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, and they have the talent in Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike to lead the team to victory.

But, let’s not forget about the other teams in the competition. Baylor is dangerous, so is West Virginia. Any which team can rain on Kansas’ parade, even Iowa State, who won last year’s title.

My pick is Kansas; it’s as much of a lock as any other.

Pick: Kansas Jayhawks -135

SEC – Kentucky Wildcats +125

It’s no surprise the Wildcats are the favorites to win the SEC. And, it’s pretty hard to see another team cutting down the nets.

Kentucky has won this title five times in the last six years, but it doesn’t mean they’ll have it easy this year. There are several tough opponents, including the defending champions Auburn Tigers.

It’s also still unknown if guard Ashton Hagans will play in the tournament after having gone AWOL this past weekend. Hagans is a top-notch player, and his absence might land the Wildcats in hot water.

However, I think the Wildcats will pull through, and I’m hoping Hagans will play.

Pick: Kentucky Wildcats +125

Atlantic 10 – Dayton Flyers -320

Can anyone beat the Dayton Flyers? This team hasn’t known defeat this year, and it’s the reason why they’re one of the biggest favorites in any conference tournament in 2020.

According to KenPom.com, Dayton has above a 56% chance of winning the championship. However, just to throw a wrench into things, the No. 1 seed hasn’t’ won the A-10 tournament since 2013.

The rest of the field is dangerous; the No. 2 seed Richmond could give the Flyers a run for their money, and so could No. 4 Saint Louis.

My bet is on Dayton, but there could be a nasty surprise down the line in the quarterfinals.

Pick: Dayton -320

AAC | Houston Cougars +150

Cincinnati won the tiebreaker to get the No. 1 seed in the tournament. But, the Cougars are close behind, which makes the winner a tossup.

Houston is a lock for a bid to the Big Dance, which means they’ll have less pressure than other teams in the competition. The Cougars are playing for seeding in the NCAA tournament, however, so they could use a few wins to bump them up.

Houston won against Memphis over the weekend in the regular-season finale, and I’m expecting them to win the ACC, too.

Pick: Houston Cougars +150