March Madness Sweet 16 Odds: Spreads & Lines for Every Game 2026

A stunning upset in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament saw No. 12 seed High Point defeat No. 5 seed Wisconsin 83-82 on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The victory, secured with a last-second layup by guard Chase Johnston, marked the first NCAA tournament win in High Point University’s program history.

The game remained tightly contested throughout, with High Point trailing for much of the contest before surging ahead in the final moments. Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd missed a layup with seconds remaining that would have given the Badgers a lead, setting the stage for Johnston’s game-winning play. Rob Martin secured the rebound from Boyd’s missed shot and passed the ball downcourt to a streaking Johnston, who converted the layup with 11.7 seconds left on the clock.

Remarkably, the basket was Johnston’s first two-point field goal of the entire season. He had previously relied almost exclusively on three-point shots, and finished the game with 14 points, including four successful three-pointers. Martin led the Panthers in scoring with 23 points and 10 assists. Owen Aquino contributed 11 points, while Terry Anderson and Cam’ron Fletcher each added 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The upset came as a surprise, with High Point entering the game as a 10.5-point underdog. The win represents a significant milestone for the High Point program, which was making only its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers earned their berth by winning the Big South Conference tournament.

The first round of the 2026 tournament also saw a significant upset on the No. 1 seed line, with Florida falling to Iowa. Despite the early surprises, favorites dominated the remainder of Friday’s games, achieving a perfect 16-0 record against the spread – a feat not accomplished since 1992, according to ESPN research.

As of Monday, March 23, 2026, BetMGM has released odds for the Sweet 16 matchups. Key games include No. 11 Texas versus No. 2 Purdue (-7.5), No. 9 Iowa versus No. 4 Nebraska (-2.5), No. 3 Illinois versus No. 2 Houston (-2.5), and No. 4 Arkansas versus No. 1 Arizona (-8.5). Friday’s games feature No. 5 St. John’s versus No. 1 Duke (-6.5) and No. 6 Tennessee versus No. 2 Iowa State (-3.5).