Best NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions: NIT Quarterfinals
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Wed Mar 25, 2026, 3:20 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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We still have one more slumber before the NCAA Tournament returns to our screens, but there's some college hoops on tonight! Yesterday, we had two teams make their way to the NIT Semifinals, as Tulsa beat Wichita State and New Mexico took down Saint Joe's. Now we have the two other quarterfinals going off, so our CBB experts had to find their favorite NCAA Basketball picks for Wednesday! Check out what they like as Dayton hosts Illinois State and Nevada tries to upset Auburn on the road.
Check out our March Madness Betting Guide to get in on all the action this month!
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
Illinois State Redbirds vs. Dayton Flyers NCAA Basketball Insights
Javon Bennett leads the Flyers in points and assists per game this season
Best Bet: Dayton -7.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
The Dayton Flyers host the Illinois State Redbirds, who are on a bit of a run in the NIT, much like their FCS football program did in the fall. However I think it comes to an end tonight on the road. The Redbirds are just 6-7 away from home this season, and UD Arena is a very tough place to go into and get an upset victory. The Flyers are laying 7.5 points tonight, but I have faith that they will cover the spread.
Illinois State doesn't do a whole lot well on the offensive side of the ball. In a game where points will be at a premium, I expect the Flyers to take advantage of having the MUCH better offense in this game. Plus, they lead the nation in getting to the free throw line, so they should have at least double the amount of free throw attempts that their visitors produce. Ultimately, Dayton should have no problem winning another game at home. They've won 11 of their last 14 overall, with all three losses coming to VCU (who won the A-10 and won an NCAA Tournament game).
Nevada Wolfpack vs. Auburn Tigers NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Auburn is one win away from going to the NIT Semifinals
Best Bet: Nevada/Auburn Over 154.5 (-110) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Auburn is a MUCH better offensive team than they are on the defensive side of the basketball. Plus, how much do they really care about slowing down the Wolfpack? Nevada gets to the free throw line a ton, but can't keep their hands to themselves. So each team should get ample opportunities from the charity stripe tonight.
The Wolfpack also shoot incredibly well from downtown, which is something Auburn struggles to defend. Even if they go down early, Nevada has the capabilities to keep this competitive and shoot their way back into it. Ultimately, I worry about the Tigers' defensive motivation at home against a much weaker opponent. Perhaps they are caught overlooking the Wolfpack, who are very capable of keeping up in a high scoring game. Nevada takes care of the basketball and shoots over 36% from downtown and 76% from the stripe, not wasting points anywhere. We should see plenty of chances for both teams to score, pushing this over the total.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
Also, through our streams and social media channels, you can get even more insight from Nate and other members of the Betting News team, as well as offer your own thoughts and tips for the tournament.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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