2026 Elite Eight odds, March Madness picks: Purdue vs. Arizona predictions from expert on 44-28 run

SportsLine's expert Bob Konarski reveals his Purdue Boilermakers vs. Arizona Wildcats NCAA Tournament Elite 8 2026 picks for Saturday

The second-seeded Purdue Boilermakers battle the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats in a 2026 NCAA Tournament West Region Elite Eight matchup on Saturday. Purdue advanced with a 79-77 win over the 11th-seeded Texas Longhorns on Thursday, while Arizona defeated fourth-seeded Arkansas 109-88 in the Sweet 16. The Boilermakers (30-8), who tied for sixth in the Big Ten at 13-7, have won seven in a row. The Wildcats (35-2), who won both the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament championships, have won 12 straight.

The game from the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., tips off at 8:49 p.m. ET. The Wildcats are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Purdue vs. Arizona odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 153.5. Before making any Arizona vs. Purdue picks, check out what SportsLine college basketball expert Bob Konarski has to say.

Konarski specializes in college basketball, displaying in-depth knowledge of hundreds of Division I teams. He is a regular presence in the SportsLine Discord, co-hosts a weekly X Spaces with fellow CBB expert Tom Casale and can be seen on the "Early Edge" breaking down his college hoops plays. He enters the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on a 44-28 run on college basketball picks, returning more than 13 units during that span.

Now, Konarski has his sights set on Purdue vs. Arizona, and just revealed his First Four picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Konarski's picks. Here are several men's college basketball odds and men's college basketball lines for Arizona vs. Purdue:

Purdue vs. Arizona spread:    

Arizona -5.5

Purdue vs. Arizona over/under:    

153.5 points

Purdue vs. Arizona money line:    

Arizona -257, Purdue +208

Purdue vs. Arizona picks:    

Purdue vs. Arizona TV:

TBS

Top Purdue vs. Arizona predictions

Konarski is going Over on the point total (153.5). Both teams are coming off conference tournament championships. Purdue is seeking its first Final Four since 2024, while Arizona last reached the NCAA Tournament semifinals in 2001. 

Four players average at least 10.5 points for Purdue, with Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn leading the way with 14.3 each. Arizona, meanwhile, is led by Brayden Burries at 16.2 points per game as five Wildcats average at least 10.3 points. Arizona has gone Over in four of its past five, while Purdue has cleared the total in four straight. You can see his spread picks at SportsLine.

How to make Arizona vs. Purdue picks

Konarski has also found a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Arizona vs. Purdue in the 2026 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the expert on a 44-28 roll on his college basketball best bets, and find out.