Saturday CBB Best Bets March 21: Can TCU hang with Duke?

Saturday features a full college basketball slate with a couple of mid-major teams and several high-major schools taking the floor on the 21st day of March 2026. It’s the first day of the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the field gets whittled down from 32 teams.

Will Duke defeat TCU by 12 points or more at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC? Can 2-seed Houston win and cover against 10-seed Texas A&M in Oklahoma City on Saturday evening? Read on for our Saturday CBB Best Bets March 21 article.

🎰 CASINO BONUS OFFER

Bet and Get up to $3,750 in Bonus Cash!

21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. New users only. Terms & conditions apply.

Claim Offer

CBB Best Bet: TCU +11.5 over Duke

I like the Horned Frogs in this one. TCU is well-positioned to cover the 11.5-point spread against Duke on Saturday. The Horned Frogs consistently thrive in this exact spot, boasting a stellar 10-3 ATS record as underdogs and a solid 4-2 ATS mark in neutral-site matchups this year.

They aren’t intimidated by premium competition, going 6-4 ATS against ranked opponents and sporting an 8-6 ATS record in non-conference play this season. Riding immense momentum, TCU has been highly profitable of late, to the tune of 8-2 ATS over their last 10 games overall. The Horned Frogs’ proven ability to keep high-stakes games intensely competitive makes taking the points the smart play.

Final score projection: DUKE BLUE DEVILS 76, TCU HORNED FROGS 70.

CBB Best Bet: Texas A&M +10.5 over Houston

I’m taking the Aggies in this contest. Texas A&M is in a prime spot to cover the 10.5-point spread as a neutral-site underdog against Houston on Saturday evening. The Aggies consistently deliver when catching points, boasting a 7-3 ATS mark as underdogs and a 14-7 ATS record following a win this season.

They perform reliably outside their league (8-6 ATS non-conference) and when neither team has a rest advantage (10-6 ATS when playing opponents on equal rest). Furthermore, Texas A&M has dominated this specific matchup, going 4-0 ATS in its last four against the Cougars. Riding a 3-1 ATS streak in their last four games overall, expect the Aggies to keep this clash tight until the final buzzer.

Final score projection: HOUSTON COUGARS 68, TEXAS A&M AGGIES 62.