NIT picks today: Wednesday's First Round men's best bets highlight Illinois-Chicago vs. California play [3/18/2026]

Today’s men's NIT picks for March 18, 2026 are here, with Illinois-Chicago vs. California among the First Round matchups identified as top value plays across Wednesday’s National Invitational Tournament play.

Dimers’ predictive analytics engine runs 24/7, going over the latest men's college basketball odds to unearth real betting edges throughout the tournament. The result? Data-backed picks that help Dimers Pro members make smarter decisions.

List of men's NIT picks tonight [3/18, updated 10:40PM ET]

Below, you’ll find today’s top men's NIT bets, ranked by edge for Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Illinois-Chicago +6.5 (-108)

• Edge: 3.1%
• Probability: 55%
• Matchup: Illinois-Chicago vs. California (11:00PM ET, Wednesday)

Our model has identified value on Illinois-Chicago +6.5 at -108 odds. A 55% probability produces an edge of 3.1%, making this the strongest play for today's slate.

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Conclusion

Today's men's NIT best bets are locked and loaded for March 18, 2026, featuring plays such as Illinois-Chicago +6.5. Powered by advanced simulations, these picks are here to boost your betting game.

All odds and probabilities in this article are correct and accurate at the time of publication.