There’s no denying that the Midwest Region has been the craziest bracket in the NCAA Tournament. The lower seed won three of eight games in the First Round and three of four games in the Round of 32. As a result, we’re left with a no. 2, 8, 11, and 12 seed heading into the Sweet 16. Check out BetQL’s college basketball betting dashboards this weekend if you are betting any of these Sweet Sixteen games

Houston

It might have been fair to Houston’s strength of schedule inside the AAC during the regular season. But the Cougars put some of those concerns to bed last weekend. They blew out Cleveland State by 31 points, avoiding what could have been a tricky game. More importantly, they shook off some rocky moments and a little foul trouble and came storming back to beat Rutgers to advance to the Sweet 16.

The Cougars are now the highest seed left in the Midwest, giving them a clear path to the program’s first Final Four since 1984. However, it may not be as easy as it sounds. Second-leading scorer Marcus Sasser scored just four points against Rutgers and has been cold from three-point range down the stretch. Meanwhile, point guard DeJon Jarreau played through a hip injury against Rutgers and won’t be full strength in the Sweet 16. That places all of the pressure on Quentin Grimes to carry the Cougars to the Final Four.

Loyola

Three years after their miracle run to the Final Four, Loyola is just two games away from a return visit. In 2018, the Ramblers won their first three games by a combined four points. But they’ve been a lot more convincing this time around. After taking care of business against Georgia Tech, Loyola stopped a red-hot Illinois team dead in its tracks. Loyola’s win over the top-seeded Illini might be the most impressive win of the tournament thus far.

Obviously, it’s all about Cameron Krutwig, who was a menace at both ends of the floor against Illinois. But don’t forget about senior Lucas Williamson, who was also a contributor on the 2018 Final Four team. He’s averaging just 8.8 points per game on the season but is scoring 13.1 points per game over his last six games. The Ramblers are also outstanding defensively, which means they don’t need a lot of high-volume scorers, they just need to remain efficient on that end of the court.

Syracuse

If you’re surprised Syracuse is in the Sweet 16 as a no. 11 seed, you haven’t been paying attention. In 2016, Jim Boeheim took a no. 10 seed to the Final Four, and in 2018, the Orange went from First Four to the Sweet 16. It’s been more of the same from Syracuse as a double-digit seed. San Diego State never had a chance against them in the First Round while the Orange built enough of a lead against West Virginia to withstand a late comeback try from the Mountaineers.

The Orange also has arguably the hottest shooter in the tournament. Since the start of the ACC Tournament, Buddy Boeheim is averaging 28.3 points per game, shooting 56% from three-point range. But it’s not just the coach’s son who’s a threat for Syracuse. All five starters average at least nine points per game, so it’s not uncommon for all five to score in double figures and give the Orange a balanced attack. Syracuse also plays its patented 2-3 zone, which tends to throw teams a curveball in March.

Oregon State

The Beavers are riding a five-game winning streak that started in the Pac-12 Tournament. It’s worth noting that all five games would have ended Oregon State’s season if the Beavers had lost, so it’s safe to say the pressure of March isn’t getting to them. Of those five wins, two came against fellow Sweet 16 teams in UCLA and Oregon while double-digit wins against Tennessee and Oklahoma State last weekend were impressive.

Moving forward, the Beavers have some interesting pieces that make them a threat in such a wide-open region. Ethan Thompson was outstanding against Oklahoma State, leading the way with 26 points. But the Beavers also have a pair of sharpshooters in Jarod Lucas and Zach Reichle who are capable of carrying the team. Oregon State can also beat up teams inside with the size of Warith Alatishe, Roman Silva, and Maurice Calloo. In many ways, the Beavers are a jack-of-all-trades team, which is why they’ve been successful in March thus far.

If you are thinking about betting on any of these games just remember that BetQL has the data for every game and every bet type that you need to win more this March. If you like to bet moneylines, 1st half spreads, or over unders BetQL has you covered