Written by Jon Lee
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NCAA Tournament Preview: West Region
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After looking at the Midwest and South Regions, the West is a bit…underwhelming. Arizona is the clear favorite here at 32.5 percent giving it the title of most likely Final Four participant in the field according to AccuScore simulations. Many people thought Wisconsin could be a threat for a top seed as well, and the Badgers are a solid 14.7 percent to reach Arlington. The real headliner in this region is superstar scorer Doug McDermott who could truly introduce himself to the nation with a string of strong scoring performances like he’s done all season.
No. 1 Seed – Arizona
The Wildcats have a relatively simple road to the Final Four playing near home in San Diego, and then potentially through Anaheim. Expect large crowds of U of A supporters to give an even bigger edge than normal to top seeds. In the third round Arizona could face Gonzaga or Oklahoma State. Both teams are living off a bit of name recognition that outpaces their on-court production this season. San Diego St. or Oklahoma should follow before a Regional Final match-up with either Creighton or Wisconsin. While there are quality teams in this quadrant of the bracket, it is not nearly as daunting as say the Midwest or South. The committee certainly did Arizona a favor.
Upset Alert
The West doesn’t seem like a deep region with the potential for upsets, but rarely do things go as they are supposed in the tournament. Baylor has shown maddening inconsistency all year, and Nebraska has been battle tested in the tough Big East. BYU has one of the best players you’ve never heard of in Tyler Haws, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him put up 30+ points and carry his team against Oregon. If there is one spot to look for an upset though, it would be everybody’s favorite 5-12 match-up. North Dakota State is beating Oklahoma in 47 percent of simulations. The Bison are senior-laden, and have a true star in guard Taylor Braun.
Best Third Round Match-Up
Baylor vs. Creighton has the potential to be first to 100 wins. The two teams rank first and seventh nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency while both rank outside the top 100 in defensive efficiency. If this match-up happens there will be points, and plenty of them. Doug McDermott has scored 30+ points 10 times this season, and could easily do it again in the NCAA tournament. This region might lack the spice of the other three, but this potential game would certainly be entertaining.
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