March Madness West Region Breakdown & Predictions 3/20/19

West Region Predictions

How will the West Region of the NCAA Tournament play out? Here’s our breakdown of the region and our prediction for who will advance in March Madness.

According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, Gonzaga is the favorite in this region, as the Bulldogs are getting odds of +110 to win. Other short odds to win are Michigan (+300), Florida State (+600) and Texas Tech (+600).

College Basketball Odds & Betting Page

The Favorite: 376 Gonzaga +110

Gonzaga is the favorite and the No. 1 seed in the region. The Bulldogs were 30-3 on the season with a 16-0 record in the West Coast Conference. Zaga actually owns a win over a fully-healthy Duke team as well. The Bulldogs have the nation’s top offense, averaging 88.8 points per game while shooting 53.2 percent. They also have a talented defense that allows just 65.1 points per game while holding opponents to 38.9 percent shooting.

Stay Away From: 377 Michigan +300

The Wolverines had an impressive run in last year’s tournament, but I don’t see this year’s squad doing the same. Michigan has a very strong defense, but averages just 70.4 points per game on offense while shooting only 35 percent from the arc. Michigan was a hot-shooting team last March, but that just isn’t their makeup this season. The Wolverines are relying on defense, which is a dangerous game this time of year. Michigan also has a tough draw in its half of the region, with Texas Tech, Buffalo and Nevada all in the mix.

College Basketball Futures Odds

The Dark Horse: 382 Nevada +2000

Nevada is the 7 seed in this region, but the Wolf Pack have been amongst the best teams in the rankings for a large part of the season. Nevada has a good balance of offense and defense, averaging 80.7 points per game while giving up just 66.7 per contest. Nevada is a team that can get hot from the field and that is a valuable asset this time of year. I think the Wolf Pack can make a legit run in this region and they have really good betting value at 20/1.

Prediction

This region has a lot of teams with potential, not many that have been able to sustain high-level success. Gonzaga is a team that has been able to make tournament runs in the past and has a good ability to win with offense and defense. The Bulldogs are also coming off a pretty embarrassing loss to St. Mary’s, so the Zags should be motivated to correct that to start this tournament. With location and scoring on its side, I think Gonzaga will prevail.

WEST REGION PREDICTION: Gonzaga +110