2016 NCAA Bracketology Expert Picks: West Region Odds, Predictions and BracketProjections

2016 NCAA Bracketology Expert Picks – West Region Odds, Predictions and Bracketology Projections: The West Region of the NCAA Tournament Bracket might just be the most wide-open region this year. Starting with surprise No. 1 seed Oregon, the region is loaded with teams that have won plenty of big games but have been wildly inconsistent. Duke, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M are among the other big names lurking in the region, and the team that eventually emerges will have earned a spot in the Final Four.

2016 NCAA Bracket Expert Picks: West Region Odds, Predictions and Bracket Projections

NCAA West Bracket Favorites to Make the Final Four

Oklahoma: Led by Wooden Award candidate, Buddy Hield, the Sooners have a high-powered offense that can compete with any team in the country. Oklahoma slaughtered Villanova out of conference, and the Sooners’ conference losses came against other top teams. Hield heads into the NCAA Tournament averaging 25.0 points and shooting 46.4 percent from deep, so he could almost carry Oklahoma to the Final Four himself. Throw in a solid supporting cast, and the Sooners could shoot their way to the West Region crown.

Duke: It has been an up-and-down year for Duke, but when you look at this roster, it stacks up with any team in the country, let alone this wide-open region. They have two explosive scorers in Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram, and when you throw in Matt Jones, the Blue Devils have three players that can scorch the nets from deep. Not to mention the fact that Ingram is being mentioned as the potential top pick in the NBA draft, so he can certainly take over games. With the region loaded with high-scoring teams, Duke has the firepower to be the last team standing.

NCAA West Bracket Upset Specials

VCU over Oregon State: No system is perfect, and while the Beavers rank well in the RPI, their resume doesn’t seem to warrant a No. 7 seed. They went just 9-9 in conference and 19-12 overall, beating up on below average competition. Granted, VCU lost most of its big out-of-conference matchups, but they played Duke, Wisconsin, Florida State and Cincinnati very close. The Rams attacking defense is forcing nine steals per game, and Melvin Johnson is a legit go-to scorer that can light it up from beyond the arc. Oregon State could get exposed.

Northern Illinois over Texas: Texas does own a few impressive wins, but for the most part, they struggled against the top Big 12 competition and lost some ugly games, finishing 11-7 in conference play. They draw a tough matchup with a Northern Illinois team that plays at a methodical pace, doesn’t take bad shots and doesn’t turn the ball over much. The Panthers also rank 11th nationally in points allowed. This game should be close and lower scoring, and Northern Illinois will have every chance to pull out a win.

NCAA West Bracket High Seed on Alert

Texas A&M: Their late season run came to an end with a loss in the SEC tournament finale, and while the Aggies have certainly proven themselves, their defensive-minded style and modest offense isn’t a great fit for the West Region. Right off the bat, they face a tough test against a Green Bay team ranked sixth in the country in scoring, and Oklahoma, Baylor, Duke and Oregon are among the other high-powered offenses waiting for them. Texas A&M is going to have serious trouble keeping up with the competition on the offensive end.

NCAA West Bracket PREDICTION: Oklahoma Sooners

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