2014 NCAA Bracket Picks: Midwest Region Odds, Predictions and Expert Bracketology Projections to Win Your 2014 Office Pool Bracket: If you are looking for this year’s toughest region, look no further than the West Region of the NCAA Tournament Bracket. Three of last year’s Final Four teams are in the region, including defending national champion Louisville and runner-up Michigan. Oh yeah, perennial powers programs Duke and Kentucky are also slotted in the Midwest. Whoever emerges from the region is going to have to earn it, and on that note, here is a closer look at the Midwest Region.
NCAA Midwest Bracket Favorites to Make the Final Four
Wichita State: The questions about the strength of schedule are legit, but the Shockers are 34-0 heading into the NCAA tournament, and there are a few tournament-bound teams that they have already knocked off. Meanwhile, Wichita State has the 12th-best defense in the country and has three quality scorers led by Cleanthony Early. This is a battle-tested team that has several returning players from a squad that went to the Final Four last year. The Shockers are a physical, confident team, and after reaching the Final Four as a Cinderella last year, they could do the same as a No.1 seed in 2014.
Duke: Duke has been a tough team to peg all year. The Blue Devils lost to Kansas and Arizona but beat Michigan UCLA. In conference play, they split meetings with Syracuse, North Carolina and Virginia. On the plus side, Duke has a pair of dynamic scorers in Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood, and they bracket sets up nicely with the No. 2 seed being a Michigan team that they have already defeated. No, the Blue Devils have not had the most dominating year, but they have shown they can beat the best in the country. If Duke’s offense gets rolling, the Blue Devils could roll all the way to Arlington.
Louisville: The defending champs are peaking going into the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. The Cardinals have won 12 of their last 13 games, including five straight. They also tore through the AAC tournament in dominating fashion. For the year, Louisville has a top-15 scoring defense and a top-10 scoring offense, and with guard Russ Smith and forward Montrezl Harrell playing as well as they have all year, another run to the Final Four is a definite possibility.
NCAA Midwest Bracket Upset Specials
Iowa/Tennessee over Massachusetts: The Minutemen head into the NCAA tournament in the middle of their most-inconsistent stretch of the season, having lost two of their last three games and going 5-4 in their last nine games. I fully expect the Volunteers to get past an Iowa team that has lost six of its last seven games, and from there, Tennessee should be able to take care of Massachusetts. After all, the Volunteers have one of the better inside/outside combos in the country in Jordan McRae and Jarnell Stokes, and they won five games in a row to before giving Florida all it could handle in the semifinals of the SEC tournament. Tennessee has been solid on defense all year, ranking 16th in points allowed, and the Volunteers have found a rhythm on offense just in time to spring an upset in the NCAA tournament.
Xavier/North Carolina State over Saint Louis: A staunch defense carried the Billikens to a 25-2 record, but as the defense faltered down the stretch, so did Saint Louis. The Billikens finished the year on a 1-4 skid, allowing opponents to top 70 points three times during the stretch. Meanwhile, Saint Louis doesn’t have a strong defense to fall back on, and regardless of which team advances from the first round, the Billikens are going to have the inferior offense. With Saint Louis’ defense picking the most-inopportune time to falter, the Billikens’ stay in the NCAA tournament could be a short one.
NCAA Midwest Bracket High Seeds on Alert
Michigan: Despite losing Trey Burke to the NBA and losing Mitch McGary to a back injury, the Wolverines have overachieved all year, winning the Big Ten regular season title. That being said, they face a rather tough road in terms of potential matchups that could expose their lack of size inside. Keep in mind that after beating Michigan State twice in the regular season, Michigan got crushed by the Spartans in the Big Ten tournament finale when MSU had both their starting big men healthy. Meanwhile, the Wolverines are looking at possible third-round matchup with a Texas that has a ton of size inside, and after that, a Duke team that has already beaten them could be waiting. Michigan’s guard play is great, but it is all about matchups in March.
NCAA Midwest Bracket PREDICTION: Louisville Cardinals
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Odds to win the 2014 NCAA Midwest Region
Arizona State +5000
Duke +300
Iowa +3000
Kansas State +4000
Kentucky +800
Louisville +125
Michigan +650
North Carolina State +4500
St Louis +2200
Tennessee +3000
Texas +3800
U Mass +4000
Wichita State +500
Xavier +7000
Field +5000
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