2014 NCAA Bracket Picks: West Region Odds, Predictions and Expert Bracketology Projections to Win Your 2014 Office Pool Bracket: The West Region of the NCAA Tournament Bracket isn’t filled with a ton of traditional powers or trendy mid-major teams, but it is chalked full of defensive-minded basketball teams and explosive offenses. In fact, two of the top-five defenses in the country are slotted in the West as top-four seeds with four top-25 offenses lurking as lower seeds. The region figures to test the theory that offense can win games but defense wins championships, and controlling tempo and pace will be crucial for whichever team gets through to the Final Four. With that in mind, here is closer look at the West Region.
NCAA West Bracket Favorites to Make the Final Four
Arizona: They came up just short of a Pac-12 tournament title, but the Wildcats have put together an impressive 30-4 record heading into the NCAA tournament. Defense has been the team’s strength, and Arizona is allowing the fifth-fewest points in the country this year. Meanwhile, guard Nick Johnson gives the team an experienced floor general, and freshman Aaron Gordon is one of several athletic big men that the Wildcats have at their disposal. Few teams are built to handle Arizona’s combination of athleticism and defensive intensity.
Wisconsin: Perhaps no team in the country is better at dictating the pace of a game than Wisconsin. The Badgers bleed the clock on offense and spread the floor with a roster full of big men that can shoot from the perimeter. The system isn’t pretty, but it frustrates opponents and gives the Badgers the ability to handle any style of play. Wisconsin was consistent all year, finishing on a 9-2 stretch. If the Badgers are hitting from the perimeter, they could be headed to Arlington.
San Diego State: The Aztecs roll into the NCAA Tournament with a 29-4 record and the country’s second-stingiest defense. Guard Xavier Thames is the team’s go-to scorer, but it is really the team’s defense that has been the key to the team’s success, and that shouldn’t change in March. After all, the Aztecs went on the road and beat Kansas and have a victory over Creighton, who happens to be the No. 3 seed in this region. San Diego State also gave the region’s top seed Arizona a run for its money during the regular season. The only team that has really been able to solve the Aztecs all year in conference rival New Mexico, and since the Lobos are in a different region, San Diego State has a legit shot to reach the Final Four.
NCAA West Bracket Upset Specials
North Dakota State over Oklahoma: While the Sooners bring the seventh-best scoring offense into this matchup, they aren’t particularly efficient on offense, choosing to try to out-run and out-gun opponents. However, they also bring a horrible defense that ranks 302nd in the country, and that could be bad news against the Bison. They have won nine straight games heading into the NCAA tournament, claiming the Summit League regular season and tournament titles in the process. More importantly, North Dakota State leads the county in field goal percentage. Taylor Braun leads the Bison in scoring, but the team has three players scoring in double figures that all shot more than 48 percent from the field. The Bison maximize the output of their possessions as well as any team in the country, and Oklahoma’s willingness to give its opponents lots of possessions while offering little defensive resistance plays right into North Dakota State’s hands.
BYU over Oregon: This game is a rematch of one of the more exciting regular-season showdowns of the season. The Ducks won that game 100-96 in overtime on their home court, but on a neutral court, the Cougars could easily turn the table. After all, BYU ranks third in the country in scoring with Tyler Haws leading the way at more than 23 per game. Granted, Oregon ranks 11th in the country in scoring, and with both ranking outside the top 250 in scoring defense, another shootout seems inevitable. Haws and company could easily get their revenge.
NCAA West Bracket High Seeds on Alert
Creighton: Forward Doug McDermott is an incredibly skilled offensive player, and he deserves to win the Wooden Award this year. That being said, Creighton as a team has some flaws. The Blue Jays don’t really have a consistent secondary scoring option, and they aren’t a particularly great defensive team. In fact, Creighton has gone 1-4 in its last five games when it has scored fewer than 70 points and has won just four games all year when it has scored less than 70 points. The NCAA tournament tests a team in all facets, and at some point, Creighton’s defense and players other than McDermott will have to win a game for the Blue Jays.
NCAA West Bracket PREDICTION: Arizona Wildcats
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Odds to win the 2014 NCAA West Region
Arizona +170
BYU +6500
Baylor +1200
Creighton +400
Gonzaga +2000
Nebraska +3000
Oklahoma +1500
Oklahoma State +800
Oregon +1200
San Diego State +650
Wisconsin +300
Field +2000
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