2015 Sweet 16 Free Picks – Midwest Region Odds and Predictions – NCAA Tournament Betting

2015 Sweet 16 Free Picks – Midwest Region Odds and Predictions – NCAA Tournament Betting: It is tough to talk about the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament Bracket without starting with top-seeded Kentucky. Not surprisingly, the undefeated Wildcats have pushed through to the Sweet 16. However, second-seeded Kansas and fourth-seeded Maryland weren’t so lucky, as seventh-seeded Wichita State and fifth-seeded West Virginia both pulled upsets. Third-seeded Notre Dame will round out the region, ending a lengthy Sweet 16 drought for the Fighting Irish. On that note, here is a closer look at Midwest Region.

2015 Sweet 16 Midwest Region Matchup Previews

No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 1 Kentucky: Both the Mountaineers and the Wildcats can impose their will on opponents defensively, but the two teams couldn’t be more different in their approach. Armed with a deep roster that features more overall size than all but one NBA team, Kentucky absolutely smothers teams in the paint and forces long, contested jump shots on almost every possession. On the flip side, West Virginia employs a relentless full-court press that forces teams to make quick decisions and take quick shots, and the Mountaineers actually force more turnovers than any team in the country.

Working in West Virginia’s favor is the fact that Kentucky guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison aren’t particularly great at handling the ball, which could make them susceptible the Mountaineer’s pressure. That being said, West Virginia is going to have major issues scoring points. The Mountaineers love to attack the rim, and with the likes of Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns waiting in the paint, scoring chances are going to be tough to come by. More importantly, West Virginia has lived on the offensive glass this year, and second-chance opportunities are going to be few and far between with Kentucky’s size inside. It won’t be for a lack of effort, but the Mountaineers don’t have the personnel to tame the Wildcats. View the current 2015 NCAA Tournament Odds on the West Virginia vs Kentucky game from Bovada Sportsbook.

2015 Sweet 16 Midwest Region Projected Winner: Kentucky

No. 7 Wichita State vs. No. 3 Notre Dame: If you enjoy quality guard play, you will love this matchup. The Shockers backcourt duo of Ron Baker and Fred VanFleet will go up against Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton in a game that figures to be a battle of tempo. The Fighting Irish and their 12th-ranked offense would love to turn this game into a shootout while the Shockers would love to play the game in the half court where they can take advantage of their ability to execute on both ends of the court.

As dynamic as the Fighting Irish can be on the offensive end of the court, it is Wichita State’s defense that could make the difference. The Shockers rank in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense and defensive efficiency, and when Notre Dame played another top defensive team, Virginia, they lost 62-56. Granted, the Shockers aren’t quite as dominant defensively as the Cavaliers, but they are still stout and are also a better offensive team that Virginia. Look for Wichita State to pull out a tight one.

2015 Sweet 16 Midwest Region Projected Winner: Wichita State

2015 Sweet 16 Midwest Region Favorite to Make the Final Four

Kentucky: There is no such thing as a guarantee when it comes to March Madness, but the Wildcats are definitely in the driver’s seat to head to Indianapolis. They have so much size and depth that they are absolutely dominant on the defensive end. As a result, they don’t even have to play their best all-around game to beat quality opponents. No, they aren’t invincible, but the odds of the Wildcats laying an egg while their opponent simultaneously plays its best game of the year are slim. Get more NCAA Tournament expert picks on each Sweet 16 game scheduled in this week from NSAwins.com’s top NCAA handicappers.