2017 Sweet 16 South Region Predictions and Free Picks – NCAA Tournament Predictions

2017 Sweet 16 South Region Predictions and Free Picks – NCAA Tournament Predictions: The South Region of the 2017 NCAA Tournament was the only region where the chalk survived and advanced to the Sweet 16. Of course, it is probably no coincidence that the South Region was easily the most top-heavy portion of the bracket. Powerhouse programs North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA will all be in action, the three programs have combined for 24 national titles. Even fourth-seeded Butler has been a mainstay of March recently, making two Cinderella runs to the title game. One of these programs will be making another trip to the Final Four, and the quest to cut down the nets resumes Friday. Let’s take a closer look at both semifinal matchups in the South Region.

2017 Sweet 16 South Region Predictions and Free Picks – NCAA Tournament Predictions

2017 Sweet 16 South Region Matchup Previews

No. 4 Butler vs. No. 1 North Carolina: One of the all-time great programs in college basketball will meet one of the all-time great Cinderella programs when the top-seeded Tar Heels face the fourth-seeded Bulldogs. These two teams have combined to appear in four of the last eight championship games, so consistent success in March has been the norm for both sides.

On paper, North Carolina comes out ahead in a lot of categories, especially on the offense end. Of course, Roy Williams’ teams are always among the national leaders in scoring, rebounding and assists, and this year is no exception. That being said, the Bulldogs actually shoot a slightly better percentage from the field, so while Butler doesn’t use the same up-tempo pace, the Bulldogs are no slouches on the offensive end.

In the end, I think North Carolina’s size and athleticism are going to be the deciding factor. Butler’s efficient offense can be deadly against defensive-minded teams and other teams that like to play at a slower pace. However, the Tar Heels are one of the best teams in the country at controlling the tempo, and their big men in particular should be matchup nightmares for Butler’s big guys. I just don’t think the Bulldogs have the offensive firepower or presence on the boards to pull off the upset.

Projected Winner: North Carolina Tar Heels

No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 2 Kentucky: It is the type of matchup that makes the NCAA Tournament great, and the Bruins and Wildcats will go toe to toe in a battle of college basketball heavyweights. Both sides are loaded with talent, and while Kentucky has a pair of potential NBA lottery picks in its backcourt in Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox, UCLA might have the No. 1 overall pick leading its high-scoring offense in point guard Lonzo Ball.

This game is actually a rematch of a regular season matchup that saw the Bruins snap the Wildcats’ 42-game home winning streak in a 97-92 classic. Monk and Fox combined for 44 points in the loss while UCLA had six players score at least 13 or more points. Considering both sides rank in the top 10 in points per game, I expect the rematch to be another back-and-forth, high-scoring affair.

To me, Monk is the X-factor in this matchup. If he catches fire, he could put the Wildcats over the top. On the flip side, he could cost the Wildcats if he falls in love with the 3-pointer, and think the pressure will be there to do just that in a fast-paced game full of highlight-reel moments. Overall, I think the Bruins have more reliable offensive weapons to turn to, and they are the best in the country when it comes to spreading the ball around. With Ball leading the way, I like UCLA’s well-rounded offense to outlast Kentucky’s star backcourt.

Projected Winner: UCLA Bruins

You can get expert 2017 March Madness picks and 2017 March Madness predictions this month from NSAwins.com’s top handicappers!