March Madness is upon us, and here is a guide to potential picks for your bracket in the West Region.
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 Long Island University
March Madness is a competition full of heartbreaks and Cinderella runs, but this game is unlikely to serve that narrative. This Arizona team is favored to win the entire tournament. Coming off of a Big 12 title, the Wildcats show no signs of slowing down. Led by the freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, alongside senior Jayden Bradley, these Wildcats are almost underrated entering the tournament, as fans have become numb to their constant success.
On the other hand, the Long Island Sharks are dancing for the first time since 2017-2018. They are a fast paced team with momentum and energy, led by senior Jamal Fuller. They are a beloved team on social media, as they signed an NIL deal with a dog wearing a shark fin and their “fins-up” celebration has taken off. With that being said, they will not beat the Wildcats.
No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State
The Villanova Wildcats, led by first year head coach Kevin Willard, are a good team who finished third in a solid Big East conference, despite losing all five games against AP Top 25 ranked teams. They are led by junior guard Tyler Perkins, who averages 13.7 points and 5.4 rebounds a game.
On the other side, Utah State finished first in the Mountain West conference, winning the title game against San Diego State. Playing in the Mountain West Conference, Utah State’s win resume is noticeably less impressive than Villanova, but I believe they will walk away with the win. Led by senior MJ Collins Jr. and junior Mason Falslev, the Aggies have the bones to make it out of the first round.
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point
The High Point Panthers finished 15-1 in the Big South, winning the title game against Winthrop to punch their ticket into the tournament. This will be the second NCAA Tournament appearance for the Panthers, as they lost last year to Purdue in the first round. They are led by seniors Terry Anderson, Rob Martin and Cam’Ron Fletcher.
The Panthers hold the longest active winning streak in all of division one, with 14 consecutive games won. They don't turn the ball over and look to attack and settle for 3. Across many analyst brackets, High Point is an upset waiting to happen, with the five and 12 seeded game being a common upset.
Wisconsin's blazing backcourt in Nick Boyd and John Blackwell make this cinderella narrative unlikely. The Badgers are not a team you want to face in the tournament. After an incredibly slow start to the year, head coach Greg Gard made the proper adjustments and started to prioritize guard play over the big men.
This change led to the Badgers picking up five wins against top 15 teams such as then-No. 2 Michigan, No. 8 Illinois, No. 10 Michigan State and No. 15 Purdue. Boyd’s explosive 20.6 points a game has helped the Badgers shock the country on multiple occasions. Although picking the upset is not an uncommon practice, I would advise to stick with the five seed in Wisconsin.
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No 13 Hawaii
The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors punched their NCAA Tournament ticket after beating UC Irvine 71-64, but will come to a quick demise when facing SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr. and John Calipari. Arkansas has legitimate aspirations for a deep run in this tournament, and it would be shocking to see those dreams dashed in the first round.
No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas
BYU is an interesting team. The Cougars exploded with success in the first half of the season, winning 13 games in a row. Once conference play began, they fell apart, falling to a 9-9 Big 12 record and 23-11 overall. Freshman phenom AJ Dybansta flourished, maintaining a points average of 25.3. I still think this will be one of the first major upsets of the tournament.
Key Cougar scorer Richie Saunders suffered a season ending ACL tear, and losing Saunders as a scoring threat punished BYU at the end of the regular season, Big 12 tournament and now possibly the big dance. Texas will look to take advantage of the Cougars after winning their First Four matchup against NC State. Upsets are going to happen, and they do every year, but this feels less like an upset and more of a teamwide breakdown waiting to happen.
No. 3 Gonzaga vs No. 14 Kennesaw State
The Kennesaw State Owls punched their ticket after beating Louisiana Tech 71-60 in the CUSA Championship. The Owls finished 10-10 in conference and 21-13 overall. The team is led by sophomore RJ Johnson, who contributes 14.5 points per game. This is the Owls’ second March Madness appearance, where they’ll look to make a name for themselves and beat Gonzaga. Unfortunately for the Kennesaw State, that’s still a longshot.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs come into the tournament after a fiery end to the season. After losing to Michigan 101-61 early in their year, the Bulldogs dominated the WCC, finishing with a 30-3 record overall. One of the Bulldogs’ significant losses came late in the season against Saint Mary’s, losing 70-59.
The Bulldogs are a top 20 team in scoring and assists, averaging 85.1 points and 18.3 assists per game. The team is led in scoring by senior Graham Ike, who contributes 19.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Not far behind is junior Braden Huff, who averages 17.8 points, and 5.6 rebounds. This exciting Bulldogs team looks to continue their success and roll through the Owls.
No. 7 Miami vs No. 10 Missouri
This should be one of the best first round matchups in the tournament. Despite finishing seventh in the talented SEC, the Missouri Tigers punched their ticket with an impressive resume, dethroning teams like Kentucky, No. 22 Florida, No. 19 Vanderbilt and No. 22 Tennessee. This explosive team is led by senior Mark Mitchell, who averages 18.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Miami finished the season third in the ACC with a 25-8 overall record. The Hurricanes are led by senior Malik Reneau, who contributes 18.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. The Hurricanes also took down several top teams, including No. 11 UNC and No. 24 Louisville. Although the Tigers have a tenacious defense, the Hurricanes raw scoring ability is too hard to vote against. I’m giving the edge to Miami.
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens
The Queens University Royals made the tournament after winning the ASUN title against Central Arkansas 98-93. They finished the year with a 21-13 overall record and are led by senior Nasir Mann, who averages 13.4 points per game.
The 27-8 Purdue Boilermakers will steam through this team effortlessly. The Boilermakers beat Michigan 80-72 in the Big Ten title game Sunday, riding a wave of momentum into March Madness. The preseason No. 1 ranked team experienced many ups and downs but are catching fire at the right time. The Boilermakers are led by star senior guard Braden Smith, who averages 14 points and 9.1 assists. Right behind Smith is 3-point merchant Fletcher Loyer and the paint beast Trey Kaufman-Renn.
