2012 NCAA Tournament West Region
Tuesday, March 13-Saturday, March 24, 2012
All odds courtesy of Bovada.

Top to bottom, the West is probably the most competitive of the four regions in the NCAA tournament. As many as 7 or perhaps even 8 teams could realistically win the bracket, and it wouldn’t be too surprising if all of the top four seeds are eliminated before the regional semifinals.

Here is a look at the teams and their odds to win the west region with odds courtesy of Bovada, and some of the better second round match-ups. I will also give you some teams that could be on upset alert and give some predictions about how the bracket will unfold.

Teams

Michigan St 21/10, Missouri 9/4, Louisville 7/1, Marquette 7/1, New Mexico 9/1, Florida 14/1, Memphis 14/1, Murray St 25/1, Saint Louis 35/1, Virginia 50/1, Long Beach St 75/1, BYU 100/1, Davidson 100/1, Colorado St 150/1, Iona 150/1, LIU-Brooklyn 200/1, Norfolk St 200/1

Best games of the Second Round

Memphis and Saint Louis will play in the 8/9 game in Columbus. Memphis is 26-8 and won both the Conference USA regular season and tournament titles. Saint Louis is 25-7 and finished second in the Atlantic 10. both have the talent to at least scare Michigan St in the third round, and maybe even pull off the upset.

#5 seed New Mexico tied with San Diego St for the Mountain West title and won the conference tournament. The Lobos will play a very dangerous #12 Long Beach St in the second round. The 49ers played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. LBSU had games against Pitt, San Diego St, Montana, Louisville, Kansas, North Carolina, Xavier, Kansas St, and Creighton, most on the road. The 49ers will not be intimidated playing against a tough New Mexico team.

#4 Seed Louisville won the Big East tournament last week, and has a dangerous second round game with a talented Davidson team. Davidson won the Southern Conference regular season and tournament titles. The Wildcats upset Kansas on the road earlier this season.

#6 Murray St lost only one game all season out of the Ohio Valley Conference title. They get a tough gritty Colorado St team out of the Mountain West.

Virginia is the #10 seed after finishing fourth in the ACC. They take on the #7 Florida Gators of the SEC. The Cavaliers have struggled down the stretch losing 3 of their last 4 games. The Cavaliers have played 5 straight games decided by 3 points or less.

Upset Alert

Actually, besides the top 2 seeds Michigan St and Missouri, all the other games in this region could be upsets. This could include #3 Marquette who will take on the winner of BYU and Iona.

Predictions

Michigan St should be able to get by an over matched Long Island team with little difficulty. However, the Spartans could struggle in the third round against a talented Memphis team, who should beat Saint Louis in a close game.

Long Beach and Davidson could both pull upsets over New Mexico and Louisville respectively. I am not saying they will, but both games in this section should come down to the wire.

I like Murray St to advance to the sweet 16 over Marquette in the third round.

Missouri and Florida could be a great game between two teams that love to press. Missouri simply is a better team though, and should advance to the regional semifinals in Phoenix.

I think Long Beach will beat Davidson, and Memphis will upset Michigan St. Memphis wins a close one against the 49ers and will face Missouri in the regional final. Missouri wins the region.

Our college basketball handicappers are getting ready to dominate during the NCAA tournament from the first round to the National Championship game in New Orleans next month.