(In lieu of a full bracket, region by region picks to get you over the hump the day before the tournament really starts)
In some ways, the West regional seems like it could filled with upsets.
UTEP is a chic pick. Murray State is dangerous. Ditto Oakland. Minnesota's playing well. Florida State can play some defense. Florida has a few decent wins.
Heck, even Syracuse is short-handed this weekend.
Then again, most of the favorites are pretty good, too. Some are vulnerable, but there isn't an upset in big neon letters you just know will unfold
And that is why the way the West will be won is through a whole lot of chalk.
SECOND ROUND
(1) Syracuse
(8) Gonzaga
(5) Butler
(4) Vanderbilt
(6) Xavier
(3) Pittsburgh
(7) Brigham Young
(2) Kansas State
REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
(1) Syracuse
(5) Butler
(6) Xavier
(2) Kansas State
REGIONAL FINAL
(1) Syracuse
(2) Kansas State
REGIONAL CHAMP
(1) Syracuse
Maybe the best half I saw in person all season was authored by Syracuse back on Feb. 18 when the Orange visited Verizon Center.
When playing well, the Orange will be maybe the nastiest out in the tournament. Dealing with that zone will not be a pleasant task.
Maybe there will be a first-round upset in here. I really do like Oakland, and Pitt might make things enough of a slog that it stays close for a little too long.
But the top two teams should make it to Salt Lake City.
(By the way, imagine if Brigham Young somehow knocks off K-State. What a scene that could be in the regional weekend).
Go with the 'Cuse, for lack of a better option. Certainly, there's no reason to think the Orange won't make it to the regional final at an absolute minimum.
Comments