2022 March Madness Sweet 16 Bracket West Region Breakdown & Preview

We have reached the Sweet 16 Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and the games should get even better from this point on. There aren’t going to be as many games in the Sweet 16, but these will be battles of terrific programs. 

The West Region still has the top four seeds remaining, which is the only region in the NCAA Tournament to have this. Most people enjoy rooting for upsets in the early rounds, but a chalk regional weekend sets up some terrific games.

Here’s a closer look at the Sweet 16 games and what team will cut down the nets and get to the Final Four. 

Gonzaga Bulldogs -8.5 vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

It looked as if Gonzaga would get eliminated in the Second Round after going down by 12 points in the second half. It took about four minutes for Gonzaga to storm back in front, and from there, they controlled the game en route to a victory. 

Drew Timme is averaging over 18 points per game this season, and he carried the Bulldogs in the Second Round. Chet Holmgren is capable of a triple-double at any time, and his ability will play a role in this game. 

Arkansas wants to play extremely fast, and they will try to wear down Gonzaga. The Razorbacks have struggled to get stops at times this season, and they just don’t have the size to match up.

Take the Bulldogs -8.5 as they pull away late. 

Duke Blue Devils -1.0 vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Duke and Texas Tech might be the best game of the Sweet 16, and the one-point betting spread speaks to that. The Blue Devils feature an explosive offensive attack, while the Red Raiders want to keep this game in the 50s. 

The Red Raiders have given up just 57.5 points per game during the NCAA Tournament, and a similar effort will be needed on Thursday. Bryson Williams leads the Red Raiders with 14 points per game, but this team does it by committee.

Paolo Banchero is scoring 17 points per game for the Blue Devils, and he has played well in the NCAA Tournament. Duke is not a super deep team, but they have tons of athletes that can score points when needed. 

Ultimately, defense wins championships, and Texas Tech will win this one. 

Gonzaga Gets Back to Final Four

On paper, the West Region looks like the best group of four teams still standing, making for some great games. You could talk yourself into any team winning two games and winning this Region, but there is one team that is slightly better than the rest of the pack. 

Gonzaga will have the advantage of playing closer to home in this game, but the Bulldogs don’t need a ton of help. They are just too loaded on offense, and they will get the job done and advance to the Final Four. 

Take the Gonzaga Bulldogs to win a pair of games this weekend and win the West Region. 

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