NCAA March Madness Bracket West Region Breakdown & Preview

The NCAA Tournament field has been set, and the action is set to begin later this week. Betting odds are already available for the first round of games, but it’s also time to take a look at the entire field in each region.

Getting to the Final Four is the first major goal for each team in the NCAA Tournament, and winning the region is how that gets done. The West Region is where we find the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament as the Gonzaga Bulldogs are back on top.

Earning the top overall seed usually gives that team an easier route to the Final Four, but that’s not necessarily the case for Gonzaga. The Duke Blue Devils are the number two seed in the West, but there are other terrific teams as well.

Any Upsets Coming?

The NCAA Tournament is known as March Madness for a reason, and this event is always full of upsets. With that in mind, there are a couple of potential underdogs that could pull off a stunning upset along the way.

The number 12 seed usually has some luck in the NCAA Tournament, and it’s New Mexico State that is in that position in the West. New Mexico State will be facing UConn in the first round, and this will be a game that comes down to the wire.

Davidson is the number 10 seed in the West, and they face off against Michigan State in the First Round. The Wildcats are a veteran team, and that program has always been a tough team to deal with in the NCAA Tournament.

If you are looking for upsets in the West Region, then New Mexico State and Davidson are two teams to keep your eye on.

Making the Picks

You are going to have to pick some underdogs to win in the First Round, but don’t expect this bracket to get flipped upside down. The best teams are going to rise to the top as the games go on, and you will want to keep your eye on those programs in the West Region.

Here is a breakdown of all of the top picks to make, all the way up to the Regional Final.

Round 1:

Gonzaga over Georgia State

Boise State over Memphis

New Mexico State over UConn

Arkansas over Vermont

Alabama over the winner of Rutgers/Notre Dame

Texas Tech over Montana State

Davidson over Michigan State

Duke over CSU Fullerton

Round 2:

Gonzaga over Boise State

Arkansas over New Mexico State

Texas Tech over Alabama

Duke over Davidson

Round 3:

Gonzaga over Arkansas

Texas Tech over Duke

Round 4:

Gonzaga Over Texas Tech

There are going to be some upsets that play out in the West Region, but don’t expect all of the top teams to fall. Gonzaga should have little trouble in the top half of the bracket, and Texas Tech looks to be the top team in the bottom. 

A matchup between these two schools in the regional final would be a great battle, and each team wins games in a very different way. The Red Raiders have had a terrific season, but they just don’t have enough offense to beat Gonzaga.

Mark Few just continues to win games, and his Gonzaga team will win the West and return to the Final Four.

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