West Region: Sweet 16 Games
With only 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament, the action will only be heating up from now on, starting today with four huge games – two of them in the wild West region of the bracket.
The first West semi-final game will see the current region favorite, Ohio State, take on the talented Wildcats of Arizona. The winner will then await the victor from the La Salle-Wichita State game later in the day. Who will win the day? Who will win the West region? Let’s take a closer look at these two Sweet 16 match-ups.
(2) Ohio State Buckeyes -4 vs. (6) Arizona Wildcats +4
Ohio State certainly has all the aspects, as well as the intangibles, you look for in a championship team. They shoot the ball well, provide exceptional defensive pressure without fouling, possess one of the nation’s best scorers in Deshaun Thomas and one of the nation’s best facilitators and leaders in Aaron Craft. However, after narrowly escaping defeat against an athletic Iowa State team last round, the Buckeyes also showed they are vulnerable.
The Wildcats pose a similar threat to the Buckeyes that the Cyclones did with an athletic, quick team that relies on its guard play. Although Arizona hasn’t faced much tough competition yet – in getting past Belmont and Harvard – the Cats still have been getting great production from Mark Lyons, who is scoring 25 points per game so far in the tourney. If he and his teammates can keep up their steady play against Ohio State, they certainly have a good chance at pulling off the upset.
Ohio State will likely end up prevailing in the end, like it did last weekend, but look for Arizona to take the Bucks down to the wire and cover +4, even in defeat.
(9) Wichita State Shockers -4.5 vs. (13) La Salle Explorers +4.5
Wichita State and La Salle have both already busted fans and bettors’ brackets and today they’ll take on each other in what’s sure to be one of the most entertaining games of the day.
After knocking off top-seed in the West Gonzaga, the Shockers proved they aren’t afraid of any fight and their balanced, but defensive minded, approach should give them a significant edge against the Explorers.
La Salle has lived and died (not yet though) on the three-point line during their three-games in the tournament. Obviously, if the Explorers stay hot from three, they’ll have a great chance to continue their run, but against the Shockers’ fast and aggressive defense, it will be difficult from them to get easy and open looks.
Look for Wichita State to earn the win and advance, covering -4.5 in the process.
