Tag: Tarheels

March Madness: NCAA Tournament West Region odds, picks and predictions

Looking at March Madness futures odds to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament West Region, with expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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The regions and seeding for the NCAA Tournament have been decided with Selection Sunday in the rearview mirror. The West Region includes quite a few notable teams with a chance to make some noise in the tournament.

Below, we look at BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament West Region futures odds and and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

The North Carolina Tar Heels (27-7) earned the top seed in the West Region, while the Howard Bison (16-15) and the Wagner Seahawks (18-16) will meet Tuesday in the First Four to determine who faces the Tar Heels in the round of 64. The region’s 2-3-4 seeds are Arizona (25-8), Baylor (23-10), and Alabama (21-11).

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West Region futures odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook’s access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 5:57 a.m. ET.

1 seed: North Carolina +300 (bet $100 to win $300)

2 seed: Arizona +280 (bet $100 to win $280)

3 seed: Baylor +800 (bet $100 to win $800)

4 seed: Alabama +750 (bet $100 to win $750)

5 seed: Saint Mary’s +1600 (bet $100 to win $1,600)

6 seed: Clemson +3000 (bet $100 to win $3,000)

7 seed: Dayton +3000 (bet $100 to win $3,000)

8 seed: Mississippi State +2200 (bet $100 to win $2,200)

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9 seed: Michigan State +2200 (bet $100 to win $2,200)

10 seed: Nevada +3000 (bet $100 to win $3,000)

11 seed: New Mexico +3000 (bet $100 to win $3,000)

12 seed: Grand Canyon +6600 (bet $100 to win $6,600)

13 seed: Charleston +20000 (bet $100 to win $20,000)

14 seed: Colgate +40000 (bet $100 to win $40,000)

15 seed: Long Beach State +20000 (bet $100 to win $20,000)

16 seed: Howard/Wagner +40000 (bet $100 to win $40,000)

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West Region expert pick and prediction

Arizona Wildcats (+280)

The Wildcats (25-8) have the talent to win the whole darn thing, but can they put it together for 6 straight games? That’s the big question. They ended the regular season with a disappointing loss on the road to a middling USC squad and were ousted in the Pac-12 tournament by the eventual champs, the Oregon Ducks. So why I do I like them to win the West Region? Because they have the clearest path to the Elite Eight of anyone in the West.

Guard play is vital in the NCAA Tournament and Arizona has All-American G Caleb Love, who was in the 2022 Final Four with North Carolina. He led the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game (PPG). Arizona also has a pair of 7-footers in the low block, headlined by C Oumar Ballo who averaged a double-double for the season (13.1 points, 10 rebounds). The Wildcats will be a tough out for anyone in this tournament.

Top 25: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

West Region contenders

North Carolina Tar Heels (+300)

I’d be remiss not to mention North Carolina (27-7) as a threat in the West Region as the No. 1 seed. UNC features 4 players averaging double-figures in scoring, led by 1st-team All-American point guard R.J. Davis (21 PPG).

North Carolina is balanced outside and inside with their senior leader F Armando Bacot, who averages a double-double (14.1 points, 10.2 rebounds). He and Davis enter this tournament with big chips on their shoulders from their 2022 National Championship 72-69 loss to Kansas. They are the biggest challenger to the Arizona Wildcats.

Clemson Tigers (+3000)

Clemson (21-10) played an outstanding non-conference schedule and beat NCAA Tournament teams UAB, Boise State, Alabama, South Carolina, and TCU. The Tigers finished 3rd in field-goal percentage offense and defense in the ACC. They may have finished in a tie for 5th in the ACC, but make no mistake, this team earned their spot in the Big Dance.

Senior C PJ Hall leads the Tigers with 18.8 PPG and had 7 double-doubles this season. Clemson got a huge offensive boost from 5th-year senior Syracuse transfer G Joseph Girard III (15.7 PPG). This squad brings a lot to the court which could give other team fits.

West Region long shot

Grand Canyon Lopes (+6600)

The Antelopes (29-4) won the Western Athletic Conference regular-season (17-3) and tournament titles. Grand Canyon’s average margin of victory in the WAC was 11.2 PPG. They are coached by Bryce Drew, one of the legends of March Madness. Drew hit a buzzer beater for No. 13 Valparaiso to beat No. 4 Ole Miss in the 1st round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. He knows what it takes to win in the Big Dance.

Grand Canyon brings a balanced attack,leading the WAC in scoring defense (64.8) and 2nd in scoring offense (75.9). Senior G Tyon Grant-Foster is the WAC men’s player of the year after averaging 19.8 points and 6 rebounds per game and shooting nearly 45% from the field for the season. This team can play with anyone in the country.

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North Carolina adds another 5-star recruit to top-ranked 2024 class

UNC’s 2024 class is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by a big margin.

North Carolina continues to build out their recruiting class of 2024. On Monday, Cardinal Hayes (NY) five-star shooting guard Ian Jackson announced his commitment to the Tarheels.

Jackson (6-foot-4, 185 pounds) is ranked the second-best player overall in his class behind Lake Highlands (Texas) shooting guard Tre Johnson. North Carolina won out over 13 other schools that made Jackson offers, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Kansas and Duke.

According to Inside Carolina, Jackson says the family atmosphere influenced his decision.

“(What) stood out to me (on the visit) was how much of a family everyone is there. The whole coaching staff played there, so it was cool how everybody is familiar with the program and the culture. It says a lot about UNC that all the former players and coaches come back to the school for their careers.”

Jackson is the second five-star recruit the Tarheels have landed in a month – the other being point guard Elliot Cadeau. UNC’s 2024 class is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by a big margin.

On film Jackson is a scoring phenom with an excellent mid-range jumper and thrives finishing in transition. Here’s some highlights.

Tarheels fans probably shouldn’t get too comfortable with Jackson, though. He says his plan is to play one year in college then declare for the NBA Draft.

More basketball stories

Super 25 basketball power rankings

Hoops highlights: NFHS’s Weekly top 10

North Carolina adds another blue chip recruit to class of 2024

On Monday, St. Rita (Chicago, Ill.) four-star center James Brown announced his commitment to North Carolina.

North Carolina has added a couple of blue chip recruits to the fold over the last several days. The nation’s top point guard in the 2024 class, Elliot Cadeau committed to the Tarheels on December 28. This week they added another big piece of the puzzle for the ’24 recruiting cycle.

On Monday, St. Rita (Chicago, Ill.) four-star center James Brown announced his commitment to North Carolina.

Brown (6-foot-9, 210 pounds) is ranked No. 5 among centers in his class and first overall in the state of Illinois.

In an exclusive for Inside Carolina, Brown explained his decision:

“North Carolina is a beautiful place, and when I took my official visit I was blown away by the Smith Center. In an interview, my dad called it “basketball heaven” and he wasn’t wrong. You walk in the building and look up at the banners, see all the history of UNC basketball, and it honestly tugs at you. It kind of invites you to be a part of it. And I know they talk about it a lot, but it really does feel like a family. There were former players there during the visit, players’ parents, friends, spouses, and everyone.”

Brown says he also received college offers from Arizona State, DePaul, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Harvard, Howard, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Providence, Siena, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Western Illinois, and Wisconsin.

The scouting report on Brown from Eric Bossi at 247 Sports mentions an ability to finish around the rim with either hand, a variety of hook shots and up and under moves, plus good passing skills and decision making for a center.

In 13 games this season, Brown is averaging 10.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 58% from the floor.

More hoops stories

4-star CG Freddie Dilione to enroll early at Tennessee

4-star 2024 SF Rob Dockery commits to Texas A&M

North Carolina gets commitment from nation’s top-ranked point guard

He is ranked first among point guards and No. 10 overall in the class of 2024.

On Wednesday, North Carolina got a commitment from Link Year Prep (N.J.) five-star Junior Elliot Cadeau (6-foot-2, 165 pounds).

He is ranked No. 1 at point guard and No. 10 overall in the class of 2024.

Cadeau had 17 other offers to choose from with Syracuse, Kansas, Louisville, Texas and Texas Tech also among his finalists.

Asked about his decision, Cadeau credited North Carolina’s winning history and announced that he’ll be starting as a Freshman, per 247 Sports.

“I chose North Carolina because they’re a winning program and I would be surrounded by elite players when I get there… I’ll be contributing my freshman year as a starter on the team, I’ll be playing for a really good coach and a winning program. The coaching staff is a family and when I was there for a visit I knew I really wanted to be a part of that family.”

Cadeau’s game comes equipped with all the traditional attributes you’d want in a point guard – including agility, ball handling, facilitate-first instincts and an ability to score off the dribble. It also has some unique features rarely seen in hoopers his age – or any age for that matter – including a ridiculous 45-inch vertical leap and a knack for aggressive outlet passes.

Cadeau is a product of Sweden, where he filled out the stat sheet last year in the under-18 Euro Championship and helped lead his team to a Gold medal. During the tournament (six games) he averaged 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.2 steals per game. His shooting numbers were solid all around. He hit 52.5% of his attempts from the floor, 40.9% from three and 76.1% from the free throw line. Cadeau was named MVP for his efforts after the championship game.

Cadeau is now 18 years old, which makes him eligible to reclassify into 2023 and skip his Senior year if he completes the necessary credits. On that question, he told On3 it will be a last-minute decision but he’s staying in the class of 2024 for now.

More high school hoops stories

4-star SG comments on his commitment to Arizona

4-star SF commits to Texas A&M on Christmas

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