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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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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

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WBB Recap: Ducks hand Grand Canyon its first loss of the season

In their first road test of the season, the Oregon women’s basketball team defeated Grand Canyon 64-56.

In their first road test of the season, the Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team passed with a 64-56 win over Grand Canyon.

Grace VanSlooten led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds with Phillipina Kyei adding 13 points and 16 rebounds.

With the win, Oregon moves to 3-0 on the season and the Lopes, out of the WAC, dropped to 2-1.

Chance Gray scored 11 points by going 7-of-8 from the free throw line and Sofia Bell was able to score nine points, all coming from the three-point stripe.

The Ducks were up 25-19 in a defensive first half and maintained that lead throughout the game, but GCU was able to cut the lead to two on a couple of occasions. Oregon held a double-digit lead only to watch it evaporate twice thanks to the Lopes going 5-of-6 from long distance in the third quarter.

Thankfully for Oregon, that prowess from the three-point line didn’t last for the home Lopes. They were just 1-of-12 in the fourth quarter and 7-of-28 for the game.

The Ducks weren’t exactly much better, however.

Oregon was 3-of-14 from long range and just 20-of-58 (34.5 percent) from the field overall. The Ducks did make 21-of-29 from the free throw line.

It’s no rest for the weary for Oregon as it comes home to face Santa Clara on Saturday for a 12 pm tip-off at Matthew Knight Arena. The Broncos are 3-1 for the season with their only defeat coming at the hands of California last week.

5 most important players for Oklahoma Sooners Basketball in 2023-2024

Taking a look at five players that are important to Oklahoma’s 2023 season as they attempt to bounce back from two disappointing years.

Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team needs a big-time bounce-back season. After consecutive seasons of missing the NCAA Tournament, Oklahoma heads into 2023-2024 facing the possibility of three consecutive missed tournaments. That hasn’t happened since the gap in tournament appearances from 2009-2013.

Head coach Porter Moser will face his most difficult challenge yet. Not only is the pressure on for him to lead Oklahoma to the NCAA Tournament, he’ll have to do it with the Big 12, adding schools like BYU and new perennial hoops powerhouse Houston to the nation’s best basketball conference.

It won’t be easy, and the effects of the last two years of failure reverberated thru the program. The Sooners saw six players from last year’s roster hit the transfer portal and seek other college basketball opportunities elsewhere. They also lost two veteran presences, Grant Sherfield and Tanner Groves, who play for the Phoenix Suns and OKC Thunder in the NBA Summer League.

To be able to compete, Porter Moser and his staff turned to the transfer portal to replenish what they lost. Oklahoma welcomed transfers from across the country. They brought in talent from the ACC, MAAC, PAC 12, and the Western Athletic Conference.

Oklahoma will look like a brand new team next season, and based on last year’s results, it’s hard to see how that could be a bad thing. However, how will Porter Moser make it work when looking past the surface level? Who will Oklahoma depend on with Grant Sherfield, Tanner Groves, Jalen Hill, and others not on the court?

After looking at the roster and factoring in returnees, we believe these five players are the most important for the Sooners to fight back into the NCAA tournament.

Wagner also added to bolster Arkansas baseball lineup

Arkansas got some bop back in its lineup on Friday with the addition of Tarleton State’s Jack Wagner.

With the exhausted eligibility of one Brady Slavens, the Arkansas baseball team was going to need an infusion of power.

Dave Van Horn thinks he’s found it in Jack Wagner.

Wagner, who most recently was hitting 15 home runs and slashing .337/.451/.692 while driving in 56 runs for Tarleton State, committed to the Diamond Hogs on Friday.

#WPS pic.twitter.com/rbdjBhRFOx

— Jack Wagner (@Jack_Wagner1) June 16, 2023

We already told you that Wagner was familiar with Tavian Josenberger, as the pair were teammates at Kansas before both ultimately hit the portal.

He primarily played corner outfield during his time at KU but played both first base and DH for Tarleton State.

His OPS of 1.143 was one of the tops in the Western Athletic Conference. It will be Wagner’s last year of eligibility.

Sooners land fourth transfer of offseason in guard Utah Valley’s Le’Tre Darthard

Oklahoma continues to attack the portal hard, landing a commitment from Utah Valley transfer guard Le’Tre Darthard.

Oklahoma’s attempt to bounce back from a tumultuous season is firmly underway. The last few weeks have been busy among the Oklahoma basketball office reconfiguring a roster that lost eight bodies to either the transfer portal, graduation, or, professional basketball opportunities.

The project has gone well as Oklahoma has brought in multiple transfers already. All of the incoming Sooners have been productive players at their previous spots.

That trend continued on Thursday as the Sooners earned a commitment from Le’Tre Darthard.

Darthard is a 6-foot-4 guard from Utah Valley University, where he played three seasons. He started all 37 games for the Wolverines this season.

In 2022-2023, he averaged a career-high 13.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game on 42.5 percent shooting. He was an All-WAC first-team selection and all-defensive team member as well.

Let’s work‼️ pic.twitter.com/8cK1vqLlVb

— LeTre Darthard (@trey_d24) April 27, 2023

Darthard’s offensive efficiency (117) and defensive efficiency (97) numbers rank among the best in the nation. The sport of basketball has morphed so that teams with a surplus of efficient two-way players have an infinitely higher ceiling than a team that doesn’t.

Darthard won’t dominate the ball. He has a strong ability to score off the ball will be a huge boost. He’ll fit well with Siena transfer [autotag]Javian McCollum[/autotag] who is likely to take the reigns as the primary ball handler and playmaker in half-court sets.

Darthard shot 36 percent from beyond the three-point line, which is more than serviceable and helps alleviate one of Oklahoma’s biggest offensive weaknesses last year.

The Sooners continue to add up productive and experienced guard depth via the portal, as this commitment marks the third guard transfer of the offseason. Oklahoma also added Pitt center [autotag]John Hugley[/autotag] a few weeks back.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Notre Dame vs. Hawaii and Texas A&M in 2020? One Expert Suggests It

If there is no Pac-12/California based college football in 2020 then who do effected opponents fill the schedule with? A few suggestions…

Say the Pac 12 or California-based colleges don’t play football this season like many are suggesting. We brought it up earlier in the week when USC head coach Clay Helton and Stanford’s David Shaw mentioned the possibility.

If that happens then Notre Dame will have a pair of empty spaces on their 2020 schedule with two annual rivals either delayed or not playing football at all. So who does Notre Dame potentially replace them with?

Pete Fiutak over at College Football News brought up that exact topic in his recent piece, “15 possible college football games if there’s no Pac 12 season”. In it, Fiutak proposes a pair of potential replacement games for Notre Dame in 2020.

Hawaii at Notre Dame, Nov. 28

Current Scheduled Games
Hawaii at San Diego State, Nov. 28
Notre Dame at USC, Nov. 28

This is a no-brainer. Notre Dame avoids a road game – which might matter in a big way; more on that later on this list – and Hawaii has to fly a little further. The two last played in the 2008 Hawaii Bowl – a 49-21 Irish win – and it would be the fourth meeting all-time between the two. Notre Dame is 3-0.

Some of us are old enough to remember Notre Dame finishing the 1991 and 1997 regular seasons on the islands while almost all of us recall the 2008 Hawaii Bowl that ended in victory both on the field and off, as plenty of efforts were spent recruiting Manti Te’o during that time.

How about Hawaii making that trip in late November, though? USC refuses to come north after mid-October, I can’t begin to imagine what a Hawaii football team would look like in South Bend a couple days after Thanksgiving.

The second Fiutak proposal:

Notre Dame at Texas A&M, Oct. 10

Current Scheduled Games
Stanford at Notre Dame, Oct. 10
Fresno State at Texas A&M, Oct. 10

This has to happen, but only if Notre Dame buys into the idea of traveling to College Station. No way, no chance that Texas A&M goes to South Bend with a a date in Arlington against Arkansas and a trip to Mississippi State the two weeks before October 10th, and road games at Auburn and South Carolina to follow.

Notre Dame, though, would be coming off of away games against Wake Forest and Wisconsin – playing in Green Bay – and have to travel to Pitt the week after. However, there’s an open date on October 24th to rest up.

It’s one of those dream-type match-ups as adding Texas A&M to the 2020 slate would be quite the bump from what Stanford is expected to be this fall. However, good luck getting Notre Dame to agree to that. The Irish would be going from a September 19 date with Western Michigan until Halloween afternoon against Duke without playing at home. I don’t know what the record is for longest amount of time between true-home games in a season but I’m guessing Jack Swarbrick and Brian Kelly aren’t too interested in chasing or breaking it.

I’ll go out on a limb and guess that one’s not going to be happening unless someone can manage to find a neutral site to host it but even that would be a significant upset to me seeing as it’d still mean a month and a half away from Notre Dame Stadium.

I do like the sudden feel of the “NCAA Football” video game though where you set your own schedule right before the year.