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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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Alabama football set to play at Oklahoma on Nov. 23, 2024

Alabama set to travel to Oklahoma the week before the Iron Bowl

With the additions of both Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC in 2024, the conference is doing away with the traditional East and West divisions. The Tide’s schedule next season will look much different than years past with five former SEC East opponents, two old West rivals and Oklahoma.

Alabama’s conference schedule for next season already has locked in dates of Georgia on Sept. 28, at Tennessee on Oct. 19, at LSU on Nov. 9 and Auburn on Nov. 30. On X, Alabama football just announced that the the trip to Norman to face the Sooners will be on Nov. 23, one week before the Iron Bowl. In the past, the SEC and Alabama have been known to schedule some “cupcake” games leading up to rivalry weekend, but that will not be the case as of 2024.

It is projected that Jalen Milroe and four out of five starting offensive linemen will return in 2024 giving the Tide a strong chance to compete for another SEC title and Playoff berth. A trip to Norman, OK is something new, but a very attractive blue blood matchup. The last time the two met the Tide handled the Sooners 45-34.

Mark your Calendars 🗓️

Nov. 23, 2024 #RollTide pic.twitter.com/2GCPXfoPmV

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) December 12, 2023

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

HIGHLIGHTS: Watch East vs. West in 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl

Watch all of the highlights from both the East and West teams in the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl.

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Alabama vs. LSU: Prediction, point spread, odds best bet

Crimson Tide opens as nearly two-touchdown favorite at LSU

The Alabama Crimson Tide plays the LSU Tigers on Nov. 5, and if you’re looking to do some betting research, you’re in luck. Below is the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under line, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet at Bet MGM Sportsbook.

The game kicks off at 6:00 p.m. CDT and can be seen on ESPN.

The Crimson Tide have a massive task this weekend as the team hopes to keep the playoff dreams alive. Coming off of a much-needed bye week, the Tide will travel to Baton Rouge for a primetime showdown with the No. 15 LSU Tigers.

The Tigers sit at 6-2 with the only two losses being an opening-day loss to Florida State by a missed PAT and a big loss by Tennessee in Death Valley. That being said, Brian Kelly has found something in his guys and they are playing their best ball to date.

SEC Football: Projecting the conference’s final standings for the 2022 season

Projecting how all 14 teams in the SEC will finish the 2022 college football season!

The last three national titles have all come out of the Southeastern Conference, and all three were from different universities. So, it is safe to say that the path to the national title likely runs through the SEC yet again.

The Georgia Bulldogs wear the target on their back as the defending national champions and Alabama is the reigning champion of the conference. A few schools like Ole Miss and Arkansas are starting to become legitimate conference contenders, while Texas A&M looks to do the unthinkable and defeat Nick Saban in back-to-back seasons.

Here’s how every SEC team is projected to fare in-conference for the 2022 college football season.

Former Vols’ kicker wins district championship

Former Tennessee kicker wins district championship.

Former Vols’ kicker Alex Walls is serving as boys’ head soccer coach at West High School in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Walls guided West to its first league tournament championship (District 3-AAA) since 2009. West defeated Oak Ridge, 3-1.

“We have some new facilities, we have a new locker room and now we have a plaque to put in there,” Walls said. “This was our first district title since 2009.

“These are all good kids. They’re policing themselves, coaching themselves at this point. That makes our job a lot easier. They love each other and they love the school, and they play for each other.”

West will host Maryville High School (Maryville, Tennessee) Tuesday in the Region 2-AAA semifinals. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EDT.

Walls played for the Vols from 1999-2002. He also serves as West’s kickers coach in football.

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