WEST REGION PREDICTIONS – 2012 NCAA Tournament Free Picks & Sleepers
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Well, it’s that time of the year again. The regular season is over, the conference tournaments have been played, and the field is out. It is time for March Madness, and the NCAA tournament.
There were not as many complaints this year as opposed to past years in terms of who got in, but the one dispute just so happens to be in the West bracket, and it’s the play-in.
The Iona Gaels were a team that many thought should not have gotten in, but they will be facing off against BYU as they gun for the final No. 14 seed to open this year’s NCAA Tournament on Tuesday night.
But, besides this year’s play-in game, the West Bracket shapes up to offer some interesting payouts for the serious and casual gambler.
So , let’s check out my 2012 West NCAA Tournament bracket predictions below to help you get prepare to cash in on all of this season’s madness!
West Predictions
1. Michigan State +180
The Spartans are regarded by many as a surefire thing to win the Western bracket, and the Final Four appearance that comes with it. However, I’m not so sure it will go down that easy. This is a very talented team without question, but they are very reliant upon one player.
Granted Draymond Green is perhaps one of the best players in college basketball, and without question the best leader in the game right now. And even though he is averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, and a little over three assists per game, can one player spark the Spartans to a title?
One thing is for certain.
If MSU is going to make a run, not only is Green going to have to maintain those numbers throughout the tourney, he will have to do a little extra to get by some of the competition.
2. Missouri +200
This team may have the best chemistry of any team in college basketball. The Tigers are incredibly difficult to match-up with. Kim English, who runs their four position is a player that can do it all.
He has the ball handling skills, the outside shot, and in the right match-ups he can bang down low as well. It is not a one man show in Missouri though. Ricardo Ratliffe, Marcus Denmon, and Phil Pressey will all have something to say about the Tiger’s tourney successes as well.
This team has everything needed for a deep run in the tournament and could be the one to beat down the stretch.
4. Louisville +800
A team that many had written off before the Big East conference tournament even started. When that event hit though, the real Peyton Siva showed up and in the four games the Cardinals won during that week, Siva flirted with a triple-double on two separate occasions.
While Louisville does have a couple of shooters in Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith, along with a very capable big man in Gorgui Dieng. It’s my belief that this team will only go as far as Siva (the MVP of the Big East tournament) takes them.
Which could get them no less than Elite 8 gig. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
3. Marquette +800
This Golden Eagle team basically runs through two players.
If Marquette is to make a deep run, both of them must be on top of their game. Darius Johnson-Odom (DJO) and Jae Crowder are two of the best that the Big East have to offer. Croweder–the Big East player of the year for the regular season–is by far one of the best all-around players Marquette has laid claim to in a while. However, one thing that tends to plague the G-Eagles from time to time is the turnover.
This does not bode particularly well when you look at a potential Sweet Sixteen match-up with Missouri. If Crowder and DJO are on though, they could be the team to beat just about anyone.
12. Long Beach State +5000
Finally, you have one of the better 12 seeds you will ever see in Long Beach State. This is a team that played anyone that they could on the road earlier in the season, and won more than a couple of them. They are centered around their senior point guard, Casper Ware.
He is as good as it gets in college basketball this season.
He is a pure scorer, and can score on any defense. He averaged over 17 points a game.
They face a tough New Mexico team in the first round, but if Casper gets loose, look out. A real sleeper and a potentially huge payout for those willing to take the risk.
PICK – Missouri
While it’s hard to bet against Izzo’s Spartans, the Tigers are a deeper team and rely on more than one player, which could come in handy in a month long tournament that is sure to take its toll on one dimensional team that rely heavily on the performance of a single player.
