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NCAA Tournament – Could the West Region Come Down to Arizona and Wisconsin?

  • Updated: March 20, 2015
    • NCAA Tournament Could the West Region Come Down to Arizona and Wisconsin?

    By Charles Jay

    The West region of the NCAA tournament is stacked with a lot of very capable teams, and there is a load of basketball tradition there as well. Some of these swuads exert a lot of defensive pressure on the opposition, and sometimes it works wonders, as it did in the case of the VCU Rams, who just a few years ago started the Big Dance with the play-in game and wound up in the Final Four. They employ the “havoc” defense of their mentor, Shaka Smart. But they are just a long shot to get through the region. Well, come to think of it, they were a long shot THEN as well.

    NCAA Tournament Could the West Region Come Down to Arizona and Wisconsin?

    Clearly, two teams are head and shoulders above the rest of the field in this particular region. Let’s take a look at what Vietbet has is the odds to make it through the West and eventually get to Indianapolis, which is where this year’s Final Four will be held:

    • Arizona +150
    • Wisconsin +165
    • North Carolina +1000
    • Baylor +1250
    • Arkansas +2400
    • Ohio State +3000
    • Xavier +3500
    • Mississippi +4000
    • VA Commonwealth +7500
    • Oregon +8500
    • Oklahoma State +10000
    • Wofford +70000
    • Harvard +70000
    • Georgia State +80000
    • Coastal Carolina +400000
    • Texas Southern +750000


    How good are the Arizona Wildcats? That’s a question that can be legitimately asked, as we head into action in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament. Arizona gives the appearance of being one of the best defensive teams in the country, allowing just 58.6 points per game on the season. And they bring some very capable size to the table. First of all there is seven-foot center Caleb Tarczewski, and he is accompanied by an outstanding frontcourt rotation that includes Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, freshman Stanley Johnson and the outstanding veteran, Brandon Ashley. Their draw isn’t all that unfavorable either. Arizona can beat a team whether they want to push the tempo or slow the game down. That is one of their strengths. And with their athleticism, they might not find a match until the regional final.

    That’s when they could go up against the Wisconsin Badgers, who have a bona fide national player of the year candidate in Frank Kaminsky. He is perhaps the most efficient player in the country. When it comes to the sabermetric-like statistic of “Adjusted Offensive Efficiency,” there is no one better in the country than Wisconsin, and that is because not only do they make their shots (Effective Field Goal Percentage – 18th in the nation), but they also turn the ball over far less frequently than anyone in the country. In fact, the Badgers commit a turnover on only 12.4% of their possessions.

    Vietbet customers should know (if they don;t already), that of all the Division I teams, Wisconsin is also one of the most deliberate; their “Adjusted Tempo” figure ranks 347th in the country. That means that if you are not ready to play the game at their pace, you are going to be in trouble. Can they play defense? Well, ask Michigan State, which was shut out (11-0) during the entire overtime period in the Big Ten championship.

    Wisconsin is also the best in the country at preventing its opponent from getting to the free-throw line. That’s right; and only 21% of possessions does their foe get, well, a free-throw. There are so many fundamentals you can point to that it is no wonder why many college basketball bettors are touting Wisconsin is a prime candidate to make it to the Final Four.

    Vietbet is your ticket to all the action in the NCAA Tournament, with reduced juice wagering and Dynamic Lines, so you never have to miss a number!