Of the four regions announced on Selection Sunday, the East looks to be the most loaded by far. The top seeded Villanova Wildcats have the longest odds of the four No. 1 seeds to win it, which shows just how stacked this region truly is. When the dust clears, someone’s going to come out of the East, so let’s dig into the numbers and see which teams should be considered and which should be thrown to the wayside.
Don't miss any of the 2017 NCAA tournament with the Final Four taking place at University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, AZ on April 1, 2017. Catch every moment of the games live on CBS.
ODDS TO WIN EAST REGION
Villanova +175
Duke +175
Baylor +1000
Florida +1000
Virginia +1000
SMU +1200
Wisconsin +1400
South Carolina +4000
Virginia Tech +4000
Marquette +4000
Providence +4000
USC +4000
UNC Wilmington +10000
East Tennessee State +20000
New Mexico State +40000
Troy +100000
Mount St. Mary's +100000
New Orleans +100000
Villanova Wildcats +175
We can’t start this piece off without giving the defending champs some love. Jay Wright’s kids won the regular season title as well as the Big East tournament. This is a worthy selection no doubt even though it’s favored to come out of the region unscathed. The Wildcats won all eight of their neutral court games with the most notable wins coming against Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Seton Hall and Creighton; all four of which qualified for the Big Dance.
Though Nova only goes seven deep, the unit is as cohesive as it gets led by seniors Josh Hart ( 18.9 PPG ), Kris Jenkins ( 13.4 PPG ) and junior Mikal Bridges ( 9.9 PPG ). It is however mostly a jump shooting team, so if the shots aren’t falling, they can be had. On top of that, their path to the Final Four is filled with landmines with top-heavy teams like Wisconsin, Virginia, Florida, SMU, Baylor, and Duke waiting in the wings. Regardless, Villanova will be a tough out for all that gets in its way.
SMU Mustangs +1200
A year removed from being ineligible to partake in the NCAA tournament, the Mustangs are back in the Big Dance after a year hiatus. The Ponies currently check in as the No. 11 ranked team per the current Pomeroy Ratings. The value to win this region is absurdly high at 12-1, and I will no doubt be adding SMU to my futures odds portfolio STAT. This veteran bunch will be out to make up for lost time with it way under seeded at No. 6 in mine and many others’ opinion.
Southern Methodist isn’t the deepest of teams, but its starting five is as good if not better than a majority of the team’s that qualified for this tournament. Semi Ojeleye is a beast down low and will be a terror for all that gets in his way. Sterling Brown and Shake Milton can make it rain from downtown, while Ben Moore leads the team on the glass and in blocked shots. This team won both the AAC regular season title and tournament and possesses the makeup at both ends of the court to make some real noise in this tourney.
NC-Wilmington Seahawks +10000
If you’re looking for a team to make a George Mason-esque run to the Final Four, look no further than Kevin Keatts’ North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks. It won the Colonial Athletic Association regular season title and then avenged a home loss to Charleston in the title game to win the conference tournament. This is a team that won five of its six neutral court affairs and enters the Big Dance winners of seven straight.
C.J. Bryce, Chris Flemmings and Denzel Ingram form a deadly trio that averages nearly 48.0 points per game. It’s all about the offense with the Seahawks who average over 85 points per game and own an adjusted offensive efficiency ranked amongst the top-20 in the country. This is an experienced team that gave Duke a run for its money in the first round last season. Though it’s undersized defensively, if the shots are falling, the Seahawks can pull a shocker over anyone.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
