The Midwest Region is loaded with a number of teams I already took positions on to win the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately for me, I’m going to need to do some immediate hedging with this region loaded with a number of heavyweights as well as teams that have it in them to spring an upset or two. This and the West region have five teams listed at less than 10-1 to win the bracket, and is the only to have another six teams at 33-1 or lower. A tip of the cap to whomever picks the last four teams standing in this region!
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ODDS TO WIN MIDWEST REGION
Kansas +165
Louisville +325
Oregon +450
Purdue +700
Iowa State +900
Michigan +1200
Creighton +2500
Michigan State +2500
Oklahoma State +2500
Rhode Island +2500
Miami +3300
Nevada +10000
Vermont +20000
Iona +50000
Jacksonville State +100000
UC Davis +100000
North Carolina Central +50000
Oregon Ducks +450
Just last week, you would’ve only gotten a 12-1 return on the Ducks to win the NCAA tournament. Now, Dana Altman’s kids check in at 25-1 to win the program its second ever national title. Much of that has to do with Chris Boucher unfortunately going down to a season-ending injury, but falling to Arizona in the Pac-12 title game didn’t help matters. Regardless, this is still a team with some very strong parts, and a deep run should be expected even though one of its biggest defensive weapons is out of commission.
The Ducks went 29-5 overall and won five of their seven neutral court games. After dropping that game to the Hoyas on the island, the Ducks went on to win each of their next 17 games before falling at Colorado. With a week off to adapt to Boucher’s absence, there’s not a doubt in my mind Dillon Brooks and company will be ready to roll once they hit the floor in Sacramento. Don’t make the mistake of already counting this team out like so many already have.
Oklahoma State Cowboys +2500
Jawun Evans just might be the best point guard in the country you’ve never heard of. The sophomore really took his game to a new level this season by leading the team in scoring with 19.0 points per game while dishing off a team-high 192 assists and hitting a number of big shots to win games. He’s paired with Jeffrey Carroll whose proven to be a deadly 3 point specialist in knocking down a shade under 44 percent of his long range attempts.
This team was down and out at the beginning of the Big 12 season, but rebounded to win five straight which included going into Morgantown and handing WVU one of only two home defeats. They enter the NCAA tournament losers of three straight, but each was competitive in falling to Iowa State twice and Kansas. This team either won or competed to the bitter end of all its big games to close the season, and won’t be the least bit intimidated by a Michigan team that isn’t nearly as good as it portrayed itself to be throughout its Big Ten tournament title run.
Rhode Island Rams +2500
With the Rams installed an 11 seed, they likely played themselves out of a play-in game by defeating VCU on Sunday to capture the Atlantic 10 tournament auto bid. In doing so, they get to take on a Creighton team that struggled the second half of the season without its point guard. Should Hassan Martin and company get by the Bluejays, they’ll likely then be forced to run up against a Ducks team that will partake in the Big Dance without their defensive enforcer.
Though every one of their games will be played far from home, defense travels anywhere and that’s exactly what RI brings to the table every time it steps onto the hardwood. The Rams concede less than 65 points per game and limit the opposition just over 40 percent from the field. Making them even tougher to score on is a perimeter defense ranked No. 3 in the nation that allows an average of just 4.6 made 3 pointers per game. That’s bad news for all three of their first week opponents who depend on long range success offensively. Survive the first week, and anything can happen for this experienced bunch.
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