Even though all the other regions have experienced their fair share of upsets through the first two rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the East has remained pretty chalk.
The No. 1 seeded Villanova Wildcats, the No. 2 seed Purdue Boilermakers, the No. 3 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders and the No. 5 seed West Virginia Cavaliers have made it to the Sweet Sixteen. The No. 1 seeded Virginia Cavaliers and Xavier Musketeers have already been knocked off so it was no gimme Villanova would get here, but the Wildcats have looked great. They are the favorites to claim the national championship and not surprisingly are a healthy favorite to get out of the East Region.
However, it’s going to be much tougher than if Villanova was in a region where many of the top seeds had already been knocked out. West Virginia is a really tough foe and may be able to make its own national championship run if it can figure out a way to upset Villanova in the Sweet Sixteen.
Purdue lost key center Isaac Haas in the first round due to a fractured elbow but was one of the best teams in the country throughout the regular season and should still be a tough out. The only team that doesn’t seem like a legitimate threat to come out of the East is Texas Tech, which has a tough route and less talent than the other three teams in the region.
Villanova wants to bring some semblance of normalcy to this year’s March Madness betting by floating through to the Final Four, where it would be expected to win it all. However, this weekend will undoubtedly be a tough test with possible back-to-back games against West Virginia and Purdue a huge test.
NCAA Tournament Odds
Villanova -115
Purdue +333
West Virginia +472
Texas Tech +562
Odds Analysis
If Purdue or West Virginia was in a different bracket, their odds of advancing would be good. However, getting stuck in the same region as Villanova is a rough draw. West Virginia will get the first crack at the Wildcats and is 5.5-point underdog. That NCAA basketball betting spread isn’t awful, and as a +207 underdog on the moneyline, the oddsmakers clearly see a way for the Mountaineers to spring the upset.
If West Virginia can manage that, it would likely face Purdue in the Elite Eight. The Boilermakers are listed as 1.5-point favorites over Texas Tech but it would not be surprising to see them cover. Purdue is the -125 favorite on the moneyline so the Red Raiders could easily pull off this upset as well.
However, whichever one of West Virginia/VIllanova comes away with the win will likely be expected to make it to the Final Four. Purdue has better odds than the Mountaineers but mostly because it gets to avoid Villanova for one round.
It’s interesting to see that Villanova is the favorite to win the national championship overall but not an overwhelming one to come out of the East Region. That’s because the competition is very good and navigating it won’t be easy.
Free NCAA ATS Picks
The NCAA Tournament has been full of upsets and the choice here is for another one. West Virginia is not as good as Villanova but will be on this night. Take the Mountaineers to play well defensively to spur a win over Villanova. While that is the heavy lifting, West Virginia would then need to win again in the Elite Eight.
The foe will be Purdue, and the Mountaineers are the choice to knock off a second straight higher seed on their way to an unlikely bid in the Final Four. While Villanova is the easy choice in the East, West Virginia’s odds are too good to ignore in NCAA basketball betting lines.
NCAA Odds: West Virginia to win the East Region
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!
