Like the East region, the West region of the NCAA bracket wasn’t filled with mammoth upsets and teams crashing the Sweet Sixteen party. All the big names are there as Duke, Arizona, San Diego State and Connecticut advanced to the second weekend after surviving tough tests in the first two rounds.
With the Sweet Sixteen set to tip off on Thursday, it’s time to revisit and revise our earlier predictions. Next up: The West region. Grab your own printable bracket and get to work making your own predictions as we wait for March Madness to ramp up again.
West Region
No. 1 Duke Blue Devils over No. 5 Arizona Wildcats, 80-70. Derrick Williams is a monster for the Wildcats, but Duke has been outstanding this year. With Nolan Smith peaking and Kyrie Irving back in the fold, the Blue Devils look like a formidable foe in the NCAA Tournament. Arizona’s run ends here at the hands of Duke.
No. 3 Connecticut Huskies over No. 2 San Diego State, 65-64. Yes, San Diego State struggled in the round of 32 and was plagued by late-game execution problems. Yes, Kemba Walker is outstanding, clutch and any other word you’d like to throw out describing him. What’s it all mean? I expect a close game that comes down to the final few possessions. Who ya got? I’ll take Kemba every day of the week.
West Region Finals
No. 1 Duke Blue Devils over No. 3 Connecticut Huskies, 76-72. Walker and Jeremy Lamb are both outstanding players, but Duke simply has too many weapons. From Smith and Irving on the outside to Kyle Singler and the Plumlee brothers, the Blue Devils have enough solid players to give the Huskies fits in the regional finals with a spot in the Final Four on the line.
Stay with our Sweet Sixteen predictions StoryStream as we update the bracket throughout the day.. To get caught up with the happenings from March Madness, check out our NCAA Tournament results StoryStream.