NCAA West Regional Thread (Gonzaga, Arizona, FSU, WVU)

[pfrduke]

Vote on the west here.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Jesus. Gonzaga has Arizona, WVu, ND, and Purdue? That's tough

[gocanes0506]

And Florida State

[flyingdutchdevil]

No questions asked. Jesus.

Thank god we avoided this bracket.

[Doria]

No questions asked. Jesus.

Thank god we avoided this bracket.

Totally agree.

[Olympic Fan]

Totally disagree ... a cakewalk of a bracket -- for Arizona.

Notre Dame is the second best team in the entire region and if they have to match up with Gonzaga, it's about the worst matchup they can have -- a team with two bigs to pound them inside. They'd better shoot well that night.

FSU is a team that has slumped badly down the stretch.

[UT Dukie]

My bet: the "Conference of Champions" can't even get their highest seed past the first weekend somehow. And if the PAC zero does something, it's UCLA tearing up the South.

[53n206]

Whoever, if, beats Fla. State will lose the next game. The team will still be bruised and tired.

[burnspbesq]

Mark Few is desperately missing Dimantas Sabonis right about now. He's got nobody who can guard Markkanen.

Then again, neither does anyone else. Markkanen may not be the best freshman in the country, but he's the guy that nobody has an answer for. Imagine Harry Giles with range out to 23 feet.

Zags - Zona was one of the five best games of the regular season. It could be the best game of the tournament. I have no earthly idea who's going to win.

[mr shadow 008]

Totally disagree ... a cakewalk of a bracket -- for Arizona.

Notre Dame is the second best team in the entire region and if they have to match up with Gonzaga, it's about the worst matchup they can have -- a team with two bigs to pound them inside. They'd better shoot well that night.

FSU is a team that has slumped badly down the stretch.

You are selling WVU extremely short here. I've watched almost every WVU game this year as my brother is a senior there. That is probably the toughest defense in the country. Offense can be spotty at times but no where close to a team like UVA. This is a team that should have beaten Kansas twice had Frank Mason not gone off in the last two minutes of the second game. They also have beaten UVA, Baylor 2x, and Iowa state 2x. Think Louisvilles press but more intense. That defense is extremely hard to prepare for in a short period of time and they force a lot of turnovers even when teams have time to prepare.

[Troublemaker]

FSU is a team that has slumped badly down the stretch.

But how? They play their depth!

[ice-9]

I like Gonzaga to get to the Sweet 16. They've beaten up teams of the 16-seed variety with complete ease and should also be able to take care of Northwestern and Vanderbilt. But then they're going to get punched in the mouth by either WVU or ND (my guess is ND) and will reel into a loss. ND is under-seeded, which is bad luck for Gonzaga. Maryland is overrated and Xavier is missing their point guard, so I'm picking FSU to get beat by Arizona. I'm taking Arizona coming out of the location-friendly West.

I agree with Olympic Fan. This is about as good of a bracket as Arizona could've asked for.

[Wander]

You guys are underrating Gonzaga. Yes, their conference sucks, but all the available evidence that attempts to corrects for that factor still paints them as an extremely good team. And they won't have a problem beating Princeton in the Sweet 16.

I wouldn't be surprised at Arizona either - I'd have both teams in the Final Four if I could.

[uh_no]

You guys are underrating Gonzaga. Yes, their conference sucks, but all the available evidence that attempts to corrects for that factor still paints them as an extremely good team. And they won't have a problem beating Princeton in the Sweet 16.

I wouldn't be surprised at Arizona either - I'd have both teams in the Final Four if I could.

ND or WV will send them packing.

[Troublemaker]

You guys are underrating Gonzaga. Yes, their conference sucks, but all the available evidence that attempts to corrects for that factor still paints them as an extremely good team. And they won't have a problem beating Princeton in the Sweet 16.

The West region is the "Math vs Eye Test" region, in as stark a way as I've ever seen it.

The vast majority of the people across the country are going to write the Kenpom #20 team Arizona into the Final Four. Most Duke fans will be rooting for anybody but this #20 KenPom team to emerge from the West so Duke can have an easier Final Four opponent (if we make it there ourselves -- knock on wood), even it means that the KenPom #1 team has to make it to Glendale in place of this KenPom #20 team.

This season has been hilarious. Even though KenPom is still the most referenced analytics site for college basketball, college basketball fans have collectively decided that KenPom kinda sucks this year.

[jv001]

The West region is the "Math vs Eye Test" region, in as stark a way as I've ever seen it.

The vast majority of the people across the country are going to write the Kenpom #20 team Arizona into the Final Four. Most Duke fans will be rooting for anybody but this #20 KenPom team to emerge from the West so Duke can have an easier Final Four opponent (if we make it there ourselves -- knock on wood), even it means that the KenPom #1 team has to make it to Glendale in place of this KenPom #20 team.

This season has been hilarious. Even though KenPom is still the most referenced analytics site for college basketball, college basketball fans have collectively decided that KenPom kinda sucks this year.

KenPom has Duke rated #12 on his site and Clemson #35. I agree a lot of college basketball fans don't agree with his ranking this season. I won't go that far because he knows way more than I do. GoDuke!

[COYS]

The West region is the "Math vs Eye Test" region, in as stark a way as I've ever seen it.

The vast majority of the people across the country are going to write the Kenpom #20 team Arizona into the Final Four. Most Duke fans will be rooting for anybody but this #20 KenPom team to emerge from the West so Duke can have an easier Final Four opponent (if we make it there ourselves -- knock on wood), even it means that the KenPom #1 team has to make it to Glendale in place of this KenPom #20 team.

This season has been hilarious. Even though KenPom is still the most referenced analytics site for college basketball, college basketball fans have collectively decided that KenPom kinda sucks this year.

This region is also home to some of the most grossly under-seeded teams, according to KenPom. WVU is the #5 team in the entire country and yet is lurking as a 4 seed. St. Mary's is 14th yet is a 7 seed who would actually be favored against 2-seed Arizona in a second round matchup. This bracket has the potential to be upset-heavy.

[flyingdutchdevil]

This region is also home to some of the most grossly under-seeded teams, according to KenPom. WVU is the #5 team in the entire country and yet is lurking as a 4 seed. St. Mary's is 14th yet is a 7 seed who would actually be favored against 2-seed Arizona in a second round matchup. This bracket has the potential to be upset-heavy.

Also has some of the most over-seeded teams. Zona is a 2-seed, but ranked #20 in kenpom. FSU is the 3 seed, but ranked #19 in Kenpom.

[Indoor66]

Maybe KenPom is overrated?

[Reilly]

Rise of the Catholic schools: a quick count shows 12 of the 68 schools in the Men’s NCAA D1 tourney are Catholic, while there are zero Catholic schools in the 32-team NIT (it seems the NIT usually has a fair number).

And of course two of the four #1 seeds are Catholic. (cross-posted in East and West threads, in honor of Villanova and Gonzaga)