2024 NCAA Men’s Tournament West Region Breakdown, Predictions & Picks: Tar Heels on Top?

Two years ago, Caleb Love helped lead North Carolina on an unexpected run to the national championship game of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. This year, he could keep the Tar Heels from a trip to Glendale, as his previous school and his current school, Arizona, are the top two seeds in the West Region.

Part of the excitement of March Madness is the storylines, and this one is a real doozy. After struggling with his shot as UNC missed the NCAA Tournament last season, Love initially transferred to Michigan. But after being unable to gain admission, he instead ended up in Tucson.

The situation didn’t end well for the Wolverines, who likely wouldn’t be searching for a new coach had they been able to bring Love to Ann Arbor. But things have worked out rather swimmingly for North Carolina and Arizona, as the Tar Heels won the ACC regular season title, and the Wildcats won the Pac-12 regular season title.

A reunion for Love and the Tar Heels could be ahead in the Elite Eight, but both teams will have to get through some tough opposition to set up that matchup.

West Region Teams & Seeds

1. North Carolina (27-7, won ACC regular season title)
2. Arizona (25-9, won Pac-12 regular season title)
3. Baylor (23-10)
4. Alabama (21-11)
5. Saint Mary’s (26-7, won West Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles)
6. Clemson (21-11)
7. Dayton (26-7)
8. Mississippi State (21-13)
9. Michigan State (19-14)
10. Nevada (26-7)
11. New Mexico (26-9, won Mountain West Tournament)
12. Grand Canyon (29-4, won WAC regular season and tournament titles)
13. Charleston (27-7, won CAA regular season and tournament titles)
14. Colgate (25-9, won Patriot League regular season and tournament titles)
15. Long Beach State (21-14, won Big West Tournament)
16. Wagner (17-15, won Northeast Conference Tournament)

West Region Winner Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline.

• Arizona +210
• North Carolina +325
• Baylor +650
• Alabama +700
• Saint Mary’s +1000
• New Mexico +1100
• Michigan State +1400
• Mississippi State +2000
• Nevada +2200
• Clemson +2800
• Dayton +3300
• Grand Canyon +4000
• Charleston +15000
• Colgate +25000
• Long Beach State +25000
• Wagner +25000

West Region Breakdown

While UNC and Arizona are two of the top contenders to cut down the nets on April 8, there’s a good argument for seeing the West as the region most likely to have a winner that’s not one of the top two seeds.

You certainly don’t want to scrutinize a team too much because of who they were surrounded by, but the ACC and Pac-12 were the two weakest power conferences.

Both the Tar Heels and Wildcats have high ceilings and a wealth of talent and experience, but the likes of Baylor and Alabama stoke more fear—for me—than those two teams.

For example, even Mississippi State (15) has played more games against KenPom top-50 opponents than UNC (12) and Arizona (11). That kind of experience can prove to be very valuable in the NCAA Tournament.

Could any dark horses or Cinderellas emerge from the West? In my look at potential March Madness sleepers, I highlighted Grand Canyon, Mississippi State, and New Mexico. There’s a lot to like about the Lobos, who can get after it on both ends of the court and have a starting five that can stack up well with anyone’s.

West Region Predictions & Picks

Which West Region Teams Will Reach the Sweet Sixteen?

• Mississippi State (+375): This is not an impartial or unbiased pick, for the record. But two wins over Tennessee, including a 17-point win at the SEC Tournament last Friday, show that the Bulldogs can hang with and beat the best on their day.
• Alabama (-110): The Crimson Tide have scored 90+ points 16 times this season and are first in Division I in scoring (90.8 PPG). They are 6-10 SU this season when scoring fewer than 90 points, but I don’t see Charleston, Saint Mary’s, or Grand Canyon being able to outscore them.
• New Mexico (+220): I was relieved to see the Lobos leave no doubt by winning the Mountain West’s automatic bid, because I really like their makeup and potential.
• Arizona (-325): I suppose I had to pick some big chalk somewhere, right? The Nevada-Dayton winner could make things interesting, but I think the Wildcats will be able to make it safely through the first two rounds.

Which West Region Teams Will Reach the Elite Eight?

• Alabama (+375): Last year, the Crimson Tide didn’t make the most of the presence of the #2 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft and being the #1 overall seed in the tournament. They will put that disappointment behind them to make the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history.
• Arizona (-110): It would be quite the story for a former Arizona State player (Jaelen House) to deny Arizona a potential Final Four berth in its home state, but the Wildcats will book a rematch of their December 20 matchup with the Crimson Tide.

West Region Winner Pick: Arizona (+210)

The Wildcats are not without their questions—Love is Love, after all, and efficiency is not always his strongest suit, and Kylan Boswell has scored in single figures 14 times this season—but they have a very, very high ceiling, a lot of talent, and quality depth.

No team has won a national championship in its home state since 1975 (UCLA), and no team has even reached the national championship game in its home state since 2010 (Butler). But we’ll at least see the Wildcats in Glendale, where they could face UConn in the national semifinals.

More March Madness Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on March Madness This Year?

Each year, millions upon of millions of March Madness bets are placed at the top online sports betting sites.

Most March Madness betting takes place around and at tournament time, which is from mid-March to early April. But throughout the year, you can bet on who you think will win the college basketball national championship.

Along with men’s college basketball odds, most good sportsbooks now carry women’s college basketball national championship odds, which are drawing a lot of attention this season with the likes of South Carolina, Iowa, and LSU vying to cut down the nets in Cleveland, Ohio on April 7.

Numerous sportsbooks are good for March Madness betting, but in addition to BetOnline, here are some of the books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (Review)
• BetUS (Review)
• Bovada (Review)
• MyBookie (Review)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Speaking of offers, keep an eye on the latest sportsbook offers from these books and others as the countdown to the opening tip of March Madness continues. That way, you will not miss out on any special sports betting promos and bonuses to pad your bankroll for March Madness betting.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you’d like to check out our other March Madness content, our March Madness guide is where you can find it all in one tidy place. But here’s a rundown of some of what we have put together to help you with your NCAA Tournament betting this year.

We’re also covering the 2024 NIT, so check out that content as well.

• Men’s March Madness Futures Odds
• Women’s March Madness Futures Odds
• 2024 Men’s Final Four Odds
• Six Men’s March Madness Sleepers for 2024
• Best March Madness Betting Tips & Strategies
• March Madness Betting Trends & Stats to Know for 2024
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites for This Year
• This Year’s Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge!)

Interested in Learning More About Betting on March Madness & NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on men’s or women’s NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on March Madness, the Mountain West, the MAAC, McNeese State, and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok to get more March Madness and NCAA basketball insight from myself and the rest of our team. We’re cooking up a lot of great NCAA Tournament content for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, so hit those links so you don’t miss out on any of it.

• Betting News on “X”/Twitter
• Betting News on Twitch
• Betting News on TikTok

Who is your pick to win the Midwest Region? Get your free March Madness bracket picks in for our Betting News Bracket Mania contest and win some goodies from the Betting News store if you finish first, second, or third.

If you’re looking to get your hands on some cold, hard cash, check out the $200,000 Bracket Madness contest at BetOnline, which carries a grand prize of at least $50,000 and cash prizes for the top 1,250 finishers.