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Is this finally the year for Arizona? The Wildcats haven't been to the Final Four since falling to Duke in the national title game in 2001. The past 25 years have seen them be a No. 1 seed three times and a No. 2 seed four times. There have been six Sweet 16 appearances and four separate finishes in the Elite Eight during the drought.
This year's group in Tommy Lloyd's fourth season may be their best opportunity to break through. Arizona dominated the Big 12 and won the conference tournament with narrow defeats of Iowa State and Houston, showing it can handle postseason pressure.
March Madness printable bracket: Fill out for predictions, picks in NCAA Tournament
But there are contenders lined up to live their own dreams of making it to Indianapolis. One school nearby the Final Four destination is No. 2 seed Purdue. The Boilermakers, who are seeking their first national title, are riding high after winning the Big Ten tournament. Gonzaga is another team that has come close and not won a championship. The Bulldogs quietly ran through the West Coast Conference and will be playing on the West Coast. No. 4 seed Arkansas has won a national title and is another team that won its conference tournament.
Overall, this region ranks as the easiest with the top four teams having an aggregate of 37 in the committee's true seed line. But it is sure to have some twists and turns that maybe make it one of the most exciting.
Sometimes it is a cop out to name the 8-9 game as the best one but this matchup between Villanova and Utah State is full of interesting storylines. The Wildcats return to the field after missing the last three tournaments following Jay Wright's departure. Kevin Willard's team in his first season has five scorers that average double figures but don't shoot great from the free-throw line and aren't a strong rebounding team. Meanwhile, Utah State is in the field for the fourth consecutive time after winning the Mountain West regular-season title and conference tournament. The Aggies are one of the best shooting teams in the country behind the scoring of MJ Collins and Mason Falslev. They have the firepower to advance.
These 5-12 matchups always create drama and upsets in the tournament. Two No. 12 seeds have advanced in three of the last four years. The high-scoring Panthers have the opportunity to be another one. They are third in the nation in scoring and own the longest active winning streak at 14 games. They can match up well with Wisconsin, which lost as a No. 5 seed in 2024. The Badgers rely on the three-point shot and that can be something that is difficult if the shots aren't falling. Look for this to be an up-tempo game that has a lot of possessions and will go to the team that is the most efficient.
The Razorbacks have found their best form in the final two months of the season with standout freshman Darius Acuff fulfilling hi,s promise as one of the nation's top recruits. Acuff has been outstanding down the stretch as Arkansas won nine of its final 11 games, including a run to the SEC tournament title. Guard play in tournament time is critical and Acuff's ability to penetrate and score gives the Razorbacks one of the best players in the country. They also have John Calipari on the sideline, too. And while the veteran coach has a history of early tournament losses, he has the experience to guide his team to the Final Four.
Despite all the contenders lined up to take down the Wildcats, it's hard to see someone knocking them off after its impressive Big 12 run. They're one of the top scoring teams in the field with the backcourt of Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley leading the way. Freshman forward Koa Peat and center Motiejus Krivas lead the frontcourt that has the size to handle big opponents. There's also bench strength from Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso if there's a need for additional firepower. Yes, there's baggage from the misses in recent years. But that shouldn't weigh them down.
San Diego
Portland, Ore.
Portland, Ore.
St. Louis
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA tournament 2026 West Region predictions for March Madness
Continue reading...
This year's group in Tommy Lloyd's fourth season may be their best opportunity to break through. Arizona dominated the Big 12 and won the conference tournament with narrow defeats of Iowa State and Houston, showing it can handle postseason pressure.
March Madness printable bracket: Fill out for predictions, picks in NCAA Tournament
But there are contenders lined up to live their own dreams of making it to Indianapolis. One school nearby the Final Four destination is No. 2 seed Purdue. The Boilermakers, who are seeking their first national title, are riding high after winning the Big Ten tournament. Gonzaga is another team that has come close and not won a championship. The Bulldogs quietly ran through the West Coast Conference and will be playing on the West Coast. No. 4 seed Arkansas has won a national title and is another team that won its conference tournament.
Overall, this region ranks as the easiest with the top four teams having an aggregate of 37 in the committee's true seed line. But it is sure to have some twists and turns that maybe make it one of the most exciting.
West Region best first-round matchup: Villanova vs Utah State
Sometimes it is a cop out to name the 8-9 game as the best one but this matchup between Villanova and Utah State is full of interesting storylines. The Wildcats return to the field after missing the last three tournaments following Jay Wright's departure. Kevin Willard's team in his first season has five scorers that average double figures but don't shoot great from the free-throw line and aren't a strong rebounding team. Meanwhile, Utah State is in the field for the fourth consecutive time after winning the Mountain West regular-season title and conference tournament. The Aggies are one of the best shooting teams in the country behind the scoring of MJ Collins and Mason Falslev. They have the firepower to advance.
West Region potential upset in first round: High Points over Wisconsin
These 5-12 matchups always create drama and upsets in the tournament. Two No. 12 seeds have advanced in three of the last four years. The high-scoring Panthers have the opportunity to be another one. They are third in the nation in scoring and own the longest active winning streak at 14 games. They can match up well with Wisconsin, which lost as a No. 5 seed in 2024. The Badgers rely on the three-point shot and that can be something that is difficult if the shots aren't falling. Look for this to be an up-tempo game that has a lot of possessions and will go to the team that is the most efficient.
NCAA Tournament West Region sleeper: Arkansas
The Razorbacks have found their best form in the final two months of the season with standout freshman Darius Acuff fulfilling hi,s promise as one of the nation's top recruits. Acuff has been outstanding down the stretch as Arkansas won nine of its final 11 games, including a run to the SEC tournament title. Guard play in tournament time is critical and Acuff's ability to penetrate and score gives the Razorbacks one of the best players in the country. They also have John Calipari on the sideline, too. And while the veteran coach has a history of early tournament losses, he has the experience to guide his team to the Final Four.
NCAA Tournament West Region winner: Arizona
Despite all the contenders lined up to take down the Wildcats, it's hard to see someone knocking them off after its impressive Big 12 run. They're one of the top scoring teams in the field with the backcourt of Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley leading the way. Freshman forward Koa Peat and center Motiejus Krivas lead the frontcourt that has the size to handle big opponents. There's also bench strength from Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso if there's a need for additional firepower. Yes, there's baggage from the misses in recent years. But that shouldn't weigh them down.
NCAA Tournament West Region schedule
San Diego
- No. 1 Arizona (32-2) vs. No. 16 Long Island (24-10)
- No. 8 Villanova (24-8) vs. No. 9 Utah State (28-6)
Portland, Ore.
- No. 5 Wisconsin (24-10) vs. No. 12 High Point (30-4)
- No. 4 Arkansas (26-8) vs. No. 13 Hawaii (24-8)
Portland, Ore.
- No. 6 Brigham Young (23-11) vs. No. 11 Texas/North Carolina State
- No. 3 Gonzaga (30-3) vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (21-13)
St. Louis
- No. 7 Miami (Fla.) (25-8) vs. No. 10 Missouri (20-12)
- No. 2 Purdue (27-8) vs. No. 15 Queens (21-13)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA tournament 2026 West Region predictions for March Madness
Continue reading...
