West Region Bracket Breakdown

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2:07Free Odyssey app. Live scores. Sharp options. No waiting until tomorrow. Ben MGM tonight is back. Welcome home, Matt. Ben MGM tonight. Westwood One Sports. He's Brad Evans. I'm Pat Boyle. Phone number to join is 310-840-4910. We'll get to your phone calls here in one minute. But first, we want to let you know this. If they score the most points, you'll score bonus bets. For each round of March matchups, you have the opportunity to predict which team will score the most points. If you're correct, you'll win a share of bonus bets. How to get this offer in three easy steps. Number one, enter the March matchups $500,000. Pick them, free to play game.

3:11Number two, pick which team you think will score the most points in any round of the tournament. Three, if the team you selected scores the most points that round, you'll win a share of bonus bets. Easy, peasy. Lemon, squeezy. All right, let's get a phone call in here before we get to the West region. We just broke down the South region. That is number one seed. Florida's region, the defending national champions, anything you miss. You can go back on the Odyssey app or you can download the Ben MGM tonight podcast or whatever you get your podcast. We're going to get to Arizona's region in just a bit. Well, let's get to the phone calls here. Kevin is next up in Baltimore on Ben MGM tonight here with Brad Evans and Pat Boyle. Kevin's online. One, go ahead, Kevin. You got it, man. What's going on, fellas? Great segment. Thanks, bro. It's a real quick out and I'll just go in a quick segue. I'm really rooting for the UMBC dogs. Man, they're my neighbors literally logistically. I don't really have any ties to school or net, but I'm hoping they can upset some people. But man, I really saw Illinois. I thought they were

4:17and I don't know them enough. And neither. But when they played Maryland, which didn't have a great season, Maryland was very competitive on the court, though, right? And I saw Illinois play very good basketball against them. And I think that if they get to that Houston game, that's going to tell you it's going to be a final 14 right there, just in my opinion, fellas. But, um, you know, Houston's got a lot of tournament experience under their belt. They've won some big games. Well, I think ultimately that's going to be a banger down in that lower bracket. Yeah. Hey, Kevin, we appreciate the call, man. And look, I mean, I don't know if I think you may have gotten your UMBC Cinderella slipper for like the next 100 years when they took out Virginia. I don't know if you'll ever see that again. Hopefully they get past Howard. They'll have the entire nation watching when they play them and then they'll have the right to play Michigan. So, you know, again, we'll see. I think the Virginia was the number one overall seed that year,

5:17if I'm not mistaken, Brad, when UMBC took them down first, every time a 16th seed knocked out a one seed, but, uh, Brad, I'll let you handle the second part here. He's looking forward to what Kevin and Baltimore, what he called a banger, Illinois versus Houston. If we get chalked to the sweet 16, that three versus two matchup with most likely Florida could be lurking in the elite eight. That would be a tremendous game. And it's a game that you said you would be confident in as an Illinois fan. Yeah, look, it is Houston team is exceptional. And, uh, and I'll Kevin Samson is one of the best, uh, if not the best, Texas, those coach and all college basketball. I firmly and step fastly believe in that. He has done a marvelous job and a whole of fame career. And it could easily get you some back to the mecca of college basketball. And that's ending apples in the final four this year. Uh, and one of the biggest differences between this version of the using compared to last year's runner up is Kingston Fleming's, uh, well, the best in the country got it can absolutely fill up the cup. But he has got to get more reliable

6:18support from his surrounding cast, uh, for them, you know, against an opponent like Illinois who can shoot the rock, uh, fairly steadily and really score at will. You know, we mentioned that Maryland game. Maryland was ultra competitive. And the key in that game was the fact that Maryland's guards again, uh, beat the Alana defensively, beat him in the interior. We're finishing left, right, rinse and repeat. That is an area of weakness. Bellinoid or quick guards, Kingston Fleming's could tie him up and not as a result, but Illinois can engage some of that action owning the glass. Uh, and again, not turning over the rock, which Houston is highly reliant on. So yeah, it's gonna be a banger. I hope it comes with fruition. Uh, I'll be nervous as hell. There's no doubt about it. I'm gonna have Masta Keela multiple THC drinks to try to quell the nerves. Uh, probably ahead of that game. Uh, but again, I'm six and a half of the 10 scale, uh, the 10 being the highest level of confidence. And Illinois would survive in advance, assuming pack, as we already discussed,

7:19they slammed the damn door. Yeah. Yeah. Now that is, uh, it's for damn sure. And again, it's been chose. Chalki says it's maybe ever been last year, but, uh, you know, Illinois, either have, they're gonna have to get through Penn first, and they're gonna have to get through the VC or North Carolina to set up that matchup with Houston, who we assume will likely take care of Idaho. And then it'll be either St. Mary's or Texas A&M. But yeah, we get that Illinois Houston game and remind me here, Brad. So Illinois, well, I guess we wouldn't know until next weekend if they're going to play Thursday or Friday. So it doesn't matter. But, um, hopefully for your sake, it's a Friday night. Hopefully, it's a late one. Hopefully, you're not doing the show here with us as your watch game. I think that's the, uh, it's the only thing you can root for. All right, let's move on to the West region. And that is where the number one seed again is the Arizona wild cats and spoiler alert. They're my pick to win the national championship, which I think might be

8:22it'll be the opposite of music to my ears, because I think Brad's gonna have a team that he thinks knocks Arizona out. But if you're watching on YouTube, or if you're watching on Twitter, our video producer, Monty, Michael Montgomery, again, tremendous job getting the entire bracket ready for us here. You can see it. Arizona takes on L.I.U. team that I called games for for eight years. And, you know, because of this show, can't call games to them anymore. And what do you know, they make the NCAA tournaments to go figure. But the sharks things up, they will have their hands full playing Arizona. And he got Villanova as an eight going up against Utah state, Wisconsin, a very dangerous five seed lurking against high point as a 12 Arkansas winners of the SEC tournament. They're the four they take on Hawaii in the 13 seed. Then it's BYU versus the winner of Texas versus North Carolina state. That's tomorrow nights on tray in the first form. Gonzaga versus Kennesaw state is the three verse 14 Miami versus Missouri, one hell of a seven versus a 10. And then Purdue against Queens college rounds out the West region here. So Brad, please,

9:27let's just jump right to the goods here. Let's jump to the goods. I guess break my heart, maybe make some wishes come true for some other folks. You like, you got a team lurking in this region that you think knocks Arizona out. Please, by all means, tell me who it is. Well, it's it's actually two teams that could really push them. And it's in their section of the bracket on the northern side there out west. It's Wisconsin. I wife said it has the best back court in the country and John Blackwell and Nick Boyd and those guys are savvy. They're ultra confident and they just strike up, you know, execute across a board, defensively, offensively, they're unbelievable. And Arkansas, like it just irks me to know when that Wisconsin got the draw in this region. I was going to have the petition in the final four if they were anywhere else. I had them as a five seed. And honestly, I think they did a disservice to themselves, winning down the stretch because they probably got a four favorite rule draw as a six seed or maybe even a seven seed,

10:32quite frankly. So the five seed really didn't help them out. I like this Arkansas team a lot because they got a dude named Darius Acoth who was going to be a top 10 no doubt about it. NBA draft pick. He's already got a pair of 40 burgers on the board of this season. He goes out there scores practically 30 every single game. He beats you off the bounce. He draws contact. Make sure paid the free throw line. Can knock down three's a phenomenal distributor. Well, he Thomas is elevated his game for the razor backs and Brazil has played really well as well. So I think all the all the teams in this region that could push Arizona to limit. I think it's coach cows or it's all razor backs. I am beating of course a white in the opening round matchup. I have them beating Wisconsin. That'd be a hell of a game by the way. That could be first in 1995 wins. And I think they're going to contest Arizona from beginning and though I do have

11:32the Wildcats winning an emerging unscathed in the West region. Okay. So you have Arizona getting to the final four. I do. Okay. All right. So I have relief because I already knew I had a feeling it was Wisconsin. You and I have been talking up the badgers. It breaks my heart that they're in the same region as the team that for the last week. If you've been listening to the show, I've been saying I'm on the cusp of saying Arizona's going to win the title. I'm picking Arizona when the brackets come out. I just want to see how the brackets look. I want to see what they're draws. And it breaks my heart that they've got Wisconsin. Like it's going to be what's that meme where the guys win the gun. He's like shedding, you know, shedding a tear because that's going to be me. You know, when I when I when I put Arizona into the elite aid over Wisconsin because like you said, if it was any other, if it was Michigan, if it was Duke, if it was Florida, honestly, I think if Wisconsin got a five seat in any of those, I probably would have said screw it. Let me roll the dice. If we got a big upset, this is going to be it. But I think Arizona's one in the title. So I don't think Wisconsin's going to beat him. But you mentioned it. Boyd and Blackwell, man,

12:35those two guards, what they were able to do, the speed that Wisconsin can play at the shopmaking ability and Billy Auskis. They're three point shooters. They're rap. Yeah. Is it Austin rap? Austin rap. I forget. He's got the the mullet. He's got the Gen Z mullet rocking. I mean, they got some stud ice cold three point shooters on their team in Greg guard. We know he's a heck of a coach underrated, but they're going up against Arizona. If they get through Arkansas, which would be a test in of itself, no disrespected areas, a cuff and, you know, and coach cows razor backs here. But yeah, I just think Arizona is too strong. I think they've got too good to perimeter defense. They know, Mark Chankov, you know, from Arizona, I think he's going to really have his hands full, but he will savor that test. If it is Arizona, Wisconsin being able to cover Boyd and Blackwell on the perimeter. But look, we get we get to taste this region tomorrow. I mean, what what a hell of a first four game. Texas versus NC state. It's not every year that

13:39we get a team that makes a little run from first four through the tournament. I don't know if we'll ever see a first four to final four again, like UCLA did. But Brad out of NC state or Texas, you got to imagine whoever wins that game is going to be feeling good. They get to play BYU that yes, as AJ Devonza, but they're missing Richie Saunders. It feels like the winner of that Texas North Carolina state games got a chance to really do some damage here. Yeah, I'm fun fact, Pat, there's been 14 years of existence of the first four in the NC tournament and 12 of those 14 years. A team that has won its first four matchup has gone on to win another game in the round of 64 and it could come whoever takes the cake and NC state and Texas. I think it's going to be long horns. I laid on bed in GM today. Texas at a minus one and a half at a plus 105 little babies to these bad aduse on that one. I think there's a lot of money and a lot of people on board with

14:40the ACC representative, but my ties Voki Titus. I try to say that 10 times fast. Lithuanian imports for the University of Texas is a walking talking double double. He's a big reason why Texas really commands class. He's a major reason why along with some of the guards that they have, why they're one of the best offensive teams, not only in the SEC, but the entire NC tournament field. Hell, the last 10 games are average in 1.237 points per possession. State doesn't have any kind of bigs. They don't attack the glass with as much bim and vigor as hookah morns does. If Texans go out there and play just decent defense, that's all we're asking. They're going to get to the charities right because they draw a lot of whistles and make it pay at the at the free throw line. I think Texas wins that game. And if they do match up against BYU because of Voki Titus, unless Kiba Keda can somehow neutralize them in the post, I don't care what age it is. He could go all for 35. It's the ancillary guys like Robert Wright, Conard Davis, can they step up and they can BYU play

15:45any ounce of defense? They're number 308. And affect a few goal percentage defense over the last 13 games played. So I think you're on to something me, amigo. The trend will indeed be the friend. Some first four team is going to win that once, but twice in the NC tournament. Very good here. Any other who's who's a sleeper in this region here, Brad, in the in the south region, you mentioned Wisconsin and Arkansas. So I guess that would probably be the answer there. But do you have any other, what's your favorite first round match up in this region? Or do you have a big upset going down? We talked to Dallin Cuff earlier in the show. He thinks that Mizzou will take out Purdue. Yeah, Mizzou over Purdue here in this region. You got any big upsets that you like here in the south? Look, I love Dallin, but he's drunk on that assessment of Mizzou over Purdue. I don't buy it at all. I will say this. I think Missouri is going to win against Miami. You and I

16:47have been kind of high on the hurricanes. That game is in St. Louis. Do you think it's going to be a partisan crowd there in the Lou? Hell yeah, it's going to be I'd manage Missouri. I'm probably going to be impacted capacity when other, but black and gold, the black and yellow there in the stands. Missouri and excellent interior team, the one of the best offensive rebounded teams in the entire NCAA tournament field are getting a second possession on 35% of their possessions. Get to the free throw line. Mark Mitchell draws a lot of contact and whistles and make it pay in that capacity or shoot nearly 55% inside the arc as well. And Miami is good as they are on the glass. That will be a battle of the bigs. That Miami team is so lackluster defensively. Nearly number 300 in effect, a few goal percentage defense over the last 30 days. So the numbers nerd in me says, I like Missouri, but they're not going to be Purdue. I think Purdue has gotten their bearing straight. They have finally found the direction. Braden Smith is a baller shot caller. It's all about our play this time of year. And that guy goes out there and gets you 15

17:50points and maybe 15 dimes as well in the same game. And I also like Utah State. I'll lay the two and a half and it's opening round match up against Villanova. Villanova is so vanilla. May. They're just boring, you're on worthy. And that Utah State team has got a pretty good athlete to the guard position. Got a lot of bounce in the step and an excellent offensive team. Number 21 in the country and adjusted offensive efficiency over their last 13 games. They don't sleep on the Aggies. The one one game and then get served a giant slice and not the entire humble pie against Arizona. I like Utah State or Villanova as well. You know, again, as much as I tried to defend the Big East, if there is a spot to attack the Big East, it's the fact that Villanova was the third best team in that conference this year. And yeah, I agree with you. I don't think they're very good. I don't think they do really anything great. I think they do a bunch of things well. And that's about it. They don't even shoot the, they don't shoot free throws as well, either, which is normally a staple of Villanova that they

18:52make their free throws. They're shooting less than 70% from the free throw line. We know that at this game's close, it's going to come down to that. All right, we'll take a short break. Number to join the show 310 840 4910. 310 840 4910. When we come back, we'll have a short segment. So we'll pivot. We'll talk a little baseball team USA outlast the DR. And now we got Italy Venice, well, coming up here in minutes to see who will play the red, white and blue in the championship game tomorrow. So we'll talk about that when we come back a little world-based ball classic. He's Brad Evans, I'm Pat Foyle. This has been MGM tonight here on Westwood One Sports. I'm Boomer Sison. My mom died from cancer. She was only 37 years old. She didn't have life insurance and that was devastating for my family. That's why having life insurance is so important to me. Ethos makes it fast and easy. Get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same-day

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