2008 NCAA Tournament Predictions – West Region
Jimmy Boyd’s 2008 NCAA tournament predictions will help you ace the West region of your tourney bracket. This region has two clear favorites in number one seeded UCLA and perennial powerhouse Duke making this look like a top heavy region. Find out where the upsets lie and who Jimmy is putting in the Final Four from the West regional.
First Round
UCLA has a team capable of winning it all for the third straight season. They will not mess around in round one against Mississippi Valley State. Texas A&M has been inconsistent in Big 12 play, but having seen both of these squads play, the Aggies are clearly better than BYU. I like Western Kentucky to pull off the big upset over number Missouri Valley Conference Champion Drake. The whole season has been a Cinderella story for the Bulldogs and I think they’ll run out of magic. This team will have lost the momentum that winning a conference tourney can create with the Valley’s tourney having been played a week earlier that the major conferences. UConn will handle San Diego, Purdue stands strong against Baylor, and Xavier ends Georgia’s miracle run. I like 10 seed Arizona over West Virginia and Duke is an easy call over Belmont.
Second Round
Texas A&M is no match for UCLA as the Bruins coast into the Sweet 16. The big fella Kevin Love will be too much as Texas A&M faces its toughest challenge of the season. UConn ends 12 seed Western Kentucky’s run, Purdue proves it’s for real by snuffing out three seed Xavier and Duke handles Arizona to reach the round of 16.
Regional Semis
UConn has not closed out the season in a fashion that has me believing in an upset here. UCLA looks like it is even better than it was last season with the addition of Kevin Love and there is no more clutch player in the country than Darren Collison. I’ll take the Bruins. Purdue plays hard just like Duke, and that is what will get the Boilermakers to the Sweet 16, but it is Duke’s talent and ability to knock down threes that takes the Blue Devils into the Elite Eight.
Regional Finals
Number one seeded UCLA will meet two seed Duke for a trip to the Final Four in San Antonio. While Coach K’s NCAA tourney track record is unmatched, it is clear that the Blue Devils do not have an interior game to matchup with UCLA’s. Kevin Love should be able to dominate just as Tyler Hansbrough has. Also, Darren Collison reminds me of Gary Payton in his prime with on ball defense. He will shut down Greg Paulus. Take number one seed UCLA to the Final Four.
Jimmy Boyd’s college basketball picks are second to none in the handicapping industry. Mr. Boyd lives for March Madness and he’s ready to beat the NCAA basketball odds throughout the Big Dance. Sign up for a low cost premium NCAA basketball picks package and win big money to finish the season with your college basketball betting.
