Home »
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 NCAA tournament picks
are second to none in the handicapping industry. Mr. Boyd lives for March
Madness and he’s ready to beat the
college basketball odds throughout the Big Dance. Sign up for a low cost
premium package and break the bank through the national title game with Jimmy B.
|
