The bracket is set and March Madness is officially here. There are 68 college basketball teams ready to dance in Indianapolis, and as usual there was a ton to take away from what we saw during the Bracket Selection show. Each region has its own set of questions and a few teams that are under the radar. Let’s dig into the Midwest Region, where Illinois comes in as the top seed after winning the Big Ten. To help break down everything, Matt Gajewski and Ben Rasa are here for some rapid-fire picks for the Midwest Region of the bracket.
March Madness: Expert NCAA Picks | Midwest Region
Favorite to Win the Midwest Region
Ben’s Pick: Illinois
How can you not look toward the Illini with the way they finished the season? After crushing Michigan without their star guard, they rolled through the Big Ten tournament and survived an overtime game against Ohio State in the championship. They have absolutely everything you want, with a top-end backcourt and a fantastic big in Kofi Cockburn. This team could be the best in the country and is live to win it all.
Matt’s Pick: Illinois
Illinois does scare me a bit here. They drew a dangerous opponent in the second-round against either Loyola Chicago or Georgia Tech. However, this rotation runs eight players deep with Ayo Dosunmu and Cockburn leading the way. Unbelievably, they finished 12-5 in Quad 1 games and took down the Big Ten against some of the country’s best teams. Their path looks a little more difficult, but Illinois can beat any team in this bracket.
Midwest Region DFS Player to Watch
Ben’s Pick: Cade Cunningham – Oklahoma State
Cunningham is the likely No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, and all eyes are on him in this spot. In recent years we have seen future lottery picks unable to guide their teams deep into March, but Cunningham has a much more capable supporting cast. The do-it-all wing contributes in a number of areas and has proven he can finish the job in these close contested games. Coming in averaging 20 points, 6 boards and 3.5 assists, this is the guy who will be relied on heavily if Oklahoma State can make a run deep into March.
Matt’s Pick: Ayo Dosunmu – Illinois
Dosunmu deserved serious Player of the Year considerations. He averaged 20.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists for a powerhouse Illinois team facing the best competition in the country. Dosunmu didn’t score single digits in a single game this year. He also shot 39% from 3, racking up a pair of triple-doubles on the way.
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Most Overrated Team
Ben’s Pick: West Virginia
I didn’t see a ton in this region that I felt was egregiously overrated, so this is West Virginia by default. I love head coach Bob Huggins, but I am not sold on this team and think their lack of shooting at times is a serious issue. They are also not nearly as strong defensively in years past (65th per Kenpom).
Matt’s Pick: Clemson
Clemson finished the regular season 16-7 but only managed to go 10-6 in ACC play. After non-conference wins over Purdue, Maryland and Alabama to begin the season, the team completely imploded down the stretch. Losing to a depleted Miami team in the ACC tournament, they have trended in the wrong direction for a while. Clemson only has one good player in Aamir Simms, a big-man who can’t keep his hands to himself and often deals with foul issues.
Most Underrated Team
Ben’s Pick: Loyola Chicago
This is an interesting situation, as Loyola Chicago is a No. 8 seed taking on an equally underrated team in Georgia Tech. Seeing the Ramblers as a No. 8 despite their talent and record was surprising, and I think they deserved better. They were the darlings of the tournament a few years ago with their Final Four run, and some elements of that team remain. I am certain that Illinois is not looking forward to facing either Loyola or Georgia Tech in what figures to be a very entertaining second-round matchup.
Matt’s Pick: Georgia Tech
Loyola Chicago and Georgia Tech play the most exciting game of the first round. Georgia Tech finished the regular season 17-8 before winning the ACC tournament. However, Georgia Tech took a winding route to get to the No. 9 seed. Head coach Josh Pastner implemented non-contact practices to begin the year to combat COVID-19. After dropping three of their first five games, Pastner quickly adjusted his practice philosophy. Winners of their last eight games, Georgia Tech’s three-headed monster in Moses Wright, Jose Alvarado and Michael Devoe should overmatch a less athletic Loyola team that faced underwhelming competition all year.
Midwest Region Round 1 Upset
Ben’s Pick: Oregon State over Tennessee
This is a trendy pick but one I like, as the Beavers come in off an impressive run just to get into the dance. They won the Pac-12 championship and have found some form late in the season. On the other side is a Tennessee squad that I am not overly sold on and is also dealing with a potential loss of a key player in John Fulkerson, who was injured on a flagrant foul during the SEC Tournament. This spread is dropping, with a lot of money coming in on Oregon State. I think this will be a toss-up like we often see with 5-12 matchups.
Matt’s Pick: Syracuse over San Diego State
Always a tough stylistic matchup for tournament play, Syracuse takes their zone defense against San Diego State. San Diego State’s biggest defensive weakness is defending 3-point shots. Syracuse has two shooters in Buddy Boeheim and Alan Griffin who shot over 37% from 3 this year. On the other side, Syracuse has shown vulnerability against certain big men. San Diego State’s primary big man, Nathan Mensah, only plays 21.4 minutes per game.
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