NCAA Tournament South Region: Odds, Sleeper, Pick For Bracket
Tommy Lloyd has hit the ground running in Tuscon
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Here's perhaps the best way to sum up the wide-open nature of the NCAA Tournament's South region: The top three seeds -- Arizona, Villanova and Tennessee all won their respective conference tournaments.
If the past few years is any indication, it's certainly a strong bet one of those three bluebloods will be cutting down the nets in San Antonio. However, are there any dark horses who could get hot at the right time?
Let's break down the South region:
South region field:
(With odds to win region via DraftKings Sportsbook)
1. Arizona +150
2. Villanova +300
3. Tennessee +330
4. Illinois +1200
5. Houston +500
6. Colorado State +6000
7. Ohio State +3500
8. Seton Hall +6000
9. TCU +6500
10. Loyola Chicago +3000
11. Michigan +3000
12. UAB +10000
13. Chattanooga +15000
14. Longwood +20000
15. Delaware +25000
16. Wright State/Bryant (both +25000)
Player to watch: Houston guard Jamal Sheard
Going slightly off the beaten path with this one. The sophomore guard obviously is a solid distributor, ranking seventh in the country in assists. He's got a knack for hitting big shots and is pretty scrappy, too. Oh, there's also this: Sheard went viral earlier this season for picking up trash in an arena after some unfortunate outbursts from teammates and coaches following a loss to Alabama.
South region sleeper: No. 7 Ohio State
Given the top-heaviness of the region, it was hard to find a sleeper in the South. Ohio State should be able to get by Loyola Chicago -- this isn't the same Cinderella team from a few years ago -- but then it gets interesting. Villanova is playing very well right now, but the Buckeyes have a star in E.J. Liddell, and they can put up points in a hurry. If they can find any level of consistency -- a big if -- they could be dangerous.
Upset alert: No. 6 Colorado versus No. 11 Michigan
So, we're defining "upset" as a higher seed -- preferably outside the 8-9 matchup -- winning in the first round. In that way, Michigan over Colorado State certainly applies. From a betting standpoint, not so much. The Wolverines are currently a 2.5-point favorite over CSU. Keep that in mind as you fill out your bracket, especially if you're just looking at seeding and records.
Pick to win South: Tennessee +330
A lot of signs are pointing to Tennessee right now. Few, if any teams are as hot as at the Volunteers, who have won seven in a row and 12 of their last 13, including the SEC title game. KenPom's rankings have Tennessee's defense ranked third in the nation to go along with a top-40 offense.
