March Madness: 3 Best West Region Bets for the First Round

The NCAA Tournament is here.

Are you ready?

There are no shortage of ways to break down the tourney. Today, let's take a look at the West Region and see which bets stand out for the first round.

All March Madness odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and may change after this article is published.

Best Bets for the West Region

High Point +10.5 (-118) vs. Wisconsin

I’m on the underdog side at this current number.

High Point is 30-4, scores 90.0 points per game, ranks 3rd nationally in offensive rating, and still carries a top-20 defensive rating. That is an unusually strong statistical profile for a 12-seed.

Wisconsin is absolutely capable of winning by a wide margin. The Badgers have the stronger schedule and a top-30 SRS, but they are only 224th in defensive rating, which is the wrong kind of weakness against a High Point offense that can score in waves.

I think Wisconsin survives but High Point covers.

Utah State Moneyline (-130) vs. Villanova

Utah State went 25-6, won the Mountain West regular season, and ranks 17th nationally in offensive rating with a top-100 defense. Villanova went 24-8 and is solid on both ends, but the Wildcats’ offensive ceiling has been lower all season; they rank just 76th in offensive rating and average 77.2 points per game.

Utah State, by comparison, averages 83.0 points per night and has the slightly stronger overall statistical profile.

The momentum angle also favors the Aggies. Utah State just won the Mountain West Tournament, beating San Diego State in the title game behind 20 points from MJ Collins Jr. and 16 points plus 6 assists from Mason Falslev, while committing only six turnovers.

In a game listed as close to a pick’em, Utah State's blend of recent form and better offensive efficiency is enough for me. Utah State moneyline is one of my favorite West Region plays.

Missouri Moneyline (+110) vs. Miami

Missouri is the underdog, but you can make a case the Tigers should be favored.

The Tigers are only 20-12, but their schedule was materially tougher than Miami’s and they still posted a top-65 offense with an SEC-tested rotation. Mark Mitchell has developed into the hub of everything, generating averages of 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 114 assists on 55.1% shooting; Jayden Stone adds 13.2 points, and Trent Pierce is near 40% from three.

Miami is better defensively than Missouri is and owns a nice 25-8 record, but the market may be overreacting to how these teams closes out the regular season. Missouri closed with losses, yet Mitchell also just dropped 32 points in the SEC tournament against Kentucky.

The Tigers are one of the more plausible West Region upset teams.

Check out our March Madness printable bracket and March Madness upset picks.

Which March Madness odds stand out to you this year? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.