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NCAA Tournament: Gonzaga, Michigan, Texas Tech and FSU remain in West Region

By Adam Childs

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Brandon Clarke #15 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball aginst Mario Kegler #4 of the Baylor Bears in the second half of the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Brandon Clarke #15 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks the ball aginst Mario Kegler #4 of the Baylor Bears in the second half of the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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DES MOINES, IOWA – MARCH 23: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with Zavier Simpson #3 against the Florida Gators during the second half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
DES MOINES, IOWA – MARCH 23: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with Zavier Simpson #3 against the Florida Gators during the second half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The top four seeds advanced into the Sweet 16 of the West Region in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga may be the favorite but anybody can win. Who will come out on top?

If the NCAA Tournament’s West region’s Sweet 16 teams look familiar it’s because it is nearly identical from last year. For the second consecutive year Gonzaga, Florida State and Michigan are in the West semifinals. The only difference is Texas Tech is the fourth team instead of Texas A&M. Gonzaga is looking for revenge as they play Florida State again, while  Michigan is hoping that they can take the same path to the Final Four a second consecutive year.

In a mostly chalk tournament, the West was no different. The top four seeds advanced and they had little trouble doing it. Of each team’s first two games, the closest game was Florida State’s seven-point win against Vermont in the first round. Every other game was won by double digits and they weren’t even that close. Each team has won by at least 34 combined points in their first two games. Gonzaga gave up 71 points to Baylor and that is the only team to score in the 70’s on any of the teams. Michigan held Florida to just 49 points and Montana to 55. Texas Tech was almost as good giving up 57 and 55 in their first two games.

Each of the teams remaining were in the top 10 in the final AP poll before the tournament and have legitimate reasons to believe they can make it to the Final Four. Michigan and Texas Tech have two of the best defenses in the country and Gonzaga and Florida State can both score a lot of points.

The first game of the night will be Florida State and Gonzaga and the nightcap will be Texas Tech and Michigan. Every other region seems to lean heavily towards the one and two seeds advancing, but the West could be wild with any team coming out on top. Gonzaga is a pretty heavy favorite and Michigan is a slight favorite, but every team has the talent to make it out of the region and head to Minneapolis.

We take a look at each team, the top players and storylines and make some predictions. Will Gonzaga make it out as a one seed or will Michigan repeat as West champs? Or will Florida State and Texas Tech crash the party and make a rare Final Four appearance? The questions will be answered Thursday and Saturday night, but we preview it right here.

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