NCAA Tournament - West Region bracket breakdown
Yahoo Sports college basketball writer Nick Bromberg gives his first look breakdown of the West Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket.
Video transcript
NICK BROMBERG: Kansas was widely expected to be the top seed in the Midwest region and potentially playing Kansas City during the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks got a number one seed, but they'll be playing in Las Vegas on the second weekend if they win two games. KU was surpassed by Houston for the number two overall seed and lost out on a significant home-court advantage by being the top seed in the West.
And with UCLA as the number two seed in the region, it's easy to see a lot of Bruin fans making the short trip to Vegas for a potential Elite Eight match-up. West Coast Conference champions Gonzaga got the three seed as Drew Timme continues his quest to win a national title. With Jaylen Clark potentially out for UCLA, the Zags are in line to be a popular pick to make the Final Four.
Fellow West Coast Conference, team Saint Mary's, got the five seed in the region behind UConn at number four. It's not impossible to think that we could have a rematch of the West Coast Conference title game in the Elite Eight. UConn draws Iona in the first round in what could be Rick Pitino's final game with the Gaels before he takes another job, potentially in the Big East.
If you're looking at an upset and can't find one you like in the first round, Arkansas is a streaky team that's made tournament runs under Eric Musselman before. The number eight Razorbacks draw Illinois in the first round and could give Kansas fits in the second round. And since the tournament is here that means brackets are here.
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