South Region Odds: Arizona +110 Favorites, Tennessee & Houston Sleepers

— SLAM University (@slam_university) March 13, 2022

The Canadian is putting up 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game and continues to step up when his team needs him most. Azuolas Tubelis, Christian Koloko, and Kerr Kriisa are important pieces, too. However, Kriisa missed the UCLA game with an ankle injury and he’s Arizona’s best playmaker. If he’s sidelined for March Madness, it could be a big loss for a Wildcats team that is looking to get past many years of disappointment on the big stage.

Tennessee, Houston Have Value

Many people thought Tennessee would be higher than a #3 seed. Nonetheless, the Vols just won their first SEC tournament in 43 years and possess a very solid roster. Rick Barnes’ group went 26-7 during the season while beating some very good teams in non-conference play, including Arizona in December, UNC, and Colorado.

The Volunteers also come into The Big Dance on a roll, winning 12 of their last 13 contests. This is one of the best defensive teams in the country (12th) and has three guards who can really score the rock and create for their teammates in Kennedy Chandler, Josiah-Jordan James, and Santiago Vescovi.

The Cougars, as previously mentioned, were in the Final Four in 2021 but Baylor ran through them. Despite losing one of their best players to the NBA in Quentin Grimes, Houston is back in the mix and strong as ever. Leading scorer Marcus Sasser is out for the year, yet the Cougars continue to get it done in every way imaginable.

Kyler Edwards has filled the void of Sasser, while Fabian White Jr and Tramon Mark are brilliant at both ends. Kelvin Sampson’s group also sits 15th in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating in the NCAA. They’re the full package and can’t be counted out in this region after a 28-5 campaign.

Don’t Sleep on Loyola

How can you sleep on Loyola, who made the Final Four in 2018 and went on a Cinderella Run to the Sweet 16 last season? The Ramblers are 18th in field goal percentage and 10th in three-point percentage while boasting a fundamentally sound rotation on both ends of the hardwood. They have a tough matchup in the Round of 64 in Ohio State, but this team is always capable of an upset.

South Region Champion Pick

Arizona has been such a force this season, but to be honest, I don’t think they’re going to come out of this region. I didn’t really discuss Villanova much because, in my opinion, there’s more value with Tennessee or Houston. Ultimately though, I really like this Volunteers team who are surging and frankly should’ve been a higher seed.