NCAA Tournament 2015: Latest Odds and Predictions for Sweet 16 Bracket

While all the upsets and thrilling buzzer-beaters in the round of 64 are what ultimately define March Madness every season, the real goal is to cut down the nets as a national champion. 

There are only 16 teams remaining with a shot at glory, and all of them will be tested in the Sweet 16. After all, there are a number of intriguing showdowns in the next round that will shape what the Final Four ultimately looks like and who will eventually take the throne as the national champ.

With that in mind, here is a look at the latest odds, predictions and more for the Sweet 16.

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Bracket

Sweet 16 Odds (via Odds Shark, as of Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET) and Predictions

Matchup	Odds	Predicted Winner
Wichita State vs. Notre Dame	Wichita State -2	Wichita State
North Carolina vs. Wisconsin	Wisconsin -6	Wisconsin
West Virginia vs. Kentucky	Kentucky -13.5	Kentucky
Xavier vs. Arizona	Arizona -10.5	Arizona
UCLA vs. Gonzaga	Gonzaga -8.5	Gonzaga
North Carolina State vs. Louisville	Louisville -3	North Carolina State
Utah vs. Duke	Duke -5.5	Duke
Michigan State vs. Oklahoma	Michigan State -2	Michigan State

Sweet 16 Storylines

Kentucky’s Guards vs. West Virginia’s Pressure Defense

Kentucky is the immovable object that defines this tournament, and it will be considered a major upset even if a powerhouse like Duke knocks it off.

That is what makes this showdown with West Virginia so fascinating. Yes, the Mountaineers are a No. 5 seed, but they could theoretically challenge and even stun the Wildcats if they play their best basketball.

That best basketball features a relentless full-court defense that will put plenty of pressure on the Kentucky backcourt throughout the entire game.

West Virginia physically pummeled Maryland’s star guard Melo Trimble, and it also locked up Dez Wells and forced him into eight turnovers. As a whole, the Terrapins turned the ball over 23 times and never looked comfortable against the Mountaineers.

Buffalo coughed it up 17 times in the round of 64 against West Virginia, and coach Bobby Hurley responded, per Patrick Maks of The New York Times: “We tried to simulate the speed, and the pace they would come at us, but it’s hard to simulate that.”

Next up are the Harrison twins, Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis in the Kentucky backcourt. West Virginia rotates up to 11 players to maintain freshness (a concept the Wildcats are likely familiar with) and will challenge the ball-handlers for 40 minutes.

Ken Pomeroy has Kentucky at 223rd in the nation in adjusted tempo and West Virginia at 29th, which adds yet another layer of intrigue.

On the one hand, there is a team that loves to get up and down the court and push the pace on both sides of the ball, and on the other, there is a team that prefers to slow the game down and let its overwhelming talent control play in the half court. 

Whichever team dictates the pace with its tempo could ultimately walk away with the victory.

Will UCLA’s Run Continue? 

There are many who will tell you that UCLA should not have even been included in the tournament field, as Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports noted:

"

I’ll say what I’ve been saying all along re: UCLA: they were one of the 36 best at-large teams, but doesn’t mean they should have been in.

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) March 21, 2015"

However, the Bruins not only received the tournament nod—they won two games once they got there. They even used a little bit of March Madness luck to get past SMU in the round of 64 when the Mustangs goal-tended on what proved to be the game-winning three-pointer. While it was a controversial call, the most important thing was the Bruins advanced. 

Now the question becomes whether UCLA’s run will continue.

A big reason why the Bruins are enjoying so much success is Tony Parker’s presence down low, as ESPN College BBall pointed out:

"

Tony Parker is the first UCLA player with at least 28 Pts & 12 Reb in NCAA Tournament game since Kevin Love in 2008. pic.twitter.com/Ajme3SbhLT

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) March 21, 2015"

Next up for Parker and his teammates is a Gonzaga team that looked like a No. 1 seed for much of the season. The Bulldogs only lost two games all year and easily won at UCLA back in December.

While that outcome will have no direct bearing on this upcoming game, the Bulldogs should have plenty of confidence on a neutral floor since they already beat the Bruins in a hostile environment once. 

Still, Gonzaga better hope UCLA’s luck runs out before the Sweet 16 tips off.

ACC Rematch

Don’t let the No. 8 seed fool you—North Carolina State is loaded with talent.

The Wolfpack destroyed Duke and North Carolina this season and took a dangerous Notre Dame squad to overtime. They also played one of their best games of the year against No. 1-seeded Villanova in the round of 32 and pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament thus far.

Another highly ranked ACC team that North Carolina State knocked off this year was Louisville, which just so happens to be its upcoming Sweet 16 opponent.

The Wolfpack handled the Cardinals to the tune of 74-65 and got 21 points from Anthony Barber in the process. Trevor Lacey is the go-to scorer for this dangerous North Carolina State squad, but it will need contributions from role players like Barber if it is going to knock off the Cardinals yet again.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

That first win against Louisville came on the road in the daunting KFC Yum! Center for the Wolfpack. They won’t have to worry about a raucous crowd this time around and will simply have to play some of their best basketball of the season if they hope to advance to the Elite Eight. 

They certainly have the talent to do just that.

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