2026 NCAA Tournament West Region bracket preview: Predictions, sleepers, players to watch
Arizona headlines a West Region featuring Purdue’s elite offense, Gonzaga’s postseason pedigree and a potential breakout star in BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa.
By
Cameron Salerno
Mar 16, 2026
at
10:53 am ET
•
7 min read
CBS Sports
Arizona enters the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket as the No. 1 seed in the West Region, and the Wildcats might have the clearest path yet to ending one of the sport’s longest Final Four droughts.
Tommy Lloyd’s team capped a dominant season by defeating Houston in the Big 12 title game and now leads a region loaded with offensive firepower. No. 2 seed Purdue surged onto the top line with a Big Ten Tournament title, while No. 3 seed Gonzaga once again lurks as a dangerous postseason threat and No. 4 seed Arkansas — under John Calipari — has the guard play, led by freshman Darius Acuff Jr., to make a deep run.
But the most electrifying player in this region may belong to No. 6 seed BYU. Freshman star AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s leading scorer and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is capable of carrying the Cougars on the type of March heater that can turn a region upside down.
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With star power across the top seeds and several intriguing upset candidates deeper in the bracket, the West could produce some of the most entertaining matchups of the opening weekend.
Here’s a complete look at the West Region ahead of this week’s action. Here’s a complete look at the West Regional ahead of this week’s action.
Best first-round game
(6) BYU vs. (11) Texas/NC State: Normally, the best matchup in March Madness is the 8-9 game, but the 6-11 game has plenty of intrigue no matter who wins in the First Four. Texas or NC State will get a BYU team that has been playing without its second-best player (Richie Saunders) for well over a month due to a season-ending ACL tear.
BYU made a run to the Sweet 16 last year, and expectations are even higher this season with Dybantsa on the roster. BYU could be on upset alert here against either the Longhorns or the Wolfpack — coaches Sean Miller (Texas) and Will Wade (NC State) are two of the best in the game.
Top potential matchup
(1) Arizona vs. (2) Purdue: Call it chalky, but this game would be incredible. Arizona has the No. 5-ranked offense in adjusted efficiency (per KenPom.com), while Purdue has the top-ranked offense in the same stat. This game would be a high-scoring affair with star power throughout. Purdue’s trio of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn can stack up with Arizona’s “Big Three” of Jaden Bradley, Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. The last time these teams played was in 2023 at a neutral site in Indianapolis. It would be a treat for college basketball fans to get this matchup in Northern California with a trip to Indy on the line.
Cinderella team that will surprise
(12) High Point: Trivia time. Can you name the team with the longest active winning streak in Division I?
If you guessed High Point — and we’re guessing you did, because this subhead is clearly about them — you would be correct. High Point has won 14 consecutive games entering the NCAA Tournament. There’s no perfect secret to picking a Cinderella, but there are things that stand out when diving into the analytics: High Point does not turn the ball over, and it forces turnovers on the other end. High Point ranked No 16 (9.4) among all Division I teams in turnovers per game and ranked third (16.4) in turnovers forced.
Every possession matters in the NCAA Tournament, so the fact that High Point can create extra opportunities on both ends could be a recipe for a potential upset. Will High Point actually pull this off? Maybe. Wisconsin was playing incredible basketball down the stretch and is going to be a trendy Sweet 16 team, but of all the possible first-round upsets in the West, this is the one I’m circling.
Team that will make a far-too-early exit
(1) Arizona: Arizona should be the consensus favorite to come out of this region, but I’ve got somebody else making the Final Four (and I’ll explain that pick below). Tommy Lloyd has been one of the most consistent coaches in the nation, but in three of Arizona’s four NCAA Tournament appearances under Lloyd, Arizona has been on the wrong side of an upset loss on the biggest stage.
2022: As a No. 1 seed, lost to No. 5 seed Houston in the Sweet 16
2023: As a No. 2 seed, lost to No. 15 seed Princeton in the first round
2024: As a No. 2 seed, lost to No. 6 seed Clemson in the Sweet 16
This is Lloyd’s best roster. There is almost zero reason that the Wildcats shouldn’t be the last team standing. Why can’t I shake the feeling that I just don’t trust them to meet their destiny? Could it be the lack of 3-point shooting? The Wildcats rank No. 333 (5.9) in 3-point makes per game. Arizona is so talented that it has so far withstood many an off night from downtown, but the pressure ratchets up in March.
Six players to watch
Brayden Burries, Arizona: Burries, in my opinion, is Arizona’s best player and draft prospect. Sure, Jaden Bradley won Big 12 Player of the Year, but Burries is the X-Factor for Arizona’s title hopes. The former five-star recruit is averaging 15.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if Burries is a top 10 pick this summer.
Nick Boyd, Wisconsin: Boyd is on the third stop of his career after previously playing at Florida Atlantic and San Diego State. He is in the midst of a breakout season with the Badgers and is averaging 20.6 points, 4.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds. If Wisconsin is going to make a deep run, it starts and stops with Boyd.
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas: Acuff is the best guard in college basketball. Period. John Calipari has coached his share of star first-year guards: Rose, Wall, Fox. Acuff might just be the best one of them all. The SEC Player of the Year is on pace to become the first SEC player to average at least 22 points and six assists per game since Pete Maravich.
AJ Dybantsa, BYU: Dybantsa has a chance to become a March legend with a deep run. The Cougars haven’t had a player this exciting to watch since Jimmer Fredette. Dybantsa is a skilled scorer who can do anything and everything on the court. With Saunders out for the season, Dybantsa has been asked to carry more of the load as a scorer and playmaker. He has done both.
Graham Ike, Gonzaga: Ike might be one of the most underappreciated players in college basketball. He has averaged over 16 points per game in each of his last four seasons (one at Wyoming, three at Gonzaga). This year, he is averaging a career-high 19.7 points per game. The Bulldogs saw their streak of 10 consecutive Sweet 16 appearances snapped last season. This is the year Gonzaga gets back to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Braden Smith, Purdue: Smith is on the verge of college basketball history. He is two assists away from breaking the all-time assist record held by former Duke star Bobby Hurley. Smith has 1,775 assists and counting. He is averaging a career-high nine assists this year. There’s a very real chance he breaks the record within minutes of Purdue’s first-round matchup against Queens.
West Regional winner
Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. could become a household name with a deep March Madness run.
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(4) Arkansas: I’m going outside the box with my Final Four pick here. I feel the same way about Arkansas that I did about Florida last year, around this time. Point guard Walter Clayton Jr. carried Florida to the title with his leadership, clutch gene and scoring/playmaking. Acuff has the chance to do the same thing for the Razorbacks.
Not only does Arkansas have the best guard, but fellow freshman Meleek Thomas is a lethal scoring threat. DJ Wagner has proven he can provide valuable minutes off the bench as a veteran point guard who has experience playing for Calipari. Trevon Brazile and Billy Richmond III cause havoc on the defensive end of the floor. Last year, Calipari’s team was oh-so-close to advancing to the Elite Eight before blowing a 16-point lead against Texas Tech. This team is more talented. Arkansas beats Arizona in the Sweet 16, then polishes off an Elite Eight win to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 1995.
March Madness Regional previews:East | Midwest | South
