2021 NCAA Tournament Preview

By Peyton Schultze

Top-seeded Illinois enters the tournament as one of the favorites to get to the Final Four inside of Lucas Oil Stadium (via Sports Illustrated).

March Madness has returned!

Arguably the greatest time of the year in all of sports is finally back after missing all of 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns, and the tournament field is setting up to be a wild race to the finish. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are certainly the favorites in the tournament after an undefeated regular season, but other contenders such as Michigan, Baylor, Illinois, Alabama, Ohio State, and Houston could cause some real problems over the new few weeks. And who knows, the next Cinderella story could be right around the corner and put a dent into just about any bracket at any given moment.

So where is the stage of this year’s 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament? Right in the heart of Indianapolis, as the entire city takes on all four regions to ensure that all 68 potential teams in action are safe and ready to go to limit travel in between rounds. With the First Four games ready to tip off in just around 24 hours, here is our preview of what you can expect to see all throughout the NCAA Tournament this season:

The Favorites: Gonzaga Bulldogs and Baylor Bears

Gonzaga is the clear favorite entering this year’s tournament, and a title could put them in the conversation for one of the best teams of all-time (via The Seattle Times).

Gonzaga Bulldogs: It is an odd feeling in knowing that Mark Few has not yet captured a national championship during his time at Gonzaga considering their remarkable success over the past two decades, but the 2021 Bulldogs appear to be different. Going undefeated during the regular season at 26-0 and winning the West Coast Conference with ease, the Bulldogs enter the NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed in play and the favorite to take home their first title in school history. Few has done a spectacular job once again this season for Gonzaga, but the main reason for their success comes in the form of four of the best players in the sport right now in Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert, Drew Timme, and Jalen Suggs. Each of those players has helped to form the top scoring offense in all of basketball, nearly making Gonzaga unguardable in the paint and from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs will face a fair share of competition in their own region in the form of teams like Kansas, Virginia, and Iowa, but without a clear flaw right now, Gonzaga is the undisputed favorite entering the tournament.

Baylor Bears: Can the three-point revolution officially take over college basketball? That would be the case if the lethal offensive prowess of Baylor were to explode on the main stage in this year’s tournament, which could be a real possibility if their offensive potency carries over from the regular season. Baylor’s insane clip from the three-point line this year was 41.8% to lead all of college basketball, and they remain the third-highest scoring unit on offense in all of Division-1 basketball. Baylor’s perimeter defense also might be one of the best groups in all of college basketball, which could be a great sign as they advance deeper in the tournament and are forced to rely on a swarming defense that generates exactly nine steals per game. Unlike some other contenders around them, the Bears don’t really have one player that they often rely on to carry them, although Jared Butler and MaCio Teague have been spectacular at times. Baylor lacks some of the depth that Gonzaga has, but they do some key things better than any other team in the country entering the NCAA tournament that could separate them from the field.

The Co-Favorites: Michigan Wolverines and Illinois Fighting Illini

Michigan’s head coach Juwan Howard has helped the Wolverines reach the number one seed in the East Region in this year’s tournament (via ClickOnDetroit).

Michigan Wolverines: Michigan has put together a spectacular year in the loaded Big-10 conference under head coach Juwan Howard, who has found immense success in just his second season with his alma mater. The Wolverines were a real threat to Gonzaga for the best team in the country for most of the regular season considering their quality of opponents, but some late-season struggles have cast some doubt on their team entering the tournament. Chief among those worries? The health of guards Isaiah Livers and Eli Brooks, two elite guards for the Wolverines. If both of those players find a way to get healthy and play in time for the tournament, the Wolverines are as big of a threat to Gonzaga as any team in the country. In addition to this, Michigan’s work on the perimeter is what separates them from some of their competition. The Wolverines’ perimeter defense may be the best in all of college basketball, and while they don’t have a true number one scorer outside of center Hunter Dickinson, they shoot the ball well enough to hang around with any team. Michigan’s championship hopes may rely on health, but they also have more upside than arguably any of the other top seeds this year due to their quality wins this season.

Illinois Fighting Illini: What makes the Fighting Illini so lethal compared to some of the other contenders at the top of the tournament is the deadly duo of Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. The closest thing to a Devin Booker/Deandre Ayton pairing that we can see anywhere in college basketball, Illinois’ duo has often carried this team for major spurts this season. This was as evident as ever in the Big-10 tournament, in which Illinois ran through some of the best teams in the sport on their way to capturing the conference championship and a number 1 seed in the Midwest region of the bracket. However, Illinois’ biggest concern is inconsistency. Illinois is not a team that has really been blown out much this season, but some lesser teams like Rutgers and Maryland have crept up on them and handed them a loss. This is the fear in a potential early round matchup with a team like Loyola Chicago or Georgia Tech, and the Fighting Illini will need all hands on deck to advance to their first Final Four since 2005. Illinois has loads of potential, and it will be interesting how they face some brutal threats in the Midwest region that will come their way soon enough.

The Potential Cinderella Stories: Winthrop Eagles and UC Santa Barbara Gauchos

The Gauchos are a terrifying team for higher-ranked squads, as UCSB has proven to be a very complete basketball team this season (via UCSB Gaucho Hoops).

Winthrop Eagles: It is hard to ever say that one team is as good as they are because of one player, but forward Chandler Vaudrin is a future NBA player who put up some incredible numbers this season. By averaging 12.2 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, and 6.9 assist per game, Vaudrin is the heart of the Eagles and will be a real problem for any team to match up with in the tournament. On top of that, Winthrop is a deep team that usually deploys a fair amount of energy-type players. This had led to Winthrop becoming a very solid defensive team with a knack for cleaning the glass on offense, which could be two huge key statistics as they prepare to face a powerhouse like Villanova in the Round of 64. Winthrop’s 23-1 record in the Big South could certainly be a bit of a worry entering the tournament as they face off against one of the blue bloods of college basketball, but with a versatile roster led by the talents of Vaudrin, don’t be surprised if the Eagles not only beat Villanova, but advance deep into this year’s tournament.

UCSB Gauchos: Could the 22-4 Gauchos shock the world and go on their first ever tournament run? While UC-Santa Barbara may not rank near the top of any particular category in college basketball, it is hard to ignore how solid this team has become in all facets of the game this season. Not only did the Gauchos go undefeated at home this season and go on a magnificent streak of winning eighteen of nineteen games in the middle of their season, but the team found a way to capture the Big West title over UC-Irvine to advance to the tournament and get a crack at Creighton in the first-round. The key for the Gauchos is certainly guard JaQuori McLaughlin, a very nice scoring guard who averaged 16.2 points per game this season. The road ahead will be extremely tough for UCSB considering the huge brands found in the West Region of the bracket, but don’t be surprised to see this coastal school from California go on a bit of a run and appear in their first Sweet Sixteen in school history.

The Best Players: Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham and Iowa’s Luke Garza

Oklahoma State freshman guard Cade Cunningham certainly looks like he could be one of the biggest x-factors in the tournament this season (via 247 Sports).

Cunningham’s Oklahoma State Cowboys: Anytime a player receives comparisons to Carmelo Anthony’s time at Syracuse, the expectations must be through the roof entering the NCAA Tournament. That is exactly the case for Cade Cunningham and the fourth-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys, who look like a team that could crash some brackets this season. Cunningham has been nothing short of spectacular this season under head coach Michael Boynton, averaging 20.2 points per game on 45% shooting in leading the Cowboys to a very nice 20-8 record on the season. Oklahoma State was given a bit of a lucky break in their region of the bracket (although Liberty could be a surprisingly tough opening matchup in the Round of 64), as the Cowboys could potentially face a path of teams that can be exposed on defense such as Tennessee, Houston, and Illinois. Cunningham may not have the size and arc on his jumper like Anthony did back in 2003, but he is a rare college superstar, and the likely #1 overall pick in next year’s NBA Draft, who could potentially even carry his team to glory in this year’s tournament.

Garza’s Iowa Hawkeyes: While Cunningham represents the next in-line of magnificent college freshman, Garza is the complete opposite. The 6'11, 265 pound center is a sensational senior entering his last run with the Hawkeyes, as he already has his number retired in the rafters at the university and is looking to cap off his college career with a run to the Final Four. Iowa has struggled mightily against top-ranked competition this season, but it is hard to say Garza is the reason why. Garza is averaging 23.7 points per game on the season to go along with 8.8 rebounds per game, making him a true stat-sheet stuffer with potential to do some real damage in the tournament. Iowa’s biggest problem remains their weak defense that has allowed teams to score at an unreasonable clip all year long, but don’t write the Hawkeyes off just yet. This is a team that can score with anyone, and Garza is a polished leader who could certainly keep his team in the game against any type of team found in the West Region of the bracket.

The Sleeping Giants: Kansas Jayhawks and Texas Longhorns

If the Jayhawks can overcome some serious COVID-19 concerns, they will be a dangerous threat in the West Region (via AZ Central).

Kansas Jayhawks: Kansas is typically one of the most unpredictable teams in the NCAA Tournament throughout all of college basketball, but the presence of legendary head coach Bill Self always gives the Jayhawks a chance at a deep run. Kansas was relatively uninspiring throughout the majority of the regular season, hanging around the top 25 without making a major splash inside the top five. Nevertheless, that all changed when the Jayhawks beat the then-undefeated Baylor Bears at home on February 27th. The Jayhawks were able to hold the Bears to a minuscule 58 points on their home court that night, and although Kansas was forced to opt out of the Big-12 tournament due to COVID-19 concerns, their forceful defense blossomed into one of the best groups in all of college basketball at the end of the season. Kansas has several nice players such as guard Ochai Agbaji and forward Jalen Wilson, but their key is certainly forward David McCormack. If he is able to return to play from COVID-19, don’t be surprised if Kansas emerges as a real threat to Gonzaga in the West area of the bracket.

Texas Longhorns: Few teams are as unpredictable and as strange as the Texas Longhorns as they enter the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Longhorns completely faded toward the end of the regular season in the midst of Big-12 play by losing six of their last eight, but the conference tournament gave new life to head coach Shaka Smart’s squad on their way to the Big-12 title. Smart, the former captain of the ship over at Virginia Commonwealth, has had great success in the tournament in the past, and with the Longhorns suddenly gaining so much momentum, you would have to think that Texas poses a serious threat in the East region. Many have stated that Texas could be a candidate for a first-round upset as a three seed against the fourteen seeded Abilene Christian Wildcats, but the Longhorns’ sheer size and athleticism on defense could be the deciding factor in that game, as well as all throughout tournament play. Their swarming defense alone gives them a real chance against other potential East Region foes such as Alabama, UConn, and Michigan, so don’t be surprised if the Big-12 winners make a deep run to the Final Four in a vulnerable region of the bracket.

The Dark Horse Contenders: Arkansas Razorbacks and Houston Cougars

Watch out for the Razorbacks; they’re a dangerous team who can compete with any team in the country (via HawgBeat).

Arkansas Razorbacks: Before arriving at Arkansas, head coach Eric Musselman had some underrated tournament success with the Wolf Pack at the University of Nevada. Now, as he helps lead a very lethal Arkansas squad that enters the tournament with their highest seeding since 1995, the Razorbacks look like a team that can cause some real damage in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The team is led by the future NBA talents of Moses Moody, who led the team with 20.8 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game on the season. Moody has a very similar skillset to that of former Texas Tech guard Jarrett Culver from a couple of years ago, and this entire Arkansas team (that does not really do one particular thing well above others; consistency has been their calling card) has some very similar traits to that Texas Tech team that made the National Championship Game back in 2019 with head coach Chris Beard. Arkansas has been battle-tested in the SEC this year, and although they have a brutal Round of 64 matchup with an explosive Colgate squad, they could make a deep run in 2021 if they can escape their first matchup.

Houston Cougars: If you want a top-seeded team that nobody is talking about right now, look no further than the Houston Cougars. While the professional sports teams in Houston have had a terrible time over the past year, the university’s college basketball team has written a different story this season. On the way to a title in the American Athletic Conference tournament, the Cougars soared to a great 24-3 record under head coach Kelvin Sampson. So what makes Houston special and a serious threat in the tournament? A lethal defense that limited opponents to 57.9 points per game this season, which is good for second in all of college basketball this season. The Cougars do no have massive size in the middle that keeps them in control of the paint, but their guard/forward play on the perimeter makes life very difficult for their opponents. Oh, and the Cougars take care of the ball better than many teams in basketball, with only around 10 per game. Houston is a title contender that nobody is talking about, and a Final Four appearance seems very realistic.

The Two Teams to Keep an Eye On: Oregon Ducks and Georgetown Hoyas

Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas enter tournament play with a wave on momentum to ride after a shocking run to a Big East title (via WUSA9).

Oregon Ducks: Over the past decade, few teams have had more automatic success in the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament than the Ducks. Since 2013, Oregon has appeared in six tournaments and at least won a single game in each one, vaulting them to an extremely solid 13-6 in this era under head coach Dana Altman, including one Final Four appearance in 2017. Nevertheless, the Ducks have faced some real adversity this year. Yes, Oregon topped the PAC-12 Standings over the course of the regular season with a very nice 20-6 overall record, but they also had some disappointing performances over the course of the season and eventually fell to the upstart rival Oregon State Beavers in the PAC-12 Tournament Quarterfinals in a major upset. So what happens next in the tournament for these Ducks? Oregon will certainly rely on guard Chris Duarte to carry the load on offense in the tournament, but he’ll be helped out by backcourt running mate Will Richardson and forward Eugene Omoruyi on the front lines. The Ducks start off with longtime tournament pest VCU in the Round of 64, but they do face a potentially enticing path to an Elite Eight berth with the inconsistent Iowa Hawkeyes and battered Kansas Jayhawks potentially on their future radar if they can escape VCU. Don’t be shocked if the Ducks get hot all of a sudden and once again find a flurry of success in this year’s tournament.

Georgetown Hoyas: The Hoyas enter this year’s tournament as one of the easiest teams to root for, especially after their scrappy run to a Big East title in their own conference tournament. Georgetown was previously picked by many to finish last in their conference this season, but head coach Patrick Ewing has helped turn their season around over the last two weeks. Georgetown does have a brutal opening round matchup with a very good Colorado team, but they have to be considered a real threat to advance in the tournament if they can find a way to escape past the Buffaloes. Guard Jahvon Blair is the headlining Hoya that has a chance to become a blossoming star in this year’s tournament if he can continue his very solid 15.8 points per game average, but he will need help from a starting lineup that has often struggled to score a lot of points over the course of the season. Georgetown could easily be a team that makes the Elite Eight with their red-hot streak, but they could also just as easily be a team that falls in the Round of 64. And thus, the beauty of the NCAA Tournament.