March Madness 2021, Teams to Look out for in the Tournament

Patrick Koeppen '23, Web Editor

Crazy is one word to describe the NCAA Men’s Basketball season, as vital cancellations have shaken up powerhouse teams. Major constant tournament contending teams like Duke and Kentucky are likely to not even contend for the NCAA Tournament. March Madness is rapidly approaching, and with the wacky schedule every conference has, there have been some teams to look out for when the Tournament begins.

Gonzaga rolls into March as the best team in the country. Led by longtime Bulldogs coach Mark Few, Gonzaga is one of the top contenders in the nation. With no losses in their schedule, the Gonzaga Bulldogs hope for a perfect season. However, the Bulldogs have received criticism for their weak schedule. The top team in the nation however are the number one team for a reason, and the Zags look forward to competing as a top seeded team in March Madness.

Juwan Howard leads his Michigan Wolverines to a shocking three loss season in the incredibly competitive Big Ten. Michigan, led by scorers Hunter Dickenson and Franz Wagner, sit at number two in the NCAA ranking, only behind the mentioned Gonzaga. Michigan has proved themselves time and time again, beating top teams like Ohio State, Iowa, and Maryland. Michigan still has a tough schedule ahead of them, playing in the rough Big Ten tournament, but if the Wolverines win out their season, they’ll be a dangerous team to play against.

The Alabama Crimson Tide has one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. Scoring 115 on the Georgia Bulldogs proves that this team knows how to score. The problem for the Crimson Tide last year was the poorly played defense. This year flipped Alabama into one of the best defenses in the nation, being the 4th most efficient defense. If the Crimson Tide can hold the SEC down, which has been proven difficult lately, they will be a top contender when the tournament begins. Alabama sits at one in the SEC this season, and rolls into March a top seed.

Oklahoma State, led by college star Cade Cunningham, strides into March with huge wins over rivals Texas Tech and Oklahoma. The Cowboys are on a roll, and at the right time, as the highly contested Big 12 searches for a second place spot. Baylor reigns number one in the Big 12 rankings, but Oklahoma State is rising to the second spot, held by Kansas. The Cowboys are starting to heat up, and they are a threat to any team in March.

This crazy season proved lethal to many, and an opportunity to some. Teams have risen to the occasion, and there’s no telling who is a contender or not. This list is merely a small chunk of teams that can be dangerous. As made clear by the tournaments in the past, it’s anyone’s ball game. No more is this thought relevant until now.