Illinois finishes strong to snag a top seed
No. 1 Illinois
Overview: One of the hottest teams in the country will make its tournament return after an eight-year hiatus. The Illini finished the year winning 14 of their last 15, including the Big Ten tournament. Potential national player of the year Ayo Dosunmu and big man Kofi Cockburn give them two standout stars. There are also key role players and depth that make this team one of the favorites to cut down the nets in Indianapolis.
No. 2 Houston
Overview: The Cougars sport an elite defense, holding opponents to 58 points per game on a Division I-low 37.5% from the field. A four-guard lineup around forward Justin Gorham has given teams fits all season long. Despite the presumed rebounding issues, they are third nationally with 14.5 offensive rebounds a game. The Cougars aren’t one of the better shooting teams, but their defense makes up for those deficiencies with the secondbest scoring differential (+19).
No. 3 West Virginia
Overview: Three close losses in four games entering the tournament damaged the seeding for a team capable of making a deep run. With Taz Sherman coming off the bench (13.6 ppg), the Mountaineers have four double-figure scorers.
No. 4 Oklahoma State
Overview: Heralded freshman Cade Cunningham has been everything expected as he leads the team in scoring and rebounding. His ability to take over a game late will be valuable. A run to the Big 12 tournament title game coincided with the return of guard Isaac Likekele (9.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.7 apg). His all-around game complements Cunningham.
No. 5 Tennessee
Overview: The Vols have dynamic freshman guards in Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer paired with veteran forwards Yves Pons and John Fulkerson, the latter of whom missed the SEC tournament semifinal with a concussion and facial fracture. UT relies on its defense to find success on both ends of the court.
No. 6 San Diego State
Overview: SDSU was 30-2 and headed for a top seed in the NCAA tournament last year when its dream season was clipped by the pandemic. Senior leadership and defense have helped bring the Aztecs back, led by forward Matt Mitchell and guard Jordan Schakel.
No. 7 Clemson
Overview: The Tigers have enough talent to defeat a lot of teams. But they can lack cohesion on the defensive end.
No. 8 Loyola-Chicago
Overview: Coach Porter Moser doesn’t have as gifted of an offensive team as he did with his 2018 Final Four squad, but this team is exceptionally disciplined on the defensive end, leading the nation with 55.7 points allowed to opponents.
No. 9 Georgia Tech
Overview: Jose Alvarado keys a relentless pressure defense that forces nearly 16 turnovers per game, and the Yellow Jackets have balance and versatility on the offensive end. The bench is not deep, however.
No. 10 Rutgers
Overview: It’s been 30 years, but Rutgers is finally back in the NCAA Tournament in Steve Pikiell’s fifth year as head coach. The Knights are ranked No. 38 in NET rankings and went 5-8 against quad-one teams. Their length is a big reason they’re one of the best shotblocking teams in the country.
No. 11 Syracuse
Overview: This year’s version of the Orange has played well down the stretch, and they can throw on a surprise press to support their signature zone defense. They’re quite dependent on hitting threes.
No. 12 Oregon State
Overview: This year the Beavers have won six of their last seven games entering the NCAA Tournament. Canadian forward Maurice Calloo came off the bench Saturday to lead his team to the title with 15 points.
No. 13 Liberty
Overview: The Flames have won 12 in a row after winning their conference tournament for the third straight season. Led by conference player of the year Darius McGhee, they are one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the nation, with 10.3 per game. But they are especially known for their pack-line defense.
No. 14 Morehead State
Overview: This team doesn’t have the same offensive firepower as the team it beat in the OVC final, Belmont, but the defense and athleticism are top-notch. Johni Broome, a 6-foot-10 acrobatic freshman, scored 27 points in that game and when he’s on, the Eagles can be special. Broome helps corral the glass and control the paint, as Morehead State ranks in the top 15 nationally in blocked shots per game and top 30 in rebounding margin.
No. 15 Cleveland State
Overview: Cleveland State is in the tournament for the third time in program history. Fresh off five consecutive losing seasons, the Vikings have the backcourt length to force turnovers and defend the three but can be overwhelmed on the boards (221st in rebound margin). The Vikings have had great success in close games, with 13 of the team’s 19 wins coming by single digits.
No. 16 Drexel
Overview: The Dragons managed to play just 19 games during a stop-and-start season that included a nearly three-week break in February due to COVID-19 issues in the conference. They returned to beat regular-season champion James Madison on the final weekend and then won three games in the conference tournament to end a 25-year NCAA drought. Drexel shoots at a high percentage, especially from the free-throw line, which could be valuable in close games. To pull off an upset, it will need to avoid turnovers and play better defense against more athletic teams.