Mar 16, 202110 min read

The Teams to Look Out for When Filling Out Your Bracket for March Madness

It is that time of year again! After two years of waiting, the NCAA Tournament, also known as March Madness or “The Big Dance”, is finally back, and millions of people around the country are beginning to fill out their brackets before the Round of 64 begins on Friday. Bracketology is a part of what makes this tournament the best event on the sports calendar. Studies have shown you have a one in 128 billion chance of creating a perfect bracket through all six rounds, but by following some of these tips, why can’t the first one to do it be you? Here’s a list of some of the teams you want to look out for in March for many different reasons.

The Favorites

These are some of the teams that you should have going to at least the Sweet Sixteen (remember anything can happen in March, so this is not a guarantee). They have played great all season, and there is no reason why they should not have a chance to make a run in the tournament. (Honorable Mentions: Alabama, Ohio State, Kansas, and West Virginia)

Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-0)

Good Wins: Iowa, Kansas, Virginia, West Virginia, BYU (three times)

Bad Losses: None

The Zags’ finished off their perfect regular season on Tuesday with a win over BYU to take the WCC Tournament title. To put it simply, Gonzaga is phenomenal. The Bulldogs have 3 finalists for the Wooden Award (20% of the entire ballot) in Corey Kispert, Jalen Suggs, and Drew Timme. Kispert is one of the most dangerous offensive players in the nation averaging 19.2 points shooting 44.4% from three. Suggs, who is expected to be a top 10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, has been the lifeblood of the team on both sides of the ball. He averages 14.3 points per game and 2.0 steals for the Bulldogs. Drew Timme is the strong presence in the paint that the team loses to utilize averaging 18.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. This team has no glaring flaws. The team has not faced many tests in conference play, but that is a nitpick and will likely have no effect on the team in March (they beat some good teams such as Iowa, Kansas, West Virginia, and Virginia in non-conference play). Being the #1 overall team in the tournament, nobody has higher expectations than the Zags'.

Baylor Bears (22-2)

Good Wins: Illinois, @Texas, @West Virginia, Texas Tech (twice), Oklahoma St. (twice)

Bad Losses: None

Though the Big 12 Tournament did not go the way the Bears expected after a loss to Oklahoma State in the semifinals, that should not take away how great Baylor has played all season. The Bears have the best backcourt in the nation. Jared Butler is one of the best players in the country. Averaging 17.1 points on 42.9% shooting from three, Butler is a player that scares any team when he has the ball in his hand, and he is also a very underrated defensive player. MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell make the Bears’ offense even more dangerous with their shooting and ability to create shots. The Bears have proven all year why they deserve a #1 seed with 11 wins over teams ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time they played them. The only problem that Baylor has tended to struggle with is starting games off slowly, which is something they cannot do in March, but similar to Gonzaga, that is a nitpick and is not something that you should be too worried about when filling out your bracket. The Bears are a great pick to go all the way.

Illinois Fighting Illini (22-6)

Good Wins: @ Michigan, Iowa (twice), Ohio State (twice), Wisconsin (twice)

Bad Losses: Maryland

The Illini are the hottest team in college basketball right now, and there is no doubt about it. I had some concerns about Illinois earlier in the year, but they have proven me wrong every step of the way ever since the beginning of Big Ten play, which has been full of ranked opponents. Speaking of ranked opponents, the Illini have beat 8 of them and finished off their season with a win over Ohio State on Sunday to win the Big Ten Tournament, which is a very high honor this year since the conference is so star-studded. Ayo Dosumnu (20.9 ppg, 6.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists) has been fantastic all year, and he is only getting better. Kofi Cockburn (17.6 ppg and 9.6 rebounds) is one of the most dominant centers in the NCAA and is an almost guaranteed double-double every game. This team also has plenty of talent besides their big two in Trent Frazier, Andre Curbelo, and Adam Miller. The sky's the limit for the Illini if they continue their hot streak.

Iowa Hawkeyes (21-8)

Good Wins: Ohio State, Wisconsin (three times)

Bad Losses: Indiana (twice), Minnesota

The Hawkeyes will go as far as their soon-to-be Wooden Award winner, Luka Garza (23.7 ppg and 8.8 rebounds), will take them, and if he plays as well as he has all season, that could be far. Joe Wieskamp is also a very dangerous scorer shooting 47.3% from three. The only thing holding Iowa back is defense. Many of their games have been shootouts where they have won solely because of their offense. If they have a game where the shots aren’t falling, I don’t know if I can trust this team because of their defense, but Garza will still dominate in the paint. The Hawkeyes will hope to get the rematch against Gonzaga in the Elite Eight that they have been hungry for since their loss to them in December.

Texas Longhorns (19-7)

Good Wins: Kansas (twice), Oklahoma State (twice), West Virginia, Texas Tech

Bad Losses: None

The Longhorns can be a very dangerous team if they play their cards right. Matt Coleman III (13.3 ppg) is one of the most clutch players in the nation, and this Texas squad has plenty of other players that can score. Andrew Jones, Courtney Ramey, Greg Brown, Jericho Sims, and Kai Jones are all great examples. This is a very deep team, and they have played great all year in a fantastic Big 12 conference. They ended the season with 8 wins against ranked opponents including one against Oklahoma State on Saturday that won them the Big 12 Tournament. Coming in as a #3 seed, this is definitely a team to consider making a run to the Final Four.

The “Wild Card” Teams

These are the teams that are going to be very hard for you to predict. They could be upset in the first week, or they could make a run. Who knows? The main reason these teams are questionable for me is that they are either inconsistent, have injury problems, or have not faced much competition all year, but they all still have talent and could cause problems.

Michigan Wolverines (20-4)

Good Wins: Iowa, @ Ohio State, Wisconsin (twice)

Bad Losses: @ Michigan State, @ Minnesota

This one might surprise people since they were given a #1 seed, but here me out. Michigan is a great team, but the main thing going against them is losing Isaiah Livers for an indefinite amount of time. Though Hunter Dickinson is the leading scorer with 14.2 ppg, Livers is the leader of this team on offense, and they seemed to struggle to have a consistent flow in the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines are going to need Livers back by the Sweet Sixteen assuming they survive the first weekend (which is never a guarantee), because winning against a higher seeded team without him will be a challenge. With him back, Michigan is definitely a serious championship contender.

Villanova Wildcats (16-6)

Good Wins: @ Texas, Creighton, UConn

Bad Losses: @ Providence, @ Butler, @ St. John’s

There is one reason why Villanova is a “Wild Card” and not a favorite for me: Collin Gillespie. Ever since the superstar point guard tore his MCL against Creighton (they would still escape with a win) on March 3rd, the Wildcats have struggled. This last week in particular has been a disaster. After losing in the final seconds at Providence on Saturday, Villanova lost to Georgetown in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament. Justin Moore also hurt his ankle against Providence, and though he is back, it is unknown if he is at full strength. The Wildcats have looked lost on offense at times without Gillespie, but they are still a dangerous team. Expect to see the ball go through Jermaine Samuels and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who have each been excellent lately. Justin Moore and Caleb Daniels will need to run the offense at guard, and the Wildcats will need some younger players such as Bryan Antione and Chris Arcidiacono to step up if they want to get to the second weekend. Some are considering the Wildcats as underdogs as a #5 seed coming into the tournament, but I would never look past a Jay Wright-led team.

Creighton Bluejays (20-8)

Good Wins: Villanova, UConn (three times)

Bad Losses: @ Butler, Providence, Marquette, Georgetown (twice)

Creighton has been an extremely inconsistent team this year. At their best, the Bluejays are one of the best offensive teams in the nation. Marcus Zegarowski (15.5 ppg) is one of the best point guards in the country, and Denzel Mahony (12.5 ppg) has the length to shoot over defenders. Their sharpshooter Mitch Ballock is also a huge threat from anywhere on the court shooting 40% from three. The problem is that Creighton does not play like this every game. They have had some bad losses this year including ones to Providence, Butler, and two to Georgetown (one by 25 in the Big East Tournament championship). If they play like this, they will not make it to the second weekend. If the Bluejays live up to all of their potential, they are a very dangerous team that can go deep into the tournament. It all depends on which teams show up.

Oklahoma State Cowboys (20-8)

Good Wins: Baylor, Arkansas, Texas, West Virginia (twice), Texas Tech (twice)

Bad Losses: TCU (twice)

My main problem with Oklahoma State is their youth. This is a very young team, and young teams tend to struggle in the tournament against teams that are full of upperclassmen. Even with this, the Cowboys are still a very dangerous team if they play smart. Cade Cunnigham (20.2 ppg, 6.3 rebounds, 41.2% from three) will be the #1 pick in the NBA Draft this year, and there is no doubt about it. He is a matchup nightmare for any opponent. The Cowboys also have a rather favorable path to the Sweet Sixteen in getting to play Liberty and then likely Tennessee, who is very beatable, but as I said, youth could be a problem for them. They will have to play mature to make a run, and I think that is very possible.

Houston Cougars (24-3)

Good Wins: Texas Tech

Bad Losses: @ Tulsa, @ East Carolina

Houston concerns me because of their very weak schedule. They have only played one ranked opponent all year, and that was in a win against Texas Tech all the way back in November. Don’t get me wrong though, there is still a lot that I like about this team, and they deserved to get a #2 seed. Quentin Grimes (17.9 ppg) is a fantastic player that makes any defense worried. Marcus Sasser and DeJon Jarreau have also had great years. I am just worried that this team could struggle against a good opponent because of their lack of exposure to one in AAC play. They should be able to get to the Sweet Sixteen, but playing a team like West Virginia from the Big 12 in that round is concerning. This should be an interesting tournament for the Cougars, but we’ll have to see if they can prove me wrong.

The Upset Teams

These teams could all be the next Cinderella-story in March Madness. Though they all might not be seeded high, any of them could cause some chaos in the tournament.

Ohio Bobcats (16-7)

Good Wins: None (Wins against Toledo and Buffalo are close)

Bad Losses: @ Akron, Bowling Green, Marshall

This team has had my attention all year ever since they almost beat Illinois in November. Jason Preston (16.6 ppg, 6.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists) is a stud, and he is one of the most underrated players in college basketball. Dwight Wilson III (14.9 ppg and 7.5 rebounds) and Ben Vander Plas (12.8 ppg) have also had great seasons. The Bobcats are coming off a nice win against Buffalo to take the MAC Tournament championship, and I do not expect them to slow down. This team could cause Virginia nightmares in the first round if they come prepared.

Georgetown Hoyas (13-12)

Good Wins: Creighton (twice), Villanova

Bad Losses: Navy, @ St. John’s, Marquette, @ Butler

Who expected these guys to be in the tournament? Not many people. The Hoyas are red hot, though, and they are better than what their record says. After a dismal regular season that ended with them 9-12, they went on to win 4 straight to claim the title in the Big East Tournament, which included a close victory against Villanova and a blowout win versus Creighton. Jahvon Blair (15.8) is a fantastic leader at point guard, and Qudus Wahab (12.4 ppg and 8.0 rebounds) can cause problems for any team in the paint. Donte Harris and Jamarko Pickett were also both fantastic in the Big East Tournament. Patrick Ewing's squad will look to continue their hot streak against Colorado on Friday, and they are a team that everyone should consider when picking upsets.

Syracuse Orange (16-9)

Good Wins: Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Clemson

Bad Losses: Pittsburgh (twice)

For some reason, Jim Boeheim and the Orange always seem to make a run when they have a low seed, so I have to include them in this category. Teams with great coaches are always dangerous. Syracuse has had an up-and-down year, and they are coming off a buzzer beater loss to Virginia in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Buddy Boeheim (17.1 ppg), Alan Griffin (14.7 ppg), and Quincy Guerrier (14.4 and 8.8 rebounds) have all had great seasons. Coming in as an #11 seed, the Orange are playing San Diego State in the first round, which I see as a winnable game for them.

Loyola Chicago Ramblers (24-4)

Good Wins: Drake (twice)

Bad Losses: Richmond, @ Indiana State

After their run to the Final Four in 2018, who could forget about these guys? Sister Jean and the Ramblers are hoping to make another run this year, but it will not be easy. Coming off a win against Drake in the MVC Tournament championship, Loyola has won 17 of their last 18 games. Center Cameron Krutwig (15.0 ppg) has led the way for them this year. As an #8 seed, making it to the second weekend will not be easy since they will have to play Illinois to get there, but anything is possible.