2021 March Madness: Jack Morel's Bracket
West Virginia has certainly had a busy 2020-21 season. They’ve competed with some of college basketball’s best teams, they’ve climbed as high as sixth in the AP Poll, and they’ve suffered some heartbreaking losses.
Every NCAA Tournament team is now in the “bubble” in Indianapolis. I think this favors the best--and hottest-- teams in college basketball right now. I also think it favors the teams who received nice draws in the bracket.
West Virginia is one of those teams. All things considered, they could have a much harder path to the Final Four, and they should be able to take advantage of this draw.
Here’s a look at my bracket.
West Virginia will face 14-seed Morehead State in the first round of the tournament. While the Eagles are on a roll after beating (26-4) Belmont twice in ten days, I expect the Mountaineers to get through this game without too much trouble.
In the round of 32, I see West Virginia matching up with Syracuse. The Orange were solid during the second half of their conference season, and they always seem to perform well as a lower seed in March. I think West Virginia’s offensive power should overcome this Syracuse team, propelling the Mountaineers to the Sweet Sixteen.
Elsewhere in the Midwest Region, Houston should have no problem with whoever they face in the round of 32, while it’ll be chalk in the top half of the region, advancing Illinois and Oklahoma State to the Sweet Sixteen.
The Sweet Sixteen matchup between Houston and WVU should be a high-scoring affair. While this will be a really tough test for the Mountaineers, their experience against some of college basketball’s best teams this season should help them grind out a tournament win over Houston.
The Elite Eight is where I see West Virginia’s run coming to an end. West Virginia actually matches up pretty well with Illinois, but I think their high-tempo offense will beat a Mountaineer defense that has struggled at times in high-scoring games.
Illinois is the hottest team in college basketball, and right now, I think the Fighting Illini will ride the wave of Ayo Dosunmu & Co. all the way to the national championship.
On the other side of the bracket, I see Gonzaga losing in the Elite Eight to Iowa, while I have Texas beating Michigan in the East Region.
As a Michigan grad, it hurts to have my team losing before they get to the Final Four. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, I’m not the only one hurting, as injuries have become a problem for Michigan.
This sets up a matchup between the two hottest teams in college basketball right now, Illinois and Texas, where I predict the Big Ten will grab its first national championship since 2000.
Sweet Sixteen: Gonzaga, Virginia, Drake, Iowa, Michigan, Florida State, Texas, Alabama, Baylor, Purdue, Texas Tech, Ohio State, Illinois, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Houston
Elite Eight: Gonzaga, Iowa, Michigan, Texas, Baylor, Ohio State, Illinois, West Virginia
Final Four: Iowa, Texas, Baylor, Illinois
National Championship: Texas vs. Illinois
National Champions: Illinois
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