Ty Picks the 2021 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament

The men's NCAA basketball tournament bracket was released last night. Last year this did not happen for the first time ever. COVID took it away. At the time I was upset, but it was the right decision. We did not know anything, and still are learning new things, about this virus, and to have had these kids play would have been a disaster. And while I still think this is not as safe as it could be, at least they are doing it bubble style and it is all in one place in a few different gyms. They are doing it safer, but it is still kind of tearing me up knowing that I am going to watch this and not feel so good about it. That has been my experience the last year watching sports, specifically college sports. But I will watch, and watch as much as possible, so that means I have a prediction for everyone.

Before I get into it, know that I have not won a bracket challenge in about five years, and I am really, really going out on a limb this year. I think this is going to be a chaotic tournament, but not until the second round. I think, for the most part, the first round will be chalk, with an upset here and there. But when we get a little deeper, it will be pretty wild. I have a total outcast pick as my title winner too. I just wanted you all to know that up front. Now let's get to it.

As I said, the first round is mostly chalk. I have all the 1 and 2 seeds advancing, I only picked one 12 seed to beat a 5, and I do not think any teams that play in the first four will win more than one game, the first four game. I have every Big Ten team, except Wisconsin and Maryland, winning at least their first game, with most making deep runs. I picked Rutgers to win in round one, and this is their first tourney appearance since 1991. I think the rigors of playing in the Big Ten is going to help these teams in the tourney. I'm also very, very high on UCONN and I love Oklahoma State, more on them later. But yeah, I am pretty much chalk.

Then it gets a little wonky in round 2. I have UNC beating Baylor. UNC is not as good as them, they did not end the ACC tournament as well as I thought they would, but I just have a feeling. Maybe it is because Baylor has kind of fizzled at the end here, and they may still be recovering from their COVID pause. I just do not trust them. This probably means they will crush and cruise to the Final Four. But where we stand right now, I think UNC will beat them. I also have Georgetown making a run to the Sweet Sixteen. They are rolling right now, they got a nice draw in opening with Colorado, and I have them facing UNC Greensboro, who I do have upsetting Florida State in round one. Winning these conference tourneys usually leads to some kind of success in the NCAA tournament, and I think a run to the Sweet Sixteen would be a huge win for Georgetown and Patrick Ewing right now. I have UCONN beating Alabama also. That kid Bouknight is so good, and such a good scorer. He reminds me of Kemba Walker when he was at UCONN. And I like San Diego State to knock off West Virginia and push to the Sweet Sixteen.

My Elite Eight is mostly high seeds, but I think some will have to fight to get there. I think Michigan is going to have to fight to beat LSU and Georgetown is going to be tough. Add on the possibility, which is very high, of no Isaiah Livers, and that makes it even tougher. But they do have the talent to beat those teams to make a run. Gonzaga and the university of Ohio State will cruise to the Elite Eight. There is no real resistance. I think in Baylor's bracket, since they will go out in round two, Purdue is going to have a fairly easy path to the Elite Eight. I have UCONN pushing their way past Alabama and Texas to make it to the Elite Eight. Again, Bouknight is that dude. Iowa will beat an undermanned Kansas team and make it. And Houston and Oklahoma State will make quick work of their opponents. Houston will cruise by Cleveland State, Rutgers and SDSU. Those teams will not provide much of a challenge. Oklahoma State is awesome, Cade Cunningham is legit and I think this team is going to go very, very far. I think they will crush Liberty and then make light work of Tennessee. That will leave us with a great matchup of Oklahoma State and Illinois. I think that will be a good to great game, and Cunningham is going to do something very memorable to win the game for Oklahoma State.

As for the Final Four, Gonzaga is going to blow out Iowa. Iowa does not play much defense, and they either dump it in the post to Luka Garza, who I find unwatchable, or kick out for three pointers. Gonzaga is going to shut that down with ease. I have Michigan being the team to finally stifle Bouknight and beat UCONN to move to the Final Four. They play great defense, and if Bouknight gets shut down, UCONN does not have enough scoring anywhere else. The university of Ohio State just outlasted Purdue in the Big Ten tourney, and I think they will do the same this time around as well. They have just enough scoring to win. And I have Oklahoma State and Cade Cunnignham doing it again and beating Houston with a great Cunnigham game or play. So we have two Big Ten teams, a Big 12 team and Gonzaga.

As much as it hurts me, Gonzaga is better than Michigan, and that is true even if Livers is healthy. They can out score them, and they will play enough defense to slow Michigan down. As much as I want Michigan to win, and will be rooting hard for them. Gonzaga is too good. In the battle of OSU's, I'm going with Oklahoma State and Cade Cunnigham yet again. He reminds me so much of Carmelo Anthony when he was at Syracuse for one year. He is so good and so crafty and so heady and plays the game like a seasoned vet. I also think the fact that the seeding group put them on the 4 line is going to piss them off and make them play even harder.

That means I have Gonzaga and Oklahoma State in the title game. And guess what? That's right, I have Oklahoma State and Cade Cunningham taking home the title, a la Carmelo yet again. Cunnigham is that good, Oklahoma State has been really good lately and I just have a feeling, in a season this weird, that a team we did not think about until very recently will win it all. I'm happy that the tourney is back. I will feel gross watching it, but I will watch it. And as good as the Big Ten has been this year, I still don't have one of the eight teams that made it winning it all. That is a bummer. But hey, at least I will get to watch Cade Cunningham even more, which is great. That kid is good, and if my bracket is right, he will win the title in his lone college season. That would be pretty cool.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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