For many NCAA Basketball programs, reaching the Final Four can be almost as glorious as winning a title. These four teams haven’t done it yet, but might in 2020-21.
Every NCAA Basketball player dreams of winning a national title, surely. Just as big of a dream – and much more accessible – is reaching a Final Four, the pinnacle of the sport.
Just look at the South Carolina Gamecocks. In 2017, they reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in over 40 years. Then, they kept going, making their first Elite Eight and then their first Final Four, seemingly out of nowhere. It was the thrill of a lifetime for coach Frank Martin and his players.
Maybe a team would’ve made their first Final Four in 2020. San Diego State had never advanced past the Sweet Sixteen. They lost just two games all season and might’ve had a serious shot at it, had the coronavirus pandemic not changed the world.
It’s hard to predict at this point if there will be a Final Four in 2021 or even a normal college basketball season. Many remain optimistic that there will be a way to get it done, but the virus is going to ultimately be the arbiter in all of that.
Assuming there is a season, however, there will be several programs looking to leave a lasting legacy by making the first Final Four in their respective school’s men’s basketball history. In order of least to most likely, here are four programs shooting for newfound and historic glory in 2020-21.
4. Richmond Spiders
Richmond is returning most of their roster from a season ago after seeing no seniors depart following the 2019-20 season. That kind of continuity and leadership could pay big dividends in 2020-21.
Not only has Richmond never made the Final Four, they’ve never made the Elite Eight either. They’ve made two trips to the Sweet Sixteen, with the most recent coming in 2011; they haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since.
Chris Mooney’s team has a real path next season, though. They’ll be led by Jacob Gilyard, who has a chance to be the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. As a junior, his scoring dipped to 12.7 points per game, but his passing and rebounding improved and he averaged a stunning 3.2 steals per game, finishing second in the nation in swipes. He’ll be raring to go during his senior season.
In addition to returning most of last year’s squad, point guard Isaiah Wilson is also joining the fold this year. The top-250 prospect might not make an immediate impact, but he is the best Richmond commit in several years.
Richmond should also have an easier path to making the NCAA Tournament. Dayton is weakened by the departure of Obi Toppin, leaving a vacuum atop the A10. If the Spiders can seize that spot, they can crawl towards a first Final Four.
3. Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State’s potential for the coming season depends largely on two players who have yet to make their NBA Draft decisions: Remy Martin and Alonzo Verge. If both choose to return to Tempe, the sky’s the limit for the Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils were pushing for a tournament berth last year when the season was scuttled. The team hasn’t made it to the second weekend of the Big Dance since 1995 and haven’t made it to the Elite Eight since 1975.
Romello White might be gone, but Josh Christopher is coming to make Arizona State fans forget all about him. Christopher is arguably the best prospect Arizona State has ever secured. Not far behind him is fellow freshman Marcus Bagley.
The Pac-12 doesn’t project as a particularly strong conference for 2020-21. It’s probably going to be a tight tussle to secure the automatic bid for the conference. There’s a decent chance Arizona State comes out with it over the likes of UCLA, Oregon, and Stanford. From there, the Sun Devils only have to win four consecutive games, which they did twice during the 2019-20 season.
All eyes will be on Martin and Verge for the next few weeks. If they come back, the march is on for Arizona State.
2. Creighton Bluejays
Creighton has been one of the Big East’s top teams since the conference realigned and was the best ranked team in the conference when the 2019-20 season halted. Players walked into the locker room for halftime of their Big East Tournament game against St. John’s and never walked out.
Creighton has made it to the Round of 32 a bunch, but haven’t made it to the Sweet Sixteen since 1974 and haven’t made it to the Elite Eight since 1941. Maybe next year they can finally break those droughts and go further than ever before.
The loss of Ty-Shon Alexander hurts. His return could’ve elevated the Bluejays to the top of the preseason rankings. Instead, the eyes of Omaha will turn towards Marcus Zegarowski to be the next star of the team. He did finish second-team All-Big East last year after averaging 16.1 points and 5.0 assists per game. Whether or not his knee injury will be fully healed by the start of the season will be worth monitoring.
Next year will also be Mitch Ballock’s final one in Omaha. His pinpoint accuracy from deep is an essential skill, but he’ll need to be better than ever as Zegarowski’s sidekick if Creighton is going to their first Final Four.
1. Tennessee Volunteers
If only one team is going to make their first Final Four in 2020-21, it’s going to be the Tennessee Volunteers. This, despite the big losses the Vols are dealing with entering the year, including Lamonte Turner and Jordan Bowden.
The biggest reason the Vols are up here is John Fulkerson. His Vols career had been unexceptional until last year, when he became a strong SEC big man who averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; he may be one of the best big men in the conference this season.
Tennessee is also going to be loaded in the backcourt thanks to their freshmen. Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson are the two best commits of the Rick Barnes era – they’re commitments propelled Tennessee to a top five class in 2020. There will be growing pains, but they could quickly become the best backcourt in the conference.
Then, there’s Yves Pons. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year (he averaged 2.4 blocks per game) declared for the 2020 NBA Draft. But he hasn’t locked in that decision yet, making it one of the most important outstanding draft decisions in the country.
The Vols have made the Elite Eight once, in 2010. But Barnes has a Final Four trip on his resume, going there with his Texas Longhorns in 2003. He has the right team to break Tennessee’s program-long absence from the biggest stage in college basketball.