March Madness 2021: 5 biggest winners from Selection Sunday seeds

Syracuse Orange

I’ll admit… I didn’t even think the Orange could end up in their situation without an ACC Tournament quarterfinal win over Virginia this past week. Their resume was extremely average, with a NET ranking of 40 and just 1-7 against Quad 1 opponents.

But the three straight wins against Clemson, North Carolina, and NC State proved to be not only enough to get into the NCAA Tournament but to avoid the “First Four” entirely. It also helped what else happened in the ACC Tournament, with Duke vs Louisville effectively ending up as a double-knockout. And losses by Wichita State, Drake, UCLA, and Michigan State early in their tournaments gave the Orange the chance to move up.

Syracuse was given an 11 seed, which historically has meant well for their hopes of going far in the Big Dance. They were a 10 seed when they made a miracle run to the Final Four, which included wins over Gonzaga and Virginia. This year, they’re matched up with No. 6 seed San Diego State, a good team but not one that overpowers opponents.

If you take a close look at the bottom of the Midwest Region, there’s a reasonable path for Syracuse to make a run. After the Aztecs would likely be West Virginia, a team who can score but doesn’t defend well. If they can stop Derek Culver, an upset is for sure possible. And with Houston as a beatable No. 2 seed, don’t be surprised if the Orange makes another run from the bubble to the Sweet 16.