NCAA Tournament 2021: Baylor, Ohio State headline South Region primer

Mar 4, 2021; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jared Butler (12) drives the lane on Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Kalib Boone (22) and guard Avery Anderson III (0) during the first half at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports /

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NCAA Tournament Texas Tech Red Raiders Kyler Edwards Marcus Santos-Silva Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

Teams to watch in the South Region

Favorite to win: Baylor

Without question, the Baylor Bears are the clear favorite to advance to the Final Four from the South Region. The Bears have proven throughout the entire season that they are clearly the second-best team in the nation behind top-seeded Gonzaga. Baylor’s 22 wins in the regular season, including 13 victories in 14 games in a Big 12 Conference that sends eight total teams to the Big Dance, earned the program its first-ever No. 1 seed in the men’s tournament.

This is Baylor’s eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2010 and this is by far the best roster the Bears have put together heading into the tournament in that time frame. Perhaps 2021 is the year Scott Drew’s squad will break through and bring a national title back home to Waco, Texas.

Sleeper Pick: Texas Tech

The No. 1 seed Baylor Bears may not be the only Lone Star State program to make some noise in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The last time there was an NCAA Tournament, Texas Tech was seconds away from winning its first national title before losing to Virginia in overtime.

This time around, Chris Beard’s squad heads into the tournament having endured an arduous regular season schedule, riddled with obstacles induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. At 17-10, the Red Raiders has consistently featured in the Top-25 rankings throughout the regular season.

If Texas Tech can get past its First Round opponent in Utah State, their bracket does appear to be wide open leading up to the Elite Eight matchup.

If the slipper fits… Winthrop

Of all of the 5 vs. 12 matchups in this year’s bracket, it’s hard to not notice the glaring matchup between 23-1, No. 12-seed Winthrop, and the ailing No. 5-seed Villanova Wildcats.

Winthrop, who was won the Big South Conference title game two years in a row, now has the opportunity to show the nation why they are a mid-major to keep tabs on over the next few seasons.

Villanova has not been the same since Co-BIG EAST Player of the Year Collin Gillespie suffered a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago. To make matters even worse for the Wildcats, guard Justin Moore has been hampering a “severe” ankle injury that he suffered earlier this month.

No. 4 Purdue is also in danger of falling to its First Round opponent in No. 13 North Texas. If there were to be one region where we can potentially see a No. 12 vs. No. 13 matchup in the second round, this would be that region.

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