NCAA Tournament 2021: Illinois, West Virginia headlines Midwest Region
By Andrew Tineo
Favorite to win: Illinois
The hottest team in the country and the most trendy pick to dethrone Gonzaga, the Fighting Illini are the last team many people want to face.
Not many teams in the country have two players that average 17 points and six rebounds per game. However, Illinois has both in All-Big 10 members, Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. However, the roster is no slouch either. Trent Frazier averages 10.4 points per game, freshman Andre Curbelo is coming off a 16 point performance in the Big 10 Championship, and Adam Frazier has had his fair share of monumental moments.
The depth of Illinois is coming to play of late and will be needed in the tournament. Illinois has won four top 10 games in the past two weeks and has been behind strong games from the men mentioned above. A cold shooting night and a terrific night from the other team would be the only reason why Illinois could lose an early-round game.
Sleeper Pick: Oklahoma State
The Cowboys are another case of a team that is playing well at the right time. Over the past three weeks, the Cowboys have had three players that have eclipsed 18 points. Cade Cunningham leads the way for the Cowboys, as he is expected to be the top pick in the NBA and an NCAA All-Freshman team.
Oklahoma State has six wins over Top 20 teams since February 22, including four Top 10 wins. Avery Anderson III has All-Big 12 potential and Kalib Boone is playing his best basketball of the season. Both were impactful in their upset win over No. 2 Baylor, with 20 points from Anderson and 6-8 from the free throw line for Boone.
The Cowboys aren’t extremely low rated but might be one of the hottest teams in the country and have beat each of the three seeds in the Tournament.
Sending this team into overtime might not be the best idea either. Oklahoma State is 4-0 in OT games, with all four of their wins being against ranked teams.
The Cowboys could make a mess of a region, that is already loaded with conference champions and littered with high-end NBA Draft picks.
If the slipper fits… Loyola Chicago
Porter Moser has turned a complete 180 with the Ramblers program. After going 7-23 in his first season in 2011-2012, Loyola Chicago has become a consistent threat in the MVC. That was headlined in 2017-2018, with a Final Four run. The Ramblers are back and have the best conference record, since 1984-1985.
Loyola has not lost a game since February 14, with their one-point loss against fellow MVC member and NCAA Tournament participant, Drake. Loyola has the highest-ranked defense in the country at a staggering 55.5 points per game given up on the season.
The slate will not be easy with Georgia Tech and potentially Illinois in the second round. However, Loyola runs a deep lineup, with seven players scoring seven or more points per game. The group is extremely old, which bodes well in the tournament. Loyola’s five of their six leading scorers are seniors.
If the slipper fits, Moser’s team has enough left in the tank for yet another deep run and turns the Ramblers into a consistent tournament team.