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NCAA Tournament 2021: Buy or Sell Arkansas, Texas, Kansas, and West Virginia?

By Brendan Whitehouse

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 24: Miles McBride #4 of the West Virginia Mountaineers moves around Matt Coleman III #2 of the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on February 24, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 24: Miles McBride #4 of the West Virginia Mountaineers moves around Matt Coleman III #2 of the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on February 24, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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NCAA Tournament West Virginia Mountaineers Miles McBride Taj Thweatt Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Tournament West Virginia Mountaineers Miles McBride Taj Thweatt Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

West Virginia: Buy

First game: Morehead State: Friday 3/19  

Potential opponents down the road: San Diego St, Syracuse, Clemson, Rutgers, Houston

West Virginia may be the least deserving of their seed out of the other 3 seeds for losing three of their last four games but they may possibly have the most favorable path to the final four. Despite two straight losses to Oklahoma State the Mountaineers ended up with a better seed than the Pokes even after dropping from 2nd to 4th in the Big 12 standings during the last week of the season.

WVU is typically known for its aggressive defense and full-court press. This year they’re known for shooting and a high scoring offense which is not something they’re used to seeing in Morgantown. It’s led the Mountaineers to a respectable 18-9 on the season and 11-6 in the Big 12.

The Mountaineers probably played one of the hardest schedules in the country however they did lose most of their biggest games against their toughest opponents like Gonzaga, Florida, and Baylor. They got swept by Oklahoma and lost two out of three to Oklahoma State. They split with Texas, Kansas and swept Texas Tech.

The Big 12 is one the deepest and best conferences in college basketball this year. Based on resume West Virginia is not a top team in the Big 12 like they are seeded to be.

In my opinion, the good news for the Mountaineers is that the only other Big 12 team in your region is Oklahoma State who may have your number as of late but you wouldn’t see them until the Elite 8 and they would have to knock off an Illinois or Georgia Tech to get there. The best team in WVUs half of the region is Houston who I believe to be very beatable for the Mountaineers.

West Virginia also has good familiarity with Syracuse and San Diego State which would be their second-round matchup. You’d then be looking at probably Clemson or Rutgers if not Houston in the Sweet 16.

Next. Strengths/weaknesses of top 16 teams. dark

As long as they can heat up and avoid a spoiler in the first round to Morehead State, this West Virginia team has a chance to outshoot their way to a final four and they have the capacity to do it for the first time since 2010 when they were last stacked with this much offensive talent. That team won the Big East tournament and went on to make the final four.

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