NCAA Tournament 2021: Biggest winners and losers through first 2 rounds

Winner – Syracuse Orange and the Boeheims

We’re usually surprised whenever a double-digit seed makes it to the Sweet 16 but Syracuse is the one exception. The Orange have made deep runs from this position, including a trip to the Final Four as a 10 seed in 2016. They’ve made it to the second weekend as an 11 seed, upsetting both San Diego State and West Virginia.

Buddy Boeheim played the biggest role in both victories, scoring a combined 55 points and making 13 three-pointers, the most by an Orange player in a two-game span. It has to feel great for both Buddy and his father Jim Boeheim, as sons of head coaches tend to get securitize a bit more when the team isn’t winning at a high level. But Syracuse is currently winning at a high level right now when it matters the most.

Loser – Rutgers Scarlet Knights

This might be a bit unfair for the Knights, considering that this was their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 30 years. As a 10 seed, they accomplished their goal by winning a game against No. 7 seed Clemson. But Rutgers was also in control in the Round of 32 game against Houston, leading by as many as 10 points midway through the second half.

But they squandered the lead at the final seconds, as the Cougars managed to survive the 63-60 upset bid. What makes this loss even more heartbreaking is that had Rutgers held on, they would’ve faced 11 seed Syracuse, then either Loyola-Chicago or Oregon State. It’s not a stretch to say that the Knights could’ve made a Final Four run, which would’ve been the second-biggest story in the NCAA Tournament outside of Gonzaga’s unbeaten run.