NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 67 NCAA Tournament games for 2020-21 season

59. #11 Syracuse 78, #6 San Diego State 62 (Round of 64)

Name a better duo than a double-digit seed Syracuse team structured around Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone – and opponents having no idea how to handle it.  That was on full display in the Orange’s opening round romp of San Diego State, in a game where the Aztecs were 11-40 from long range while allowing Syracuse to shoot 55.3% from the floor and 15-27 from the perimeter.

The Orange’s stout defense held San Diego State scoreless for the final nine and a half minutes of the first half, and the Aztecs were unable to contain Buddy Boeheim, whose blistering stretch through the tournament began with a 30-point (11-15 FG, 7-10 3PT) performance against SDSU.

58. #5 Colorado 96, #12 Georgetown 73 (Round of 64)

Few teams went from the top of the world to being blown out in the opening round in the short span of time that Georgetown did – and produced one of the most disappointing showings in recent memory.  One of the trendiest upset picks after running through the Big East Tournament, the Hoyas hung around with Colorado early, trailing by just six halfway into the first stanza.  It was false hope, however, as the Buffaloes quickly doubled up on Georgetown heading into halftime before finishing the game with insane shooting clips of 60.7% (2PT), 64.0% (3PT), and 85.7% (FT).

Georgetown had no answer for Jabari Walker, who was nearly perfect from the field en route to scoring 24 points (9-10 FG, 5-5 3PT) – and the college basketball world finally had the opportunity to watch an all-time Pac-12 great in McKinley Wright IV on the national stage, and he delivered behind a 12-point, 13-assist showing.

57. #6 USC 85, #3 Kansas 51 (Round of 32)

One of the more shocking results in this year’s March Madness, this was a game that never felt like it was in question.  Isaiah Mobley drained a three-pointer under two minutes into the game, and the Trojans never relinquished their lead – which only became more dominant with an 11-0 run to close out the first half.

Holding the Jayhawks to a 29.0% clip, USC’s 34-point margin – which was the Trojans’ largest lead all game – was Kansas’ worst margin of defeat in program history, demolishing the Jayhawks’ previous mark of 16.  Unsurprisingly, Pac-12 Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year Evan Mobley had his hands all over this game, stuffing the stat sheet with 10 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.

56. #1 Baylor 78, #2 Houston 59 (Final Four)

The Final Four tilt that no one expected to be the blowout, this game had inklings of Villanova/Oklahoma in 2016, when the Wildcats throttled the Sooners from the get-go – and prevented them from getting back into the game. The expectation heading into this showdown was that Houston would thrive on the offensive glass, which is a weakness for Baylor – and the Cougars did just that on their first possession, hauling down two offensive boards that led to a three-pointer.

But a lack of production from Houston players not named Marcus Sasser – who scored 17 of Houston’s 20 first-half points – spelled doom for the Cougars, who were unable to counteract Baylor’s triad of guards in Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, and MaCio Teague, with the three combining for 40 points.  The Bears led by a dominant 25 points at the intermission, and Houston could only muster to cut it to 16 in the second stanza.

55. #1 Baylor 86, #1 Gonzaga 70 (National Championship)

The game we waited for all season that was sidelined in December due to a COVID-19 pause – turned out to be one of the, if not the biggest, dud of the year.  The consensus number one and number two teams on the biggest possible stage, an opportunity for the undefeated dream season to be completed, and a team whose potential perfect season was muddled by a COVID-19 pause.

Instead, what we got was a beatdown of unpredictable proportions, in a game where the Bears raced out to a quick 9-0 lead and never looked back, building up a double-digit lead six minutes into the game and allowing it back to single-digits on just one occasion.

Despite double-digit efforts from Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert, and Drew Timme – as well as a solid 51.0% shooting clip – Gonzaga had no counter for Baylor’s three-guard lineup of Jared Butler (22), MaCio Teague (19), and Davion Mitchell (15), the Bears’ hot shooting from beyond the arc – which included a 5-5 start, and a chaotic defense that generated 14 turnovers and eight steals.  The Zags were never able to get their offense rolling, scoring a season-low 70 points as the Bears claimed their first-ever national championship, ending Gonzaga’s bid for a perfect season.

54. #1 Michigan 76, #4 Florida State 58 (Sweet Sixteen)

There may not have been a Sweet Sixteen tilt as disappointing as this one.  The Wolverines were the most vulnerable one-seed remaining, and they had to line up against a Florida State team that, throughout stretches during the regular season, appeared as dominant as any team not named Gonzaga or Baylor.

Instead, what the college basketball world received was a game that saw Michigan claim a double-digit lead less than 10 minutes in, Florida State cut that lead to just five a few minutes into the second half, and the Wolverines subsequently embark on a 15-5 run to put the game out of reach.  Both teams struggled mightily from beyond the arc, combining for an 8-31 (25.8%) mark.

53. #4 Florida State 71, #5 Colorado 53 (Round of 32)

This game is an oddity because it was closer than the score indicated – but never actually felt that close.  The Seminoles led by just four at halftime, and neither team maintained leads greater than six in the opening stanza – and the second half opened up in a similar fashion, with the Buffaloes trailing by just six with seven and a half minutes remaining.

But Florida State’s stout defense prevented Colorado’s offense – which was red-hot against Georgetown – from breaking through, as the Seminoles ended the game on a 24-12 run.  This game was a bit ugly, to say the least, considering both teams combined for 34 turnovers and 37 fouls – and the Buffaloes finished with an abysmal 35.7% clip.