Biggest Winners and Losers of the 2021 NCAA Tournament

By Matt Melton | Apr 8, 2021

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 05: Jared Butler #12 of the Baylor Bears celebrates after winning the National Championship game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 05, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Baylor Bears defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 86-70. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

5 of 6

Ethan Thompson Oregon State Beavers (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Winner – Oregon State Beavers

Forget the NCAA Tournament, what an outstanding postseason in general for the Oregon State Beavers.

Think about this, Oregon State came into the Pac-12 Tournament at 14-12 overall with the only chance of making the NCAA Tournament to win the Pac-12 Tournament. The Beavers then won three-straight over UCLA, Oregon, and Colorado (all 3 NCAA Tournament teams) to win their first-ever Pac-12 Tournament title. Oregon State was now dancing for the only the second time in the past 30 years, would it just be another first-round exit, or was this year different?

As you know by now, the 12-seed Beavers completely dominated 5-seed Tennessee to advance past the First Round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1982. Oregon State then rattled off two more upset wins over 4-seed Oklahoma State and 8-seed Loyola-Chicago to reach the Elite 8 in a wide-open Midwest Region before losing to 2-seed Houston.

This was not only an incredible NCAA Tournament run for Oregon State but a postseason run as well. From a must-win conference tournament to stealing an automatic bid to finding themselves in the Elite 8, this postseason was one to remember for the Oregon State Beavers.

Home/March Madness