Three Longshots That Will Make Noise at March Madness 2021

It’s a true sports fans’ most favorite time of year. Forget the three long weekends and wasted time at work. It’s all about the bracket and who picks that Cinderella team to win the NCAA basketball tournament.

While all your buddies are lathering each other up with the Loyola and Drake butter, do your homework and prepare yourself for the real Cinderellas of March Madness 2021.

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Here are three longshots that will make noise at March Madness 2021.

Boomer Sooner

Oklahoma Sooners March Madness Preview

But, Oklahoma can’t be a sleeper? Well, the Sooners are not the best team in the Big 12. That would be Baylor. Oklahoma isn’t even the second-best team in the conference, but they do have what it takes to make some noise come tournament time.

Oklahoma is currently ranked No. 16 in the nation with a 14-9 overall record. The Sooners are a rather ho-hum 9-8 in the Big 12, but consider that seven of the Big 12’s ten teams are currently ranked in the latest AP Top 25.

Now, the Sooners have lost some games they had no business losing some of their recent games. They lost to Oklahoma State by four and Kansas State by five. Prior to those defeats, the Sooners had won eight of nine. Four of those nine wins came against teams ranked 14th or higher. Three were top ten teams.

Oklahoma is experienced, deep, and tough. Senior Austin Reaves is the team’s leading scorer (17.5 ppg). Eight players play at least 17.5 minutes a game. The Sooners have the roster and experience to handle the pressures of playing in the Big Dance.

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SEC Surprise

Arkansas Razorbacks March Madness Preview

Yes, Alabama winning the SEC will be a huge surprise as is Kentucky’s 9-15 disaster of a season. The biggest surprise though is likely Arkansas.

The Razorbacks are now second in the SEC with an 13-4 conference mark. Head coach Eric Musselman’s team is 21-5 overall and is projected to be a No. 5 seed in the upcoming March Madness.

Remember, the best teams in the NCAA tournament are those that are experienced and have played in big games previously.

Musselman has built a roster of transfers to go along with five freshmen and one sophomore. The result is the 5th-best scoring team in the country (83.3 ppg) and eight straight wins as of late. Included in those victories were wins over a then No. 10 Missouri and the conference-leading Crimson Tide (who also happened to be ranked No. 6 in the nation).

Freshmen Moses Moody (17.5 ppg) leads a strong roster of veteran players that can make some noise in March.

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VCU Again?

VCU Rams March Madness Preview

Remember when Shaka Smart took VCU all the way to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed? It just might happen again.

VCU head coach Mike Rhoades was an assistant under Smart in 2010-11 when the Rams advanced to the Final Four. Now, Rhoades has arguably the best team in the Atlantic-10.

They are 19-6 overall with an 0-3 record in Quadrant 1 games.

Nah’Shon Hyland averages 19.4 points a game to lead VCU, a team that no one will want to play this March. The Rams are projected as a No. 11 or No. 10 seed. Either is the perfect spot for VCU.

Since the NCAA tournament expanded in 1985, No. 10 and No. 11 seeds have the most first-round upsets. Eight No. 11 seeds have won Sweet Sixteen games and advanced to the Elite Eight. That includes Loyola in 2018 and Xavier in 2017.