How did the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament unfold. Which teams made surprising runs and which top seeds advanced. What were the key matchups and results in each region.
West Region: Gonzaga’s Dominant Path to the Final Four
The West Region of the 2021 NCAA Tournament saw the Gonzaga Bulldogs living up to their #1 overall seed with a series of impressive victories. Gonzaga began their tournament run with a commanding 98-55 win over Norfolk State/Appalachian State, setting the tone for their dominant performance throughout the bracket.
In the second round, Gonzaga faced a tougher challenge from 8th-seeded Oklahoma but still managed a comfortable 87-71 victory. The Bulldogs continued their march through the bracket with an 83-65 win over 5th-seeded Creighton in the Sweet Sixteen, showcasing their offensive prowess and defensive capabilities.
The Elite Eight matchup pitted Gonzaga against 6th-seeded USC, who had made an impressive run of their own. However, the Bulldogs proved too strong, securing an 85-66 victory and punching their ticket to the Final Four.
Notable Upsets and Performances in the West
- 13th-seeded Ohio upset 4th-seeded Virginia in the first round, 62-58
- 6th-seeded USC dominated 3rd-seeded Kansas in the second round, 85-51
- 7th-seeded Oregon advanced to the Sweet Sixteen after VCU forfeited their first-round game
South Region: Baylor Bears Roar to the Final Four
The South Region saw the Baylor Bears, the tournament’s second overall #1 seed, living up to expectations with a strong run to the Final Four. Baylor began their journey with a decisive 79-55 victory over 16th-seeded Hartford.
In the second round, the Bears faced 9th-seeded Wisconsin, who had upset 8th-seeded North Carolina. Baylor proved too strong, securing a 76-63 win. The Sweet Sixteen saw Baylor overcoming a tough Villanova team 62-51, demonstrating their defensive prowess.
The Elite Eight matchup against 3rd-seeded Arkansas proved to be a high-scoring affair, with Baylor emerging victorious 81-72 to secure their Final Four berth.
Cinderella Story: Oral Roberts’ Magical Run
One of the most captivating storylines of the South Region was the unexpected run of 15th-seeded Oral Roberts. They stunned 2nd-seeded Ohio State in the first round with a 75-72 upset, then followed it up with a 81-78 victory over 7th-seeded Florida. Their Cinderella story came to an end in the Sweet Sixteen, falling just short against Arkansas in a 72-70 thriller.
East Region: UCLA’s Improbable Journey from First Four to Final Four
The East Region of the 2021 NCAA Tournament produced one of the most surprising Final Four teams in recent memory. 11th-seeded UCLA, who had to play in the First Four, made an incredible run through the bracket, culminating in a Final Four appearance.
UCLA’s journey began with a First Four victory over Michigan State, followed by wins against 6th-seeded BYU and 14th-seeded Abilene Christian (who had upset 3rd-seeded Texas). The Bruins then shocked 2nd-seeded Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen with an 88-78 victory.
In the Elite Eight, UCLA faced off against top-seeded Michigan in what proved to be a nail-biting contest. The Bruins emerged victorious with a 51-49 win, completing their improbable run to the Final Four.
Other Notable Results in the East
- 1st-seeded Michigan’s strong performances, including an 86-78 win over 8th-seeded LSU
- 14th-seeded Abilene Christian’s upset of 3rd-seeded Texas, 53-52
- 4th-seeded Florida State’s steady progress to the Sweet Sixteen
Midwest Region: Houston’s Resilience Leads to Final Four Berth
The Midwest Region saw 2nd-seeded Houston emerging as the Final Four representative after a series of hard-fought victories. The Cougars began their tournament run with a comfortable 87-56 win over 15th-seeded Cleveland State.
Houston faced increasing challenges as they progressed, narrowly defeating 10th-seeded Rutgers 63-60 in the second round. The Sweet Sixteen saw them overcome 11th-seeded Syracuse 62-46, setting up an Elite Eight matchup against 12th-seeded Oregon State, who had made a surprising run of their own.
In a closely contested Elite Eight game, Houston prevailed 67-61 over Oregon State, securing their spot in the Final Four.
Upsets and Surprises in the Midwest
- 8th-seeded Loyola Chicago’s upset of top-seeded Illinois, 71-58
- 12th-seeded Oregon State’s run to the Elite Eight, including wins over 5th-seeded Tennessee and 4th-seeded Oklahoma State
- 11th-seeded Syracuse’s Sweet Sixteen appearance after upsetting 3rd-seeded West Virginia
Final Four: Gonzaga’s Near-Perfect Run Ends Against Baylor
The 2021 Final Four in Indianapolis featured two #1 seeds (Gonzaga and Baylor), a #2 seed (Houston), and the Cinderella story of 11th-seeded UCLA. In the first semifinal, Baylor demonstrated their dominance with a convincing 78-59 victory over Houston, securing their place in the national championship game.
The second semifinal between Gonzaga and UCLA proved to be an instant classic. In a back-and-forth battle that went to overtime, Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer from near half-court to give the Bulldogs a 93-90 victory, preserving their undefeated season and setting up a dream matchup in the final.
National Championship: Baylor Bears Crowned Champions
The national championship game between Gonzaga and Baylor was highly anticipated, featuring the two teams that had been ranked #1 and #2 for most of the season. However, Baylor quickly asserted their dominance, racing out to an early lead and never looking back.
Led by a balanced scoring attack and smothering defense, Baylor upset Gonzaga’s bid for a perfect season, winning the national title with a convincing 86-70 victory. This marked Baylor’s first men’s basketball national championship in school history.
Tournament Records and Notable Achievements
The 2021 NCAA Tournament was filled with remarkable performances and historic achievements. How many records were broken during this tournament? Several standout accomplishments include:
- Oral Roberts becoming only the second 15-seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen
- UCLA’s run from the First Four to the Final Four, matching the furthest advance by a First Four team (joining VCU in 2011)
- Gonzaga’s 31-game winning streak to start the season, falling just one game short of a perfect season
- Baylor setting a record for the largest margin of victory in a national championship game by a first-time winner
Impact of COVID-19 on the 2021 Tournament
The 2021 NCAA Tournament was unique in many ways due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. How did the pandemic affect the tournament’s format and execution? Several key changes were implemented:
- All games were played in Indiana, with the majority taking place in Indianapolis, to create a “bubble” environment
- Reduced fan attendance and strict health protocols for players, coaches, and staff
- VCU was forced to forfeit their first-round game against Oregon due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests within their program
- The tournament field was selected without the usual reliance on conference tournaments, many of which were cancelled or altered due to the pandemic
Despite these challenges, the tournament was successfully completed, providing a thrilling conclusion to a unique college basketball season.
2021 Division I Men’s Basketball Official Bracket
Get Tickets |
Printable Bracket |
WEST
FINAL
1 Gonzaga 98
16 NSU/APPST 55
FINAL
8 Oklahoma 72
9 Missouri 68
FINAL
5 Creighton 63
12 UC Santa Barbara 62
FINAL
4 Virginia 58
13 Ohio 62
FINAL
6 Southern California 72
11 WSU/DRAKE 56
FINAL
3 Kansas 93
14 Eastern Wash. 84
forfeit
7 Oregon
10 VCU
FINAL
2 Iowa 86
15 Grand Canyon 74
FINAL
1 Gonzaga 87
8 Oklahoma 71
FINAL
5 Creighton 72
13 Ohio 58
FINAL
6 Southern California 85
3 Kansas 51
FINAL
7 Oregon 95
2 Iowa 80
FINAL
1 Gonzaga 83
5 Creighton 65
FINAL
6 Southern California 82
7 Oregon 68
FINAL
1 Gonzaga 85
6 Southern California 66
SOUTH
FINAL
1 Baylor 79
16 Hartford 55
FINAL
8 North Carolina 62
9 Wisconsin 85
FINAL
5 Villanova 73
12 Winthrop 63
FINAL
4 Purdue 69
13 North Texas 78
FINAL
6 Texas Tech 65
11 Utah St.
53
FINAL
3 Arkansas 85
14 Colgate 68
FINAL
7 Florida 75
10 Virginia Tech 70
FINAL
2 Ohio St. 72
15 Oral Roberts 75
FINAL
1 Baylor 76
9 Wisconsin 63
FINAL
5 Villanova 84
13 North Texas 61
FINAL
6 Texas Tech 66
3 Arkansas 68
FINAL
7 Florida 78
15 Oral Roberts 81
FINAL
1 Baylor 62
5 Villanova 51
FINAL
3 Arkansas 72
15 Oral Roberts 70
FINAL
1 Baylor 81
3 Arkansas 72
FINAL FOUR®
4/3
CHAMPIONSHIP
4/5
FINAL FOUR®
4/3
FINAL
1 Gonzaga 93
11 UCLA 90
FINAL
1 Gonzaga 70
1 Baylor 86
FINAL
1 Baylor 78
2 Houston 59
EAST
FINAL
1 Michigan 82
16 MSM/TXSO 66
FINAL
8 LSU 76
9 St.
Bonaventure 61
FINAL
5 Colorado 96
12 Georgetown 73
FINAL
4 Florida St. 64
13 UNC Greensboro 54
FINAL
6 BYU 62
11 MSU/UCLA 73
FINAL
3 Texas 52
14 Abilene Christian 53
FINAL
7 UConn 54
10 Maryland 63
FINAL
2 Alabama 68
15 Iona 55
FINAL
1 Michigan 86
8 LSU 78
FINAL
5 Colorado 53
4 Florida St. 71
FINAL
11 UCLA 67
14 Abilene Christian 47
FINAL
10 Maryland 77
2 Alabama 96
FINAL
1 Michigan 76
4 Florida St. 58
FINAL
11 UCLA 88
2 Alabama 78
FINAL
1 Michigan 49
11 UCLA 51
MIDWEST
FINAL
1 Illinois 78
16 Drexel 49
FINAL
8 Loyola Chicago 71
9 Georgia Tech 60
FINAL
5 Tennessee 56
12 Oregon St.
70
FINAL
4 Oklahoma St. 69
13 Liberty 60
FINAL
6 San Diego St. 62
11 Syracuse 78
FINAL
3 West Virginia 84
14 Morehead St. 67
FINAL
7 Clemson 56
10 Rutgers 60
FINAL
2 Houston 87
15 Cleveland St. 56
FINAL
1 Illinois 58
8 Loyola Chicago 71
FINAL
12 Oregon St. 80
4 Oklahoma St. 70
FINAL
11 Syracuse 75
3 West Virginia 72
FINAL
10 Rutgers 60
2 Houston 63
FINAL
8 Loyola Chicago 58
12 Oregon St. 65
FINAL
11 Syracuse 46
2 Houston 62
FINAL
12 Oregon St. 61
2 Houston 67
FINAL
16 Norfolk St.
