(Newswire.net — March 10, 2021) — Excitement is building as one of America’s best-loved sports tournaments, March Madness draws near and NCAA teams look to do battle on the basketball courts. The tournament has endeared itself to Americans throughout the years, thanks to its exciting knockout format and also to its timely schedule between the NFL and MLB seasons.
The last March Madness was a thriller, with Virginia Cavaliers taking on Texas Tech and the two teams dragging the game into overtime to decide who would be the champions.
Players of note in the game were De’Andre Hunter, who pushed the game into overtime and then also scored during it, helping to clinch the game for the Cavaliers. There was also acknowledgement of the junior guard Ty Jerome, who scored 16 points, offered eight assists, and finished with six rebounds.
Below is a look at some of the best players to have graced the tournament, plus some of the favorites for the 2021 March Madness and the players to watch on those teams.
Memorable players
The tournament has seen some memorable performances. The players below have especially stood out.
Bobby Joe Hill
Bobby Joe Hill was one of the best junior point guards in basketball history. He was quick and a playmaker, and he led Texas Western to its only national title in school history. In the 1966 March Madness championship game, two back-to-back clutch steals helped Hill and the team take a seven-point lead which they refused to give up.
The game was memorable not just because of Bobby Joe Hill’s performance but also because it worked towards ending desegregation in sports. Hill’s all-black team had proven they were just as good as the opposing all-white Kentucky team.
Steve Alford, Indiana
Steve Alford played for Indiana, one of the greatest teams in college basketball history, and had a ruthlessly good aim. He was seemingly able to score from anywhere on the court.
Alford averaged 19.5 points per game, but took this to 22.2 per game in his last two seasons. His senior year was the year that many will remember as the year that Indiana won it all.
Grant Hill
Grant Hill was an excellent all-rounder. He became the first player in ACC history to chalk up over 1,900 points, 700 rebounds, 400 assists, 200 steals, and 100 blocked shots.
Hill’s greatest feat was the pass that set up Christian Laettner to make the shot that sent Duke through to the Final Four. Aside from all his impressive in-game stats on the court, Hill led Duke to the championship three times, two of those being to victory, and has firmly earned his place as a March Madness great.
Who are the favorites to win the 2021 March Madness?
This year’s March Madness is going to be a hard-fought tournament, with 10 Big Ten Conference teams predicted to make the tournament. Predicting the winners is notoriously tough, but if you can bet on March Madness, here are this year’s favorites:
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs have looked in brutal form this season and a team that, even on their worst days, can still put on an impressive performance. The team defense’s stubborn refusal to let much get past them, if anything at all, gives the Zags breathing room as they launch their upfront onslaughts.
All eyes will be on Corey Kispert, who brings leadership and experience to the team. He’s been shooting 57% from the floor and has been averaging 19.2 points per game. Any defense that comes up against the Zags in the championship game is going up against a forward in hot form.
Baylor Bears
The Baylor Bears have been tipped alongside the Zags as joint favorites to lift the NCAA title, and just like the Zags, the Bears have a rock-solid defense which is giving forward players a hard, hard time.
Their player to watch will be Jared Butler, who leads the scoring averages on the team with 17.1 points per game. He also leads the steals stats for the team as well, so opponents should be careful not to hang around him too long with the ball. A moment’s hesitation or indecision and he could whip it away from them and punish the opponents.
Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines are one of a trio involved in a three-way-battle for the top place in the Big Ten Conference, but in February, Michigan managed to steal the edge on one of their main rivals, Ohio State. The Buckeyes have experienced a crushing losing streak of seven games, and the Wolverines have been able to capitalize on this and give a kick while they’re already down.
This didn’t stop the Buckeyes giving the game their all, though, and it was a gritty, gutsy performance from both teams. The Wolverines emerged victorious, winning 92-87.
The Michigan player to watch will be Hunter Dickinson, the Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year 2020. The freshman has averaged 15.1 points per game and 7.2 rebounds for the team, and he’s also shooting nearly 64% from the field.
The March Madness will be action-packed as it always is, with college teams battling it out to be the champions in this tournament in which only a win is good enough. Past tournaments have seen some amazing players grace the court, and in 2021 and beyond, fans will see more memorable play from college players who could well go on to become the next NBA stars.