5 NCAA basketball teams on upset alert this week: Baylor, Tennessee on notice

The Baylor Bears and Tennessee Volunteers are among the NCAA basketball teams that need to be on upset alert this week in college basketball.

The term upset is a loaded one in college basketball. Visions of top teams crumbling in road environments as armies of fans storm the court won’t happen this season, creating a different kind of opportunity for upsets in college basketball.

Each week, this space will take a look at five teams that are in danger of getting knocked off in a tricky matchup during the upcoming week. Road upsets, like Michigan State’s win over Duke in the Champions Classic last week, could be more common as the lack of fans dilutes home-court advantage throughout the sport.

NCAA basketball teams on upset alert this week

5. Rutgers on upset alert against Syracuse

The Scarlet Knights are looking to party like it’s 1991, the last time Rutgers advanced to the NCAA Tournament. It is an odd sight to see Rutgers ranked inside the Top 25 but the Scarlet Knights are a loaded team more than capable of making a run at the Big Ten title this season. This week brings a tricky matchup in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge with Syracuse coming to town. The Orange are also undefeated and bring the 2-3 zone with them, a difficult defense to prepare for if you’re not used to seeing it on a regular basis. Don’t be shocked if the zone makes life miserable for Rutgers and they fall to Syracuse at the RAC.

4. Richmond on upset alert against Northern Iowa

Cinderella watchers are already singing the praises of Richmond, which looks like a potential mid-major wrecking ball. The Spiders made their mark by upsetting Kentucky at Rupp Arena on the season’s first weekend, earning them a spot inside the AP Top 25. This week provides a dangerous test for Richmond in the form of Northern Iowa, one of the preseason favorites to win the Missouri Valley. The Panthers are just 1-3 but are extremely capable of pulling the upset if the Spiders decide to look ahead a bit to their matchup with West Virginia over the weekend.

3. Arizona State on upset alert against San Diego State

Pac-12 basketball looks to be back this year thanks in part to Arizona State. A true offensive juggernaut, the Sun Devils feature a loaded lineup with Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate Remy Martin and top freshman Josh Christopher that is capable of going up and down the floor with anyone. Thursday brings a tough matchup for the Sun Devils, who play host to San Diego State, one of the Mountain West’s favorites and a team that just entered the Top 25. The Aztecs are a rugged defensive team that is more than capable of slowing down Arizona State’s attack and squeaking out a road victory in this one.

2. Tennessee on upset alert against Cincinnati

This week will be a big one for the Volunteers, who finally get to start their season after a COVID pause delayed their opener. Tennessee has a pair of games to get going, but their matchup against the Bearcats on Saturday is certainly worrisome. It would be easy to take Cincinnati lightly now that Jarron Cumberland is gone, but there is still plenty of talent on a team that historically finds a way to overachieve. If Tennessee is still sluggish from a lack of game action the Bearcats are more than capable of picking them off in a true road game.

1. Baylor on upset alert against Texas

This is the first conference game we’ll spotlight and it features the nation’s second-ranked team. Baylor has put together some good results in non-conference play, scoring neutral-site wins over Washington and Illinois before an epic showdown with Gonzaga got postponed due to positive COVID cases in the Bulldogs’ program. Sunday sees the Bears square off with a Texas team that had an incredible week, sweeping the Maui Invitational with wins over Indiana and North Carolina along the way before fighting Villanova to the wire on Sunday. The Longhorns are brimming with confidence and could look to continue putting their stamp on the early season with an upset over the Bears in Waco.

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