- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 385,888
- Reaction score
- 43
Once uncertainty around the NCAA Tournament bubble is addressed and a 68-team bracket is revealed on Selection Sunday, a whole different set of questions pops up for men’s college basketball fans across the country.
Who are some of the potential Cinderellas that could pull off a couple of upsets, capture the nation’s heart and destroy millions of brackets? Who are the best bets to make it to the Alamodome in San Antonio for the Final Four? And, once there, who will end up cutting down the nets while “One Shining Moment” plays on the jumbotrons overhead?
IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Can your picks survive March Madness? Join our Survivor Pool to find out
The madness of March is officially underway, with the first two games of the First Four wrapping up Tuesday night and with the frenzy of the tournament’s first round set to tip off on Thursday.
Before all of that gets going, here are some predictions for what awaits over the next three weeks, from Final Four picks to potential upsets to a national championship projection:
Here’s a region-by-region look at the 2025 NCAA Tournament, including favorites, most likely upsets and Final Four participants:
The Tigers are the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed for a reason, with 16 Quadrant One wins — the most of any team in the country — and an extraordinarily seasoned roster headlined by potential national player of the year Johni Broome. They’ve sagged a bit the past few weeks, with a 1-3 record in their past four games, but for much of the season, this was a team that measured up statistically with the best squads in the sport’s modern history.
Buzz Williams’ Aggies are a rugged, tough-minded group, but they’re underwhelming offensively, relying heavily on second-chance opportunities off of offensive rebounds to score. Yale is among the top 25 teams nationally at preventing offensive boards. While Texas A&M will be a different kind of challenge from the teams the Bulldogs kept off the glass in the Ivy League, James Jones’ program is no stranger to pulling upsets in the NCAA Tournament, having knocked off Auburn and Baylor in the past 10 years.
Relying on a high seed that got to that point by massively exceeding preseason expectations can be a dangerous gambit, but the Spartans have one of the country’s stingiest defenses and best coaches, especially when it comes to the win-or-go-home crucible of March. It will be enough to knock off a talented-but-volatile Auburn team in the Elite Eight.
REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracket hot takes, from upset picks to Final Four predictions
The Blue Devils also had a persuasive case to be the No. 1 overall seed, as the top team in the NET and on KenPom. Their efficiency margin on KenPom is the second-highest in the website’s history, behind only Duke’s 1998-99 squad. Without Cooper Flagg, they ran through the men's ACC tournament, including a double-digit win over a top-10 Louisville team in the title game. With him, even in a slightly diminished state, they’re as good of a bet as anyone to cut down the nets in San Antonio.
The Rams are one of the tournament’s most underseeded teams: a squad that’s No. 30 on KenPom and No. 31 in the NET and which, based on the selection committee’s public comments, wouldn’t have made the field if it didn’t win the Atlantic 10 Tournament championship. The Cougars have been rolling, with a 9-1 record in their past 10 games, but are vulnerable here, even in Denver, where they, unlike VCU, are used to playing at altitude.
No. 2 Alabama and No. 4 Arizona are both enticing options to pick off the Blue Devils, but Jon Scheyer has such a talented, well-constructed team that’s so good on both ends of the floor that it’s difficult to envision them not at least making the Final Four.
The Cougars are as tough and relentless as ever and are arguably the hottest team in the country, with a 26-1 record since the start of December. Despite being a No. 1 seed in both instances, coach Kelvin Sampson’s team has fallen in the Sweet 16 each of the past two years, though untimely injuries played a role in both setbacks.
No. 11 Texas or No. 11 Xavier over No. 6 Illinois is intriguing, but that matchup won’t be set until Wednesday night, so we’ll roll with this one. The Boilermakers are stumbling into the tournament as losers of six of their past nine games, and have struggled defending near the rim with Zach Edey now in the NBA. It’s something an offensively efficient Panthers team could take advantage of to pull off the upset.
If they stay healthy, the Cougars have what looks like a favorable draw outside of a scary potential second-round meeting with Gonzaga. No. 4 Purdue has fallen off the past few weeks, No. 3 seed Kentucky has been depleted by injuries and No. 2 Tennessee is sort of a lesser version of Houston.
REQUIRED READING: March Madness expert picks: Bracket predictions for 2025 NCAA Tournament
The Gators are playing as well as anyone in the sport right now, with 12 wins in their past 13 games, which most recently included a conference tournament championship in a league that sent a record 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament. Florida is long, athletic and tenacious, with no obvious weaknesses on its resume. A season that started shrouded in controversy — with coach Todd Golden the subject of a Title IX investigation — could end with the program’s first Final Four in 11 years.
The Bulldogs will be a popular upset pick after going 30-3 in the regular season under first-year coach Ben McCollum. Facing the Tigers presents an interesting stylistic clash, with Drake last in Division I in tempo, according to KenPom. If it can dictate the game’s flow and slow down the faster-paced Tigers, who are 2-5 in their past seven games, it can advance past the first round for the first time since 1971.
The Red Storm feels like perhaps too trendy of a pick, but Rick Pitino’s squad is 19-1 in the New Year and is very nearly better than its 30-4 overall mark, with its four losses coming by a combined seven points. It’s No. 1 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom, and its previously spotty offense has hit another gear the past month. It’s enough for it to get past Florida in the Elite Eight.
It’s a chalk-filled bracket, with the lowest collective seed number for a Final Four since all four No. 1 seeds made it to the 2008 national semifinals (which were also in San Antonio). But in a season in which there’s an unusual amount of separation between the top four teams and the rest of the spot, it feels like a sensible call.
After being tested physically in a way it hadn’t all season, Duke grinds out a win against Houston in the semifinals before getting past St. John’s in the national championship game. A victory would give the Blue Devils their first title in 10 years and prove they capably pulled off what so few programs have — successfully replace one of the most legendary coaches in the history of the sport.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions to win regions, Final Four
Continue reading...
Who are some of the potential Cinderellas that could pull off a couple of upsets, capture the nation’s heart and destroy millions of brackets? Who are the best bets to make it to the Alamodome in San Antonio for the Final Four? And, once there, who will end up cutting down the nets while “One Shining Moment” plays on the jumbotrons overhead?
IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Can your picks survive March Madness? Join our Survivor Pool to find out
The madness of March is officially underway, with the first two games of the First Four wrapping up Tuesday night and with the frenzy of the tournament’s first round set to tip off on Thursday.
Before all of that gets going, here are some predictions for what awaits over the next three weeks, from Final Four picks to potential upsets to a national championship projection:
NCAA tournament 2025 predictions to win March Madness regions
Here’s a region-by-region look at the 2025 NCAA Tournament, including favorites, most likely upsets and Final Four participants:
South Region
- Favorite: No. 1 Auburn
The Tigers are the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed for a reason, with 16 Quadrant One wins — the most of any team in the country — and an extraordinarily seasoned roster headlined by potential national player of the year Johni Broome. They’ve sagged a bit the past few weeks, with a 1-3 record in their past four games, but for much of the season, this was a team that measured up statistically with the best squads in the sport’s modern history.
- Most likely upset: No. 13 Yale over No. 4 Texas A&M
Buzz Williams’ Aggies are a rugged, tough-minded group, but they’re underwhelming offensively, relying heavily on second-chance opportunities off of offensive rebounds to score. Yale is among the top 25 teams nationally at preventing offensive boards. While Texas A&M will be a different kind of challenge from the teams the Bulldogs kept off the glass in the Ivy League, James Jones’ program is no stranger to pulling upsets in the NCAA Tournament, having knocked off Auburn and Baylor in the past 10 years.
- Final Four pick: No. 2 Michigan State
Relying on a high seed that got to that point by massively exceeding preseason expectations can be a dangerous gambit, but the Spartans have one of the country’s stingiest defenses and best coaches, especially when it comes to the win-or-go-home crucible of March. It will be enough to knock off a talented-but-volatile Auburn team in the Elite Eight.
REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracket hot takes, from upset picks to Final Four predictions
East Region
- Favorite: No. 1 Duke
The Blue Devils also had a persuasive case to be the No. 1 overall seed, as the top team in the NET and on KenPom. Their efficiency margin on KenPom is the second-highest in the website’s history, behind only Duke’s 1998-99 squad. Without Cooper Flagg, they ran through the men's ACC tournament, including a double-digit win over a top-10 Louisville team in the title game. With him, even in a slightly diminished state, they’re as good of a bet as anyone to cut down the nets in San Antonio.
- Most likely upset: No. 11 VCU over No. 6 BYU
The Rams are one of the tournament’s most underseeded teams: a squad that’s No. 30 on KenPom and No. 31 in the NET and which, based on the selection committee’s public comments, wouldn’t have made the field if it didn’t win the Atlantic 10 Tournament championship. The Cougars have been rolling, with a 9-1 record in their past 10 games, but are vulnerable here, even in Denver, where they, unlike VCU, are used to playing at altitude.
- Final Four pick: No. 1 Duke
No. 2 Alabama and No. 4 Arizona are both enticing options to pick off the Blue Devils, but Jon Scheyer has such a talented, well-constructed team that’s so good on both ends of the floor that it’s difficult to envision them not at least making the Final Four.
Midwest Region
- Favorite: Houston
The Cougars are as tough and relentless as ever and are arguably the hottest team in the country, with a 26-1 record since the start of December. Despite being a No. 1 seed in both instances, coach Kelvin Sampson’s team has fallen in the Sweet 16 each of the past two years, though untimely injuries played a role in both setbacks.
- Most likely upset: No. 13 High Point over No. 4 Purdue
No. 11 Texas or No. 11 Xavier over No. 6 Illinois is intriguing, but that matchup won’t be set until Wednesday night, so we’ll roll with this one. The Boilermakers are stumbling into the tournament as losers of six of their past nine games, and have struggled defending near the rim with Zach Edey now in the NBA. It’s something an offensively efficient Panthers team could take advantage of to pull off the upset.
- Final Four pick: No. 1 Houston
If they stay healthy, the Cougars have what looks like a favorable draw outside of a scary potential second-round meeting with Gonzaga. No. 4 Purdue has fallen off the past few weeks, No. 3 seed Kentucky has been depleted by injuries and No. 2 Tennessee is sort of a lesser version of Houston.
REQUIRED READING: March Madness expert picks: Bracket predictions for 2025 NCAA Tournament
West Region
- Favorite: No. 1 Florida
The Gators are playing as well as anyone in the sport right now, with 12 wins in their past 13 games, which most recently included a conference tournament championship in a league that sent a record 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament. Florida is long, athletic and tenacious, with no obvious weaknesses on its resume. A season that started shrouded in controversy — with coach Todd Golden the subject of a Title IX investigation — could end with the program’s first Final Four in 11 years.
- Most likely upset: No. 11 Drake over No. 6 Missouri
The Bulldogs will be a popular upset pick after going 30-3 in the regular season under first-year coach Ben McCollum. Facing the Tigers presents an interesting stylistic clash, with Drake last in Division I in tempo, according to KenPom. If it can dictate the game’s flow and slow down the faster-paced Tigers, who are 2-5 in their past seven games, it can advance past the first round for the first time since 1971.
- Final Four pick: No. 2 St. John’s
The Red Storm feels like perhaps too trendy of a pick, but Rick Pitino’s squad is 19-1 in the New Year and is very nearly better than its 30-4 overall mark, with its four losses coming by a combined seven points. It’s No. 1 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom, and its previously spotty offense has hit another gear the past month. It’s enough for it to get past Florida in the Elite Eight.
NCAA tournament 2025 Final Four predictions
- Final Four: No. 1 Duke over No. 1 Houston
- Final Four: No. 2 St. John’s over No. 2 Michigan State
- National championship: No. 1 Duke over No. 2 St. John’s
It’s a chalk-filled bracket, with the lowest collective seed number for a Final Four since all four No. 1 seeds made it to the 2008 national semifinals (which were also in San Antonio). But in a season in which there’s an unusual amount of separation between the top four teams and the rest of the spot, it feels like a sensible call.
After being tested physically in a way it hadn’t all season, Duke grinds out a win against Houston in the semifinals before getting past St. John’s in the national championship game. A victory would give the Blue Devils their first title in 10 years and prove they capably pulled off what so few programs have — successfully replace one of the most legendary coaches in the history of the sport.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions to win regions, Final Four
Continue reading...
