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LAWRENCE — The 2025 men’s NCAA tournament is down to the Sweet 16 after an opening weekend at various venues across the country.
Kansas basketball is no longer in the tournament, after exiting in the round of 64. The Jayhawks (21-13) lost against an Arkansas team that is still alive in the West region. But the tournament has continued, and will continue to, with games resuming Thursday.
Here are projections for each region, including which teams will make it to the Final Four:
RELATED: Kansas basketball guard Rylan Griffen has a vision for what he will improve this summer
South region: This region will see No. 1-seed Auburn face No. 5-seed Michigan, and No. 2-seed Michigan State face No. 6-seed Ole Miss. Look for Auburn to dispatch Michigan, and Michigan State to outlast Ole Miss. That sets Auburn and Michigan State against each other in the Elite Eight.
Auburn should emerge from this group and reach the Final Four. Bruce Pearl has coached a team that has thrived not only in the Southeastern Conference this season, but anywhere over the course of the campaign. Pearl is nearing another ticket to a Final Four.
West region: This region will see No. 1-seed Florida face No. 4-seed Maryland, and No. 3-seed Texas Tech face No. 10-seed Arkansas. Look for Florida to outpace Maryland, and Texas Tech to survive a test from Arkansas. That puts Florida against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight.
Florida should be the one to come away from this group, and reach a Final Four. The Gators are more than capable of sustaining the run the SEC has been on this season. It’s not a question of if Florida has earned the right to be considered among the best teams this season, but instead a question of how far the program will go.
East region: This region will see No. 1-seed Duke face No. 4-seed Arizona, and No. 2-seed Alabama face No. 6-seed BYU. Look for Arizona to upset Duke, and Alabama to persevere through that matchup against BYU. That will set Arizona up against Alabama in the Elite Eight.
Alabama has the talent to ensure the SEC earns a third spot in the Final Four this year. Coach Nate Oats makes a second-straight trip to the setting. It’s just a matter of whether Oats and his team make it farther than they did a year ago.
Midwest region: This region will see No. 1-seed Houston face No. 4-seed Purdue, and No. 2-seed Tennessee face No. 3-seed Kentucky. Look for Houston to continue its run and end Purdue’s, as Tennessee quells Kentucky’s offense. That sets Houston up against Tennessee in the Elite Eight.
Houston should come away as the Big 12 Conference’s lone representative in the Final Four. It should continue a run it was very near to making a year ago. From there, it’s a matter of whether it can capitalize and win a national championship.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Which teams will make it from the Sweet 16 to the Final Four?
Continue reading...
Kansas basketball is no longer in the tournament, after exiting in the round of 64. The Jayhawks (21-13) lost against an Arkansas team that is still alive in the West region. But the tournament has continued, and will continue to, with games resuming Thursday.
Here are projections for each region, including which teams will make it to the Final Four:
RELATED: Kansas basketball guard Rylan Griffen has a vision for what he will improve this summer
NCAA tournament Final Four predictions
South region: This region will see No. 1-seed Auburn face No. 5-seed Michigan, and No. 2-seed Michigan State face No. 6-seed Ole Miss. Look for Auburn to dispatch Michigan, and Michigan State to outlast Ole Miss. That sets Auburn and Michigan State against each other in the Elite Eight.
Auburn should emerge from this group and reach the Final Four. Bruce Pearl has coached a team that has thrived not only in the Southeastern Conference this season, but anywhere over the course of the campaign. Pearl is nearing another ticket to a Final Four.
West region: This region will see No. 1-seed Florida face No. 4-seed Maryland, and No. 3-seed Texas Tech face No. 10-seed Arkansas. Look for Florida to outpace Maryland, and Texas Tech to survive a test from Arkansas. That puts Florida against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight.
Florida should be the one to come away from this group, and reach a Final Four. The Gators are more than capable of sustaining the run the SEC has been on this season. It’s not a question of if Florida has earned the right to be considered among the best teams this season, but instead a question of how far the program will go.
East region: This region will see No. 1-seed Duke face No. 4-seed Arizona, and No. 2-seed Alabama face No. 6-seed BYU. Look for Arizona to upset Duke, and Alabama to persevere through that matchup against BYU. That will set Arizona up against Alabama in the Elite Eight.
Alabama has the talent to ensure the SEC earns a third spot in the Final Four this year. Coach Nate Oats makes a second-straight trip to the setting. It’s just a matter of whether Oats and his team make it farther than they did a year ago.
Midwest region: This region will see No. 1-seed Houston face No. 4-seed Purdue, and No. 2-seed Tennessee face No. 3-seed Kentucky. Look for Houston to continue its run and end Purdue’s, as Tennessee quells Kentucky’s offense. That sets Houston up against Tennessee in the Elite Eight.
Houston should come away as the Big 12 Conference’s lone representative in the Final Four. It should continue a run it was very near to making a year ago. From there, it’s a matter of whether it can capitalize and win a national championship.
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Which teams will make it from the Sweet 16 to the Final Four?
Continue reading...
