2025 NCAA Tournament Bracket Predictions: Top Picks, Biggest Upsets, and Cinderella Teams.

 

Top 2025 March Madness Bracket Games to Watch

One of the most intriguing matchups in the East Region features No. 8 seed Mississippi State taking on No. 9 seed Baylor. The Bears, national champions in 2021, have battled inconsistency this season, losing five of their last eight games. However, their ability to dominate the offensive glass—averaging 12.73 offensive rebounds per game—gives them plenty of second-chance opportunities. Meanwhile, Mississippi State is a high-scoring team, averaging 79.8 points and 26.8 three-point attempts per game. If the Bulldogs get hot from deep, they could pose a serious challenge. Star guard Josh Hubbard, averaging 18.7 points per game, leads Mississippi State’s attack.

 

Another key game in the East Region is the No. 6 vs. No. 11 showdown between BYU and VCU. The Rams have a history of playing spoiler in March Madness, winning at least one tournament game in 11 of their 19 NCAA appearances. However, they haven't won a game in the Big Dance since 2016. Under second-year head coach Ryan Odom, VCU wants to make noise again. On the other side, BYU hasn’t won a tournament game since 2014, but the Cougars are battle-tested after their second season in the Big 12. With late-season road wins over Arizona and Iowa State, plus another victory over the Cyclones in the Big 12 Tournament, BYU looks like a team capable of making a deep run.

A potential upset to watch is No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Montana. The Badgers have struggled in recent tournaments under head coach Greg Gard, going 1-3 against double-digit seeds in their last four appearances. Last year, Wisconsin fell victim to a 5 vs. 12 upset against James Madison. In 2022, they won their first-round game as a No. 3 seed but were knocked out in the second round by No. 11 Iowa State. Coming off a 59-53 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game, Wisconsin is vulnerable. Meanwhile, Montana, winners of 14 of its last 15 games, boasts the nation's third-best shooting percentage (49.6%), making them a legitimate upset threat.
How to Make Your 2025 NCAA Bracket Picks

How far will top programs advance? 

Which Cinderella teams will pull off bracket-busting upsets? With a proven track record of predicting stunning results, SportsLine’s model has correctly called 24 upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception. Before finalizing your 2025 NCAA bracket, check out which underdogs the model is backing this year.

Visit SportsLine now to see the expert bracket predictions and which teams you can trust to make deep runs in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Auburn Aims to Break Longstanding NCAA Tournament Trend

It's been 14 years since a national champion lost its final two regular-season games, a streak No. 1 seed Auburn will look to break in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers stumbled late, finishing the regular season 4-3, yet still secured the top overall seed in this year’s bracket. Johni Broome has been in a heated race with Duke’s Cooper Flagg for the Wooden Award, averaging 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. However, Auburn’s success in March may hinge on freshman point guard Tahaad Pettiford, whose play could determine how far the Tigers advance.

Duke, another title favorite, is hoping for a fully healthy Flagg after the star freshman missed most of the ACC Tournament due to an ankle injury. The Blue Devils are among the most popular picks to win it all, but should you trust them in your 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket? Before locking in your selections, it’s crucial to check the latest insights from SportsLine’s proven prediction model.

 

Why Trust SportsLine’s 2025 NCAA Bracket Projections?

SportsLine’s cutting-edge projection model has simulated every tournament game 10,000 times, consistently outperforming the competition. It has crushed March Madness picks in recent years, ranking in the top 9% of CBS Sports brackets in four of the last six tournaments. The model accurately predicted UConn’s 2024 championship run, correctly called 13 of the Sweet 16 teams, and foresaw Alabama’s Cinderella trip to the Final Four as a No. 4 seed.

Beyond just picking winners, the model has a track record of identifying upsets. Since 2016, it has correctly projected 24 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds.

Why rely on guesswork when data-driven predictions can give you an edge? With the 2025 NCAA bracket now set, SportsLine’s model has run the numbers—and its picks are in. See the full breakdown exclusively at SportsLine.