2025 NCAA Tournament Bracketology Predictions: 5.0 (Men’s College Basketball)
Another week has passed and we are another week closer to Selection Sunday. With the Super Bowl done, I welcome all the newcomers just now tuning into college hoops. You may have missed a lot, but don't worry. I'm here to catch you up.
This article provides a holistic view of the college basketball landscape and identifies some value before the market moves. With March Madness closing in, I'll update this article weakly with power rankings, what I've seen in the week and, of course, fake brackets. There's a lot to get into, so let's jump right into takeaways as we continue February play.
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2025 NCAA Men’s Tournament Bracketology Predictions
The Week That Was
The clear highlights of the week consisted of the No. 1 and No. 2 teams falling. Auburn got handled in The Jungle as Florida came into Neville Arena, resulting in a convincing win by the Gators. I see this more as a bogey for a golfer with a five-shot lead in a golf tournament than anything else and I'm glad Auburn stayed atop the AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll.
Duke's loss wasn't as easy to swallow if you're a Blue Devil fan. If Duke doesn't win out in ACC play, their No. 1 seeding could be up for grabs from the swarming teams in the SEC. Elsewhere this weekend, Arizona had an excellent resume-boosting win over Texas Tech, the Aggies of Texas A&M continue building their resume by taking down Missouri on the road and Alabama jumped up to No. 2 in the AP Poll after fighting off Arkansas.
The Week That Will Be
As we inch closer to the tournament, every game seems to hold additional weight, but something about this week feels special. Tonight is highlighted by a plethora of games. Tennessee and Kentucky rematch after a surprising road win by the Wildcats the first time out. Purdue looks to continue fighting for a tournament No. 1 seed as it takes on Michigan in Ann Arbor and Florida is in a potential letdown spot at Mississippi State after handling Auburn on Saturday. That's not to mention Alabama-Texas, UCLA-Illinois, UConn-Creighton, Auburn-Vanderbilt or Iowa State-UCF. Tuesday is a great day.
The rest of the week isn't as exciting but the weekend is lining up for an ultra-rare No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup with Auburn-Alabama squaring off. Arizona has quietly climbed the analytical rankings, sitting at Number 10 on KenPom as they face off against Houston at home in a potential thriller. A total of 147 games will be played on Saturday. God, I love college basketball. But enough of my ranting, let's get to some bracketing.
The Bracket
This is the second bracket to feature tenable matchups, what joy. I don't know about y'all, but I love the hypotheticals brackets provide us. With over a month of play left, there are bound to be significant changes with some slumps and hot streaks on the horizon.
Some big winners and jumpers are Arizona and Texas A&M, partially due to their play and partially due to some re-analyzing. The Wildcats have been two completely different teams in the first half vs. the second half of the season. Regardless, here's what I imagine the bracket to be if March Madness started today.
The Seeding
No. 1 Seeds
- Auburn
- Duke
- Alabama
- Tennessee
No. 2 Seeds
- Florida
- Houston
- Purdue
- Texas A&M
No. 3 Seeds
- Marquette
- Iowa State
- Wisconsin
- Texas Tech
No. 4 Seeds
- Kansas
- St. John's
- Arizona
- Kentucky
No. 5 Seeds
- Mississippi State
- Ole Miss
- Michigan
- Michigan State
No. 6 Seeds
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Louisville
- Saint Mary's
No. 7 Seeds
- Memphis
- Missouri
- Oregon
- UCLA
No. 8 Seeds
- Clemson
- UConn
- Baylor
- Gonzaga
No. 9 Seeds
- Creighton
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- West Virginia
No. 10 Seeds
- VCU
- Utah State
- Nebraska
- New Mexico
No. 11 Seeds
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Wake Forest*
- Vanderbilt*
- San Diego State*
- Ohio State*
No. 12 Seeds
- Drake
- UC Irvine
- Arkansas State
- McNeese State
No. 13 Seeds
- Liberty
- Yale
- Samford
- High Point
No. 14 Seeds
- Utah Valley
- Akron
- Lipscomb
- Northern Colorado
No. 15 Seeds
- Cleveland State
- Towson
- Bryant
- Norfolk State
No. 16 Seeds
- Central Connecticut State
- Marist
- Nebraska-Omaha*
- Southern*
- Morehead State*
- American*
*Play-in games
First Four Out
- Xavier
- Pittsburgh
- BYU
- SMU
Next Four Out
- Boise State
- Cincinnati
- North Carolina
- George Mason
The Bracket
Some teams may be moved around or in weird regions with the bracketing rules, but here's a look at an NCAA Tournament bracket.
Midwest Region (Indianapolis)
1 Alabama
16 Nebraska-Omaha*/Southern*
8 Gonzaga
9 Oklahoma
5 Michigan State
12 McNeese State
4 Arizona
13 High Point
6 Maryland
11 Vanderbilt*/Wake Forest*
3 Iowa State
14 Northern Colorado
7 Missouri
10 Nebraska
2 Purdue
15 Norfolk State
West (San Francisco)
1 Tennessee
16 Morehead State*/American*
8 Baylor
9 Texas
5 Michigan
12 Arkansas State
4 St. John's
13 Samford
6 Ole Miss
11 Arkansas
3 Texas Tech
14 Lipscomb
7 UCLA
10 New Mexico
2 Houston
15 Bryant
East (Newark)
1 Duke
16 Marist
8 Creighton
9 West Virginia
5 Mississippi State
12 UC Irvine
4 Kansas
13 Yale
6 Louisville
11 San Diego State*/Ohio State*
3 Wisconsin
14 Akron
7 Memphis
10 Utah State
2 Texas A&M
15 Cleveland State
South (Atlanta)
1 Auburn
16 Central Connecticut State
8 Clemson
9 UConn
5 Saint Mary's
12 Drake
4 Kentucky
13 Liberty
6 Illinois
11 Georgia
3 Marquette
14 Utah Valley
7 Oregon
10 VCU
2 Florida
15 Towson
Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Ryan, check out his archive.