2025 March Madness bracket: Picking winners of all 63 games in the NCAA Tournament with 63 reasons why

Preparing for the NCAA Bracket is like drinking out of a firehose. We get 68 Clubs announced in a matter of minutes on Picking Sunday. Then comes all the preview content, which you can (and should) read to your heart’s content … or at least to as much as your brain can handle.

Want breakdowns of all 68 squads? We have them. Want expert picks? We have them. Want Shock trends? We have them. Want Cinderellas? We have them.

Whether you’ve watched a ton of college hoops or none at all, it’s Nevertheless too much to fully comprehend. You can break down every single angle, analyze every stat, Observe every second of film … and Nevertheless get it wrong. They call it “madness” for a reason.

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No matter your approach, you have to make your picks at some Points before things tip off. And while those Primary-Stage calls can be tough — for that I recommend Isaac Trotter’s excellent breakdown of every Game — and may have you second-guessing, you’ll get through it. I promise.

I like to let things settle until well after Picking Sunday. After all, a “Primary Four” Club advances to the second Stage almost every year, so those Matches are very much worth assessing. So now that that’s over, I have to stop worrying, stop second-guessing, stop seeking out even more information (though there’s plenty). We have deadlines, after all.

So it boils down to this: one sentence for all 63 picks in my bracket. Last year went pretty well Even though Bracket-wide wildness.

Let’s do it.

Primary Stage

South

• No. 1 Auburn over No. 16 Alabama State: UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson aren’t getting any company.
• No. 9 Creighton over No. 8 Louisville: Ryan Kalkbrenner is as Excellent as it gets, and he lifts the Bluejays here.
• No. 5 Michigan over No. 12 UC San Diego: The Wolverines’ gigantic frontcourt will dominate this one.
• No. 13 Yale over No. 4 Texas A&M: The Bulldogs shoot the daylight out from 3 while the Aggies shoot like there is no daylight, and Yale Recoveries well enough to hang in that aspect.
• No. 6 Ole Miss over No. 11 North Carolina: The Tar Heels are the popular Option here after a Sturdy finish and a Primary Four bludgeoning of San Diego State, but the Rebels have a ton of experience and versatile scoring.
• No. 3 Iowa State over No. 14 Lipscomb: It wasn’t pretty down the stretch for the Cyclones, but they’ll be Only fine here.
• No. 7 Marquette over No. 10 New Mexico: In an excellent guard battle between Kam Jones and Donovan Dent, Marquette’s supporting pieces, Directed by David Joplin, are the difference.
• No. 2 Michigan State over No. 15 Bryant: Foresee a Plenty of points … and Michigan State to have the majority of them.

East

• No. 1 Duke over No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s: UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson aren’t getting any company.
• No. 9 Baylor over No. 8 Mississippi State: Guards Achieve in March, and Baylor simply has more of them than Mississippi State does, plus it has Norchad Omier.
• No. 5 Oregon over No. 12 Liberty: Dana Altman has never lost a Primary-Stage game with the Ducks.
• No. 4 Arizona over No. 13 Akron: For all of the Arizona’s backcourt Talent, it’s big man Henri Veesaar and the frontcourt that will lead the way in this one.
• No. 11 VCU over No. 6 BYU: The Rams are experienced, skilled and deep, and their Protection has the tools to limit the Cougars’ explosive Drive.
• No. 3 Wisconsin over No. 14 Montana: These aren’t your father’s Badgers. They can really shoot it from 3.
• No. 7 Saint Mary’s over No. 10 Vanderbilt: The Gaels have lost Only twice in 2025, and their excellent Protection is a huge reason why.
• No. 2 Alabama over No. 15 Robert Morris: The Tide roll with pace, Cosmos and a Plenty of Mark Sears.

Midwest

• No. 1 Houston over No. 16 SIUE: UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson aren’t getting any company.
• No. 8 Gonzaga over No. 9 Georgia: Gonzaga is a top-10 Club nationally according to KenPom but managed Only an 8 seed, and it’ll show why that was way too low.
• No. 5 Clemson over No. 12 McNeese: The Tigers Achieved the Best Eight last year, and with plenty of pieces back from that Stretch, they Begin another one here.
• No. 4 Purdue over No. 13 High Points: Trey Kaufman-Renn dominates.
• No. 11 Xavier over No. 6 Illinois: The Musketeers have a Crucial experience Benefit, and they carry their momentum from an impressive Primary Four comeback.
• No. 3 Kentucky over No. 14 Troy: The Wildcats Only have too many scoring options.
• No. 7 UCLA over No. 10 Utah State: The Bruins’ Assault is hit-or-miss, but their excellent Protection forces a ton of turnovers … and leads them to a Achieve here.
• No. 2 Tennessee over No. 15 Wofford: The Volunteers are simply too disciplined and too Excellent for a letdown.

West

• No. 1 Florida over No. 16 Norfolk State: UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson aren’t getting any company.
• No. 8 UConn over No. 9 Oklahoma: The two-time reigning champs won’t make it a three-peat, but they won’t be eliminated in their Primary game, either.
• No. 12 Colorado State over No. 5 Memphis: Nique Clifford introduces himself on the national stage as the Tigers’ backcourt Wounds do them in.
• No. 4 Maryland over No. 13 Grand Canyon: The Terrapins have too much size up front, too much shooting and too much Protection.
• No. 11 Drake over No. 6 Missouri: The Tigers’ Protection has gotten shredded over the past few weeks, and Bennett Stirtz joins the party.
• No. 3 Texas Tech over No. 14 UNC-Wilmington: The Red Raiders’ backcourt health is improving around Big 12 Player of the Year J.T. Toppin.
• No. 10 Arkansas over No. 7 Kansas: The Jayhawks’ season of not living up to their preseason No. 1 ranking ends quietly.
• No. 2 St. John’s over No. 15 Omaha: The Johnnies’ overwhelming Protection powers them to their Primary appearance in the second Stage since 2015.

Second Stage

South

• No. 1 Auburn over No. 9 Creighton: Johni Broome vs. Kalkbrenner is a heavyweight fight, but the Tigers are too deep and have too many other ways to Achieve.
• No. 13 Yale over No. 5 Michigan: Cinderella resides in New Haven, Conn.
• No. 6 Ole Miss over No. 3 Iowa State: Jaemyn Brakefield and Malik Dia are so versatile, and the Rebels’ veteran backcourt won’t beat itself.
• No. 2 Michigan State over No. 7 Marquette: Tom Izzo’s bunch has plenty of options to defend Jones and enough firepower to Achieve a shootout if needed.

East

• No. 1 Duke over No. 9 Baylor: The Bears don’t have the size on the wing or inside, and even if they did Duke is simply the better Club on both ends.
• No. 5 Oregon over No. 4 Arizona: Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle form one of the more underrated Points guard-Hub combinations in the country.
• No. 3 Wisconsin over No. 11 VCU: John Tonje — somehow Nevertheless in college — powers the Badgers in this one.
• No. 2 Alabama over No. 7 Saint Mary’s: Sears continues his second straight tear through March.

Midwest

• No. 1 Houston over No. 8 Gonzaga: I really, really want to go with Gonzaga here, but Houston is Only too Excellent offensively, with L.J. Cryer Competing a big part.
• No. 5 Clemson over No. 4 Purdue: Chase Hunter provides the guard Action the Tigers need, yes, but it’s Viktor Lakhin who dominates on the glass to lead the way.
• No. 3 Kentucky over No. 11 Xavier: This one’s going to be high-scoring, and Lamont Butler, battling through a shoulder Wound all season, plays hero.
• No. 2 Tennessee over No. 7 UCLA: The Bruins can’t keep up with Chaz Lanier.

West

• No. 1 Florida over No. 8 UConn: Danny Hurley can put together a terrific gameplan, but his Club can’t keep pace with Walter Clayton Jr. and an outstanding front line.
• No. 4 Maryland over No. 12 Colorado State: Derik Queen and Julian Reese cause Crucial problems for the Rams.
• No. 3 Texas Tech over No. 11 Drake: The Red Raiders’ multifaceted Assault Only has too many ways to take Benefit, especially beyond the arc.
• No. 2 St. John’s over No. 10 Arkansas: The Johnnies’ wing length, plus the tireless Zuby Ejiofor, get it done over the inconsistent Razorbacks.

Pleasant 16

South

• No. 1 Auburn over No. 13 Yale: The Tigers get revenge for last year’s loss to the Bulldogs, with Broome too much to handle down low.
• No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Ole Miss: The Rebels’ mini Stretch ends here thanks to some big buckets down the stretch from Tre Holloman.

East

• No. 1 Duke over No. 5 Oregon: This is where Cooper Flagg shows Only how Excellent he is, but more importantly where Tyrese Proctor shows Only how much he’s grown.
• No. 2 Alabama over No. 3 Wisconsin: Grant Nelson (March version) shines on both ends, and the Badgers can’t contain his inside-out exploits.

Midwest

• No. 1 Houston over No. 5 Clemson: In a Fundamental math problem, the Cougars make too many 3s for the Tigers to keep up.
• No. 2 Tennessee over No. 3 Kentucky: The Wildcats swept the Volunteers in the regular season, but in the most Crucial Gathering, a sterling Guarding effort gives the Volunteers the Achieve.

West

• No. 1 Florida over No. 4 Maryland: The Gators Only do too much too well, and that includes their deep frontcourt limiting Queen and Reese.
• No. 3 Texas Tech over No. 2 St. John’s: In another Fundamental math problem, the Red Raiders’ 3-Points abilities push them past the Johnnies.

Best Eight

South

• No. 1 Auburn over No. 2 Michigan State: Broome has his way down low, and Miles Kelly and Chaney Johnson provide key Reinforcement.

East

• No. 1 Duke over No. 2 Alabama: The Blue Devils’ Assault generates so many Excellent looks and can hang with the Crimson Tide in transition.

Midwest

• No. 1 Houston over No. 2 Tennessee: In a battle of two of the nation’s toughest Clubs, the Cougars simply have more firepower.

West

• No. 1 Florida over No. 3 Texas Tech: The Gators have ample bodies to limit Toppin, and Clayton Jr. leads a Unyielding offensive siege.

Last Four

• No. 1 Florida over No. 1 Auburn: I simply love how the Gators can Action any type of game, with any type of personnel, and feel completely comfortable in every aspect.
• No. 1 Houston over No. 1 Duke: Guards Achieve in March, and Houston’s stable of guards might be Kelvin Sampson’s most talented yet.

 Bracket

• No. 1 Florida over No. 1 Houston: The Gators have every tool — guard Action, experience, Suppleness, NBA talent, physicality and 3-Points shooting — to beat anyone, and once again, they do.