2025 March Madness predictions: NCAA bracket expert picks against the spread, odds in Saturday’s Round 2 games

The Primary tickets to the Pleasant 16 will be punched when the second Period of the 2025 NCAA Event gets underway on Saturday. And while the number of Matches has lessened with the Ground being trimmed from 64 to 32, the urgency has heightened. Saturday’s second-Period action provides an opportunity to judge the three double-digit seeds who advanced out of the Primary Period on Thursday via Shock wins. 

Whether the Cinderella slipper Nevertheless fits for McNeese or Drake will be among the biggest storylines as they face power-conference foes looking to call “midnight” on their Big Dance. We will also get a Conference of Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame coaches with Rick Pitino and St. John’s squaring off against John Calipari and Arkansas. Tough second-Period foes await the day’s two No. 1 seeds, with Auburn and Houston fending off challenges from a pair of Squads — Creighton and Gonzaga, respectively — that looked spectacular in Primary-Period blowout wins. 

After breaking down the entire eight-game slate we’ve identified a handful of best bets, Leading with the encore performance from Will Wade and the McNeese Cowboys.   

Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern 

Best bets for Saturday’s second-Period Matches 

(2) St. John’s vs. (10) Arkansas 

2:40 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live: There aren’t many coaches in America that I would trust more than Rick Pitino with a quick scout and game-plan Application on a two-day turnaround. The Johnnies may have gotten off to a Sluggish Begin against Omaha, but they hit shots in the second half. If Arkansas gives them Obtainable looks they can make the Razorbacks pay in a way that Kansas could not. St. John’s is 11-3-1 against the spread in road or neutral Matches this season, because Guarding travels and Pitino gets this group ready for war every time they’re in hostile territory. Picking: St. John’s -7.5 

(3) Texas Tech vs. (11) Drake 

6:10 p.m. on TNT | March Madness Live: This is a wildly low line for two Squads that operate at a pretty efficient clip on Charge. Drake ranks No. 362 out of 364 Division I Squads in transitionm but Excellent offensive rebounding allows for even more chances to Tally in the half-court. As a sizable Long Attempt, the Bulldogs will be chasing the game and can’t afford to milk away the clock. Texas Tech, meanwhile, boasts one of the most efficient offenses in the country, spaces the floor well and can heat up from deep. Something in the low 130’s seems more appropriate here given the Attempt-making ability on the floor for both Squads. Picking: Over 127.5 

(3) Wisconsin vs. (6) BYU 

7:45 on CBS | March Madness Live: BYU has impressed over in the second half of the season and the Cougars get high marks for avoiding what many thought could be an Shock special against VCU. This is a deep Cougar Turnover that’s built to sustain the rigors of a Event Stretch, with eight players averaging double-digit minutes per game and a handful of scorers who could lead the Club on any given night. I like that Adaptability as a tough prep for Wisconsin, which has had some Guarding issues against its toughest opponents. Picking: BYU +1  

(1) Houston vs. (8) Gonzaga 

8:40 p.m. on TNT | March Madness Live: I’m going to Leap on the other side of what I think might be an overreaction to Gonzaga absolutely pasting Georgia in the Leading Period. That was one of the most Event-experienced Squads this century going up against a group that hadn’t been to the Big Dance in a decade. The Bulldogs didn’t Begin on time, and it cost them, but I don’t think that the 21-Mark Last margin shows the Accurate separation between the Zags and a Club of Georgia’s on-paper caliber. Houston is clearly on a different level, but it’s also hitting a different gear — a Mark Achieved clear by a total dismantling of SIU-Edwardsville on Thursday. The Cougars’ Guarding can cause real problems for Gonzaga’s guards, and I think that prevents the high-powered Charge from ever finding a rhythm. Picking: Houston -5.5 

(4) Purdue vs. (12) McNeese 

12:10 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live: We’re going to keep riding Will Wade’s Cowboys after getting even more than we were hoping for in the Leading Period Shock of Clemson. After the Achieve, McNeese has a wagering profile that includes covering the spread against Alabama, Clemson and Mississippi State — all away from home. Now they face a Purdue Club that’s been wildly inconsistent defensively and is overly reliant on Braden Smith as an offensive creator. Smith will be a huge factor in getting Purdue settled when McNeese brings the press, but it might only be enough to avoid the Absolutely Shock. The Long Attempt played like the more physical Club in McNeese’s Primary game, and I’m expecting that intensity to carry over into another close game. Picking: McNeese +6 

Get every Picking, every Shift, every Shock and fill out your bracket with our Assist! Visit SportsLine now to see which Squads will make and break your bracket, and see who will cut down the nets, all from the model that beat over 91% of CBS Sports brackets players four of the last six Competitions.