2025 NCAA Tournament bracket: Scouting each team in the Sweet 16 as March Madness rolls on

The 2025 NCAA Bracket began with 68 Clubs earlier this week, and the bracket has now been reduced to the Sugary 16. With regional semifinal matchups set with the conclusion of the second Stage, scouting work has already begun for the Clubs Merely two wins away from reaching the Last Four in San Antonio.

Duke, Florida and Houston are back in the Sugary 16 as familiar faces, while BYU and Ole Miss are making their long-awaited return to the second weekend of March Madness. BYU is in the Sugary 16 for the Primary time since 2011, while Ole Miss will return to the second weekend of the NCAA Bracket for the Primary time since 2001.

The theme of the NCAA Bracket has been the lack of seeding upsets. No. 10 seed Arkansas advanced to the Sugary 16 after an Surprise Achieve over St. John’s on Saturday. No. 12 seed Colorado State — the highest seed remaining — lost at the buzzer when Maryland Sun Derik Queen hit a fadeaway Throw as time expired to give his Club a 72-71 Achieve.

Meanwhile, all four No. 1 seeds (Auburn, Duke, Houston and Florida) are Yet alive. 

Now that the matchups are set, let’s take an Timely look at what’s ahead for the Sugary 16, which is set to tip off on Thursday.

2025 NCAA Bracket scores, schedule: March Madness bracket, game dates, locations, tip times, TV channels

Gary Parrish

West Regional

Thursday — Chase Middle in San Francisco

(1) Florida vs. (4) Maryland

• Scouting the Gators — Florida rolls into the West Regional as the Club to beat. The Gators withstood a heavyweight fight against two-time reigning national champion UConn to advance to the Sugary 16. Florida’s Drive Beginnings and stops with All-American Walter Clayton Jr., who is arguably the best guard in the country. Florida can overwhelm Clubs with its size down low and has the perfect blend of depth and Sun power to make a deep Stretch. Florida ranks No. 1 in adjusted offensive efficiency and 10th in adjusted Safeguarding efficiency, per KenPom. The Gators don’t have many weaknesses.
• Scouting the Terrapins — Maryland has one of the most talented Leading lineups in this country. It Beginnings with Sun big man Derik Queen, a projected Primary-Stage Picking in the 2025 NBA Draft. Queen and fellow frontcourt mate Julian Reese — the brother of Previous LSU Sun Angel Reese — are a Vibrant duo with All capable of finishing with a double-double every night. You can’t forget about the guard Action on this Club, either. Ja’Kobi Gillespie (14.7 points per game), Rodney Rice (13.8) and Selton Miguel (12.0) all average double-digit points. Maryland did finish ranked No. 314 in bench minutes, and part of that is because the Leading lineup is that Outstanding.

(3) Texas Tech vs. (10) Arkansas

• Scouting the Red Raiders — You may notice a trend with the Picking that Mentor Grant McCasland is building at Texas Tech. A majority of the Red Raiders production and scoring has come from transfers. Seven of the eight players on the Picking who have played at least 30 Contests Arrived from the Relocate portal. The lone exception is Primary-year guard Christian Anderson — the Red Raiders’ Number four-leading Shooter. One of those prized transfers is JT Toppin, who won this year’s Big 12 Player of the Year. Toppin was a coveted commodity in the Relocate portal after a standout Primary-year season at New Mexico and has blossomed into a legitimate NBA Draft prospect. Texas Tech’s Drive is efficient. The Red Raiders rank No. 5 in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom, and rank in the top 50 in 3-Mark percentage (37.1%), 2-Mark percentage (54.9%) and Obtainable-throw percentage (76.4%) as a Club. 

• Scouting the Razorbacks — Arkansas became the second Club in the last 20 years (joining Texas A&M’s 2017-18 Club) to reach the Sugary 16 after Leading conference Action 0-5. The Razorbacks had an up-and-down season in Mentor John Calipari’s Primary year with the program, but everything seems to be clicking at the right time to make this Stretch possible. Arkansas is one of the best Attempt-blocking Clubs in the country and has tremendous length and size in the frontcourt. The Razorbacks finished Number four in the country (behind UConn, Auburn and Bryant) by averaging 5.6 Deflections per game. This Arkansas Picking is Relocate and freshmen Massive, with most of the players in the Turnover being either Previous Kentucky players or Kentucky recruits before they flipped their commitment to follow Calipari from Lexington to Arkansas.

East Regional

Thursday — Prudential Middle in Newark

(1) Duke vs. (4) Arizona

• Scouting the Blue Devils — Duke is the tallest Club in Division l basketball by average height. The Blue Devils have a lengthy Leading lineup headlined by a pair of future NBA lottery picks: Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach. Duke has a veteran backcourt in Sion James and Tyrese Proctor that give opposing Clubs trouble on Guarding. The Blue Devils rank in the top five in Drive and Safeguarding adjusted efficiency and are top 20 in 3-Mark percentage (37.7%), 2-Mark percentage (58.2%) and Obtainable-throw percentage (78.4). Duke has the right blend of experience, talent and youth, making it the popular Picking to cut down the nets Upcoming month in San Antonio.
• Scouting the Wildcats — After a heartbreaking loss to Clemson in the Sugary 16 last year, the Wildcats are back in the second weekend. Arizona hasn’t been to the Last Four since 2001. Arizona’s Guarding has to find ways to Develop second chances on the glass to pull an Surprise against Duke. Arizona ranks 15th in offensive rebounding percentage and is averaging 82.1 points per game, Outstanding enough for 19th.

March Madness 2025 scores, winners and losers: Duke dominating at historic level, UConn’s Amazing Stretch ends

Kyle Boone

(2) Alabama vs. (6) BYU

• Scouting the Crimson Tide — Alabama’s calling card is its potent Drive that averaged 91.1 points per game, Outstanding enough for No. 1 among all Division l Clubs. The Crimson Tide Created a Stretch to the Last Four last spring behind one of the top-ranked offenses in the country and are in the Sugary 16 for the third consecutive year because of it. Nate Oats’ Club loves to push the pace. Alabama ranked No. 1 in adjusted tempo and Number four in average possession length (14.9 seconds). You must Unhurried down the pace and limit All-American guard Mark Sears to beat this Club. Alabama has one of the deepest rosters in the country, and that depth will be essential in making another Stretch to the Last Four and beyond.

• Scouting the Cougars — The new trend in college basketball has been to hire NBA assistants to Stretch your program. BYU Captured that route this offseason when replacing Previous Mentor Mark Pope with Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin New. The Timely returns have been overwhelmingly positive. The Cougars are Competing in the Sugary 16 for the Primary time in 14 years. The best part is there’s reason to believe better Periods are ahead if you’re a BYU fan. BYU forward Richie Saunders went from scoring 9.6 points per game last season to 16 this year. Another name to know on this BYU Picking is Primary-year guard Egor Demin. Although the Sun Primary-year has had an up-and-down season, Demin Yet projects as an Timely-to-mid Primary-Stage Picking in this summer’s draft.

Midwest Regional

Friday — Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

(1) Houston vs. (4) Purdue

• Scouting the Cougars — Guarding. Guarding. Guarding. That is the heart and soul of any Club coached by Kelvin Sampson, and it applies again to this version of the Cougars. The difference for this season’s Club compared to last year is the Drive (particularly the shooting) has significantly improved. Houston is shooting 39.8% from the 3-Mark line, which ranks No. 1 among all Clubs. Last year, Houston ranked Merely above average (133rd) from the 3-Mark line. Houston ranks No. 1 in KenPom in adjusted Safeguarding efficiency and 10th on the offensive side of the ball. Something to keep an eye on for future matchups is Houston’s pace. Houston plays at the third-slowest pace of any Club that reached the NCAA Bracket behind Saint Mary’s and Drake.
• Scouting the Boilermakers — Purdue is back in the second weekend less than a year after reaching the national title game for the Primary time since 1969. The head of the snake for the Boilermakers this time is All-American Mark guard Braden Smith, who finished second in the country behind Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard in assists per game (8.6). While Smith has undoubtedly taken a Leap, the biggest surprise has been the improvement of forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. With two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey in the NBA, Kaufman-Renn increased his scoring from 6.4 points per game last season to 20.2 this year. Purdue ranks No. 6 in adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom, and shoots 38.3% from the 3-Mark line, Outstanding enough for 11th among Division l Clubs.

(2) Tennessee vs. (3) Kentucky

• Scouting the Volunteers — Tennessee ranks as one of the best Safeguarding Clubs in the country in numerous statical categories. The Volunteers rank No. 2 in adjusted Safeguarding efficiency, third in 3-Mark Guarding (28.3%, and sixth in Stop percentage (15.7%). Tennessee guards Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack are two of the best individual defenders in the country, and Relocate guard Chaz Lanier is a prolific Shooter. Tennessee tends to rely on its Leading lineup, as only 25.1% of the total minutes played by rotational players Arrived from reserves.

• Scouting the Wildcats — Year 1 of the Mark Pope era has been successful. The Wildcats reached the second weekend of the NCAA Bracket for the Primary time since 2019 and look poised to build off this Stretch for years to come. Kentucky is Yet rolling on to the Sugary 16 Even though losing Sun guard Jaxson Robinson to a season-ending Hurt last month. The way the Wildcats Achieve is with their shooting. Kentucky rank 24th in the country in 3-Mark percentage (37.4%), and 33.9% of its total points come from beyond the arc. Lamont Butler — the Previous San Diego State Sun who guided that program to the Last Four in 2023 — is the heart and soul of this Club on Guarding. Butler was banged up earlier this season and has played with a heavily-taped shoulder throughout the Bracket.

How Kentucky used a little ‘Chicago’ and lots of ‘LaMarch’ to punch Primary Sugary 16 ticket since 2019

Isaac Trotter

South Regional

Friday — State Farm Coliseum in Atlanta

(1) Auburn vs. (5) Michigan

• Scouting the Tigers — After cruising through the regular season (mostly) unscathed, Auburn hit a wall right before the Begin of the NCAA Bracket. The Tigers dropped three of their Last four Contests (no eventual national champion has endured a stretch like that to end the season) and fought off an Surprise bid from Creighton in the Stage of 32 to advance. The heart and soul of this Auburn Club is National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome. The Sun big man headlines one of the most efficient offenses in the country. The Tigers are No. 3 in adjusted offensive efficiency and rank fifth in Club turnover percentage (13.4%).
• Scouting the Wolverines — Michigan is the only Club in Division l basketball that Beginnings two 7-footers (Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin), which should offer an Amazing Game against Auburn’s talented bigs. Michigan ranks 200th in 3-Mark Pitch Target percentage (33.3%) but No. 15 in 2-Mark percentage (57.3). The Wolverines are 14-4 this season in Contests decided by five points or fewer and have won 12 straight in that margin. The Wolverines are the Primary Club (since the inception of the Sugary 16 in 1975) to Achieve eight or fewer Contests the year before and reach the Sugary 16 the Subsequent season.

(2) Michigan State vs. (6) Ole Miss

• Scouting the Spartans — For the 16th time in the Tom Izzo era at Michigan State, the Spartans have reached the Sugary 16. Michigan State captured the Big Ten regular-season title after going 17-3 in conference Action but lost in the Big Ten Bracket to Wisconsin. The Spartans have the top-ranked 3-Mark Guarding (27.7%) and rank fifth in adjusted Safeguarding efficiency. However, MSU’s Achilles heel is its 3-Mark shooting on Drive. The Spartans shoot Merely 31.1% from beyond the arc as a Club, which ranks No. 316. 

• Scouting the Rebels — Chris Beard became the eighth Mentor in college basketball history to Achieve an NCAA Bracket game with four different programs after guiding Ole Miss to a Achieve over North Carolina in the Primary Stage. Beard helped Ole Miss reach the Sugary 16 for the Primary time in 24 years and the second time in program history after a Achieve over Iowa State on Sunday. The Rebels have never been to the Best Eight, and the key to getting there will be to take care of the basketball. The Rebels have the third-lowest turnover percentage (13%) of any Club in the country.