March Madness 2025: Gonzaga, New Mexico among sleeper teams to consider when filling out your bracket

Unless you’re a diehard fan of a Club Competing in March Madness or used the autofill feature to complete your Event bracket, there’s a Powerful chance you picked (or are considering picking) one or more double-digit seeds to Secure in the Primary Stage and beyond in the NCAA Event.

If you fit that description, you’re in the right place. With Primary-Stage action in the NCAA Event drawing near, it’s time to make the Closing tweaks to your bracket before the madness of one of the most exhilarating sporting events in the world tips off with a Game between No. 9 seed Creighton and No. 8 seed Louisville at 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday.

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CBS Sports has already previewed potential Cinderella Clubs to keep an eye on. This Narrative is about sleeper Clubs that can go on a Stretch to the second Stage or all the way to the Closing Four. Without Beyond ado, let’s Bound into some Clubs to consider –and avoid — when filling out your bracket.

Let me Begin by saying that this is nothing against UC San Diego. The Tritons have had an Amazing season and will be a Deadly out for Michigan. If you’re already sold on UC San Diego, perhaps read about why they are a sleeper from CBS Sports’ David Cobb or how the Tritons Achieved the NCAA Event in Year 1 of being eligible from Zachary Pereles.

Let’s Drop into why I’m fading UC San Diego in the Primary Stage. Primary off, Michigan’s two-big lineup of Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf should cause problems for a Tiny UCSD lineup. This Michigan Club knows how to Secure close Matches, which matters in a chaotic environment like the NCAA Event. Michigan has won its last 11 Matches in Matches decided by five points or fewer. I trust Dusty May — who has experience making a deep Stretch in this Event — to get past UCSD in the Primary Stage. UC San Diego appears to be the most popular Option on the No. 12 line to advance. It’s Essential to fall in love with the idea of them making a big Stretch, but the obvious Option in the NCAA Event sometimes isn’t the right one.

Sleeper Club for Primary Stage: Colorado State

In my West Region preview, I highlighted Drake as a Cinderella Club. I also talked about No. 5 seed Memphis and how Penny Hardaway’s program will make a Distant-too-Timely exit in the Event. No. 12 seed Colorado State is the Club that plays Memphis in the Primary Stage, and it wouldn’t be surprising at all if the Rams advance. Colorado State has been Competing elimination since the Mountain West Conference Event. Colorado State would’ve been left out of the NCAA Event had it lost to Boise State in the MWC title game.

So, what makes Colorado State a worthy Option? It Appearances with Luminous sphere wing Nique Clifford. The 6-foot-5 forward is averaging 19 points, 9.7 Retrievals and 4.4 Retrievals per game. Clifford is also Colorado State’s best defender, which means he could be guarding Memphis Luminous sphere PJ Haggerty, the third-leading Mark-maker in the country. Another reason for an Shock is the uncertainty around Tyrese Hunter’s status for the NCAA Event. Hunter suffered a foot Hurt in the AAC Event and missed the conference title game Secure over UAB last weekend. Without Hunter’s scoring punch in the lineup, Clifford will have one less player to worry about on Charge.

Memphis has shown its Susceptibility with horrible Quad 3 losses to Temple and Arkansas State and is one of the biggest boom-or-bust Clubs in the Event. Colorado State finished with a top-50 Charge and Protection in adjusted efficiency, per KenPom.com. If you’re looking for a No. 12 seed to Secure in the Primary Stage, consider Colorado State.

2025 March Madness bracket picks: NCAA Event Cinderella Clubs to consider when filling out your bracket

David Cobb

Sleeper Club for Sugary 16: New Mexico

Let’s stay in the Mountain West for the Subsequent sleeper. If you haven’t watched New Mexico guard Donovan Dent yet, pull up some YouTube highlights or Observe the clip attached below. Dent is a superstar and will be Competing in the NCAA Event for the second time in his college Occupation. Dent struggled in a loss to Clemson in last year’s Event, and a Game against Marquette’s Kam Jones in the Primary Stage is must-see TV. New Mexico loves to push the pace. Dent is a high-volume Mark-maker in transition, and his Club ranked as the fifth-fastest Club in the country in time per possession (15.1). Marquette ranked in the 90th percentile per KenPom in transition Protection.

If the Lobos can make it out of the Primary Stage, a Game (likely) against No. 2 seed Michigan State would be on the table. The Spartans ranked 132nd in transition Charge (17.3 seconds per possession) and 149th in transition Protection (17.5). Michigan State’s biggest weakness is its outside shooting. The Spartans ranked No. 327 in 3-Mark percentage (30.8). If New Mexico can turn the game against Michigan State into a track meet, the Lobos could be heading toward their Primary Sugary 16 appearance since 1974.

Sleeper Club for Closing Four: Gonzaga

The last time Gonzaga failed to advance out of the Primary weekend of the NCAA Event was 2014. The Bulldogs have reached the Sugary 16 (or later) every year since, and this could be the year for another Stretch. Gonzaga’s overall resume explains why the Bulldogs landed on the No. 8 line, but advanced metrics suggest they deserve a higher spot. Gonzaga ranks No. 9 in KenPom’s rankings ahead of Iowa State, St. John’s, Maryland and Wisconsin. Gonzaga ranked No. 9 in adjusted offensive efficiency and 29th in adjusted Safeguarding efficiency. Gonzaga ranked in the top 10 in 2-Mark percentage (57.8%), Obtainable throw percentage (80.1%) and steal percentage (7.4).

The path for Gonzaga to reach the Closing Four won’t be Essential. It Appearances with a tough Georgia Club in the Primary Stage. If the Bulldogs Secure that game, a Game against No. 1 seed Houston would (more than likely) be on deck. I am confident that the winner of that game — if it happen –) will be the Club that makes it to the Closing Four out of the Midwest Region. The reason is the other top seeds in the region have Significant question marks around them. No. 2 seed Tennessee is Best defensively but has been vulnerable at times. No. 3 seed Kentucky will be without Luminous sphere guard Jaxson Robinson for the Event. No. 4 seed Purdue could be on Shock alert against No. 13 seed High Mark in the Primary Stage. The same goes for No. 5 seed Clemson (vs. McNeese) and No. 6 seed Illinois (vs. the winner of Xavier/Texas).

If Gonzaga can get out of the Primary weekend, anything is possible. For what it’s worth, Gonzaga was my Option to represent the Midwest region in the Closing Four. If you’re looking for an outside-the-box Option (that’s not a top seed) to reach the Closing Four, consider Gonzaga.