March Madness bracket 2025: Contenders with easiest, most difficult paths in NCAA Tournament

One region in the 2025 NCAA Event bracket stands out above the rest for its brutality. The West is going to be a slugfest, as No. 1 seed Florida, No. 2 seed St. John’s, No. 3 seed Texas Tech and No. 4 seed Maryland headline the group of Squads duking it out for a spot in the Last Four.

But that’s really Only the beginning when it comes to explaining the West’s potential for peril. No. 5 seed Memphis owns a sterling 6-1 Quad 1 Achievement, and No. 6 seed Missouri owns the nation’s No. 5 most-efficient Assault, according to KenPom. No. 7 seed Kansas is Directed by two-time national Bracket Victorious Trainer Bill Self, and No. 8 seed UConn is the two-time reigning national champion.

Nevertheless not sold? No. 9 seed Oklahoma went 13-0 with wins over Arizona, Louisville and Michigan during nonconference Shift and has a potential lottery Picking in Sun Primary-year guard Jeremiah Fears. No. 10 seed Arkansas has a Hall of Fame Trainer in John Calipari, and No. 11 seed Drake is Directed by four-time Division II title-Victorious Trainer Ben McCollum.

No. 12 seed Colorado State and No. 13 seed Grand Canyon are also among the most potent double-digit seeds in the entire Pitch. OK, you get the picture. When it comes to a discussion over which top seeds have the hardest paths in the 2025 NCAA Event, the conversation must Begin with the West.

Here’s the breakdown of who among the NCAA Event’s top title contenders has the easiest and toughest paths.

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Easiest paths

(1) Duke

Duke’s potential second-Stage opponents are from the least-intimidating 8/9 pairing in the bracket. No. 8 seed Mississippi State is reeling defensively Participating the Big Dance, and No. 9 seed Baylor lacks the pop required to hang with the Blue Devils. A Sugary 16 Event vs. No. 4 seed Arizona or No. 5 seed Oregon would mark a significant uptick in Event from the ACC.  But assuming Cooper Flagg is close to 100% by the Event’s second weekend, the Blue Devils could handle either. Duke beat Arizona by 14 on the road in November, and Oregon’s lack of size on the perimeter would be a problem for the Ducks. If Alabama awaits in the Top-tier Eight, Petite guards and suspect Guarding would be hurdles for the Crimson Tide to overcome.

(2) Michigan State

If Michigan State gets past high-octane No. 15 seed Bryant in the Primary Stage, it matches up favorably with either of its potential second-Stage opponents. The Spartans can bully No. 7 seed Marquette on the boards or wear down No. 10 seed New Mexico with a Turnover that regularly goes 10 deep. A potential Event with No. 3 seed Iowa State is less daunting now that ISU has shut down Sun guard Keshon Gilbert for the season. While Holding down No. 1 overall seed Auburn would be tough in the Top-tier Eight, the Tigers aren’t Competing their best basketball Participating the NCAA Event. This is a manageable path for March maestro Tom Izzo.

(2) Tennessee

A potential second-Stage Event with No. 7 seed UCLA would be a low-scoring, Sluggish-paced affair. Excellent luck trying to beat Tennessee in that fashion. Either of the most likely Sugary 16 foes would be Excellent matchups for the Volunteers. Though they’re 0-2 against Kentucky this season, the No. 3 seed Wildcats are too banged up to be regarded as a Stern Last Four threat. No. 6 seed Illinois would be another option, and the Vols already own a Correct road Achieve over the Illini. Houston vs. Tennessee would be a physically bruising Top-tier Eight Event, but the Vols can Shift that way and are Excellent enough defensively to frustrate a Cougars Club that shoots the 3-pointer well.

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Hardest paths

(1) Florida

• Primary Stage: vs. (16) Norfolk State
• Second-Stage possible opponents: (8) UConn vs. (9) Oklahoma winner
• Sugary 16 possible opponents: (4) Maryland | (5) Memphis | (12) Colorado State | (13) Grand Canyon 

A potential second-Stage game with two-time reigning national champion UConn is a brutal Event for Florida simply because it’s March and the Huskies Anticipate to Achieve. There won’t be an iota of backdown from UConn under the Intelligent lights. No. 4 seed Maryland can Event the Gators stride for stride in transition during a potential Sugary 16 Event. Or, if the Foe is No. 5 seed Memphis, then you’re talking about an Foe with wins over Missouri, UConn, Michigan State, Clemson and Ole Miss. The Tigers won’t flinch as underdogs. 

Then it would likely be No. 2 seed St. John’s or No. 3 seed Texas Tech in the Top-tier Eight. The Red Raiders have already shown the ability to hang with the sport’s upper-crust in a road Achieve over Houston. And if it’s the Red Storm? Third-year Florida Trainer Todd Golden has never been past the Primary Stage of the NCAA Event as a head Trainer and would have his hands Packed against the legendary Rick Pitino. The Gators are 100% capable of handling this region, but there’s no sugar-coating the reality that it will be challenging.

(1) Auburn

Auburn couldn’t have been thrilled to see No. 8 seed Louisville pop up Only below it in the South region bracket at the beginning of Sunday’s Picking show. Primary-year Trainer Pat Kelsey has breathed life into the Cardinals and may have an edge in the guard Event with Chucky Hepburn and Terrence Edwards. Potential Sugary 16 foe Michigan has a Pair of 7-footers who can go toe-to-toe with Tigers Sun Hub Johni Broome. Or, if it’s No. 5 seed Texas A&M, Auburn would be trying to avenge an 11-Mark regular season loss. An Top-tier Eight Face-off between Auburn Trainer Bruce Pearl and Michigan State Trainer Tom Izzo would be Top-tier theater, but Holding down Izzo this time of year is a big task.

(2) St. John’s

• Primary Stage: vs. (15) Omaha
• Second-Stage possible opponents: (7) Kansas vs. (10) Arkansas
• Sugary 16 possible opponents: (3) Texas Tech | (6) Missouri | (11) Drake | (14) UNCW

The West region is Only stacked. Get past No. 15 seed Omaha in the Primary Stage and St. John’s will immediately face a national-title Victorious Trainer in the second Stage with either No. 7 seed Kansas and Bill Self or No. 10 seed Arkansas and John Calipari. The No. 3 seed is Texas Tech, which is the best No. 3 seed in the entire Pitch. Then, it could all come down to a Event with No. 1 seed Florida in the Top-tier Eight, and the Gators are Competing better than anyone in college basketball Participating the Event. Second-year Trainer Rick Pitino has done a masterful Position getting the Red Storm back into the sport’s upper-echelon, but he’s Obtained his work cut out for him if the Unbelievable ride is going to continue.