The 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket was announced on Selection Sunday, and Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes will make his 29th NCAA Tournament appearance, the most among active coaches heading into the 2025 March Madness bracket. Barnes is taking the Vols to their seventh straight Big Dance, earning a No. 2 seed for the second year in a row. The Volunteers made a trip to the Elite Eight last season, but they are still seeking the first Final Four in school history. How far should you have Tennessee advancing in your 2025 March Madness bracket picks?
The Vols are one of a record-setting 14 SEC teams selected for the 68-team 2025 NCAA Tournament field, breaking the record set by the Big East in 2011 (11). Florida and Auburn are both No. 1 seeds, so they could be popular picks to make deep runs in 2025 March Madness bracket picks. Before making any 2025 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Their proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 91 percent of all CBS Sports brackets in four of the past six tournaments. It was all over UConn’s championship run a year ago and nailed 13 teams in the Sweet 16. It also nailed Alabama’s Cinderella run to the Final Four as a 4-seed.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 24 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016. There’s simply no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2025 March Madness pools.
Now, with the 2025 NCAA bracket being revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
2025 March Madness bracket games to watch
One of the 2025 March Madness matchups to keep an eye on: No. 8 seed Mississippi State vs. No. 9 seed Baylor in the East Region. The Bears have been a consistent member of the NCAA Tournament field over the last two decades, making 13 of the last 17 fields. They have lost in the Round of 32 in three straight seasons since winning the national title in 2021, though. Mississippi State has lost five straight NCAA Tournament games, leaving the Bulldogs without a win since the 2008 Round of 64, so both teams will be desperate for a first-round victory.
Also in the East Region, BYU vs. VCU figures to be a pivotal 6 vs. 11 matchup. The Cougars have never made a Final Four, but they won 24 games this season and their lone loss in their last 10 games came against Houston in the Big 12 Tournament. They lost to No. 11 seed Duquesne in the Round of 64 last year, so they will try to avoid losing in a similar matchup this year. VCU is a 28-win team after winning its third Atlantic 10 Tournament title in school history, and it is making its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance.
The third matchup to watch in the East Region features No. 3 seed Wisconsin vs. No. 14 seed Montana. The Badgers are trying to avoid another early exit this season after losing as a No. 5 seed to No. 12 seed James Madison in the first round last season. They are coming off a trip to the Big Ten Tournament championship on Sunday, falling to Michigan after a late 11-2 run by the Wolverines. Montana is making its first trip to the Big Dance since 2019 after winning the automatic bid out of the Big Sky. The Grizzlies have won 14 of their last 15 games, and their last loss in regulation came on Jan. 18 at Idaho State. You can see how far all these teams go over at SportsLine.
How to make 2025 NCAA bracket predictions
How far will those major programs go? And which Cinderella teams will make surprising runs through the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it is calling this year before locking in any 2025 NCAA bracket picks.
So what’s the optimal NCAA Tournament bracket 2025? And which 2025 March Madness underdogs will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which teams you can back with confidence, all from the model that’s nailed 24 upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception and beat over 91% of players in four of the last six tournaments.
