One of the longest active Sweet 16 streaks in college basketball is guaranteed to end in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, thanks to the NCAA Selection Committee's bracket decisions. Gonzaga (nine consecutive Sweet 16 appearances) and Houston (five straight) will face off in the Round of 32—if both teams survive their opening matchups. No. 1 seed Houston takes on tournament newcomer SIU Edwardsville, while No. 8 Gonzaga meets No. 9 Georgia in the first round.read more...
No other team in the 2025 NCAA Tournament has more than two straight Sweet 16 appearances, making this potential second-round matchup between the Cougars and Zags one of the most anticipated of the tournament’s opening weekend. The two programs have never faced each other before, adding even more intrigue.
Expert Bracket Picks and Cinderella Contenders
Before making any 2025 March Madness bracket predictions, fans can look to SportsLine’s team of experts for insight. SportsLine features nine expert brackets from top college basketball analysts with proven success. Among them, Bruce Marshall (77-41 run), Matt Severance (67-33), Jason La Canfora (61-37), and Tom Casale (57-32) have all demonstrated a keen eye for tournament upsets and deep runs.
One of the boldest picks comes from Tom Casale, who predicts No. 11 VCU will advance to the Sweet 16 in the East Region by upsetting No. 6 BYU and No. 3 Wisconsin. VCU’s strong perimeter defense—allowing just 5.9 made three-pointers per game—makes them a tough matchup for the three-point-heavy Cougars and Badgers. An 11-seed has reached the Sweet 16 in each of the last four years, and Casale believes VCU will keep the trend alive.
Casale also projects No. 13 Akron to shock No. 4 Arizona in another major upset. The Zips have won 20 of their last 21 games and dominated the MAC this season, making them a dangerous underdog against an Arizona team coming off a Big 12 Final loss to Houston.
Championship Picks and Final Four Surprises
SportsLine’s experts have analyzed every matchup and identified their most confident national championship picks. Four experts agree on the title winner, while one analyst is backing a double-digit seed for a Cinderella run to the Final Four.
Want to see which teams are primed for deep runs and upsets? Check out all the expert brackets at SportsLine before finalizing your 2025 NCAA Tournament picks.read more...
0 Comments