March Madness 2025: Expert Predictions and Insights
Hey there, basketball fans! It’s that time of year again when we dive headfirst into the madness that is the NCAA tournament. Since Sunday night, we’ve all been poring over the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament bracket, trying to make sense of every matchup. You’ve probably already read every team preview, questioned which teams got the wrong seed, and maybe even filled out your bracket based on pure vibes. But for those of you who are still mulling over your picks, we’ve got some expert insights to help you out.
We reached out to a panel of men’s college basketball analysts, writers, and commentators from ESPN to get their thoughts on who will make it to the Final Four and ultimately take home the national championship. These are the folks who can take you as close to the action as possible without actually putting you through free throw drills. So, who do they think will be the last team standing when the confetti falls on April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio? Let’s dive into their predictions.
Duke Claims the East
First up, let’s talk about the East region. Duke is not only the championship favorite at ESPN BET but also the most popular championship pick among ESPN Tournament Challenge players. A whopping 77% of our analysts, including Jay Bilas and Kevin Brown, have picked the Blue Devils to win the East region. Wes Durham from the ACC Network is among the 44 analysts who chose Duke, and he’s also one of seven who picked all four No. 1 seeds to make the Final Four.
But where’s the other support going? Eight analysts are backing Mark Sears and the fast-paced Alabama team, while five are putting their faith in Caleb Love and Arizona. Interestingly, ESPN commentator Eric Rothman is the lone wolf who picked third-seeded Wisconsin to advance.
Spartans vs. Tigers in the South
Moving on to the South region, we have two leading picks. 58% of our analysts, including Dalen Cuff and Kris Budden, are backing the top-seeded and No. 1 overall Tigers. Meanwhile, 35% are rooting for the 2-seed Spartans. Both teams are looking to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2019.
Can rebounding be the key to a Final Four appearance? Commentator Scott Williams seems to think so, as he’s chosen Texas A&M, one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country, to win the region. Iowa State of the Big 12 received one vote, and Big Ten champion Michigan received two.
And here’s a heartwarming surprise pick: ESPN commentator and former head coach Phil Martelli Sr. has selected No. 15 Bryant to make the Final Four. The Bulldogs are coached by Phil Martelli Jr., who is making his first NCAA tournament appearance in his second full season as head coach.
Houston Wants to Win It at Home
Now, let’s talk about the Midwest region. The Houston Cougars are the most popular pick among our analysts to take the Midwest region and head back to Texas in search of an elusive national championship. They’re not the only Texas-based team looking to play in the Final Four in their home state, but they are the highest seed among the group.
The second-most popular pick in the region is Tennessee, known for having one of the best defenses in the country. According to ESPN Tournament Challenge, 28% of the public agrees with Jim Boeheim, Pete Thamel, and a few others about the Volunteers’ chances to win the Midwest. Fun fact: Last year, Boeheim was the only panelist to correctly predict NC State’s run to the Final Four.
The only other team receiving votes in the Midwest was Clemson, which enters the tournament on a 15-2 run over its past 17 games.
How Florida Won the West
Finally, let’s head over to the West region. It’s no surprise that Florida was the most popular pick here, capturing support from chief bracketologist Joe Lunardi and beloved Hall of Famer Dick Vitale, among others. According to ESPN Research, this is the fourth time the Gators have entered the NCAA tournament with 30 wins, and each previous trip resulted in at least a Final Four appearance.
The next most popular pick was Big East champion St. John’s. Rick Pitino was the first head coach to lead three different schools to the Final Four, and should the Red Storm make it, he’d be the first to take four.
There were a few others receiving support. Commentator Anish Shroff was one of five to choose Texas Tech, Bracket Facts writer Keith Lipscomb was one of two to select Maryland, and analyst Tim Welsh was the only vote for two-time defending champion UConn.
What About the Final Net-Cutting?
So, who do our experts think will cut down the nets in the end? This year’s predictions haven’t been as clear-cut as last year’s. In fact, we had a tie for the final winner, with Duke and Florida each getting 22 votes. With Duke in the East and Florida in the West, this is a possible championship match. Houston was the only other team with double-figure votes, receiving 10.
Arizona, Auburn, Maryland, and St. John’s each have a single believer among our crew. Do you agree or disagree with these predictions? If you want to follow your favorite analyst’s picks or think you have a better prediction, sign up for the ESPN Tournament Challenge today and fill out your own bracket.
Check out the full breakdown of our panelists’ votes below and join in on the fun!
Originally Written by: Sachin Chandan
