The big dance is back! Despite the Tulane University Green Wave unfortunately missing out yet again, the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament tips off on Thursday, March 20, with games starting as early as 11:15 a.m. CST and running all day.
While Duke University and the University of Florida seem like the early frontrunners, we all know the madness that ensues once the tournament tips off. With that, here are our favorite storylines, upsets and Final Four predictions. Feel free to tail us at your own risk.
Favorite storylines:
Benny: The best storyline in this tournament comes from the bottom of the West Region, with a group of hall-of-fame coaches. While coach Rick Pitino led St. John’s University to play what should be an easy matchup against the Omaha University Mavericks, new University of Arkansas coach John Calipari faces a tough matchup against Kansas University’s Bill Self. Chances are, we will get a coach Cal vs. coach Pitino heavyweight fight in the second round. The two faced off 10 times when they were with their former teams, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, respectively, with coach Cal going 8-2. There is no love lost between these two, and it is safe to say the committee knew what they were doing when they put them next to each other.
Scott: My favorite storyline entering the tournament this year has to be tracking the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Their inclusion in the bracket this year was a shock to many across the country and resulted in rumors of unethical behavior by the selection committee, as many argued that their immense struggles all season against “Quad 1” teams, going 1-12, should have precluded them from getting an NCAA tournament bid. Last night, however, UNC put on an absolute show, dominating San Diego State University in their First Four matchup 95-68 as they took a huge lead early and never let up. They seemed to play with a chip on their shoulder, and as the most hated team on the court, they made an early effort to quiet the critics. This performance certainly increased interest in their “round of 64” matchup against the University of Mississippi, as another win against a talented Southeastern Conference team could spark a run for a team that many believed should have never been given a chance.
First round upsets:
Benny: As much as I would like to go with No. 12 seed Colorado State University out of spite since the University of Memphis shouldn’t have beaten Tulane in the American Athletic Conference semifinals, they happen to be the favorite, according to ESPN. So instead, I will go with High Point University; yes, the High Point Panthers against the No. 4 seed Purdue University Boilermakers. Hear me out: the Panthers have won 14 straight and haven’t lost since they lost by 2 on Jan. 16. On the other side, Purdue has only won four out of their last 10, albeit playing better competition. Now, it is called March Madness for a reason, and the tournament is all about these “no name” schools gaining national popularity — remember Oral Roberts University or Saint Peter’s University? Purdue also struggles against bigs, which really showed itself in their Big 10 Tournament defeat against the University of Michigan, whose two bigs tore them apart. With 7-foot center Juslin Bodo Bodo on the Panthers averaging over eight boards a game, I sense rebounding being an issue for Purdue. Bonus point: High Point University has over 10 pools, an ice cream truck and a steak restaurant that students can eat at once a month for free. Give me the Panthers!
Scott: I am going with a team that is no stranger to making noise in March Madness, having made four of the last five tournaments, and that is the Yale University Bulldogs, who upset Auburn University last year in the first round. Yale is matched up with another SEC team in a 13-4 matchup this year, this time against Texas A&M University, who I believe could be susceptible to an upset, having lost five of their last seven games entering the tournament. Texas A&M also has struggled mightily all season with shooting efficiency as they only have two double-digit scorers this season, Wade Taylor IV and Zhuric Phelps, who both average less than 37% shooting from the field and are 33% and 26% from the 3-point line this year. Yale lost three starters from a year ago but still returned legendary head coach James Jones and stars John Poulakidas, who is averaging 19.2 points per game and shooting nearly 41% from behind the arc this season, and Bez Mbeng, who was recently named 2025 Ivy Player and Defensive Player of the Year. These two, along with a much improved Nick Townsend and Casey Simmons, give Yale a veteran squad capable of bringing down an SEC foe yet again.
Final Four, national champion pick
Benny: My Final Four are Florida, Michigan State University, Duke University and the University of Tennessee. I have Florida meeting Tennessee in an SEC Tournament rematch, with the Gators coming out on top.
Scott: My Final Four are Florida, Auburn, University of Houston and the University of Alabama. My national champion pick is Florida.
