In recent years, top seeds have consistently ruled the NCAA Tournament, making a strong case for picking a No. 1 seed to triumph in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Notably, 13 of the last 17 tournament champions have emerged from the top seeds. UConn stands out, having captured three of the four titles not won by a top seed in this span, including back-to-back championships.

As a No. 8 seed this year, UConn may still cause upsets in the 2025 March Madness bracket, needing to surpass Oklahoma and Florida to reach the second weekend.

“Before making any 2025 March Madness bracket predictions, check out the picks from the proven model at SportsLine.”

How did the model perform? It has simulated every tournament game 10,000 times. Historically, it has outperformed over 91% of CBS Sports brackets in four out of the last six tournaments, showcasing its strength in predicting outcomes.

Among the notable matchups:

• No. 8 seed Mississippi State vs. No. 9 seed Baylor in the East Region, where Mississippi State comes in after a difficult stretch.
• BYU vs. VCU, highlighting the close proficiency of both teams despite seeding differences.
• No. 3 seed Wisconsin vs. No. 14 seed Montana, with Wisconsin showing outstanding free-throw shooting prowess.

Get ready for the tournament and keep an eye on these pivotal matchups!