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2025 NCAA Tournament Bracket Picks

Published

10 months ago

March 18, 2025

So there’s real upside to picking these upsets if you believe a high seed is vulnerable. And higher seeds are more vulnerable than they’ve ever been before. Just know that this is the riskiest play you can make. It’s the ultimate high-risk, high-reward play that, in all likelihood, will tank your bracket.In 2022, St. Peter’s beat No. 2 seed Kentucky, then advanced all the way to the Elite Eight, meaning that if you picked the Peacocks, you had a seven-point edge over most of the bracket field that picked them to lose in the first round. St. Peter’s was the lowest seed to ever win three games in NCAA men’s tournament play.The NCAA men’s tournament bracket has been announced. It’s time to make your picks.No. 2 seeds aren’t quite as reliable, but picking against one in the first round is also a highly risky proposition. Only 11 No. 2 seeds have ever lost to No. 15 seeds in the men’s first round, with Princeton stunning Arizona in 2023 as the latest example. Princeton went on to beat Missouri in the second round that year to advance to the Sweet 16, where it lost to Creighton.But mostly, enjoy. Spend as much or as little time as you like with your bracket. Filling one out can be — and often is — a five-minute exercise. Have fun, and good luck.When looking for early upsets, common sense comes into play. Games with teams more closely seeded produce more upsets. The wider the gap, the rarer the upset. The NCAA generally does a good job of seeding teams properly.There are six rounds of NCAA play beyond the First Four, and the stakes double with each round in Bracket Mayhem (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 points). Picking first-round winners will earn you one point, while correctly picking the NCAA champion is worth 32 points — the equivalent of correctly picking each of the first-round games. Losing Final Four and championship game teams in the first round is a good way to knock yourself out of the running early.

How the NCAA tournament and bracket scoring works

Brackets are for everyone, and just because you’re cramming doesn’t mean that you don’t have a chance. Armed with a few fundamentals, you too can compete with the person who’s organized your bracket contest and watched college hoops since November.

The NCAA bracket is easy to fill out. Read on for different strategies. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Picking early upsets correctly is key to winning your bracket. Even more important is not losing a team that ends up making a deep run.How do you avoid making that mistake? Well, that’s the fun — and the challenge of the bracket. But the first rule is making sure to pick your higher-seed upsets selectively and to know the history of early-round upsets.

Pick upsets, but proceed with caution

Understanding how the tournament and bracket scoring works is the first step to success. The NCAA tournaments start with fields of 68 teams that were announced Sunday evening. Eight of those teams in each tournament — the last four at-large selections and the lowest-seeded automatic bid winners — will play elimination play-ins called the First Four. For bracket purposes, you don’t have to worry about picking those games.

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If you want to look at early upsets in the women’s bracket, starting with No. 12 seeds is usually the way to go. Since 1994, 33 women’s No. 12 seeds have secured first-round upsets over No. 5 seeds, an average of more than one per year. But there were none in 2024.Randomly picking teams based on colors or mascot preference isn’t an optimal strategy. But if mascot madness makes you happy, by all means. Brackets should be fun. But if you want to go in with a sound strategy to take down your bracket contest, we’ve got some tips to consider. And one of our experts has even already predicted the outcome of each first-round matchup to make it easier on you.

Picking high seeds to lose early isn’t the best idea, but…

Only two No. 1 seeds have lost to a No. 16 seed since the men’s tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Both upsets have happened in the last seven years. No. 16 seed UMBC beat No. 1 overall seed Virginia in 2018 in what then stood alone as the biggest seeding upset in tournament history. Then Fairleigh Dickinson upended Zach Edey and Purdue in 2023.Looking deeper, No. 2 seeds lose in the second round to either a No. 7 or 10 seed 1.2 times per tournament. It’s not a bad idea to have at least one No. 2 seed fall short of the Sweet 16.Ten out of 120 No. 13 seeds have posted wins since the field expanded, and there were none last year. And remember, only one team seeded 14-16 has ever won.What used to be deemed impossible is now at least feasible in the modern iteration of college basketball with more parity. But it remains an overwhelming long shot.If you’re entering your brackets into Bracket Mayhem, you’ll have two chances at ,000 — one each for our men’s and women’s contests*. Winner takes all in each bracket, so you’re going to have to beat out a lot of competition. But the price (free) is right.

JuJu Watkins leads USC into the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

[Full NCAA tournament bracket revealed | Printable bracket]Then there’s betting lines, where you can look to BetMGM for first-round point spreads and futures. Keep in mind that point spreads consider which way the public is leaning in addition to expert input.

Where to look for upsets

Whether you’re a die-hard hoops head, a casual or someone who’s never watched a college basketball game, there’s a decent chance you’ve been invited to fill out a bracket. If you’re in one of the latter camps and want to play, don’t be discouraged.Finally, if you’re torn, let the experts be your guide. Analytics guru Ken Pomeroy crunches the advanced data and spits out a ranking system called KenPom for the men’s field. Think of it as a top 25 from the analytics set — and one that extends to the entire 363 NCAA Division-I field.In total, 61 No. 11 seeds have recorded men’s first-round upsets, which works out to a roughly 39.1% win rate. No. 10 seeds aren’t far behind, with 60 total first-round wins. No. 12 seeds have produced 55 first-round winners, No. 13 seeds 33 and No. 14 seeds 23.Per the NCAA, 11-6 upsets are the most common, even more than 10-7s, but just barely. From there, the commonality of upsets corresponds with the gap in seeding from 12-5 and so on all the way to the elusive 16-1 upset. This doesn’t consider 8-9 matchups, which are as close to pick ’ems as it gets. Go with your gut in those games.High-seed upsets are even more rare on the women’s side. No. 16 Harvard beat No. 1 seed Stanford in 1998. That remains the lone first-round upset of an NCAA women’s No. 1 seed since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1994. In fact, it’s the only time a team seeded 14-16 has ever recorded a win in the women’s tournament. Per the NCAA, those teams are 1-360 in NCAA tournament play.March is here.* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; void where prohibited. Open only to legal residents of the 50 U.S., D.C. or CA, 18+. Entry period ends prior to official tournament tip-off on 3/20/25 for Men’s Contest and 3/21/25 for Women’s Contest. See Men’s Official Rules and Women’s Official Rules.

Advanced analytics and betting lines are your friends

JuJu Watkins leads USC into the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

[Click for NCAA women’s printable bracket]Once the eight First Four teams are cut down to four, the true 64-team NCAA fields are set. You can fill out your brackets now, but if you think any of the First Four teams have a chance to make a deep run, it’s best to hold off on that section of your bracket to make sure the teams you’re picking actually advance to the field.

Tournament games start in Round 1, which is split up into 16 games each on Thursday and Friday for the men and Friday and Saturday for the women. Higher seeds will play corresponding lower seeds in the four bracket regions — East, South, Midwest and West — which are split up into 16 teams. The No. 1 seed will play the No. 16 seed; the No. 2 seed will play the No. 15 seed — and so on until the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds face off.

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Damis, Johnson Awarded Weekly LEC Awards from Weekend Action

Published

21 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Keene State College student-athletes honored by the Little East Conference for their achievements accomplished for the week of January 5-11.

Men’s Swimming and Diving

Freshman diver Keegan Johnson (Durham, N.H.) was named the LEC Diver of the Week and the Rookie Diver of the Week from his dives across the Owls’ final two home meets this season over the past weekend. Against Eastern Connecticut State University, Johnson placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 129.75 on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday morning against Norwich University, he placed first in the 1M diving with a score of 141.38 and first in the 3M diving with a score of 170.31.

Johnson and the Owls return to action for a double-dual meet against Brandeis University and Bridgewater State University on Saturday, January 17 at 12:00 PM.

Men’s Indoor Track and Field

Senior Eden Damis (Nashua, N.H.) was named the LEC Field Athlete of the Week from his performance at the Middlebury Snowflake Invitational on Saturday for the Owls. In the long jump, Damis posted a mark of 14.00 in the triple just for a new personal record in his final attempt of the day. His mark became the 21st best mark in NCAA Division III on the season, just one position for qualifying for nationals later this season.

Damis and the Owls return to action at the Panther Invitational I at Plymouth State University on Saturday, January 17, at 10:00 AM.

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TCNJ’s Garcia-Beltran and Scepkowski, Farmingdale State’s Vitale Earn NJAC Women’s Indoor Weekly Honors

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37 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

PITMAN — The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its women’s indoor track & field weekly honors for the week ending Jan. 11

TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
LUCIA GARCIA-BELTRAN • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Hopewell, NJ/Hopewell Valley Central

Garcia-Beltran earned NJAC Track Athlete of the Week honors after setting a new program record in the 60 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior sprinter and Rutgers transfer clocked a time of 7.63 seconds, which ranks fifth in NCAA Division III.

FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
SARAH SCEPKOWSKI • The College of New Jersey
Senior • Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson

Scepkowski claimed NJAC Field Athlete of the Week recognition after clearing 1.60 meters in the high jump at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The senior’s mark ranks 20th in NCAA Division III and stands as one of the top performances in the conference this season.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

AMELIA VITALE • Farmingdale State College

Freshman • Hauppauge, NY/Hauppauge

Vitale was named NJAC Rookie of the Week after posting a time of 2:30.87 in the 800 meters at the Spartan Invitational. The freshman’s performance represents the top mark in the event thus far in the NJAC this season and establishes her as the conference’s early leader in the middle-distance event.

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TCNJ Sweeps NJAC Men’s Indoor Weekly Honors; Rychkov, Paulmenn, Akinboboye Honored

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53 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

PITMAN — The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its men’s indoor track & field weekly honors for the week ending Jan. 11.

TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
MAXIM RYCHKOV • The College of New Jersey
Sophomore • Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville

Rychkov earned NJAC Track Athlete of the Week honors after setting a new program record in the 400 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The sophomore clocked a time of 47.95 seconds, which ranks sixth in Division III. Rychkov’s record-breaking performance also leads both the NJAC and NCAA Metro Region in the event.

FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
BRADEN PAULMENN • The College of New Jersey
Sophomore • Monmouth Junction, NJ/South Brunswick

Paulmenn claimed NJAC Field Athlete of the Week recognition after a strong showing in two throwing events at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The sophomore recorded a mark of 15.38 meters in the shot put (third place) and 13.98 meters in the weight throw (fourth place). His weight throw mark ranks third in the NJAC and 10th in the Metro Region. Paulmenn also owns the second-best shot put mark in the NJAC and NCAA Metro Region and is 26th in Division III.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
VICTOR AKINBOBOYE • The College of New Jersey
Freshman • Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty

Akinboboye was named NJAC Rookie of the Week after clocking a time of 35.54 seconds in the 300 meters at the Lions Indoor Invitational. The freshman’s performance ranks 18th in Division III and establishes him as one of the top first-year sprinters in the conference.

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Oldani Named Week 1 MPSF Defensive Player of the Week – BYU Athletics – Official Athletics Website

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3 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Oldani had a match-high and career-high 10 digs in BYU’s season opener Friday night in Provo. He added another three digs on Saturday. Oldani also had five blocks over the two matches, as the Cougars started the season 2-0 for the fourth consecutive season.

Oldani is one of three transfers from Grand Canyon on this season’s BYU squad. He was a key contributor as a freshman last season for the Antelopes and has picked up where he left off with the Cougars.

Oldani and the No. 8 Cougars won in back-to-back sweeps last weekend over Saint Francis and have two more home matches this Friday and Saturday, as No. 10 UC San Diego visits the Smith Fieldhouse.

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BREAKING: Ahen Kim named head volleyball coach at Duke

Published

3 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Duke University hired American University volleyball head coach Ahen Kim to the same role on Jan. 12, 2026. Kim joins the Blue Devils after his best season, posting a 24-5 record and winning a Patriot League championship.

The Eagles went 64-25 during Kim’s three seasons as the head coach of the Eagles. His latest saw the Eagles clinch their 17th Patriot League title in program history and an NCAA Tournament berth.

American swept the conference awards in 2025, taking home all five honors on Nov. 17, 2025. This included a Barry Goldberg Coaching Staff of the Year award for Kim and his staff. Kim’s team went 15-1 in Patriot League play in 2025, only dropping the team’s first conference match to the Colgate Raiders on Sept. 19, 2025.

“We are incredibly grateful to Ahen for everything he has given to American University volleyball,” said American University Director of Athletics and Recreation JM Caparro in a statement. “His connection to this program runs deep…We wish him nothing but success in his next chapter.”

Duke went 5-26 in the 2025 season, finishing last in the Atlantic Coastal Conference’s standings. The Blue Devils have not won the conference since 2013. The head coaching position opened up when long-time head coach Jolene Nagel retired on Dec. 1, 2025 after 27 seasons with the team.

“I’m forever grateful to American University Volleyball and will cherish the time I’ve had coaching here both as an Assistant and as Head Coach,” Kim said in a statement. “It has been an honor to serve the program after Coach Barry, and I am extremely proud of the work by our student-athletes and staff to restore its competitive legacy.”

American will conduct a national search for its next volleyball coach.

This article was edited by Jack Stashower and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman.

sports@theeagleonline.com

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South’s Ellie Kleven named Alaska Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year

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3 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Your Sports Nation

South Anchorage senior Ellie Kleven sets to the ball for a teammate during a match against Service High on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 at South High. (Chris Bieri / ADN)

After leading the South Anchorage High volleyball team to a Cook Inlet Conference title and a dominant record of 41-5-1, senior Ellie Kleven this month became the seventh player in program history to be named Gatorade Alaska Volleyball Player of the Year.

“Winning this award means so much to me,” Kleven said. “I have always looked up to previous Gatorade Player of the Year winners and to be included in this group is really special.”

The elite setter is the second Wolverine to receive the award this decade, joining 2021-22 recipient Hanna Henrie, who was a standout outside hitter and led the program to its last state title.

“For a South athlete to receive this honor is incredibly rewarding for our coaches and players and something I hope future athletes will aspire to,” South head coach Julie Kleven said.

On the court, Ellie led the state with 1,196 assists and also recorded 434 digs, 121 service aces and 97 kills. Some of her other accolades include earning First Team All-Cook Inlet Conference and First Team All-State honors as well as receiving American Volleyball Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-American honors.

“Ellie has worked incredibly hard over the past four years and seeing her effort recognized in this way is truly special,” Julie said. “She is a player who gives 100 percent all of the time. Over the years she has also been so fortunate to have had excellent coaches and teammates that have contributed to her success. She is an elite athlete that is truly deserving of this honor.”

[‘It takes every single one of us’: South High’s volleyball success has been a collaborative effort at every level]

As Ellie’s mother and head coach, Julie couldn’t be prouder as this award recognizes a student-athlete for not only their feats of athleticism on the court, but also exceptional academic achievement and exemplary character displayed in and out of the gym.

South Anchorage head coach Julie Kleven talks to her team during a timeout from a match against Service High on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 at South High. (Chris Bieri / ADN)

“I have watched her be humble and selfless through her entire volleyball career and these traits are a big part of what has made her such a great player, teammate and leader,” Julie said. “I have also witnessed her put the same level of commitment into her academics and community service.”

Ellie maintained an 3.71 grade point average and volunteered with multiple causes, including with Western Alaska typhoon relief, organizing a food and clothing drive for displaced families. She has also donated her time to community service initiatives through South’s National Honor Society chapter, including sock drives for those in need, putting together floral arrangements for seniors and making toys for cats at a local animal shelter.

“I’m incredibly honored to have even been considered for this award and grateful to my teammates and coaches who have made me the player I am today,” Ellie said after the honor was announced Friday. “My friends, family, and anyone I’ve ever been athletically involved with has played a part in this accomplishment and I couldn’t be more thankful to them.”

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