March is finally here.
While the major conferences still have roughly one more week of regular-season matchups, most conferences begin their end-of-season tournament at some point this week. Along with that is the anticipation that leads up to Selection Sunday on March 16.
Where does the NCAA Tournament bracket stand today? We’re here to break down who’s in, who’s out, and the most surprising teams and storylines from the bunch.
2025 March Madness Bracket Predictions
There’s still so much movement that can happen, as conference tournaments put immense pressure on teams on the bubble to perform to the best of their abilities.
It’s also worth noting that if a team that previously was nowhere near making the tournament but wins a Power 4 conference tournament—an example being the NC State Wolfpack in 2024—receives an automatic bid, that bumps a bubble team out of the tournament.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Who’s In?
Georgia Bulldogs — 18-11 (6-10 SEC)
After a strong week, the Bulldogs have put themselves in a position to make the 68-team field. They began with a monumental upset victory over No. 3 Florida, notching their third Quad-1 victory of the season. Six days later, they defeated fellow bubble team, the Texas Longhorns, in dominant fashion on the road.
The expectation is that 12 teams from the SEC will get in; Georgia sits in 11th place, with games against the last-place South Carolina Gamecocks and established NCAA Tournament team Vanderbilt Commodores remaining.
The Bulldogs are a combined 14-0 in Quads 2-4 — a loss to the Gamecocks would be extremely detrimental to their resume, but considering how well they’ve played of late, they should roll and continue on their path to the Big Dance.
KEEP READING: 2025 Selection Sunday: When and Where to Watch the NCAA Bracket Reveal
Indiana Hoosiers — 18-11 (9-9 Big Ten)
Just weeks ago, the Hoosiers had a 14-10 record and looked dead in the water. Now, they’ve engineered four wins in their last five games and have a chance to reach 20 wins in the regular season, with matchups against the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes remaining on the schedule.
The emergence of their defense and the scoring of junior forward Malik Reneau have been the fuel behind their run, which has included victories over two top-25 teams, the No. 11 Michigan State Spartans and No. 13 Purdue Boilermakers. Until those games, they hadn’t had an excellent victory on their resume—now they have two.
They very well could crumble in their last two games, which would likely push them outside the bubble, barring a Big Ten Tournament run. But their improved play of late inspires belief that they can continue on and hear their name called on Selection Sunday.
North Carolina Tar Heels — 19-11 (12-6 ACC)
Another team that looked like their season was over at the beginning of February has rebounded to win their last five games. Head coach Hubert Davis, who’s endured plenty of criticism this season, may have found his best starting lineup after beginning the season with four guards in the starting five.
Freshman guard Ian Jackson has moved to the bench, where his dynamic scoring provides an immediate pop for the Tar Heels when he comes into the game. UNC’s major flaw in making the tournament is that they only have one Quad 1 victory — that would be the lowest of any team to make the tournament with an at-large bid.
But it’s worth considering that the ACC has shown itself to be arguably the worst Power Four conference in college basketball, which can either help or hurt their case.
The Virginia Tech Hokies and No. 2 Duke Blue Devils remain on the schedule — a must-win followed by a game that if the Tar Heels come out on top, would without a doubt stamp their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
Who’s Out?
Arkansas Razorbacks — 17-12 (6-10 SEC)
The Razorbacks’ last game was as big of a dud as you’ll see this season in college basketball. Believed to be firmly inside the bubble, Arkansas sat at 6-9 in SEC play with the ability to grab their seventh win against the last-place Gamecocks. They were down 18 points at the half, scoring only 14 points of their own in the first half.
It was an incredibly uninspiring effort for a team with their season on the line. If the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee uses the eye test in any way, the Razorbacks should sit on the outside if the season were to end today. Vastly important games against Vanderbilt and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are left on the schedule.
If head coach John Calipari’s team hopes to enter the tournament picture, they’ll need to win at least one of those games and likely win a couple more in the SEC tournament.
KEEP READING: 2025 March Madness Schedule: Dates, Locations, and Key Details for NCAA Tournament
Ohio State Buckeyes — 16-13 (8-10 Big Ten)
A team with only 16 wins this late in the season rarely garners buzz in terms of making the NCAA Tournament, but that’s where the bubble lands in 2025. The strength of the Big Ten has led to the expectations that they could send 10 teams to the tournament — but with their current resume, one of those shouldn’t be the Buckeyes.
Ohio State hasn’t looked like a tournament-worthy team for over a month now, having lost five of their last eight — two of those wins have come over the lowly Washington Huskies and USC Trojans.
Yet the Buckeyes have a major chance to stamp their ticket with two wins in their final two games of the regular season. Fellow bubble teams, the Hoosiers and Nebraska Cornhuskers are left on the schedule; two wins and another in the conference tournament may be just enough to sneak into the dance.
Oklahoma Sooners — 17-12 (4-12 SEC)
Yet another team is still being considered for the field of 68 that wouldn’t have been in years past, according to their record. The Sooners have only managed four conference victories after beginning the season 13-0 in non-conference play.
While there were decisive victories over the Michigan Wolverines, Arizona Wildcats, and Louisville Cardinals in that span, Oklahoma has looked like a completely different team in the new year.
They’ve won only once in their past eight games, although multiple games have come down to the final possession. But in the world of NET Rankings, that doesn’t matter. Additionally, a loss to the LSU Tigers earlier this month puts a major stain on the Sooners’ resume.
The No. 15 Missouri Tigers are next, and they have a winnable game against the Longhorns to finish the season. But it remains to be seen if that will be enough to get Oklahoma into the tournament.
Biggest Surprises
ACC – Only Three NCAA Tournament Locks
Heading into the season, the ACC had only two teams ranked in the AP Poll’s top 25. While that signaled the potential disappointment that lay ahead, the conference’s 2025 campaign has been disastrous.
Yet the conference still has five teams with 20 or more wins and two knocking on the door with 19 wins. Despite that, only three are serious locks to make it in the field of 68: Duke Blue Devils, Clemson Tigers, and Louisville.
The SMU Mustangs, for example, have 21 wins to their name with two very winnable games remaining, including the ACC tournament. If they push to 25 wins, will they finally move into serious consideration?
We may not know unless they do it, but it’s undoubtedly a bad look for historically one of the best conferences in college basketball.
San Francisco – 23 Wins but Work To Do
With the SEC and Big Ten widely considered to be extremely deep conferences that can send 10 or more teams to the tournament, some mid-major teams were bound to feel the effects.
The Dons had compiled 23 wins prior to the WCC tournament, and they’ll be favored to win their quarterfinal matchup before meeting the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the second round.
If they are able to defeat the Bulldogs—who will be heavy favorites—it’ll be an interesting case study of how much attention the Selection Committee pays to mid-major conference tournaments and how much they truly matter.
If they do take San Francisco seriously, who’s been a terrific competitor in the WCC this season, they should spark a conversation during the selection process—if not make it in altogether.
KEEP READING: 5 Must-Watch Mid-Major Teams Poised for a March Madness Run
Meet the Next 2024 NC State Team – Big 12’s Kansas State Wildcats
Last year’s edition of the NC State Wolfpack made a magical run all the way to the Final Four. They entered the ACC Tournament as the No. 10 seed with no previous consideration of advancing to the NCAA Tournament. They then won five games in five days, capturing the ACC championship and earning an automatic bid into the dance.
From there, they won four more games before falling to the Purdue Boilermakers in the Final Four.
Teams like that don’t come around every year, but who may that team be this season?
The Kansas State Wildcats of the Big 12 are prime candidates. They endured a stretch in December and January, losing nine of 10 games, drowning their postseason hopes. But they followed that stretch with six straight wins, including upsets over three ranked opponents.
Since then, they lost four in a row and recently got back into the win column after defeating the Colorado Buffaloes. A streaky team, the Wildcats’ five leading scorers are all upperclassmen — two formulas found in many teams that make a late-season run.
Although unlikely overall, as Kansas State very well could be eliminated quickly in the Big 12 Tournament, they absolutely have the potential to surprise the entire college basketball world and make a memorable run.
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