Expert March Madness Brackets and Picks for the 2025 NCAA Tournament by SBD

• SBD’s team of experts has submitted their 2025 NCAA Tournament brackets
• See who everyone is picking to win the title and which double-digit seeds can play Cinderella
• See below for SBD’s expert March Madness bracket picks

The first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament is less than 72 hours away. Time is running out to fill out your brackets and submit them to any and all bracket contests you can find. As we do every year, SBD’s editorial staff has submitted their expert March Madness brackets for your consideration.

Use the links below to jump directly to a bracket. The table under the links summarizes the main points of each expert’s bracket.

Jump to: Sascha Paruk’s Bracket |  Zach Reger’s Bracket | Paul Constanzo’s Bracket  | Matthew McEwan’s Bracket | Ian Jones’ Bracket

SBD Expert March Madness Picks 2025

Sascha Paruk’s March Madness Bracket

My 2025 bracket is fairly chalky and I do think this is a top-heavy season. I see about nine teams that have both the talent and depth to make a run all the way to the national championship. The one area of my bracket where there is complete mayhem is the Midwest, where I have #12 McNeese, #13 High Point, and #14 Troy all advancing. I also have #8 Gonzaga making another run to the Final Four. But that’s not going to be a huge surprise to analytics people if it happens. The Zags are the ninth-best team in the nation in Net Rating at KenPom, and they’re almost as high at Haslametrics (10th) and Torvik (11th).

Gonzaga is supremely talented, stocked with veterans, and has arguably the best point guard in the nation in Ryan Nembhard. They have all the attributes of a March Madness champion except for a top-25 defense. Mark Few’s team sits 29th in defensive efficiency.

When it came to the Final Four, I didn’t overthink it (like I did last year with UConn). Florida and Duke look like the two best teams in the country and also rate as the two best teams in the country.

Zach Reger’s March Madness Bracket

I have possibly the hottest team in college basketball winning it all in 2025. The Gators are fresh off an SEC Tournament championship and have now won 12 of their last 13 games, including six in a row. Florida has the size and guard play to make a long run in the NCAA Tournament. Florida is 10th in the country in offensive efficiency, third in defensive efficiency, and is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the nation.

While I picked a 1-seed wining it all, there will still be plenty of upsets in the first couple of rounds. The largest first-round upset I have in my bracket is High Point (+295 ML) to upset Purdue. The Panthers have won 14 straight games and average over 82 points per game. Purdue is susceptible to early exits and their defense, especially their interior defense, is worrisome in this matchup.

I have UC San Diego reaching the Sweet 16 as a 12-seed. They are 2.5-point underdogs vs Michigan and +120 on the money line. The Tritons are a lot of fun to watch and have the metrics to back it up. UC San Diego is ranked 36th overall according to KenPom. They score a lot of points and do not turn the ball over, while Michigan does. The Wolverines could also come out slow after a grueling Big Ten Tournament where they came out victorious.

UC San Diego is +390 to reach the Sweet 16, and after they upset Michigan, I like how their three-point shooting and talented defense matchup with either Texas A&M or Yale in the Round of 32.

Paul Costanzo’s March Madness Bracket

I made the mistake of watching too many mid- and low-major tournaments this month, which led to me loving all the 12 and 13 seeds. On first look, I almost took all of them, but UC San Diego and McNeese are the two I like the most. I’m also taking a chance on North Carolina looking to shut everyone up. That’s completely vibes-based, I’ll admit.  

My other issue this year is that I love all the 1 seeds, but I can’t allow myself to pick them all to advance to San Antonio, so I went with the two I trust the most — Houston and Duke. That, combined with Michigan State’s close to the season and Texas Tech’s advanced stat profile, gave me my Final Four. I gave Houston a slight edge over Duke in Texas, and then I think the title game could be a bit of a runaway.

Matt McEwan’s March Madness Bracket

I had a really hard time picking a winner between Florida and Houston in my projected March Madness National Championship matchup. I have given the nod to Florida, as I think they are peaking at the right time.

Looking to the Gators’ last six wins, five of them came over top-25 teams and only one win had a margin of less than nine points. This team checks all the boxes for me – good defense, they secure rebounds, run a very efficient offense, are getting extremely strong play from their guards, and shoot well enough from the free throw line. The way they have dominated good teams lately should have every other top contender concerned.

I was a little hesitant to take them over Houston, though, because I believe the Cougars are going to give them a very good game. Had Jamal Shead not gotten injured in the Sweet 16 against Duke last year, I think Houston would have gone on to give UConn their only real competitive game of the tournament. This year’s team is just as good defensively, but much better offensively.

Ian Jones’ March Madness Bracket

Check out SBD’s additional March Madness betting content:

March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for college basketball fans, as 68 teams compete in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion. With so many games and potential upsets, filling out a bracket can be a daunting task. That’s where expert picks and analysis come in handy.

Sports Betting Dime (SBD) is a trusted source for sports betting information, and their experts have put together their picks for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Using a combination of statistical analysis, team performance, and expert knowledge, SBD has identified the teams most likely to succeed in this year’s tournament.

One of the key factors to consider when filling out your bracket is seeding. While upsets are common in March Madness, higher-seeded teams are generally more likely to advance further in the tournament. SBD’s experts have taken this into account when making their picks, but they also recognize that anything can happen in college basketball.

In addition to seeding, SBD’s experts have looked at each team’s performance throughout the season, taking into account factors such as strength of schedule, offensive and defensive efficiency, and key player injuries. By analyzing these factors, SBD has identified which teams are best positioned to make a deep run in the tournament.

Of course, no bracket is complete without a few upsets. SBD’s experts have also highlighted some potential Cinderella teams that could surprise fans and analysts alike. These underdogs may not be favored to win it all, but they have the talent and determination to make a splash in the tournament.

Whether you’re a casual fan looking to have some fun with your bracket or a serious bettor looking to make some money, SBD’s expert picks and analysis can help guide your decisions. With their insight and expertise, you can feel confident in your bracket selections and enjoy the excitement of March Madness to the fullest.