Take a breath, college hoops fans. These three days of rest are much needed after a chaotic opening weekend that likely did some damage to a lot of your brackets. Even without any crazy first round upsets, the NCAA Tournament still delivered and now leaves us with the “top” 16 teams of the 2025 college basketball season. Here’s how we view the surviving teams who are now vying to reach San Antonio at the beginning of April.
1. Duke (33-3)
No team was picked more to win the NCAA Tournament than Duke and the Blue Devils lived up to that status as the most dominant team of the opening week. Most importantly, Cooper Flagg looks healthy and dominant entering a much bigger week in his young collegiate career. He’ll look to continue his already notable legacy in Durham in a thrilling East regional.
2. Florida (32-4)
What a win for the Gators. Walter Clayton (pictured) put on a performance for the ages in the second half to knock off the two-time defending champions and keep his team’s dream season alive. Sunday’s game was survive and advance personified and Todd Golden’s group is simply happy to even be on this list after that nail biter with the Huskies.
3. Houston (32-4)
Facing Gonzaga in the Round of 32 felt like an Elite Eight game for the Cougars, but Kelvin Sampson’s group survived a late collapse to set themselves up for an exciting week ahead. I like their chances to get back to the Final Four and challenge for the first national title in program history.
4. Auburn (30-5)
The Tigers didn’t play anywhere near their best, but they’re still dancing heading to the second weekend. Two strong second halves were the difference and a matchup with Michigan shouldn’t scare Bruce Pearl’s group all that much. Expect Auburn to be the favorite in that South regional final over the weekend.
5. Tennessee (29-7)
Tennessee looked sharp in the opening week of the NCAA Tournament and should feel great about its chances to get back to the Elite Eight for the second straight season. The defense was outstanding even for their own high standards and the Vols will need it to show up again versus one of the most potent offenses in the nation.
6. Alabama (27-8)
To end the age old debate, the hare defeated the tortoise on Sunday night as Alabama handled Saint Mary’s to move on to the Sweet 16. The Crimson Tide are a fascinating matchup with top-seeded Duke in the East should both teams get to the regional final in what would easily be the battle of the tournament next weekend.
7. Kentucky (24-11)
For the first time since before COVID, the Kentucky Wildcats are still dancing in the second weekend. It’s a shocking fact but one that loses substance when Cats fans realize John Calipari took No. 10 Arkansas there as well. The only way they end the season satisfied is by surpassing the run of their former coach, which will at the very least require knocking off Tennessee for the third time this season.
8. Texas Tech (27-8)
Injuries remain a problem for the Red Raiders, but they didn’t stop them from pushing through the first weekend anyway. They overwhelmed Drake in the paint on Saturday to set up a date with John Calipari and Arkansas in the Sweet 16, which should be one of the matchups of the weekend in college hoops.
9. Maryland (27-8)
The Terps finally found themselves on the right side of a buzzer-beater, but not before Colorado State seemingly crushed their hopes again with a go-ahead 3-pointer in the game’s final seconds. Derik Queen was the hero as the Crab Five extended its season at least one more week in the best finish of the weekend out in Seattle.
10. Michigan State (29-6)
They didn’t look sharp in either game, but the Spartans continued Tom Izzo’s legacy in March with two wins to move on in the South regional. Their depth stands out the most from the first weekend, especially Coen Carr who had arguably his two best games of his Michigan State career to provide a boost when his team needed it most.
11. Arizona (24-12)
The Wildcats looked dead in the water early in Sunday night’s matchup with Oregon but powered through to come back and eliminate the Ducks in a battle between two former Pac-12 schools. The win also sets up Caleb Love with another chance to break Duke’s hearts, although it’ll take a career-best performance just to give his team a chance against the tournament favorites.
12. Ole Miss (24-11)
The ability to light it up from beyond the arc and suffocate opponents defensively is proving to be a great recipe for Chris Beard, who is no stranger to shocking the world in the NCAA Tournament, and the Rebels. His team frustrated UNC just enough in the first round and dominated Iowa State on Sunday to give the SEC a bit more to brag about after a terrific opening week.
13. Michigan (27-9)
The Wolverines continued their impressive run from the Big Ten Tournament this weekend to advance past perhaps the most difficult draw for a No. 5 seed in the bracket. They held off UC San Diego in the first round and stormed back against Texas A&M two days later to get off the west coast and meet the No. 1 overall seed in Atlanta coming up.
14. Purdue (24-11)
The reigning national runner-up was arguably the most disrespected No. 4 seed in the tournament, yet the Boilermakers are still standing and ready to face a relentless Houston squad that could easily win it all. The Cougars love to blitz ball screens, which is what Purdue does best, so how Braden Smith reacts to them will likely decide who moves on. I’ve got the Cougars by double-digits.
15. BYU (26-9)
BYU came into the NCAA Tournament on a tear, but a first round matchup with VCU was always a nightmare for the high-powered offense. It proved to not be a problem, and neither did No. 3 Wisconsin, whose late comeback attempt fell short to send the Cougars to the Sweet 16.
16. Arkansas (22-13)
The Razorbacks always had the talent to get here, but a slow start to SEC play made it seem like a fantasy. That fantasy became reality as Coach Cal’s group came together to knock off St. John’s and improbably reach the second weekend. It won’t be easy to extend the season another week, but there’s no doubt they have the five-star talent to make it happen.
Players of the Week:
Walter Clayton, Florida Gators
A new March star was born on Sunday afternoon in Raleigh. Clayton took over when his team needed it most against UConn with 15 points in the second half to lift the Gators into the Sweet 16. If they go on to win a national championship, Florida fans will never forget this performance from their senior.
JT Toppin, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech obliterated Drake in the paint on Saturday night and the combination of Toppin and Darrion Williams was the biggest reason why. The pair combined for 53 of Texas Tech’s 77 points as the sophomore standout posted consecutive double-doubles to begin the NCAA Tournament.
Tyrese Proctor, Duke Blue Devils
Proctor started the postseason 0-10 from beyond the arc in his first two games, but the Australian junior looks like Davidson Steph Curry from the perimeter since. That’s a bit dramatic, but his emergence as a perimeter threat takes Duke to another level that it didn’t need to succeed to begin with. Proctor is 13-18 from distance to begin the NCAA Tournament and the biggest reason why the Blue Devils cruised past their opponents this weekend.
LJ Cryer, Houston Cougars
Cryer learned from one of the greatest guard trios of the 21st century (2020 Baylor) in his freshman year and put on his best impression of them on Saturday night against Gonzaga. Cryer shot lights out from beyond the arc and finished with 30 points to lift his team in the best matchup of the weekend.
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Volunteers
Offense has been the issue in Knoxville for a long time, but Chaz Lanier’s hot shooting made it a strength in two wins over Wofford and UCLA. The senior guard buried 10 triples in those contests and powered the Volunteers to the second weekend because of it.
Play of the Week
It’s never a guarantee, but it’s always electrifying when the Big Dance delivers a big buzzer-beater. Top prospect Derik Queen provided it in a big moment for Maryland who survived what would have been the biggest upset of the weekend on Sunday night. Check out the sweet moves and even better finishing from the big man who is only improving his draft stock the longer this tournament goes on.
https://x.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1903979563350126664
Video Credit: NCAA March Madness on X
