March Madness has tipped off for 2025, and already it looks like it could be shaping up to be one of the most interesting tournaments yet.
Throughout the season, there has not been one completely dominant team in Division I women’s basketball like in previous years. After coming off of an undefeated season and a national title, South Carolina has had a strong season, but have lost to teams such as the UConn Huskies and the Texas Longhorns earlier this year.
For the first time since 2021, the Gamecocks did not get the first overall seed placement, which instead went to the UCLA Bruins, who also beat South Carolina earlier in the season. Head Coach Dawn Staley expressed her disappointment and confusion with the selection committee and said her team creates a strength of schedule that should always give them the first overall seed if they execute throughout the season. While it was shocking to see another team at the top, the last thing anyone else in the tournament wants is for Staley and her team to have a chip on their shoulder, so it should be interesting to see if they can prove themselves.
Another surprising placement was UConn being a second seed in USC’s region. Earlier in the season when these teams faced off, it was a battle of the superstars with Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins, and if the teams meet in the Elite Eight, there is no doubt those two will have to battle it out again.
Other teams I will be watching closely throughout the tournament are Harvard at a 10-seed in UCLA’s bracket and third-seeded Notre Dame, which is in Texas’ region of the bracket. Harvard is being led by senior guard Harmoni Turner who scored 68 points total in Harvard’s last two games to win the Ivy League. Turner averages 22.5 points per game and shoots 44% from the floor, but it will be a huge challenge for her and the Harvard Crimson to overtake the Michigan State Spartans in the first round.
Overall, I have UConn and South Carolina facing off in the championship, and I could see it going either way, but I have to put my faith in Coach Staley and the Gamecocks — I think they are set for a repeat title and their third championship in four years.
In the men’s tournament, there has been a lot of contention over the teams that made the tournament and those that were left out. The University of North Carolina Tar Heels made it into the First Four, and will play San Diego State for the 11th seed in the South Region. The Tar Heels have an overall record of 22-13, but the bigger critique is their 1-12 record in quad one games. In comparison, the Indiana University Hoosiers had a 4-13 quad one record and the West Virginia Mountaineers went 6-10. This discrepancy was compounded by the fact that UNC’s Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham also serves as the chair of the NCAA selection committee. The Tarheels did solidify the selection with a win in the First Four, but were then knocked out by six-seeded Ole Miss.
The Southeastern Conference set a tournament record by having 14 out of its 16 teams qualify for the tournament, the most by a conference in tournament history. As a lifelong Kentucky Wildcats fan, the SEC this year is one of the most competitive conferences I have ever watched — throughout the season, it took up the AP polls and now it is taking up the bracket. When Kentucky played Auburn, I remember telling my dad “this team could win it all if they play like this,” and I still think the Auburn Tigers are really strong contenders for the championship, especially since they have been tested with tough competition all season. Personally, I will be watching Mark Pope’s March Madness debut with Kentucky closely and praying we do not repeat the last two years.
Outside of the SEC, I think the most interesting teams to watch will be St. John’s and Michigan State. Both programs started the season unranked but have proven they are fierce competitors, with both teams earning a two-seed in the tournament. Both teams are led by Hall of Fame coaches who have experience in the tournament: Rick Pitino and Tom Izzo. Between the two of them, Pitino’s team has an easier route to the Final Four, but Michigan State played eight more quad one games throughout this season than St. John’s, which could help them be more prepared for the tournament.
According to ESPN Tournament Challenge, the Duke University Blue Devils are the most picked winner for the 2025 championship. While Duke has an overall record of 31-3, with nine quad one victories, I think their young stars will be tested in this tournament, and with Alabama as a strong two-seed from the SEC that is in the East region along with Duke, there could be some upsets to look out for. Overall, I can easily see Auburn taking the championship home this year, but they will need to watch out for Izzo and his team, which is in the same region, as well as a few other SEC contenders along with them.
