Brackets Busted: A Tournament of Powerhouses with Few Shocks

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is well underway, and while the games have been thrilling, the chaos fans usually expect has been limited. With so few surprises, this year’s bracket has been one of the most predictable in recent memory. Let’s break down today’s results, the upsets that have occurred, and some fun tournament facts.

Today's Results (Sunday, March 23, 2025)

🔹 (1) Florida 77, (8) UConn 75 – In a thrilling matchup, Florida edged out UConn, ending the Huskies' impressive 13-game tournament win streak.

🔹 (1) Duke 89, (9) Baylor 66 – Duke showcased their dominance with a commanding victory over Baylor, led by a stellar performance from Tyrese Proctor, who went 7-of-8 from three-point range.

🔹 (3) Kentucky 84, (6) Illinois 75 – Kentucky advanced past Illinois with a strong offensive showing, setting up a matchup against Tennessee in the next round.

🔹 (2) Alabama 80, (7) Saint Mary's 66 – Alabama's high-octane offense proved too much for Saint Mary's, propelling them into the next round.

🔹 (4) Maryland 72, (12) Colorado State 71 – In a nail-biter, Maryland's Derik Queen hit a fadeaway buzzer-beater to secure the win over Colorado State.

🔹 (6) Ole Miss 91, (3) Iowa State 78 – Ole Miss pulled off an upset with a convincing win over Iowa State, showcasing their offensive prowess.

🔹 (2) Michigan State 71, (10) New Mexico 63 – Michigan State's experience and depth were on display as they handled New Mexico to advance.

🔹 (4) Arizona 87, (5) Oregon 83 – In a high-scoring affair, Arizona edged out Oregon to move forward in the tournament.

Where Have the Upsets Gone?

While this tournament has featured its share of dramatic games, it has lacked the underdog victories fans crave. Here are the only games where a lower-seeded team has knocked out a higher seed:

First Round Upsets

(12) McNeese over (5) Clemson – McNeese stunned Clemson to give fans one of the few true upsets so far.
(10) Arkansas over (7) Kansas – An evenly matched game, but technically an upset win for Arkansas.
(9) Creighton over (8) Louisville – A classic 8 vs. 9 showdown, with Creighton coming out on top.
(9) Baylor over (8) Mississippi State – Another tight game where Baylor advanced.
(11) Drake over (6) Missouri – Drake secured its first-ever tournament win in the Round of 64.
(10) New Mexico over (7) Marquette – New Mexico pulled off an impressive win over Marquette.
(12) Colorado State over (5) Memphis – One of the biggest first-round surprises, as Colorado State sent Memphis home early.

Second Round Upsets

(10) Arkansas over (2) St. John's – The Razorbacks took down a heavily favored St. John’s squad.
(5) Michigan over (4) Texas A&M – Michigan proved too much for A&M, showing off a powerful offense.
(6) Ole Miss over (3) Iowa State – A huge defensive performance helped Ole Miss knock off a higher seed.
(6) BYU over (3) Wisconsin – A thriller that saw BYU edge out the Badgers.

Tournament and Bracket Fun Facts

🏀 The Final Perfect Bracket is Busted!

One lucky fan rode a perfect bracket through 42 straight games, but the dream ended when Kentucky defeated Illinois.

🏀 No Lower-Seeded Teams Left

For the first time since 2007, not a single team seeded 11th or lower remains in the field.

🏀 Only Four Conferences Represented

This is the first time in tournament history that only four conferences make up the final 16 teams. Every other tournament has had at least seven conferences represented at this stage.

🏀 SEC Dominance

The SEC has seven teams still alive, the most by any conference in history.

Join Pregame Sports Bar Crawls!

As the tournament continues, be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming Pregame Sports pub crawls at the best sports bars with exclusive drink specials and a great party with other fans.