NCAA Basketball Bracket Projections: February 18th, 2025

Super Tuesday is upon us and there is a gigantic of slate of College Basketball tonight, but March is quickly approaching. Fans are very eager to fill out their March Madness brackets, so let’s take a look at what the current bracket might look like. Using projections from brains much smarter than mine, I have come up with my own rankings.

Call it a little Shaggy Bracketology, eh?

Let’s stop messing around and see if I know anything.

NCAA Basketball March Madness Bracket Projections

Again, here are my own personal projections. To make it easier on myself, I will not do anything region specific, and instead just give you the seedings for each team. Feel free to agree or disagree, that’s the point!!

Top 16 Teams

• #1 Seeds: Auburn, Duke, Florida, Houston
• #2 Seeds: Alabama, Iowa State, Texas A&M, Wisconsin
• #3 Seeds: Tennessee, Texas Tech, Kentucky, Purdue
• #4 Seeds: Michigan, St. John’s, Marquette, Missouri

My next four up (#5 Seeds) would be Michigan State, Arizona, Kansas & Maryland. Following them (#6 Seeds) would be Mississippi State, Louisville, Clemson and Saint Mary’s. The Gaels are not currently ranked in the Top 25, although they received the 2nd most votes of non-ranked teams this week, however I see them winning out, dominating the WCC conference and ending with a stellar 29-4 record going into the Big Dance.

Now before you send me to the Sun for my projections, let me at least argue a few points.

Arguments for My Bracket Projections

The Top 4

Auburn is the best team in the country, plain and simple. They proved that in Tuscaloosa last Saturday. The Tigers are EASILY the #1 overall seed, barring a total meltdown.

Nobody in the ACC is stopping Duke. They’ll most likely win out and win the conference tournament with ease so they are next up.

Florida is current #2 in the nation with just 3 losses, all in SEC play. Although they end the season with potentially three ranked matchups, two of them are at home and the Gators are a very tough team to compete with.

As for Houston, if they win out, which unfortunately I could see them doing, they will no doubt be a #1 seed. Houston faces #8 Iowa State at home, have a revenge spot against #9 Texas Tech, and host #23 Kansas, along with a few other tune up games. The Cougars are the #1 team in the country according to Haslametrics and Bart Torvik, and are the #1 overall defense according to those sites as well. They suffocate teams, control games, and I could see Kelvin Sampson getting his team ready for war down the stretch.

Four Runner Ups

Following the #1 seeds, we have Alabama who is arguably a one seed, but they are staring down the barrel of six straight ranked games (three on the road including @ Auburn), so I see them dropping a few and ending up as a two seed in the bracket. Alabam made a Final Four run last year, but teams have certainly figured out how to stop them, and the SEC is loaded.

Iowa State remains one of the best teams on both sides of the floor, and with an easier schedule down the stretch, I see the Cyclones finishing strong. Texas A&M gets the nod for being in the SEC Gauntlet and having their remaining tougher matchups at home (besides @ Florida).

As for the Badgers, I have completely bought into this team. They have just one ranked opponent left on their schedule and face three of the bottom 5 teams in the conference as well. The Badgers are primed to make a run for the Big Ten Title, especially considering the paths both Michigan schools have (which we will get into later). Again, this is hypothetical involves the Badgers winning their final six conference games, but I think they have it in them.

Other Hot Takes?

I’ll admit my 3s, 4s, and 5s are mostly tame, I’m sure the Saint Mary’s Gaels raised some eyebrows. Like I eluded to above, Saint Mary’s could easily finish with a 29-4 record by winning their remaining games and both potential WCC Conference Tournament matchups. With the rest of the Top 25 beating up on each other, this could be a great way for Saint Mary’s to sneak into the rankings and snag a six seed. KenPom has the Gaels ranked 21st overall with a Top 50 strength of schedule.

Don’t be fooled when this team makes a late run and turns some heads.

To my Michigan and Michigan State fans, both teams are great, but will not benefit from their games later in the schedule. Although Sparty has been on quite the run, they face #13 Purdue, #12 Michigan and #20 Maryland on the road, as well as going to Iowa City. The Spartans they host #11 Wisconsin and the Wolverines again, which I believe could lead to at least 3, maybe 4 losses down the stretch for Izzo’s crew.

I think Michigan splits the series with their in-state rival, but play in Lincoln, against Illinois, and host #20 Maryland as well. Winning the Big Ten will be much tougher for these two teams than Wisconsin, in my eyes, causing them to drop seeding in the bracket. Purdue also has a relatively easy schedule but they lost all my faith a while ago.

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