An awesome event, the 2025 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament is on the horizon and SBS is here with a breakdown of the top four squads poised to make a run this March. Leading into this report, Duke is the favorite after having a stellar season (28-3) and most recently coming off a thrashing of their rival, North Carolina, 82-69 this past weekend. Meanwhile, another top three squad, Houston, is aiming to make a run of its own following a fantastic regular season (27-4) heading into the Big 12 Tournament. Finally, a pair of SEC teams are in the mix as Florida and Auburn are ready for a national championship. The latter squad is especially dangerous as they have been the number one team in the country most of the year, but recently dropped back-to-back games against rival Alabama and Texas A&M.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming from the world of NCAA basketball, along with some additional notes and info regarding basketball betting.
| NCAA Basketball March Madness 2025 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | +325 | +325 | +325 |
| Auburn | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Florida | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Houston | +800 | +800 | +800 |
Head coach Jon Scheyer’s squad this season has been led by phenomenal freshman Cooper Flagg and has buoyed the Blue Devils to another successful regular season campaign. After starting the season ranked in the top ten, Duke has steadily risen up the ranks to around the second-best team in the country thanks to its fantastic core of players. While the Blue Devils did falter against then No. 1 Kansas back in November, they rebounded with a win over No. 2-ranked Auburn to start December and have run roughshod through the ACC. With an overall mark of 19-1 in the tough ACC, Duke has shown they are clearly the class of the conference and should keep that momentum going through March.
While the Tigers did drop back-to-back games to close the regular season, they still should be proud of their 15-3 mark in the SEC this year, given the fact that the conference is arguably the strongest in the country. Starting conference play with a 9-0 record, their only losses came to No. 6 Florida, the Tide (No. 7) and a physical Aggies team (22). Auburn is coached by veteran head coach Bruce Pearl so the Tigers will be able to rebound heading into the conference tournament thanks to their veteran head coach and talented group of players on their roster. In terms of players to watch, frontcourt star Johni Broome headlines the list and is the key to Auburn making a long postseason run.
Another dynamic team, the Gators have persevered from some controversy surrounding head coach Todd Golden to put together another fantastic season with an overall mark of 27-4. With a perfect mark of 13-0 in non-conference play, Florida is in an excellent position to be a dark horse contender for the national championship. Perhaps the most notable win in their season to date was an obliteration of No. 1 Tennessee at home back in January, 73-43. Another roster that lacks few weaknesses, Florida did have some tough spots in SEC play, but of course has the talent to crush its foe and hang with high-level contenders.
The last team on our list, the Cougars are led by 11th-year head coach Kelvin Sampson and most recently clinched their second straight outright Big 12 regular season championship earlier this month. With a 27-4 overall record and a mark of 19-1 in Big 12 play, the Cougars are a dynamic team who is also battle-tested. Guard LJ Cryer has been a fantastic offensive force for Houston this season and could be the key to knocking off high-level competition thanks to his superb playmaking ability. Forward J’Wan Roberts is another one to watch and is a mismatch problem for smaller players.
While it is very difficult to pick a team to make a strong run through the tournament year-in and year-out, Duke seems to be the squad surging at the right time and have a great opportunity to do some damage this year.
Once you are all up to speed in relation to your NCAA basketball tournament wagers, make sure to check out the excellent array of resources for you at SBS. Of course, for even more insights on college basketball, definitely check out the NCAAB betting sites guide which goes over all of the latest college basketball betting updates and beyond. Additionally, given the context of the NCAA Tournament, the March Madness Odds 2025 breakdown is a fantastic page to bookmark throughout the event for qualified customers. Here you can find all of the latest NCAA Tournament details going on and how you can get into the action. Finally, for those looking to maximize their wagers (and are eligible), look at the best bonus betting sites rundown where you can explore the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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