Who will advance to Elite Eight? See our NCAA Tournament bracket predictions for Sweet 16
In a tournament that's usually full of massive upsets and buzzer beaters, especially over the course of the first two rounds, there was rarely any of that in the men's 2025 NCAA Tournament through the first weekend of March Madness.
Only one double-digit seed (No. 10 Arkansas) has moved on to the Sweet 16, with all other schools being a six seed or lower. Furthermore, there's no surprise mid-majors making a magical run, with each of the 16 teams still standing coming from the four biggest leagues (ACC, Big East, Big Ten and SEC) in the country, including the SEC having a record-breaking seven teams (Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky Ole Miss and Arkansas) moving on to the Sweet 16.
Perhaps the most notable admission from the Sweet 16 is St. John's, as Rick Pitino's squad was upset by John Calipari and the No. 10-seed Razorbacks, 75-66.
The Red Storm shot a brutal 9.1 percent from three-point range (2-of-22) and only 28 percent from the field (21-of-75). Junior guard RJ Luis Jr., St. John's leading scorer at 18.2 points per game this season, couldn't get his shot to fall all afternoon long as he finished 3-of-17 from the field with only nine points, his lowest output since New Year's Eve against Creighton.
One matchup for Garden State fans to watch later this week comes in the East Regional at Prudential Center, when former Rutgers big men -- Alabama's Clifford Omoruyi and BYU's Mawot Mag -- face off against one another Thursday night at The Rock with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line.
Our prognosticators throughout the NCAA Tournament are: Art Stapleton (Giants/NFL writer, NorthJersey.com), Bert Bainbridge (sports betting analyst/columnist, NorthJersey.com), Jerry Carino (college basketball writer/columnist, APP.com), Steve Edelson (columnist, APP.com), Tom McGurk (sports editor, Courierpostonline.com), Chris Iseman (Rutgers writer, NorthJersey.com), Vince Mercogliano (Rangers/NHL writer, lohud.com), Zach Miller (deputy sports director, NorthJersey.com), Bob Jordan (sports editor, Asbury Park Press/APP.com), and Dave Rivera (sports editor, USA TODAY Northeast/NorthJersey.com).
Here are our staff predictions for the Sweet 16 games on Thursday and Friday nights:
Bert Bainbridge
East Regional: No. 1 Duke over No. 4 Arizona, No. 2 Alabama over No. 6 BYU
Midwest Regional: No. 1 Houston over No. 4 Purdue, No. 3 Kentucky over No. 2 Tennessee
South Regional: No. 1 Auburn over No. 5 Michigan, No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Mississippi
West Regional: No. 4 Maryland over No. 1 Florida, No. 10 Arkansas over No. 3 Texas Tech
Jerry Carino
East Regional: No. 1 Duke over No. 4 Arizona, No. 6 BYU over No. 2 Alabama
Midwest Regional: No. 1 Houston over No. 4 Purdue, No. 2 Tennessee over No. 3 Kentucky
South Regional: No. 1 Auburn over No. 5 Michigan, No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Mississippi
West Regional: No. 4 Maryland over No. 1 Florida, No. 10 Arkansas over No. 3 Texas Tech
Art Stapleton
East Regional: No. 1 Duke over No. 4 Arizona, No. 2 Alabama over No. 6 BYU
Midwest Regional: No. 1 Houston over No. 4 Purdue, No. 3 Kentucky over No. 2 Tennessee
South Regional: No. 1 Auburn over No. 5 Michigan, No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Mississippi
West Regional: No. 1 Florida over No. 4 Maryland, No. 10 Arkansas over No. 3 Texas Tech
Tom McGurk
East Regional: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 Arizona, No. 2 Alabama over No. 6 BYU
Midwest Regional: No. 1 Houston over No. 4 Purdue, No. 3 Kentucky over No. 2 Tennessee
South Regional: No. 1 Florida over No. 4 Maryland; No. 10 Arkansas over No. 3 Texas Tech
West Regional: No. 1 Auburn over No. 5 Michigan, No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Mississippi
Zach Miller
East Regional: No. 1 Duke over No. 4 Arizona, No. 2 Alabama over No. 6 BYU
Midwest Regional: No. 1 Houston over No. 4 Purdue, No. 2 Tennessee over No. 3 Kentucky
South Regional: No. 1 Auburn over No. 5 Michigan, No. 6 Mississippi over No. 2 Michigan State
West Regional: No. 4 Maryland over No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Texas Tech over No. 10 Arkansas
Dave Rivera
East Regional: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 Arizona, No. 2 Alabama over No. 6 BYU
Midwest Regional: No. 1 Houston over No. 4 Purdue, No. 2 Tennessee over No. 3 Kentucky
South Regional: No. 1 Florida over No. 4 Maryland; No. 10 Arkansas over No. 3 Texas Tech
West Regional: No. 1 Auburn over No. 5 Michigan, No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Mississippi
Steve Edelson
East Regional: No. 1 Duke over No. 4 Arizona, No. 2 Alabama over No. 6 BYU
Midwest Regional: No. 4 Purdue over No. 1 Houston, No. 2 Tennessee over No. 3 Kentucky
South Regional: No. 4 Maryland over No. 1 Florida, No. 10 Arkansas over No. 3 Texas Tech
West Regional: No. 1 Auburn over No. 5 Michigan, No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Mississippi
Vince Mercogliano
East Regional: No. 1 Duke over No. 4 Arizona; No. 2 Alabama over No. 6 BYU
Midwest Regional: No. 1 Houston over No. 4 Purdue; No. 3 Kentucky over No. 2 Tennessee
South Regional: No. 4 Maryland over No. 1 Florida; No. 10 Arkansas over No. 3 Texas Tech
West Regional: No. 5 Michigan over No. 1 Auburn; No. 2 Michigan State over No. 6 Ole Miss
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Sweet 16 picks: March Madness predictions for NCAA bracket
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