The first weekend of the 2025 NCAA Tournament will come to a close on Sunday with 8 games that will help fill out the remainder of the Sweet 16.
The slate is headlined by top seeds like Florida, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan State and more. With so much on the line, there’s plenty of drama and storylines to pay attention to on Sunday.
Below are 4 picks for Sunday’s March Madness slate that can be found on Dabble Fantasy. If you’re new to Dabble, here’s SDS’s exclusive Dabble fantasy promo code to help you earn a welcome bonus when you sign up!
Alex Condon has been a consistent force on the glass for the Gators lately. He’s averaging 8.6 rebounds per game over his last 7 games and that includes a 5 rebound effort against Norfolk State earlier this week where he only played 22 minutes due to the blowout.
UConn was a decent rebounding team this season, but the Huskies allowed Oklahoma center Mohamed Wague to record 12 rebounds in 28 minutes on Friday. Condon is better on the glass than Wague and should be in position to take advantage of UConn’s weakness in the middle.
Mark Sears loves March. The talented Alabama guard has scored at least 16 points in 8 consecutive NCAA Tournament games. He’s also cleared 20+ points in 5 of those 7 games. That includes a 22-point performance in a tight game against Robert Morris on Friday.
Saint Mary’s has a great defense, but the Gaels haven’t seen an offense like Alabama’s this season. The Crimson Tide are No. 1 nationally in pace and Sears is at the forefront. I’m skeptical Saint Mary’s will be able to keep up in transition. And even if they are, Sears can score in the half-court, too — as Vanderbilt’s Jason Edwards was able to in Round 1.
Ole Miss has one of the lowest turnover rates in the country this season, and Brakefield’s sure-handedness is a big reason why. He did have 3 turnovers in Ole Miss’s Round of 64 win over North Carolina, but that was his first game with multiple giveaways since Feb. 12. In his last 10 games, he’s averaging 1.1 turnovers and has recorded multiple in a single game just twice.
Iowa State is a disruptive defense, but I think other players on this Ole Miss team might be more susceptible to turning the ball over in this game. Sean Pedulla, Jaylen Murray and Dre Davis all average more turnovers on a per-game basis than Brakefield does.
VJ Edgecombe has been one of the best freshmen in the country this season, but the Baylor guard hasn’t faced a team like Duke this year. The Blue Devils are elite defensively (3rd in 2-pt % defense nationally) and have the athletes on the perimeter who can hang with Edgecombe in a way that most Big 12 teams couldn’t.
Even with an athleticism advantage, Edgecombe averaged 15 points per game over his last 10 contests. He’s come in lower than this number in each of Baylor’s last 2 games, including its Round of 64 win against Mississippi State on Friday.
