After a calm first round in the 2025 men’s NCAA tournament, fans wanted more drama. The 32 remaining teams delivered.
Houston got a late block to seal a win over Gonzaga. John Calipari sent Rick Pitino home in a battle of former Kentucky coaches. BYU survived against Wisconsin. Florida‘s Walter Clayton Jr. hit a clutch 3-pointer to beat back-to-back defending champion UConn, and then Derik Queen beat the buzzer to send Maryland to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016.
No mid-majors remain in the field, the SEC has seven teams moving on. In fact, only four conferences are represented in the regional semifinals.
If we’re lucky, every game in Atlanta, Newark, Indianapolis and San Francisco will offer even more drama and memorable moments.
We’re here to help establish a new world order with the 16 teams left vying for the 2025 national title.
Check out everything we had learned about the teams after the first day of the second round on Saturday and after the second day of the second round on Sunday.
Original seed: No. 1 seed (East)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s 93-49 (first round); defeated No. 9 Baylor 89-66 (round of 32)
After North Carolina lost to Duke for the third time this season in the ACC tournament semifinals, Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said the Blue Devils are bigger than Cooper Flagg, who’d missed the game due to an injury. “Duke is the No. 1 team in the country because they are a team. It’s not just one or two guys,” Davis said in the postgame news conference. “It’s a number of guys that are really impactful and really good on both ends of the floor.” So far, the Blue Devils haven’t proved him wrong. Beating the 1-seed in the East will require solving the riddle of its freshman trio — Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, all projected lottery draft picks. It will also, however, require shutting down junior guard Tyrese Proctor, who averaged 21.0 PPG, including 63% from 3 over the past three contests. If Proctor continues to excel, Duke might be nearly impossible to stop the rest of the way.
Up next: vs. Arizona in Newark (Thursday, 9:39 p.m. ET, CBS)
Original seed: No. 1 seed (West)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 16 Norfolk State 95-69 (first round); defeated No. 8 UConn 77-75 (round of 32)
Last summer, Walter Clayton Jr. tested the NBA draft waters. Without a first-round guarantee, he decided to return to Florida for his senior year, with his announcement on social media featuring the simple caption, “1 more.” Clayton’s return is a great example of the benefits of the NIL landscape of college basketball. Before NIL rules, he might have kept his name in the NBA draft to try to make money to support himself and his family. Now, the pressure to make a decision about his career has eased, and he can make money while still playing college basketball. The move also has helped him expand his role for the Gators, improve his draft stock and lead to him being named an AP first-team All-American on the back of stellar performances — including 23 points and a clutch 3-pointer to seal the game against UConn. Thanks to him, the Gators are returning to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017.
Up next: vs. Maryland in San Francisco (Thursday, 7:39 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
Original seed: No. 1 seed (Midwest)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 16 SIU Edwardsville 78-40 (first round); defeated No. 8 Gonzaga 81-76 (round of 32)
At Big 12 media day in October, Kelvin Sampson challenged L.J. Cryer to step up this season. “He spent too much time trying to impress me last year,” Sampson told ESPN. “I told him he had to just play.” Well, challenge accepted. The former Baylor transfer is the catalyst for the best offense Sampson has coached at Houston. The Cougars already had the nation’s best defense, and now they lead the nation in 3-point shooting (39.8%), as well. Cryer indeed stepped up to become a leader of a group that includes Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp and J’Wan Roberts — and could finally win Houston its first national championship. All because Sampson established a challenge for Cryer over the summer.
Up next: vs. Purdue in Indianapolis (Friday, 10:09 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
Original seed: No. 1 seed (South)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 16 Alabama State 83-63 (first round); defeated No. 9 Creighton 82-70 (round of 32)
Between Dec. 4 and March 4, Bruce Pearl’s squad lost just one game. During that three-month stretch, Johni Broome continued his push to be named national player of the year, and the Tigers became the undeniable No. 1 team in America. Then they went 3-3. But the rocky stretch provided freshman Tahaad Pettiford an opportunity to shine. The youngest on a team full of players 23 and older, he has averaged 19.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 4.0 APG through two NCAA tournament games. He also is 4-for-9 from the 3-point line. Pettiford had shown flashes of his ability during the season, recording 18 points in a victory over Purdue in December and 21 during a win against Kentucky in March. He has hit his stride, at just the right time. Pettiford is a big reason Auburn is headed to Atlanta for the Sweet 16.
Up next: vs. Michigan in Atlanta (Friday, 9:39 p.m. ET, CBS)
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Original seed: No. 2 seed (Midwest)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 15 Wofford 77-62 (first round); defeated No. 7 UCLA 67-58 (round of 32)
Rick Barnes has coached some of the greatest players in college basketball history. He had T.J. Ford, the former Wooden Award winner, when Texas reached the Final Four in 2003. Kevin Durant became the first freshman to win the Wooden Award (2007) under Barnes at Texas. He also coached current NBA players Grant Williams and Dalton Knecht. Recognized for his strong defensive teams, Barnes knows how to showcase his best players. This season, it could be Chaz Lanier, who averaged 20.0 PPG in Tennessee’s 12 most recent victories. The NCAA tournament is defined by its stars, and Lanier has been that for the Vols, who also can shut down opponents with their top-tier defense. Lanier could make the difference in taking Barnes to the Final Four for the just the second time in his career.
Up next: vs. Kentucky in Indianapolis (Friday, 7:39 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
Original seed: No. 2 seed (East)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 15 Robert Morris 90-81 (first round); defeated No. 7 Saint Mary’s 80-66 (round of 32)
After last year’s loss to UConn in the Final Four, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats needed to figure out how to play better defense. Alabama finished that campaign with a sub-100 ranking in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing UConn’s big men — Donovan Clingan and Samson Johnson — to dominate in the post. So, Oats went into the transfer portal and signed Clifford Omoruyi, a two-time All-Big Ten Defensive Team selection at Rutgers. This season’s Tide are the fastest team in America as one of its top offensive units, and they have a top-30 defense, thanks to Omoruyi. He was a big reason Saint Mary’s finished 21-for-56 inside the arc on Sunday. And Omoruyi is flexing other skills too, averaging 13.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 2.0 BPG in the NCAA tournament. As the Tide prepare for their fourth Sweet 16 trip over the past five years, they are a more complete team with Omoruyi in the lineup.
Up next: vs. BYU in Newark (Thursday, 7:09 p.m. ET, CBS)
Original seed: No. 2 seed (South)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 15 Bryant 87-62 (first round); defeated No. 10 New Mexico 71-63 (round of 32)
Tom Izzo loves football. Early in his coaching career, he even brought his passion for that sport to the basketball court, and would give his players football pads and put them through rebounding drills. It’s a perfect example of what he expects from his players at Michigan State: toughness. Izzo’s deepest NCAA tournament teams excelled in offensive rebounding and were always among the best defensive outfits in the country. This season’s Spartans have only one player (Jase Richardson) on NBA radars. They’re shooting poorly from 3, as evidenced by a 4-for-15 effort from beyond the arc against New Mexico on Sunday. But they’re 19th in offensive rebounding rate and fifth in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. They have grit. In the moments that measure a team’s competitiveness, this group continues to win. That’s why Izzo is back in the Sweet 16.
Up next: vs. Ole Miss in Atlanta (Friday, 7:09 p.m. ET, CBS)
Original seed: No. 3 seed (Midwest)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 14 Troy 76-57 (first round); defeated No. 6 Illinois 84-75 (round of 32)
The initial narrative about Kentucky this season acknowledged its high scoring (the Wildcats averaged 85.0 PPG, sixth in the nation entering Sunday) but also highlighted defensive holes that led to frequent defeats. After a 98-84 loss at Ole Miss on Feb. 4, the Wildcats ranked 87th in adjusted defensive efficiency, one of the worst marks for a power conference team, according to barttorvik.com. Sub-75 defensive teams rarely make deep runs in March. And yet, as Lamont Butler willed his way back to form following a shoulder injury, Kentucky climbed to 15th overall in the 12-game stretch before the victory over Illinois. That defensive growth dictated Sunday’s performance, including forcing six turnovers from Illini projected lottery pick Kasparas Jakucionis. It also could determine how far the Wildcats go in the NCAA tournament, now that they’ve reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019.
Up next: vs. Tennessee in Indianapolis (Friday, 7:39 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
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Original seed: No. 3 seed (West)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 14 UNC Wilmington 82-72 (first round); defeated No. 11 Drake 77-64 (round of 32)
Consider one of college basketball’s most incredible storylines: JT Toppin. He didn’t play basketball until middle school, and he didn’t make his varsity team until his junior year of high school, according to the Times Record News (Wichita Falls, Texas). He wasn’t inundated with Division I scholarship offers but eventually found himself at New Mexico for the 2023-24 season. There, he blossomed and won Mountain West Freshman of the Year before transferring to Texas Tech. This season, he averaged 17.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 1.3 BPG on the way to securing AP All-America second-team honors and propelling the Red Raiders to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time since 2005 and the first time under second-year head coach Grant McCasland. Yes, this run has been anchored by Texas Tech’s top-10 defense. But Toppin is the best player on the floor — and still will be when facing a Razorbacks squad with multiple NBA prospects and five-star recruits in San Francisco.
Up next: vs. Arkansas in San Francisco (Thursday, 10:09 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
10. BYU Cougars
Original seed: No. 6 seed (East)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 11 VCU 80-71 (first round); defeated No. 3 Wisconsin 91-89 (round of 32)
Kevin Young started his career as an assistant and then an associate head coach with the Phoenix Suns before BYU signed him last spring. Prior to making the switch to college, he’d been widely viewed as a future NBA head coach. It’s easy to see why. During Young’s time with the Suns, they finished top 10 in the league in offensive efficiency three times. And when he was hired by the Cougars, he brought an NBA approach with him, including hiring multiple analytics experts to help the team reach its peak. It took some time, but BYU has owned the nation’s top offense — yes, over Florida, Duke and everybody else you can think of — since Feb. 11. Richie Saunders is the leader of that offense, scoring 25 points against Wisconsin on Saturday. And now, the Cougars will make their first trip to the Sweet 16 since Jimmer Fredette led them there in 2011.
Up next: vs. Alabama in Newark (Thursday, 7:09 p.m. ET, CBS)
Original seed: No. 5 seed (South)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 12 UCSD 68-65 (first round); defeated No. 4 Texas A&M 91-79 (round of 32)
When preparing for Michigan, every opposing coach focuses on limiting the program’s two 7-footers, Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin. It’s a wise, if incomplete, approach that doesn’t account for the rest of a top-scoring team from inside the arc. The five teams Michigan just beat (Purdue, Maryland, Wisconsin, UC San Diego and Texas A&M) can attest to this. Tre Donaldson has finished in double figures in four of those five games. Nimari Burnett scored 23 points in the NCAA tournament opening round against the Tritons. Against the Aggies in the second round, Roddy Gayle Jr. had 26 points. All three have combined to make 37% of their 3-point attempts in the stretch, too — a key change, considering Michigan ranks 200th in 3-point shooting (33.3%).
Up next: vs. Auburn in Atlanta (Friday, 9:39 p.m. ET, CBS)
Original seed: No. 4 seed (West)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 13 Grand Canyon 81-49 (first round); defeated No. 12 Colorado State 72-71 (round of 32)
Cooper Flagg’s emergence as the favorite to win national player of the year and freshman of the year has overshadowed the other first-year payers this season. Derik Queen, a former high school teammate of Flagg’s at Montverde Academy (Florida), is one. Per Synergy Sports, he’s rated an “excellent” defender, a skill he crucially demonstrated with a big block against Colorado State on Sunday that turned into a fast break. Queen is also one of the most impressive players around the rim, shooting 56% inside the arc. According to Evan Miyakawa’s BPR rankings — which measures a player’s overall impact when he’s on the court — he’s even ahead of Alabama’s Mark Sears. And, he is a Baltimore native. Remember, 22 years ago a young man named Carmelo Anthony — also raised in Baltimore — led Syracuse to the national title. Flagg won’t be the only freshman trying to make magic in March in San Antonio.
Up next: vs. Florida in San Francisco (Thursday, 7:39 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
13. Arizona Wildcats
Original seed: No. 4 seed (East)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 13 Akron 93-65 (first round); defeated No. 5 Oregon 87-83 (round of 32)
The Big Ten has had to answer perennial questions about its national championship drought, which is now at 25 years. But the former Pac-12’s drought was longer — Arizona was the last team to win it, in 1997. That was also the last time a team west of the Mississippi River won the crown. Only three teams in the Central time zone — none in the Mountain or Pacific time zones — have won national titles in that span. Can the Wildcats, now in the Big 12, change that history? It’s possible. Arizona is playing in the NCAA tournament with the same confidence it had during a 13-1 streak earlier in the season. The Wildcats also have a strong backcourt. Caleb Love (29 points against Oregon on Sunday) has finished with 19 or more points in nine games since Jan. 21. Based on Sunday’s effort, the former Pac-12 player of the year could put his team on his back again later this week.
Up next: vs. Duke in Newark (Thursday, 9:39 p.m. ET, CBS)
14. Ole Miss Rebels
Original seed: No. 6 seed (South)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 11 North Carolina 71-64 (first round); defeated No. 3 Iowa State 91-78 (round of 32)
At both the junior college and Division II levels, where roster turnover is the norm, Chris Beard led multiple programs to postseason tournaments. He’s navigating the turnover in Division I as well: Two transfers — Matt Mooney (South Dakota) and Tariq Owens (St. John’s) — were starters on his 2019 Texas Tech team that reached the national title game. Ole Miss, the fourth D-I program he has led to the NCAA tournament, is also full of transfers: all-SEC third-team selection Sean Pedulla and Jaylen Murray are at their second schools, and Dre Davis and Malik Dia are playing for their third college program. The moving pieces don’t scare Beard. Throughout his career, he has proved he can thrive when tasked with adding new players to a roster. This Ole Miss group has come together and is playing at its best (49% from the 3-point line in the NCAA tournament) in the final chapter of the 2024-25 season.
Up next: vs. Michigan State in Atlanta (Friday, 7:09 p.m. ET, CBS)
Original seed: No. 4 seed (Midwest)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 13 High Point 75-63 (first round); defeated No. 12 McNeese 76-62 (round of 32)
Before Zach Edey, no player had won the Wooden Award two years in a row in nearly 50 years. That kind of player leaves a shadow when he turns pro — but Edey’s former teammate Trey Kaufman-Renn (20.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG on the season), an All-Big Ten first-team selection, has been an admirable replacement. The team’s bigger loss with Edey’s departure was his defensive impact: After ranking top-25 defensively over the previous two seasons, they began the 2024-25 campaign similarly strong — then fell to 160th in adjusted defensive efficiency during a nine-game losing stretch to end the regular season. Could that be changing again? Purdue’s path to the Sweet 16 seemed easier than most — both opponents were double-digit seeds and were dispatched handily — but in the tournament so far, Matt Painter’s squad has demonstrated some of the defensive chops that led to early-season wins over fellow Sweet 16 teams Alabama and Maryland.
Up next: vs. Houston in Indianapolis (Friday, 10:09 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
Original seed: No. 10 seed (West)
NCAA tournament results: Defeated No. 7 Kansas 79-72 (first round); defeated No. 2 St. John’s 75-66 (round of 32)
During offseason practices, Arkansas was so decimated by injuries that John Calipari sometimes didn’t have five players available at once for practice. It didn’t matter that he had assembled a talented roster of elite recruits (Boogie Fland, Karter Knox, Billy Richmond III) and coveted transfers (D.J. Wagner, Johnell Davis, Jonas Aidoo, Zvonimir Ivisic). With just nine scholarship players on the roster, he faced a challenge with building chemistry, particularly when the injury bug lingered into the season. Fland (14.6 PPG) injured his hand in mid-January and missed 15 games, though he returned to the lineup for the NCAA tournament. Adou Thiero, the team’s top scorer (15.6 PPG), injured his knee and hasn’t played since Feb. 22. And yet, Arkansas is making Calipari’s first Sweet 16 run since 2019. The Razorbacks have never had a talent problem — they just needed more time together.
Up next: vs. Texas Tech in San Francisco (Thursday, 10:09 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV)
