Unlikely Heroes: The 2025 NCAA Tournament's Biggest Surprises

The 2025 NCAA Tournament is shaping up to be a thrilling ride, with plenty of unexpected twists and turns on the horizon. The UConn Huskies are aiming to make history by becoming only the second team to win three consecutive national titles, but their journey won't be easy. Seeded eighth in the West Region, they'll face off against the ninth-seeded Oklahoma Sooners in the first round. If they manage to pull off a victory, they'll likely encounter the formidable first-seeded Florida Gators in the second round. The Huskies' path to glory is fraught with challenges, but that's what makes college basketball so exciting. The 2024 season has shown us that anything can happen on the court. Teams that were once considered underdogs have proven time and time again that they can rise to the occasion and pull off stunning upsets. So, which teams should you keep an eye on for the 2025 March Madness bracket? A proven computer model has simulated the entire tournament 10, 000 times to predict the biggest upsets and provide insights into which teams will make deep runs. The model has a strong track record, having correctly predicted massive upsets in previous tournaments. It has successfully identified 24 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016 and accurately forecasted UConn's championship run last year. The model's success rate is impressive, having beaten over 91 percent of all CBS Sports bracket players in four of the past six tournaments. In the South Region, the model has identified a couple of surprising matchups. The winner of the First Four game between North Carolina and San Diego State is expected to knock off the sixth-seeded Ole Miss Rebels in the first round. Both the Tar Heels and the Aztecs have shown flashes of potential this season, with San Diego State forcing turnovers on 20 percent of their opponents' possessions. The Rebels, on the other hand, are one of the smallest teams in the field and have struggled with scoring droughts. Another South Region surprise involves the 13th-seeded Yale Bulldogs, who are predicted to upset the fourth-seeded Texas A&M Aggies in the first round. Yale has a history of being a tough out in the NCAA Tournament, having knocked off a fourth-seeded team in the first round last year. The Bulldogs enter the tournament with confidence, boasting one of the most explosive offenses in college basketball. Their high-scoring offense could pose a significant threat to the Aggies, who struggle with three-point defense. To make informed 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions, it's essential to consider the model's insights. The model has a proven track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, and its predictions for this year's tournament are no exception. So, who will emerge as the Cinderella teams of 2025? And which region will feature the most surprising upsets? The answers to these questions could make all the difference in your bracket-picking strategy. The 2025 NCAA Tournament promises to be an exhilarating event, filled with unexpected upsets and thrilling matchups. Whether you're a casual fan or a die-hard bracketologist, there's no shortage of excitement to look forward to. So, buckle up and get ready for a wild ride as the nation's top college basketball teams battle it out on the court.