Veteran head coach Rick Pitino has made history by becoming the first coach to lead six different teams into the NCAA Tournament bracket. This remarkable achievement was solidified when St. John's earned a spot in the 2025 March Madness bracket on Sunday. Previously, Pitino had guided Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, and Iona to the prestigious tournament, joining only three other coaches who have accomplished the feat of taking five different programs to the NCAA Tournament.
In an interesting familial twist, Richard Pitino, the head coach at New Mexico, will join his father in the March Madness for the second time, having previously participated in 2017. St. John's has been awarded the No. 2 seed in the West Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, where Florida holds the No. 1 seed and Texas Tech is the No. 3 seed. Meanwhile, New Mexico is entering as the No. 10 seed in the South Region, set to face No. 7 seed Marquette in the opening round.
As you prepare to fill out your 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket, it’s crucial to consider how far each Pitino-led program could advance. Before making any final decisions, it’s highly recommended to consult the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the advanced computer model at SportsLine. This proven projection model has run simulations of every game in the tournament a staggering 10,000 times and has consistently outperformed over 91 percent of all CBS Sports brackets in four of the last six tournaments.
Last year, the model accurately predicted Alabama's4-seed' href='https://breakingon.com/search/uconns3cb-championship-run-and-correctly-identified-13-teams-that-made-it-to-the-sweet-16-it-also-foresaw-3cb3ealabamas3cb-cinderella-journey-to-the-final-four-as-a-3cb3e4-seed'>UConn'sAlabama's4-seed. The model has a knack for spotting potential upsets; since its inception in 2016, it has successfully predicted 24 first-round upsets involving double-digit seeds. With such a reliable technology at your disposal, there’s simply no reason to gamble on luck when filling out your 2025 March Madness pools.
One of the most intriguing matchups to keep an eye on in the 2025 NCAA Tournament is the clash between No. 8 seed Mississippi State and No. 9 seed Baylor in the East Region. The Bulldogs are making their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Chris Jans, who is in his third season with the team. Jans previously took New Mexico State to three NCAA Tournaments but holds a 1-5 record in the tournament. On the other hand, Baylor head coach Scott Drew boasts the second-most NCAA Tournament victories by a Big 12 head coach, with a total of 20 wins, and is among the six active coaches with a national title.
Another pivotal matchup in the East Region features BYU against VCU, a 6 vs. 11 matchup. The Cougars, who have never reached a Final Four, finished the season with 24 wins, only suffering one loss in their final ten games against Houston in the Big 12 Tournament. Last year, they faced an upset in the Round of 64 against No. 11 seed Duquesne, and they will be eager to avoid a repeat this year. VCU, entering with 28 wins and fresh off their third Atlantic 10 Tournament title, is making their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance.
In yet another exciting matchup, No. 3 seed Wisconsin will go head-to-head with No. 14 seed Montana in the East Region. The Badgers are determined to avoid an early exit this season, especially after last year's disappointment as a No. 5 seed against No. 12 seed James Madison. They recently made it to the Big Ten Tournament championship but fell to Michigan after a late surge by the Wolverines. Meanwhile, Montana is returning to the Big Dance for the first time since 2019 after winning the automatic bid from the Big Sky. The Grizzlies have been on a hot streak, winning 14 of their last 15 games, with their last loss in regulation occurring on January 18 against Idaho State.
As you contemplate how far these major programs might go and which Cinderella teams might make unexpected runs through the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket, remember to utilize the model's impressive track record of identifying bracket-busting upsets. You’ll want to check out which surprises the model is predicting this year before finalizing your 2025 NCAA bracket picks.
