2025 March Insanity predictions: NCAA bracket professional picks towards the unfold, odds in Thursday’s Candy 16

Whereas some may bemoan the dearth of Cinderella within the second weekend of the 2025 NCAA Match, the comfort to your tiny dancer tears is a Candy 16 schedule loaded with heavyweight matchups. Throughout the eight packages that will probably be taking part in throughout East Regional and West Regional video games on Thursday night time, 5 of them have gained nationwide championships within the final 35 years; mixed, they account for practically one-third of the NCAA Match titles in that span. 

The night time will get began with offensive fireworks from No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 6 seed BYU in Newark, New Jersey, adopted shortly by No. 1 seed Florida taking over No. 4 seed Maryland after the Terps delivered the match’s first true buzzer-beater due to the late heroics of star freshman Derik Queen. 

Within the first of two night time caps we get No. 1 Duke squaring off towards a well-recognized foe in No. 4 Arizona, who not solely carries its personal program historical past towards the Blue Devils however some private historical past as properly due to Wildcats, and former North Carolina, star guard Caleb Love. The ultimate recreation of the night time options the one double-digit seed of the whole Candy 16, however it’s onerous to be a real Cinderella when Arkansas is coming from the SEC and led by a Corridor of Fame coach in John Calipari. The No. 10 seed Razorbacks are coming off a giant opening weekend however face one of the vital constant packages from the Large 12 in No. 3 seed Texas Tech, as Grant McCasland seems to succeed in the Elite Eight for the primary time as a head coach. 

However the storylines aren’t sufficient for a school basketball fan after we get to this portion of the match. We solely have however so many video games left in March Insanity, so we would as properly make some picks for each one now we have left. After breaking down the factors spreads and the totals, we have chosen a finest wager for all 4 of Thursday’s regional semifinal video games together with the alternatives from our committee of specialists.  

East Regional: (2) Alabama vs. (6) BYU 

7:09 p.m. on CBS | March Insanity Stay: BYU has been forward of the quantity persistently coming down the stretch of the season. We all know the Cougars are 11-1 since Feb. 10 with the one loss coming to Houston within the Large 12 Match, however the performances have been exceeding the oddsmakers expectations, too (the crew is 10-2 towards the unfold in that very same span). A small pattern dimension view has Alabama and BYU because the No. 8 and No. 9 best groups within the nation within the month of March, per BartTorvik, and I learn this as a recreation that must be determined within the ultimate possessions. The X-factor right here, not simply on a BYU cowl however a straight-up win, is the efficiency of 6-foot-9 freshman Egor Demin. He is been taking part in nice ball on this match, and after an up-and-down season the NBA Draft buzz is again. When Demin is taking part in at a excessive stage, he makes BYU a matchup nightmare. Given his efficiency within the opening rounds, I believe he can carry it to Newark. Choose: BYU +5.5   

West Regional: (1) Florida vs. (4) Maryland 

7:39 p.m. on TBS | March Insanity Stay: The depth mismatch is inconceivable to disregard right here. Maryland not solely leans on its beginning 5 greater than anybody else left within the match, however Florida has a deeper rotation of bigs that would trigger issues if this recreation will get a decent whistle down low. The Gators can endure a few low cost fouls to Alex Condon or Rueben Chinyelu as a result of Thomas Waugh and Micah Handlogten are greater than able to providing you with good minutes off the bench. But when Derik Queen and Julian Reese get into foul bother, Maryland’s rebounding efforts take an enormous hit in a method that is going to completely change the matchup. Florida gained some actual confidence in having the ability to take the very best punch from the back-to-back champs within the win towards UConn, and when the cash was on the desk, Walter Clayton, Alijah Martin and Will Richard confirmed their collective expertise by making the successful performs. Choose: Florida -6.5 

March Insanity 2025: Our specialists reset their NCAA Match bracket picks with up to date Candy 16 predictions

Kyle Boone

East Regional: (1) Duke vs. (4) Arizona 

9:39 p.m. on CBS | March Insanity Stay: Each Duke recreation since Feb. 14 when Cooper Flagg has been wholesome has resulted in 80 ore extra factors for the Blue Devils; the crew did not hit 80 in all three ACC Match video games with Flagg injured early within the quarterfinals after which dominated out for the subsequent two contests. Now we introduce an Arizona crew that pushes the tempo and began to slide just a little on the defensive aspect on the finish of the common season. If this recreation performs out because the oddsmakers expect, there will probably be loads of Arizona chasing the sport late, and Duke simply occurs to be the very best free-throw capturing crew left within the NCAA Match. Choose: Duke Crew Complete Over 81.5 

West Regional: (3) Texas Tech vs. (10) Arkansas 

10:09 p.m. on TBS | March Insanity Stay: There are some issues that numbers will not be going to have the ability to clarify, like how a  No. 10-seed with 13 losses can string collectively back-to-back wins towards Kansas and St. John’s whereas capturing a mixed 8 for 43 from behind the arc. This Arkansas crew is prepared for warfare, believing in one another and discovering methods to win even when the pictures aren’t falling. The information that Adou Thiero is accessible to play restricted minutes just isn’t insignificant — Arkansas will want versatile defenders towards the house of Texas Tech’s harmful and environment friendly offense — however it’s the dimension that the Purple Raiders surrender that may very well be the distinction. It is a wager that Jonas Aidoo, Trevon Brazile and Large Z will not be going to let JT Toppin have clear seems inside, giving Arkansas an opportunity to increase their match run. Choose: Arkansas +5.5 

Who will win each school basketball recreation, and which favorites must be on upset alert? Go to SportsLine now to get picks and predictions for each school basketball recreation, all from a mannequin that simulates each recreation 10,000 instances.