North Carolina advancing from the First Four means we'll have another Power Conference matchup in the first round of the 2025 NCAA bracket. The 11-seed Tar Heels will face the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in a matchup with plenty of upset potential. An 11-seed has prevailed versus a No. 6, at least once in every NCAA Tournament since 2005. UNC is the lowest-seeded team from a Power Conference, so it's not your typical 11-seed. Ole Miss is just 3-5 over its last eight games and is 3-9 versus Top 25 teams this season. While much has been made about UNC having just one Quad 1 victory, the last at-large team with one or zero Quad 1 wins advanced to the Sweet 16. With Carolina 9-2 over its last 11 games, will the Heels' run continue beyond the First Four of the NCAA Tournament 2025? Before making any predictions for games in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, see the March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine's proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 91% of all CBS Sports brackets in four of the past six tournaments. It was all over UConn's championship run a year ago and nailed 13 teams in the Sweet 16. It also nailed Alabama's Cinderella run to the Final Four as a 4-seed.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 24 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016.
Now, SportsLine's advanced computer model has simulated the entire 2025 NCAA Tournament 10,000 times to come up with the perfect 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket and find out which teams will pull off the biggest upsets. You shouldn't even think about making a pick without seeing what their model has to say.
Top 2025 NCAA Basketball Tournament bracket upset picks
One of the matchups from the Midwest Region that could ultimately shape the 2025 NCAA bracket outcome: No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia. Gonzaga fought its way to a 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament, and now the Zags will try to avoid going one and done for the first time in 17 years. Gonzaga has made it to the Sweet 16 in each of the past nine seasons, but Mark Few's men will have a tough test against the Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday. Georgia is 4-1 in its last five games and features a proven playmaker in Asa Newell. The freshman forward enters March Madness averaging 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while knocking down 54.1% of his field goals. Georgia was 4-10 against ranked opponents this year but did record victories over Florida and St. John's, who are No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in their respective regions.
Another pivotal Midwest Region matchup: No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 McNeese State. Clemson set a school record with 27 wins, the best single-season victory total in program history. The Tigers posted a 19-2 record in ACC play thanks to a disruptive defense that makes life miserable for opposing offenses. Clemson is giving up just 65.7 points per game this season, which ranks 26th in college basketball. McNeese State enters March Madness on an 11-game winning streak. The Cowboys are scoring 77.2 points per game on average, indicating that they can stick around with this caliber of team.
Finally, the matchup between No. 4 Purdue and No. 13 High Point will be a fascinating one to watch in the Midwest. For the fourth straight season, Purdue has an All-American, and this year it's Braden Smith (16.1 points, 8.7 assists). His efficiency from the field is key for the Boilermakers who are 20-6 when he shoots at least 30% from the field and 2-5 when under that threshold. High Point held opponents to the lowest FG percentage in the Big South, and it also had the highest FG percentage on offense in the conference. The Panthers' 14-game win streak is the second-longest active in D1, but they also play in a conference that is 1-28 all-time in the Round of 64. You can see the model's 2025 NCAA bracket picks here.
How to make 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions
Who wins every tournament-defining matchup, and which teams will make surprising runs through the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model's track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you'll want to see which stunners it's calling this year before locking in any 2025 NCAA bracket picks.
So what's the optimal NCAA Tournament 2025 bracket, and which NCAA Tournament Cinderella teams will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which region features three must-have upsets, including a play-in team that absolutely stuns its first-round opponent, all from the model that's beaten 91% of bracket players in four of the last six tournaments.