It’s the most magical time of the year: March Madness. 

A tournament highlighted by being the biggest postseason gauntlet in sports. The storylines, the drama, the talent and the history all make for one of the best sports watching experiences a fan can have. 

With that being said, absolutely nothing is guaranteed when these teams step on the floor. One shot, one pass or one injury could completely flip the entire tournament’s outcome. That’s the beauty of it. Sure, you’ve got schools that are a fraction of the size of their opponents, but you also have chemistry and an incredibly deep chip on the shoulder of every person in those programs. 

Now, let’s get into my bracket. For some context and reason to trust me, I’ve picked the winner the last three years. It started with picking 4-seed UConn in 2023, a year where Alabama, Kansas and Purdue were “unbeatable.” I rode with Dan Hurley, and it paid off. 

I followed that up by riding with the Huskies for a second year. Much of the nation joined me as the one-seed and highly touted Big East champs rolled through the bracket and won me my second straight bracket. 

Despite winning two straight with Hurley’s Huskies, I felt more confident than ever in 2025. History said a 1-seed was a high percentage pick, and as we’ve seen with the transfer portal, the tournament has become much heavier on the top end. I picked Florida and didn’t look back. Walter Clayton Jr. made plays when he needed to, and Todd Golden led his team to victory over Houston in the Championship, one of the best basketball games in recent history. 

Now here we are, I’m sitting pretty with three straight winners. Something tells me this year could be a lot like last year. We’ve got four dominant 1-seeds and several 2-seeds that were just a handful of games away from being ones themselves. 

The East

Starting in the East, I have Duke, Kansas, Michigan State, St. John’s, UCLA and UConn taking care of business while Louisville falls victim to 11-seed UCF. From there it’s pretty chalk. My biggest pick of the region is UCF to the Sweet 16. They’ll be hot and flying high after advancing to the round of 32, and they’re high flying, fast-paced style beats the brakes off Tom Izzo and MSU. The Bulls do fall to the Huskies, who turn around and fall to Duke in the Elite Eight. I’ve grown close with UConn after picking them both years they won. However, that game could be ugly. 

The South

As mentioned, I believe the transfer portal and NIL have made the tournament less prone to upsets. I think the days of 16-over-1 upsets are behind us, and the South will prove my point. I do have Troy knocking off Nebraska in round one, but after that, the region isn’t terribly surprising. Vanderbilt makes a run before facing Florida for a third time this season. They lose, and Florida sets up a 2025 Championship rematch with Houston, but the Commodores are dangerous, and if a few shots fall early, the Gators could be the ones washed up after the Sweet 16. 

The 2025 Championship rematch goes the way of Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars. They’ll be playing in Houston, and this team feels different. Sampson does very similar things with his roster every season, but he strayed this year. Kingston Flemings is a game-changer, and they find themselves in the final four. 

The West

Much like the South, I don’t see much surprise in the West. I do have Utah State knocking out Villanova in the 8-9 matchup, but every other favorite wins in the round of 64. Utah State very easily could have been a 6-seed or better and should be treated as one of the most dangerous teams in the bracket. 

Round two of the West is where I believe we see two of the best games in the entire tournament. Wisconsin vs Arkansas will be a dog fight, and I honestly don’t think anyone can confidently say who will win it. That being said, I’m a sucker for John Kalipari. Give me the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16. Ultimately, they fall to Arizona because nobody in the country has been as consistently elite as the Wildcats.

The second game that can be an instant classic is BYU-Gonzaga. The Bulldogs will always have a chip on their shoulder from the discrediting they endured coming out of the West Coast Conference, and they’ll continue to prove they’re legit despite it. AJ Dabatsa is a shoo-in NBA lottery pick and will have to live up to it if he’s going to lead his team to beating what feels like a sleeping giant in Gonzaga. I’ll take the Bulldogs to advance and play an easier game against Purdue in the Sweet 16. The Dogs have experience, depth and talent, and they’ll find themselves in the Elite Eight. Though ultimately losing to Arizona, they make a run and demonstrate what a mid-major conference winner is truly capable of. 

The Midwest

Finally, the Midwest. Highlighted by Iowa State and Michigan, who have shown glimpses of contending for a title, it also has the best mid-majors in the tournament. I’ve got St. Louis knocking off Georgia in round one. The Billikens have been one of the most entertaining teams all season long, and they’ll put up a fight before falling to the big M. 

Cover your eyes, Red Raider, nation. The Akron Zips are no joke. Their guard play is Power Four level, but I think Christian Anderson prevails despite being without JT Toppin. It’s close, and it’s ugly, but Anderson has shown this year he is a top-10 guard in the country and is capable of racking up 25/15/8 at any given time. 

The drama and sudden roster absence of Aden Holloway pulls the ‘Tide back from the shore, and Hofstra earns itself an opportunity in the round of 32. However, they get run off the court with an impressive shooting performance and another takeover from Anderson. 

I’ve got Santa Clara sending Kentucky packing in round one, but falling to Iowa State after that. Tennessee beats Virginia before also falling victim to the Cyclones, who earn their second Final Four appearance in school history and first since 1944 with a win over Michigan. 

The final four is set. 1-seeds Duke and Arizona headline, while Houston and Iowa State pose a real threat. Yes, three Big 12 teams in the Final Four is strange, but Arizona is that good, and Houston will play the large majority of their games without needing the aid of an airplane. 

Arizona beats Iowa State, and Houston knocks off Cam Boozer and the Blue Devils. For the third time this season, the Cougars and the Wildcats square off. This time ends just like the first two; Arizona outlasts a gritty Kelvin Sampson squad and earns its first NCAA Title since 1997. 

These are just my predictions. I could repeat my past success or whiff on the large majority of my picks. That’s the beauty of it. Fortunately, I think this is one of my best in recent years and believe I’ll be moving on with a fourth straight correct pick.