The first weekend of the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament is nearly finished — but it’s never too early to look ahead to the next round of games, namely the Sweet 16.
Half of the men’s field advanced to the Sweet 16 on Saturday, with Auburn, Houston, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Purdue, Michigan, BYU and Arkansas winning their respective second-round games.
Now, only eight games remain on Sunday to finalize the Sweet 16 bracket.
The headliners for Sunday include a meeting between No. 1 seed Florida and No, 8 seed UConn, the two-time defending national champion. Elsewhere, No. 2 seed Michigan State, led by Tom Izzo, will take on Richard Pitino and No. 10 seed New Mexico. No. 4 seed Arizona will take on No. 5 Oregon in a meeting of former Pac-12 teams, and No. 2 Alabama will look for a fourth trip to the Sweet 16 under Nate Oats when it plays No. 7 Saint Mary’s.
Follow along for live predictions for the Sweet 16 as the bracket and schedule are finalized:
Sweet 16 predictions
(1) Houston vs. (4) Purdue
Prediction: Houston 69, Purdue 62
This should be a fascinating chess match between the sport’s best defense and one of its most efficient offenses. The Cougars, who have won 28 of their past 29 games, should keep their streak rolling and exorcise some of their recent Sweet 16 demons.
(3) Texas Tech vs. (10) Arkansas
Prediction: Arkansas 78, Texas Tech 74
Don’t let the No. 10 seed fool you. The Razorbacks’ roster, full of five-star recruits and prized transfers, has been playing up to its potential for the better part of two months now and are hitting their stride. It will be just enough to get by JT Toppin and the Red Raiders.
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(1) Auburn vs. (5) Michigan
Prediction: Auburn 82, Michigan 70
Dusty May — and an offense built seamlessly around two seven-footers — has led a remarkable turnaround at Michigan. The Wolverines have reached this point narrowly, though, with seven of their past nine wins coming by three points or fewer. Whether it’s mental toughness from a veteran group or a bit of luck, that run will end against the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.
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