# 2025 College Basketball Tournament Pool **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** basketball-nba\ **Created:** [March 17, 2025, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713 "2025-03-17T12:22:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/1 "2025-03-17T12:22:29Z")
Apologies for getting this posted a little later than normal. I usually have it up shortly after the brackets are announced on Sunday evening, but it was a busy weekend and then when I went to go find my files from last year on the old laptop, it didn’t want to boot. And I was tired and didn’t want to mess with it. Anyway, same as previous years: download the ESPN Tournament Challenge app on your phone or go here to enter your brackets: > **[Create Your Men's Tournament Challenge Brackets](https://fantasy.espn.com/games/tournament-challenge-bracket-2025/)** > > Play ESPN's Men's Tournament Challenge for FREE and create your brackets. Group name: **SDMB Bracketeers** Password: **cecil123** There is a limit of three brackets per player. Brackets are locked at the start of the first game on Thursday morning. Good luck everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/2 "2025-03-17T17:05:20Z")
Go Gators! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/3 "2025-03-17T18:10:26Z")
I’m in. We should only submit one bracket right? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/4 "2025-03-17T19:38:59Z")
The limit is three brackets per player. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/5 "2025-03-17T20:40:07Z")
Normally I create a “dream” bracket in which the Florida Gators win the championship and another more-realistic bracket where I pick the team I think will actually win the tournament. This year the “dream” and “realistic” brackets are one and the same, so I only need to create one bracket this year. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/6 "2025-03-17T20:48:00Z")
I usually have a “Kansas Wins” and a “Kansas Tanks” bracket, because most years you never know which Kansas is going to show up to the tournament. But this year I will definitely NOT be doing a “Kansas Wins” bracket. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/7 "2025-03-17T20:59:51Z")
I think I did it right. One set of picks is called Mahaloth’s Picks and the other two still say espnfan. I need to change those as well. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/8 "2025-03-17T21:06:51Z")
My alma mater is in the tournament! We only had club teams 40 years ago. Apparently they became Division I a few years ago and just won the Big West. Go UC San Diego Tritons. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/9 "2025-03-18T13:43:02Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Apparently they became Division I a few years ago and just won the Big West. I read that this is their first year of eligibility for the tournament, so that’s quite an accomplishment. And their women’s team made the tourney as well! ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/10 "2025-03-20T13:35:05Z")
Reminder, brackets close later this morning when the first game starts. If you haven’t submitted your bracket(s) yet, do it now! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/11 "2025-03-20T13:39:39Z")
As an FSU alum, it hurts to pick UF to win. It hurts even more knowing how good that 2020 FSU team was and never got a chance to play the tournament ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/12 "2025-03-20T13:58:05Z")
Given the parity in college basketball and the fact that a team has to win 6 single elimination events in a row to win the title, the NCAA tournament is a treacherous and often shocking venue for even the most highly regarded teams. My “formula”, if it is even worthy of that designation, is to pick teams that seem to be peaking given the results of the last quarter of their seasons and their conference tournaments. I like teams with depth and teams that have a versatile scoring format. Sounds impressive, but I’ve suffered my share of blood baths, believe me. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/13 "2025-03-20T14:36:23Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > It hurts even more knowing how good that 2020 FSU team was and never got a chance to play the tournament I feel your pain. The 2020 Kansas squad was one of Coach Self’s best, having lost just three games that season, all to ranked teams. They went 17-1 in the Big 12 and were on a 16-game winning streak when the season came to a screeching halt. Having said that, do NOT pick the 2025 Jayhawks to win one game in the tourney. They will lose to Arkansas today. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/14 "2025-03-20T17:14:33Z")
Apparently only one of my three brackets got submitted, and it was the “what I’d _like_ to happen” version, so I probably won’t be going far. The other 2 had Duke and Houston winning…anyway, Go Ducks! (As I write, it’s an hour into the tournament and one of my Final Four picks is struggling to pull ahead of a 13 seed. Good times!) Edited: Also, one of my regional finalists is down by 15 at the half. Good grief. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/15 "2025-03-20T17:47:54Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Also, one of my regional finalists is down by 15 at the half. If it’s Louisville, then that’s my Survivor pick for Day 1. Looks like I will have a very short run this year. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Kitten\_Mitten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@Kitten\_Mitten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitten_Mitten)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/16 "2025-03-20T18:32:39Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Go UC San Diego Tritons. I have 2 favorite teams: Michigan State Spartans and whoever is playing ‘The Other School’. So **GO UC San Diego Tritons**!!! > [@Railer13](#): > > > [@dalej42](#): > > > > It hurts even more knowing how good that 2020 FSU team was and never got a chance to play the tournament > > I feel your pain. The 2020 Kansas squad was one of Coach Self’s best, Obviously I’m biased but I believe the Michigan State Spartans with Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman et al would have won the 2020 NCAA Championship. Damn shame that none of these teams had a chance to live their dreams. As far as the Louisville-Creighton game, the young man wearing #5 for Creighton, Jeremya Neal (sp?) was on fire and had a career game. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/17 "2025-03-20T18:56:14Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > And their women’s team made the tourney as well! Sadly the Lady Tritons lost in the 16th seed play-in. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2025, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/18 "2025-03-21T12:10:45Z")
Missouri went out in the first round. In this uncertain world, it’s reassuring to know that some things never change. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2025, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/19 "2025-03-23T02:53:17Z")
Badgers came very close to at least tying. Was it because I watched the end? If so, I’m sorry. Brian Was at UW Platteville when Bo Ryan was coach, though their undefeated season came after I graduated IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713/20 "2025-03-24T00:35:31Z")
I’m about to jinx myself, but I’m apparently doing really well. :ducks: I assume tonight I’ll lose everything going for me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2025-college-basketball-tournament-pool/1015713.md?page=2)