March Madness West Region: Odds, Picks, Cinderella, and Winner

West Region Full Prediction

NCAA Tournament Bracket Busters: Top 10 First-Round Most Likely Upsets

ROUND OF 64
(1) Florida over (16) Norfolk State
(9) Oklahoma over (8) UConn
(12) Colorado State over (5) Memphis
(4) Maryland over (13) Grand Canyon
(6) Missouri over (11) Drake
(3) Texas Tech over (14) UNC Wilmington
(10) Arkansas over (7) Kansas
(2) St. John's over (15) Omaha

ROUND OF 32
(1) Florida over (9) Oklahoma
(4) Maryland over (12) Colorado State
(3) Texas Tech over (6) Missouri
(2) St. John's over (10) Arkansas

SWEET SIXTEEN
(4) Maryland over (1) Florida
(3) Texas Tech over (2) St. John's

ELITE EIGHT
(4) Maryland over (3) Texas Tech

Favorite: Florida (-125)

March Madness South Region: Odds, Picks, Cinderella, and Winner

The Gators are probably the hottest team in the country entering the NCAA Tournament, with 12 wins in their previous 13 that culminated in an SEC Tournament Championship that featured wins over Missouri, Alabama, and Tennessee. Their trio of elite guards, Walter Clayton, Alijah Martin, and Will Richard, make them a nightmare to stop as head coach Todd Golden continues to show why he is one of the top young masterminds of basketball's X's and O's. They are one of three teams in the entire country - along with Duke and Houston - to boast a top-ten offense and top-ten defense on KenPom. There is no true weakness to these Gators, and they are seemingly playing their best ball at the perfect time. 

Dark Horse: Maryland (+850)

March Madness Midwest Region: Odds, Picks, Cinderella, and Winner

If you don't already know about the Crab Five, you will be well aware of them by the time this tournament is complete. The starting lineup of Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice, Julian Reese, Selton Miguel, and Derik Queen has been nicknamed and lauded as one of the best starting lineups in college hoops, especially after they combined for all 83 of Maryland's points in their road win over Nebraska last month. Gillespie is the straw that stirs the drink here, an elite playmaker who also sits second on the team in scoring behind freshman phenom big man Queen. This team is a load of fun to watch, and they are a live dark horse that not many are talking about to make it to the Final Four.

Cinderella: Colorado State (+6000)

Unleash AI power on your March Madness picks. Try our Bracket Pick'em Tool now!

The Rams enter the NCAA Tournament as perhaps the most popular 12-seed darling, a current betting favorite against Memphis in the first round. That's thanks to a ten-game win streak entering the tournament and a ridiculous stretch of games from superstar Nique Clifford. The senior forward leads the entire nation in KenPom game MVPs with 20 on the year, averaging 27.8 points per game in their previous four contests. If there is one player in this region who could put his team on a deep run, it's Clifford.

Region Winner: Maryland (+850)

March Madness 2025: Top 10 Cinderella Final Four Bracket Busters

Maryland's season makes them an even more intriguing dark horse because they are in every game, even their losses. They have dealt with some excruciating defeats this season. Four of Maryland's eight losses this season came on deciding shots in the final ten seconds, while all eight of the losses were by six points or fewer. A few different bounces at the end of games, and we could be talking about this Maryland team as a #2 or #3 seed in this tournament.

West Region Full Prediction

NCAA Tournament Bracket Busters: Top 10 First-Round Most Likely Upsets

ROUND OF 64
(1) Florida over (16) Norfolk State
(9) Oklahoma over (8) UConn
(12) Colorado State over (5) Memphis
(4) Maryland over (13) Grand Canyon
(6) Missouri over (11) Drake
(3) Texas Tech over (14) UNC Wilmington
(10) Arkansas over (7) Kansas
(2) St. John's over (15) Omaha

ROUND OF 32
(1) Florida over (9) Oklahoma
(4) Maryland over (12) Colorado State
(3) Texas Tech over (6) Missouri
(2) St. John's over (10) Arkansas

SWEET SIXTEEN
(4) Maryland over (1) Florida
(3) Texas Tech over (2) St. John's

ELITE EIGHT
(4) Maryland over (3) Texas Tech