The 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament is set to kick off, and the East region is shaping up to be a thrilling ride. The top seeds are Duke, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Arizona, with Duke looking like the favorite to win it all if Cooper Flagg is healthy.
Flagg, a freshman phenom, is a key player for Duke and has led the team to a 19-1 record in the ACC. With his talent, along with that of fellow freshmen Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, Duke looks like a juggernaut that can storm through the tournament.
However, there are some Cinderella stories brewing in the East region. No. 10 Vanderbilt is looking to make a deep run after running the SEC gauntlet, while No. 11 seed VCU has a strong analytics profile and could pull off an upset over No. 6 BYU.
Duke F Cooper Flagg is a player to watch, but if he’s injured, Alabama’s Mark Sears will be key in leading his team to a second straight run to the Final Four. Arizona G Caleb Love is also looking hot after transferring from North Carolina and earning All-America honors.
The East region game schedule includes several exciting matchups, including No. 1 Duke vs. American/No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Baylor, and No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt.
If Flagg is healthy, it’s hard to pick against Duke, but the tournament is full of surprises. Frank Schwab from Yahoo Sports has predicted several upsets, including Montana over Wisconsin, BYU over VCU, and Robert Morris over Alabama.
Ultimately, only time will tell which team emerges as the champion from the East region. But with these talented teams and players, it’s shaping up to be a thrilling ride.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/article/march-madness-2025-east-region-bracket-cinderella-picks-schedule-odds-and-more-133909212.html