March Madness 2025: East Regional Prediction and Preview

Four teams travel to the Prudential Center after advancing past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. But the stakes have been raised, as a trip to San Antonio and the Final Four is on the line at the East Regional.

Duke enters the Sweet Sixteen after rolling past Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor. Alabama, Arizona, and BYU enter the second weekend after a few close battles, which could shape the East Regional into the most interesting region this weekend. 

As three of the top four seeds in the region, Duke, Alabama, and Arizona were picked by many to make the second weekend. But this was not the case for BYU, which is just one of four teams remaining that were not selected for a top-four seed. 

Regardless of seed, at this point in the NCAA Tournament, fans can expect three hotly contested battles in the Prudential Center this weekend.

2025 NCAA Tournament East Regional Simulation

Sweet Sixteen – Thur., March 27.

6. BYU (26-9, 14-6) vs. 2. Alabama (27-8, 13-5) – 7:09 p.m. EST on CBS

Alabama has multiple players with the ability to take over a game. It is hard to miss the Crimson Tide’s star Mark Sears, who averages 18.6 points per game and leads the team in assists. But Alabama is one of the rare teams that has six different players averaging in double-figures. 

The Crimson Tide has the best scoring offense in the country, at 90.8 points per game. Normally, this could be attributed to Alabama’s tempo, which is the fastest in the country. However, the Crimson Tide ranks fourth in offensive efficiency according to KenPom, making them a tough defensive matchup.

BYU is led by Richie Saunders, who has quickly become one of the best players not only in the Big 12 but in the country. The 6-foot-5 junior is averaging 16.3 points per game while shooting 43% from behind the arc. However, the Cougars do not compare to the Crimson Tide in terms of depth, as only two players are averaging in double figures. 

BYU had the second-best scoring offense in the Big 12 at 81.2 points per game. The Cougars also shoot an effective 37% from behind the arc. However, they made their way past the first weekend by dominating the paint. Outscoring Wisconsin and VCU in the paint by a total of 28 points. 

With BYU playing at a much slower pace than Alabama, whoever controls the pace will certainly be in control of this game. However, in the end, the depth of the Crimson Tide will play a factor. 

Andrew’s pick: 2. Alabama

4. Arizona (24-12, 14-6) vs. 1. Duke (33-3, 19-1) – 9:39 p.m. EST on CBS

After Cooper Flagg missed the final two games in the ACC Tournament, he returned for the first-round matchup against Mount St. Mary’s. In that matchup, Flagg only played 22 minutes but scored 14 points. The Maine Event followed that up with an 18-point performance in the blowout of Baylor, showing that the injury should be behind him. 

However, Duke is one of the deepest teams in the country when it comes to talent. They are also one of the tallest teams in the country, allowing them to control the painted area. Also, the Blue Devils shoot 38% from behind the arc, which ranks 16th in the country. 

Arizona is led by none other than fifth-year guard Caleb Love. Love earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the Big 12, averaging 16.8 points on the season. The former UNC basketball player also has a knack for defeating the Blue Devils in the biggest moments. In his five seasons, Love is 5-4 against Duke, including a win in the 2022 Final Four that sent the Tar Heels to the national championship game.

However, these two teams met on Nov. 22, and Duke left Tucson with a 14-point victory. In that game, Flagg had 24 points, while Love only had 8. Even on the back of a great performance from the experienced guard, Arizona will need to play perfectly to advance to the Elite Eight. 

Andrew’s pick: 1. Duke

Sweet Sixteen – Sat., March 29.

2. Alabama vs. 1. Duke – Time and Channel TBD

An Alabama and Duke matchup will feature some of the best individual matchups of the entire tournament. Grant Nelson, Mark Sears, Cooper Flagg, Tyrese Proctor, and more, the list goes on and on. Mix that with the fast-paced Alabama offense and the stout Duke defense, and this has the makings of being the best game of the entire tournament.

Both sides are ranked in the top 4 in offensive efficiency, so I would not expect too many mistakes on the offensive end. With Duke’s size and length, they have rolled through the tournament, but this would be a very strong comparison for the Blue Devils. 

The name of the game, again, would be tempo. Duke plays at one of the slower paces in the entire country, but Alabama has the fastest. While the Blue Devils are athletic and deep enough to run with the Crimson Tide, it would be an extremely difficult task to do this for 40 minutes. 

Whichever side controls the pace and continues their efficiency on the offensive end will make their way to San Antonio for the Final Four.

Andrew’s pick: 1. Duke