With March officially in peak Madness, the 2025 NCAA Tournament has been nothing short of entertaining, providing countless memorable moments and quite a few surprises. The tournament is officially down to the final 16 teams, with eight then advancing to the next round.
Which of the remaining teams have shown that they have what it takes to become the next champion? With hot streaks sparking, injuries arising and teams tapping into their groove, we may be in for some surprises.
South Carolina snaps back
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You can’t bet against Dawn Staley and the magic that is cooking down in South Carolina.
They’ve won two championships in the last three seasons and have the fuel to make it three in the last four. This is a team that has the tools to be on top once again. Standing with a 32-3 overall record and running through their first two tournament opponents by double-digits—including a 60-point win in the first round—they do not appear to have shown any signs of slowing down.
The Gamecocks are matched up against a Maryland squad that is coming out of a neck-and-neck finish against an Alabama team that put them against the ropes in a double-overtime thriller. While the Sweet 16 matchup is bound to be competitive, I have South Carolina moving along to face off against either Duke or North Carolina in the Elite Eight as they look to cash their ticket to the Final Four.
UConn restores order
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It’s been nine years since Geno Auriemma and the Huskies brought the trophy back to Connecticut, and I think there’s a pretty solid chance that drought ends in 2025. As with Staley, I don’t think you can ever underestimate Auriemma—and the proof is in this squad.
The Huskies won their first two tournament matchups by a very convincing 69 points and 34 points, respectively, with Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers taking turns dominating each game, and their flame doesn’t appear to be getting any weaker. They are going to face a very good Oklahoma team in the Sweet 16, but I don’t see the Sooners having success stopping the Huskies.
Texas goes big
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Texas looks really good and they are going to be a tough team to knock off in this tournament. After clearing the first two rounds with convincing 44-point and 17-point victories, they are on a roll. Standing at a very impressive 33-3 record on the season, this team has been nothing short of locked in, especially with Madison Booker on the floor.
The Longhorns are set to take on the Lady Vols in their upcoming Sweet 16 matchup, and while Tennessee has had a solid season of their own, I don’t anticipate them slowing down this Texas team at this stage of the tournament. While a good game is to be expected, I anticipate seeing the Horns take on either Notre Dame or TCU in the Elite Eight, and I also would be surprised if either of those squads knock off this red-hot Texas team.
USC can still pull through
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The Trojans are faced with a nightmare situation, as their star JuJu Watkins went down with an ACL injury in the early moments of their second-round matchup versus Mississippi State. It is an absolutely devastating blow to both USC and Watkins, who was showcasing yet another insanely impressive collegiate season. While the injury to Watkins poses obvious concerns and challenges, I believe this USC team can still shock the women’s basketball world.
While I do expect them to handle business versus Kansas State in the Sweet 16, their true test will be facing a piping-hot UConn team. USC has their work cut out for them, but I believe they have the talent and heart to make a deep tournament run.
