2025 March Madness: East Region Odds, Schedule, Bracket, Dark Horses and Best Bets

Reed Wallach | 23 Hours Ago

Feb 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) celebrating after dunking against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Duke Blue Devils headline the East Region in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and enter the ‘Big Dance’ as the betting favorite. 

With Cooper Flagg expected to be good to go for the NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils are the clear choice to advance out of the East Region despite plenty of competition from the likes of No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 3 seed Wisconsin, who were runners up in the Big Ten Tournament. 

The odds are pointed towards the top of the bracket, but there are plenty of impressive teams in the East Region, including No. 4 seed Arizona and No. 6 seed BYU. 

Who can take down Duke? Can anyone? Let’s set the stage with our East Region preview!

East Region Schedule and Bracket

The East Region is set🔥 #MarchMadness https://t.co/TS9eWdm562 pic.twitter.com/tIn90eDUxT

— On3 (@On3sports) March 16, 2025

Odds to Win East Region 

• Duke: -110
• Alabama: +390
• Arizona: +700
• Wisconsin: +1000
• BYU: +1800
• Saint Mary’s: +2000
• Baylor: +3300
• VCU: +3500
• Oregon: +3600
• Mississippi State: +3700
• Vanderbilt: +7500
• Mount Saint Mary’s: +25000
• Montana: +25000
• Akron: +25000
• Liberty: +25000
• American: +25000
• Robert Morris: +25000

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

East Region Dark Horse

Oregon

The Ducks are an interesting No. 5 seed, fresh off a scintillating finish to the regular season in the Big Ten, winning eight of its last nine with a well rounded roster that features big man Nate Bittle and stud guard Jackson Shelstad. 

Oregon has routinely been a tough out in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Dana Altman, who runs different defensive schemes in addition to building out sound gameplans during the quick turnaround nature of the NCAA Tournament. 

The Ducks have an interesting profile this season as well, adjusting to life in the Big Ten led to a bit of a learning curve, but going back to non-conference play, Oregon had one of the best runs of any team. The team went to Las Vegas and beat the likes of Texas A&M, San Diego State and Alabama in a week on a neutral floor before the shine wore off. 

Can the team be rounding into form at the right time? While Liberty presents an interesting test in the first round, the team has plenty of experience against Arizona from the PAC-12 and may be primed to give Duke its most difficult test. 

East Region Best First Round Bet

No. 1 Duke () vs. No. 16 Mount Saint Mary’s/American

No. 8 Mississippi State (-1.5) vs. No. 9 Baylor (142.5)

No. 5 Oregon (-6.5) vs. No. 12 Liberty (140.5)

No. 4 Arizona  (-13.5) vs. No. 13 Akron (166.5)

No. 6 BYU (-2.5) vs. No. 11 VCU (143.5)

No. 7 Saint Mary’s (-4.5) vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt (136.5)

No. 3 Wisconsin (-16.5) vs. No. 14 Montana (148.5)

No. 2 Alabama (-22.5) vs. No. 15 Robert Morris (165.5)

Best First Round Bet

Arizona (-13.5) vs. Akron 

The Zips play at a blistering pace, ranked top 20 in the country in adjusted tempo according to KenPom, but that will play right into Arizona’s hands as the Wildcats bolster a frenetic offense that feasts off transition opportunities. 

The Wildcats should have little issue imposing its will on the Zips, who rank bottom five in the country in average height, and bludgeon the MAC Championship around the rim and on the glass. 

Arizona had trouble shooting from the perimeter this season, 247th nationally in three-point percentage, which has been its downfall in prior seasons, but the Zips inability to keep the team away from the rim should lead to plenty of easy baskets for the likes of Caleb Love and emerging big man Henri Veesaar. 

Don’t be scared by prior Arizona teams that have struggled in a battle of half court execution, as Akron will look to push the pace, which will suit Tommy Lloyd’s group well in the first round. 

East Region Prediction and Pick

Duke has the most favorable draw to the Final Four of all the No. 1 seeds, in my opinion. 

While it will be worth keeping an eye on Cooper Flagg’s ankle, the expectation is that the Wooden Award betting favorite will be good to go for the NCAA Tournament. 

Duke coach Jon Scheyer tells ⁦@ReceDavis⁩ of Cooper Flagg’s return: “Our goal is for Friday.” pic.twitter.com/UHa2hJrdaP

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 16, 2025

The team will have a very favorable matchup in the second round against the winner of Baylor and Mississippi State, and while I mentioned Oregon as a dark horse and a good run out for Arizona in the first round, I don’t believe the team has the firepower to score efficiently on the Blue Devils interior defense that features Flagg and big man Khalam Maluach that ranks third nationally in two-point field goal percentage allowed. 

Among other contenders on the bottom half of the bracket, Alabama won’t have the versatility on defense to keep Duke from naming its number as the Blue Devils ability to deter the rim will keep down the Crimson Tide’s offense while a matchup against either Wisconsin or BYU will expose the team’s lack of high end talent against the formidable group Duke has put together under Jon Scheyer’s guidance. 

This is a chalky region in the East. 

PICK: Duke (-110)

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