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

Reed Wallach | 23 Hours Ago

Texas Tech's JT Toppin rises for a dunk in a non-conference Division I basketball game against Northwestern State, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in United Supermarkets Arena. / Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Florida Gators are the No. 1 seed in the West Region, which is viewed by many as the most difficult in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. 

The Gators, SEC Tournament Champions, are the headliners in a region that is flush with talent, including Big East Champions St. John’s as the No. 2 seed as well as Big 12 stalwart Texas Tech as the No. 3 seed and Big Ten contender Maryland as the No. 4. 

With a loaded group of top four teams, the region is flush with dangerous teams like No. 11 seed Drake and two-time defending champions UConn as the No. 8 seed, presenting possible issues for the top seeded Gators. 

Can Florida’s dominance continue in the NCAA Tournament, or will this bracket devolve into chaos? 

We have you set below!

West Region Schedule and Bracket

The entire West Region of the 2025 Men's NCAA Tournament bracket 🏀 pic.twitter.com/bZ1WEuzfhW

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 16, 2025

Odds to Win West Region 

• Florida: -110
• Texas Tech: +460
• St. John’s: +600
• Maryland: +1000
• Kansas: +1300
• Missouri: +1400
• Connecticut: +2500
• Colorado State: +6000
• Arkansas: +7500
• Oklahoma: +8500
• Memphis: +9500
• Drake: +14000
• Nebraska Omaha: +25000
• UNC Wilmington: +25000
• Norfolk State: +25000
• Grand Canyon: +25000

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

West Region Dark Horse

Maryland

The Terps are an incredibly tough out, bolstering an elite defense that has two big men in Julian Reese and Derik Queen that shut down the interior with relentless ball pressure from the likes of Rodney Rice and Ja’Kobi Gillespie. 

On the other end, the Terps feature quality shot making at the guard positions while Queen is a ball handler in his own right at 6’10, able to create his own shot while also opening up looks for the rest of the roster. 

The team rates out as arguably a top 15 team in the country, KenPom ranks the Terps No. 12 in the nation while Haslametrics has the Terps No. 6 and Bart Torvik is No. 17, and have proven it can win in all different types of games. 

Beating the Terps won’t be easy, the group has lost eight games all year with none coming by more than six points with only one by a team outside the KenPom top 50. 

While the team doesn’t play a deep rotation, it’s starting five plays about 75% of its minutes, its top of the roster can go toe-to-toe with any of the teams in this deep region.

West Region First Round Odds

No. 1 Florida (-27.5) vs. No. 16 Norfolk State (153.5)

No. 8 Connecticut (-4.5) vs. No. 9 Oklahoma (146.5)

No. 5 Memphis (+2.5) vs. No. 12 Colorado State (145.5)

No. 4 Maryland  (-11.5) vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon (145.5)

No. 6 Missouri (-6.5) vs. No. 11 Drake (133.5)

No. 7 Kansas (-5.5) vs. No. 10 Arkansas (146.5)

No. 3 Texas Tech (-15.5) vs. No. 14 UNC Wilmington (142.5)

No. 2 St. John’s (-17.5) vs. No. 15 Nebraska Omaha (147.5)

West Region Best First Round Bet

Connecticut vs. Oklahoma OVER 146.5

Both of these teams motion offenses should feast against the other, with the Huskies patented unit cutting around an Oklahoma defense that struggled mightily in SEC play to defend. 

However, the Sooners offense should have plenty of success against the Huskies, with the likes of Jeremiah Fears getting to the free throw line and pushing off Connecticut turnovers. 

UConn’s offense has been more than capable all season of playing at an elite level, and the team’s ability to dominate the Sooners bottom 100 defensive rebounding unit should lead to plenty of chances for the Huskies, but the team’s defense has been a big issue all year long. 

UConn is 333rd in the country in opponent free throw rate while OU ranks 29th in the country in getting to the charity stripe, setting up for a ton of free throw opportunities for a top 10 free throw shooting team in the country, helping this game go over the total.

West Region Prediction and Pick

Florida is the rightful favorite to win this region, but there are plenty of tough outs along the way that can make life difficult for the Gators to make its price a bit of a concern, including a loaded Maryland team and a highly efficient offensive team in UConn looming. 

On the other end of the bracket, I see some upside in backing Texas Tech.

While St. John’s has plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball – the team is No. 1 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency – its offense remains a massive red flag for me. The Red Storm are 339th in three-point percentage on a bottom 20 rate in the country, which makes me nervous of trusting them for a deep tournament outing. 

Instead, I’ll take the No. 3 seed to outperform its price, Texas Tech, which bolsters well balanced play on both sides of the ball to handle the rigors of the NCAA Tournament. 

The team can handle St. John’s heavy ball pressure as well as its relentless rebounding in a possible Sweet 16 showdown – the Red Raiders are 32nd in turnover percentage and 39th in the country in rebound percentage – while also shooting the ball at a top 20 clip at nearly 38% in the country. 

With big man JT Toppin among the best in the country as a rebounder and veteran point guard Elijah Hawkins running the offense, I like Texas Tech as a threat to ruin a Florida coronation with its sound floor spacing. 

PICK: Texas Tech (+460)

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