The field of 68 teams for the 2025 NCAA March Madness basketball tournament will be finalized in a few weeks. The rose is off the bloom with many of our favorite Floridian college basketball teams. However, the selection committee will continue to keep a close watch on the Florida Gators.
Can we see the #3 ranked team in the country solidify a #1 seed in the upcoming tournament? As bracket pools are finalized, will Florida basketball fans have the courage to select the Gators as a final-four pick?
What Happened To Some Of Our Favorite Teams
While the Florida Gators have emerged as a legitimate contender in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the same cannot be said for several other Florida-based programs.
- The Miami Hurricanes, fresh off consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, were expected to compete for another postseason bid in the ACC. Jim Larrañaga and his sudden exit from the program has caused the program to re-set while raising questions on NIL complexities.
- The Florida State Seminoles were a once-formidable ACC program under Leonard Hamilton. A current 7-10 conference record / 16-12 overall record will have them watching this year’s dance from the comforts of their couch.
- The FAU Owls, who made national headlines with their cinderella Final Four run in 2023 and a March Madness appearance in 2024, have failed to recapture that magic after the departure of head coach Dusty May. The program’s new-look roster under head coach John Jakus has failed to get going.
Tampa Bay Impact On March Madness Bracket Betting
The “Big Cigar” A.K.A the city of Tampa Bay will play a role in this year’s women’s tournament. Anyone planning on filling out a March Madness Bracket betting for the boys should also consider doing so for the girls. The Final Four will be played from the 5th and 7th of April at the Amalie Arena located in downtown Tampa Bay. The arena is a great scene for college basketball.
- Amalie Arena, primarily known as the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, has a history of hosting high-profile basketball events. The venue has previously welcomed NCAA Tournament games, including the First and Second Rounds in the 2011 and 2018 tournaments.
March Madness 2025 Odds
The Auburn Tigers and Duke Blue Devils are the March Madness frontrunners. While the teams with short odds are sexy picks, history has shown that being a top-ranked team entering the tournament does not guarantee cutting down the nets in April. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, a #1 seed has won the championship just over 60% of the time.
Teams with longer odds frequently defy expectations. Some of the most shocking upsets in March Madness history have seen top-ranked teams fall early, such as Virginia’s historic first-round loss to #16 UMBC in 2018. Additionally, teams like Villanova (1985, #8 seed), UConn (2014, #7 seed), and NC State (1983, #6 seed) have defied the odds to win it all.
Florida Gators: A Contender in March?
Winners of six straight, including a statement win at Auburn, Florida is making noise. Their odds have shifted dramatically:
🏆 National Championship: +900 (FanDuel)
-> Opened at +6000
🎟 To Make Final Four: +165 (DraftKings)… pic.twitter.com/0mADwqjm9p— Bettor Odds (@GetBettorOdds) February 24, 2025
It is wise to review the 2025 odds but do not discount some of the long-shots.
- Auburn (+325)
- Duke (+425)
- Houston (+900)
- Florida (+900)
- Alabama (+1,100)
- Tennessee (+1,600)
- Iowa State (+1,600)
- Kentucky (+3,000)
- Wisconsin (+3,000)
- UConn (+3,300)
- Kansas (+3,500)
- Arizona (+3,500)
- Texas Tech (+3,500)
- St. John’s (+3,500)
- Purdue (+4,000)
- Michigan State (+4,000)
- Texas A&M (+4,000)
- Gonzaga (+5,000)
- Michigan (+5,000)
- Maryland (+6,000)
- Marquette (+6,600)
- Creighton (+8,000)
- Ole Miss (+8,000)
- Missouri (+8,000)
- Clemson (+8,000)
Three Reasons Why The Florida Gators Will WIN The Championship
Dominant Guard Play
Walter Clayton Jr. has emerged as a dominant guard in all of college basketball. He averages 37.9% from three-point land. With the game on the line the Gators can count on his 88% free-throw percentage. To win the NCAA tournament you need these character traits from your backcourt and the Florida Gators have just that in Clayton Jr.
Walter Clayton Jr. had himself a NIGHT!🔥
Florida has dropped 10+ 3s in 5️⃣ straight games! Clayton Jr. had 4️⃣ tonight and was good for 18 points in the W. 👌 @jerseymikes | #JerseyMikesNaismith2025 | @sec | 📸: @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/4WvZuHs9CK
— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) February 19, 2025
Defending The Three Point Shot
Florida’s perimeter defense is particularly formidable, limiting opponents to a 28.4% success rate from beyond the arc, ranking them 5th nationally.
Rebounding
The Gators secure 27.1 defensive rebounds per game, ranking 7th nationally, effectively limiting opponents’ second-chance opportunities.
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Thank you for reading my article previewing the 2025 NCAAB College Basketball tournament. You can read more of my content on my FL Teams author page. Feel free to connect with me on Twitter @MarcSaulino and follow @FLTeams to stay informed about everything relevant to Florida Sports.