Men’s March Madness: Final Four and National Champion Picks — men’s march madness survey of 60 analysts
men’s march madness is underway and 60 college basketball analysts were asked who will reach the Final Four and cut down the nets in Indianapolis. The panel produced clear majorities in two regions and split votes elsewhere, laying out a map of favorites and sleepers. The consensus choices highlight Duke, Arizona, Houston and Michigan as the most backed teams across the bracket.
Men’s March Madness: Region-by-region favorites
The East was dominated by the No. 1 overall seed Duke, which drew 39 of the 60 votes to win the region; the remaining 21 votes were split among Michigan State (seven votes), UConn (seven), St. John’s (five) and Kansas (two). In the West, No. 1 Arizona was the top pick with 50 respondents selecting the Wildcats to win that region, while the other 10 votes divided evenly between the No. 2 seed Purdue and the No. 4 seed Arkansas. The South produced the only region where a No. 1 seed was not the majority choice: No. 2 Houston was the top selection there, with 34 analysts naming the Cougars to win the South. One noted matchup repeat in that region is Florida, which defeated Houston in last season’s national championship and drew Final Four support from several voters.
Immediate reactions from analysts and personalities
Joe Lunardi, chief bracketologist, is among those who backed Duke in the East and whose final forecast had earlier correctly picked the full 68-team field. College GameDay personalities Rece Davis, Seth Greenberg and Pete Thamel were among the 34 analysts who selected Houston as the South winner. Former head coaches Jim Boeheim and Tom Crean were counted among the Duke backers, while Jeff Borzello, Jay Bilas and Jay Williams were listed among the analysts picking the defending champions to return to the Final Four. Reporters Myron Medcalf and Kris Budden were named as part of the Arizona contingent that favored the Wildcats to win the West.
What to watch next
With the tournament bracket set and these predictions laid out, attention now shifts to how seeds and matchups play out on the court. The panel’s concentration of votes on Duke, Arizona, Houston and Michigan frames early storylines: whether those programs can justify the confidence placed in them and which bubble or lower-seeded teams will upset expectations. Analysts noted variations in voting across regions, signaling that several paths to the Final Four remain highly contestable.
As the field begins play, the survey provides a snapshot of expert sentiment and targets to watch; men’s march madness will ultimately be decided on the court, and these picks set the early narrative for the coming rounds.
