ESPN says just 6 programs have a national championship ceiling in the 2025 NCAA Tournament
The NCAA Tournament is set to get underway this week with 68 teams competing to win it all. Only six teams, however, have a legitimate chance to win it all according to ESPN's Myron Medcalf. Medcalf took a look at each tournament team's ceiling and he listed Auburn, Florida, Duke, St John's, Houston, and Tennessee […]
The NCAA Tournament is set to get underway this week with 68 teams competing to win it all.
Only six teams, however, have a legitimate chance to win it all according to ESPN's Myron Medcalf.
Medcalf took a look at each tournament team's ceiling and he listed Auburn, Florida, Duke, St John's, Houston, and Tennessee as the six programs with a national championship ceiling.
Here's what Medcalf had to say about the Tennessee Vols:
From ESPN: At its worst this season, Tennessee lost by 30 points to Florida. But at its best, it beat that same Florida team by 20 a month later. For a fifth straight year, the Vols will enter the tournament with an elite defense. Ranked first in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom, they've held 12 regular-season opponents to under 60 points. The team that lost Dalton Knecht, last season's SEC Player of the Year who led UT to the Elite Eight, found a way to bounce back thanks to Zakai Zeigler's improved performance (13.1 PPG, 7.5 APG, 1.9 SPG) and the addition of transfers Chaz Lanier (17.9 PPG, 41% from beyond the arc) and Igor Milicic Jr. (10.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG).
I'm sure fans of other programs that are seeded near the top of the bracket will disagree with Medcalf's take, but I think he's probably spot on. The one adjustment I would make is throwing Michigan State into the national championship ceiling mix (never count out Tom Izzo).
Winning in March is all about getting hot at the right time. As a result, Duke, Florida, and St John's should probably be viewed as the favorites, but Auburn, Tennessee, Houston, and Michigan State certainly have the talent and the coaching to be the last team standing in early April.
