Two teams have already secured a spot in San Antonio for the 2025 Final Four. On Sunday, they will find out their semifinal opponents as champions emerge from the Midwest and South regions in Elite Eight action.
This year’s NCAA Tournament has been defined by its chalky nature, featuring one of the most top-heavy Elite Eights in history. The final day of regional play reflects that trend, with a pair of matchups between No. 1 and No. 2 seeds.
The action begins in Indianapolis with the Midwest Regional final between No. 1 Houston and No. 2 Tennessee, a showdown between two of the nation’s top three defenses. Houston is seeking its first Final Four appearance since 2021, while Tennessee looks to break through for the first time. A win would also send Rick Barnes to his first Final Four since leading Texas there in 2003.
Later in Atlanta, No. 1 Auburn faces No. 2 Michigan State in the South Regional final with a crowd expected to favor the Tigers. Both programs reached the Final Four in 2019 but fell short of the title game, and neither has returned since. While the dominance of higher seeds has been a storyline, it has also set up marquee matchups like this one — pitting the SEC regular-season champion against the Big Ten regular-season champion with a Final Four berth on the line. With powerhouse programs, elite coaches and high stakes, this chalky Elite Eight has delivered some of the best college basketball has to offer.
With games this big, it’s time to dig into the best bets. Below, we have one pick for each game along with full straight-up and against-the-spread selections from our expert panel.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
(1) Houston vs. (2) Tennessee
2:20 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live: Purdue gave Houston’s defense one of its toughest tests this season and kept it close before falling just short of a massive upset. The Cougars may take confidence from their ability to close out the game, but the narrow win also showed just enough vulnerability for Tennessee to see an opportunity.
Meanwhile, the Volunteers looked dominant Friday, exceeding expectations in a 13-point win over Kentucky as a 4.5-point favorite. Senior guards Zakai Zeigler, Chaz Lanier and Jordan Gainey combined for 51 points, and the defense held the Wildcats to their lowest point total since Dec. 21.
Tennessee is rolling, playing in Peyton’s house, with a chance to reach its first Final Four in program history. The Vols aren’t just a value play on the spread, they’re a live underdog to win outright in Indianapolis. Pick: Tennessee +3.5
| Gary Parrish | Matt Norlander | Jerry Palm | Chip Patterson | Kyle Boone | David Cobb | Cameron Salerno | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATS | HOU +2.5 | TENN -2.5 | TENN -2.5 | HOU +2.5 | |||
| Straight Up | HOU | TENN | TENN | HOU |
(1) Auburn vs. (2) Michigan State
5:05 p.m. on CBS | March Madness Live: If Tahaad Pettiford is as electric and unstoppable as he appeared at times against Michigan, then maybe it’s just Auburn’s year. But the bet here is that Tom Izzo and Michigan State have more ways to disrupt the rhythm of the Tigers’ surging freshman star.
The Spartans had their own struggles with Ole Miss and their own freshman reliance with Jase Richardson, but rallying from second-half deficits has been a hallmark of Michigan State during its run to a Big Ten regular-season title. It’s less about luck and more about the Spartans’ physical style wearing down opponents and a Hall of Fame coach making the right in-game adjustments.
Like the early game, I think the underdog is live to win outright, so I’ll take the points. Pick: Michigan State +5.5
| Gary Parrish | Matt Norlander | Jerry Palm | Chip Patterson | Kyle Boone | David Cobb | Cameron Salerno | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATS | AUB -4.5 | MIST +4.5 | MIST +4.5 | AUB -4.5 | |||
| Straight Up | AUB | MIST | MIST | AUB |
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