2025 NCAA Tournament Preview: West Region

Let’s preview the West Region.

Best First Round Matchups

#7 Kansas vs. #10 Arkansas (Thursday, approx. 7:10 PM ET – CBS)

Future Hall of Fame coaches Bill Self and John Calipari will square off for the chance to, more than likely, take on another Hall of Fame coach in the Second Round. Kansas has had a disappointing year, but are one of the most experienced squads in the Big Dance. Arkansas has dealt with injuries all year, but are supremely talented and could be a Wildcard in this Tournament.

#6 Missouri vs. #11 Drake (Thursday, approx. 7:35 PM ET – truTV)

One of the more popular games for an upset pick features a contrast of styles. Drake’s slow pace has routinely frustrated opponents throughout this season, but Missouri is well-positioned to take on that challenge, boasting the country’s fifth most efficient offense according to KenPom. Something has got to give, but that probably won’t happen until the game’s final minutes (or seconds).

#4 Maryland vs. #13 Grand Canyon (Friday, approx. 4:35 PM ET – TBS)

The fact that these two teams match up against one another in the First Round is both great and horrible. On one hand, Grand Canyon is a really solid sub-10 seed that has talent befitting of a Power conference squad. On the other, Maryland has been one of the most efficient teams on both ends and is a dark horse candidate to make a deep run in the Tournament. Unfortunately, only one of these teams will get to play more than a single game.

#8 Connecticut vs. #9 Oklahoma (Friday, approx. 9:25 PM ET – TNT)

The Huskies haven’t had the type of season they would have expected coming off of back-to-back national titles, but key personnel departures and injuries will do that to you. Even still, Dan Hurley’s squad is dangerous if you overlook them, something that Porter Moser and the Sooners are unlikely to do.

Team That Could Make a Run

Maryland

The Terrapins have a really difficult matchup in the First Round, and you wouldn’t be crazy to assert that Maryland is almost equally as likely to flame out after one game as it is to make it deep into the Tournament. But if Kevin Willard’s team can survive the athleticism of Grand Canyon, this is a team to watch.

Quietly one of the most efficient teams in the country, Maryland has the size to match up decently with a team like Florida (possible Sweet 16) and the offensive efficiency to break down a defense like St. John’s (possible Elite 8). It is slightly concerning that the Terrapins’ best player is a freshman big, but there’s another team in the bracket that can say the same, and nobody is doubting their ability to make a deep run.

Buyer Beware

Memphis

Even before the announcement of Tyrese Hunter’s unlikely availability for the Tigers, there were reasons to fade them. Memphis is not a particularly efficient basketball team, relying primarily on an up tempo approach to force the opposition into playing at an uncomfortable pace, forcing mistakes. While that worked quite well in the AAC, it’s not a guarantee that it would work so well against Tournament-caliber competition (in fairness, it was successful against that type of competition in the early part of the season).

According to EvanMiya, the Tigers are the most overseeded No. 5 in the Tournament and play the most underseeded No. 12 in Colorado State. Despite having lost just once since mid-January, the season could come to a screeching halt for Penny Hardaway’s squad.

Remember The Name

Nique Clifford, Colorado State

The Rams’ star has been a huge part of the equation in Colorado State’s current 10-game winning streak, improving upon his 19 PPG and 50.7 percent field goal rate to 22.1 PPG and over 56 percent from the field during that stretch. He has also slightly improved his accuracy from the free throw line this year, important given that he has been to the line nearly twice as much as he got there last season.

Physically Clifford is ready made for a run at an NBA career, but before that happens he’d surely like to make a name for himself in March. Riding a ton of confidence from the recent string of success coupled with a favorable pod for Colorado State in the Tournament may just result in that becoming a reality.

Derik Queen, Maryland

The Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year has been exceptional for the Terrapins in his first collegiate season, averaging nearly a double-double (16.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG). As physically imposing as he is, standing 6’10” and coming in at a rock solid 245 pounds, defensively Queen is a work in progress, but no such thing can be said about his offensive skills.

Even without Queen serving as a defensive nightmare, Maryland is very efficient on that end of the court, allowing the talented first-year forward to focus on what he does best – cook offensively.

Bennett Stirtz, Drake

The Missouri Valley Conference’s Player of the Year came out of the middle of nowhere to lead the Bulldogs to their second straight NCAA Tournament berth. Literally. Stirtz was one of several players that Drake head coach Ben McCollum took with him from Division II Northwest Missouri State when he took the job to replace Darian DeVries last March, making his ascendence to one of college basketball’s most intriguing players all that much more impressive.

Stirtz does everything well, including providing maximum effort on the defensive end, adding 2.2 steals per contest to an impressive statline that includes 19.1 PPG and 5.7 APG. With Drake being a popular upset pick in the First Round, many will be learning of Stirtz for the first time and rooting for his success in this Tournament.

RJ Luis, St. John’s

It is somewhat unusual to assert that a Big East Player of the Year and second-team All-American would be flying under the radar of many fans, but such is the case with the Red Storm’s most influential player. Luis has earned his success the hard way, battling back from injuries that cost him most of last season to post an impressive statline (18.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.1 APG) while helping St. John’s win the Big East regular season title outright for the first time since 1985.

A rangy, athletic slashing guard at 6’7”, 215 pounds, Luis is very difficult to stop in and around the basket. The Red Storm have a decent chance of making a deep run in this year’s Tournament, and if that happens, Luis will no longer be flying under the radar of anyone.

Around The Corn’s Picks

First Round

#1 Florida over #16 Norfolk State

#8 Connecticut over #9 Oklahoma

#12 Colorado State over #5 Memphis (upset alert)

#4 Maryland over #13 Grand Canyon

#11 Drake over #6 Missouri (upset alert)

#3 Texas Tech over #14 UNC Wilmington

#7 Kansas over #10 Arkansas

#2 St. John’s over #15 Omaha

Second Round

#1 Florida over #8 Connecticut

#4 Maryland over #12 Colorado State

#3 Texas Tech over #11 Drake

#2 St. John’s over #7 Kansas

Sweet 16

#1 Florida over #4 Maryland

#2 St. John’s over #3 Texas Tech

Elite 8

#1 Florida over #2 St. John’s