NCAA Tournament Brackets Take Major Hits as Upsets Continue
The NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments witnessed devastating blows to the number of perfect brackets as several lower-seeded teams pulled off remarkable upsets. As of March 22, 2025, No. 9 Baylor triumphed over No. 8 Mississippi State with a close score of 75-72, dropping the total number of perfect brackets in major online games from 36,000 to around 22,000, according to public data sources.
Throughout the tournament, fans were eagerly tracking their brackets, but many were left disheartened as their predictions fell apart early. In the women's bracket challenge, only about one-third of submitted brackets remained perfect after just three games. Notably, No. 9 Indiana's 76-68 victory over No. 8 Utah caused massive disruptions, with many brackets heavily invested in that matchup.
As the tournament progressed, the men’s brackets continued to suffer. The number of perfect men's brackets fell beneath 10,000 after No. 12 Colorado State defeated No. 5 Memphis 78-70, eliminating more than half of the remaining contenders. Following that, No. 7 Saint Mary's managed a nail-biting 59-56 victory against No. 10 Vanderbilt, pushing the count of flawless brackets down to under 5,000.
The competition was fierce across the women's tournament as well, with the first day bringing losses for many hopeful predictions. By the midpoint of day one, less than 1.5 million perfect women’s brackets remained, showcasing the unpredictability of the games. Highlights from day one included No. 6 Michigan's 80-74 win over No. 11 Iowa State, which eliminated about one million brackets almost instantly.
The string of upsets continued as No. 10 Oregon stunned fans by overcoming No. 7 Vanderbilt in a thrilling overtime duel, securing a 77-73 win and further shrinking the pool of perfect brackets. No. 7 Louisville also kept the trend going by defeating No. 10 Nebraska, 63-58, contributing to another round of eliminations.
As the first round wrapped up, the number of perfect men's brackets dwindled dramatically. A previous peak of over 34 million submissions was left with only 181 perfect brackets as of March 22. Three significant matchups punctuated this drop:
- No. 9 Baylor 75, No. 8 Mississippi State 72 - Approx. 22,000 brackets left.
- No. 12 Colorado State 78, No. 5 Memphis - About 8,000 brackets left.
- No. 7 Saint Mary's 59, No. 10 Vanderbilt 56 - About 4,500 brackets left.
The situation was no better on the women’s side. After a busy round of games, estimates revealed that fewer than 100,000 perfect women’s brackets remained, a sharp drop from the approximate 5 million initial submissions. Famous upsets included No. 8 Richmond’s 74-49 victory over No. 9 Georgia Tech, a match that knocked out about 200,000 brackets.
As the tournament heads into its next round of play, brackets face the real possibility of dwindling even further, particularly as Saturday’s matchups begin. On March 22, action kicks off with a showdown between No. 4 Purdue and No. 12 McNeese at 12:10 p.m. ET, with predictions favoring Purdue with 141 remaining perfect brackets backing them, while 40 selected McNeese.
For many, the prospect of losing their brackets is an emotional rollercoaster. Some fans remember fondly when brackets remained intact longer in previous tournaments. For instance, in 2019, a remarkable 15 brackets made it through the first round.
As teams gear up for the next set of games, expectations remain high as viewers look forward to unexpected outcomes that can radically change the tournament landscape. Anticipation builds for Saturday's events, and fans across the nation will once again hold their breath as they keep tabs on their brackets.
The thrilling uncertainty and the promise of competition are what make the NCAA Tournament a beloved spectacle, and if Friday's action is any indication, we can expect more surprises ahead. With only 181 perfect men's brackets remaining and the women's tournament notably shrinking, fans are reminded that this year's March Madness is as unpredictable as ever.
