BYU Bracketology Outlook Trending Up Entering Blue Blood Week
Feb 17, 2025, 4:59 PM
BYU basketball is trending up in Bracketology projections for the 2025 NCAA Tournament after wins over West Viriginia and Kansas State. (Brice Tucker, Deseret News)
(Brice Tucker, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – We’re entering the thick of Bracketology season.
The good news for BYU basketball is that they are trending up in brackets after a perfect week in Big 12 play.
BYU knocked off fellow bubble teams West Virginia in Morgantown and Kansas State at home.
Those wins have BYU in some Bracketology forecasts, skipping the “First Four” in Dayton and landing a bye into the Round of 64. Last week, most bracket forecasts had BYU as one of the last teams in the bracket.
The Cougars are currently 17-8 overall and 8-6 in Big 12 play and have big games coming up that could help improve their potential seeding in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
BYU has a pair of games against college basketball blue blood programs this week. The Cougars will host Kansas on Tuesday in Provo for the first time at the Marriott Center and then travel south to take on Arizona in their first trip to the McKale Center in 15 seasons.
This past Saturday, Kansas and Arizona were in the NCAA Selection Committee’s Top 16 seeds in the early bracket reveal. However, both the Jayhawks and Wildcats lost on Saturday. Arizona’s loss was at home to Big 12 favorite Houston. At the same time, Kansas lost to Utah in Salt Lake City.
The Top 16 seeds in bracket form 👀#BracketPreview pic.twitter.com/zA3qrDHht3
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 15, 2025
BYU is a tricky team to place into the NCAA Tournament as the Cougars do not compete on Sundays. So, because of that rule, half of the bracket is unavailable to BYU.
Along with Dayton in the First Four as a potential landing spot, the cities hosting Thursday/Saturday first and second-round NCAA Tournament action include Lexington, Kentucky; Providence, Rhode Island; Wichita, Kansas; and Denver, Colorado.
ESPN/Joe Lunardi Bracketology: Last Four Bye
Lunardi had BYU as the last team in the field of 68 last week. However, after a pair of victories, one of which was a Quad 1 road win, BYU avoided the “Last Four In” territory and slid into the Thursday of the bracket.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) February 17, 2025
Rocco Miller (Bracketeer): 10-seed vs. Saint Mary’s
BYU vs. Saint Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament would be a renewal of an old rivalry from BYU’s decade in the WCC. Kevin Young’s first NCAA Tournament against the veteran Randy Bennett would be a fun matchup.
CBS Sports: Last Four In vs. Texas
Jerry Palm has BYU facing Texas in a “First Four” matchup in Dayton. I’m sure BYU would love an opportunity to wave the Big 12 flag against former Big 12 member Texas. Just remember, no shirts spelling out “Horns Down,” please.
Field of 68: 10-seed vs. Memphis
On Monday, the Field of 68 bracket reveal show had BYU in as a 10-seed, avoiding the play-in round. BYU’s matchup in the Lukas Harkins and Brad Wachtel bracket on the Field of 68 had the Cougars facing Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers.
Memphis is 21-5 this season and 11-2 in the American Athletic Conference.
TeamRankings: First Team Out
TeamRankings puts together their Bracketology forecast based on the odds of making the NCAA Tournament. BYU basketball currently has a 52.6% chance of making the NCAA Tournament, according to TeamRankings.
The sports data website noted that BYU’s odds of reaching the NCAA Tournament increased by 17.9% after last week’s wins over West Virginia and Kansas State.
Where BYU basketball opponents stand in Bracketology
Seven of BYU’s opponents on the 2024-25 schedule land in the composite bracketology compiled by the Bracket Matrix. There are two more of BYU’s opponents hovering around the bubble.
Here’s where those teams stand in the Bracket Matrix aggregate.
- Houston: 2-seed
- Iowa State: 3-seed
- Texas Tech: 3-seed
- Kansas: 4-seed
- Ole Miss: 5-seed
- Baylor: 8-seed
- West Virginia: 10-seed
- Cincinnati: Next Four Out
- Kansas State: Next Four Out
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
