The opening weekend of the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament delivered exhilarating performances, nail-biting finishes, and historic milestones. Here's our first weekend superlatives:
WBN's First Weekend All-Tournament Teams
First Team
Nique Clifford (Colorado State): Taking a 12 seed to within 1 point of a Sweet 16 birth while stuffing the state sheet, Nique is definitely belonging.
Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida): Instrumental in Florida's comeback win over UConn, delivering crucial three-pointers in the closing minutes. Clayton has scored 22 or more in 4 straight games.
Cooper Flagg (Duke)- Stat stuffing his way to a Duke cakewalk to the Sweet 16, Flagg has answered the bell so far.
Richie Saunders (BYU)- The one time Kentucky target has scored 41 points in the first two rounds leading 6 seed BYU into a matchup with 2 seed Alabama.
L.J. Cryer (Houston)- Dropped 30 in a 5 point win over Gonzaga in the second round, Cryer has been on a tear.
Second Team
Chaz Lanier (Tennessee)- Has scored 49 in two games in the NCAA tournament.
JT Toppin (Texas Tech)- A double-double average is not easy to do in the tournament, but that is exactly what Toppin is doing.
Trey Kaufmann-Renn (Purdue): 43 points and 23 rebounds in 2 games so far, Purdue would be home if not for Kaufmann-Renn.
John Tonje (Wisconsin)- Despite the loss to BYU, Tonje did more than his part scoring 37 points and missing a heartbreaking shot at the buzzer to tie.
Johni Broome (Auburn)- Averaging a double-double through the first two rounds, the POY candidate has helped Auburn overcome some lackluster play so far.
Honorable Mentions
Koby Brea (Kentucky): A 23 point breakout game against Illinois keeps the Cats dancing.
Vlad Goldin (Michigan): 23 points and 12 rebounds in a second round upset of Texas A&M.
Bennett Stirtz (Drake): Averaged 21 and 6 assists for Drake who just run out of gas against Texas Tech.
Otega Oweh (Kentucky): His opening game of 20+ points, 8+ rebounds, and 5+ assists hadn't been done at Kentucky since 1996.
Johnell Davis (Arkansas): His cluctch shooting helped the Razorbacks go from a 10 seed to the Sweet 16.
SEC's Historic Dominance
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has made history by advancing seven teams to the Sweet 16, surpassing the previous record of six set by the ACC in 2016. The SEC teams moving forward are Kentucky, Ole Miss, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Auburn. This remarkable achievement underscores the conference's depth and competitiveness this season.
Highest Scoring Teams:
Arizona: 90 PPG
Duke: 89.5 PPG
Buzzer-Beater: Derik Queen's last-second shot for Maryland stands out as one of the tournament's most thrilling moments, epitomizing the unpredictability and excitement of March Madness. Not without controversy though, as some say he walked.
As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly anticipate more unforgettable performances and historic feats, embodying the true spirit of March Madness.