Jay Bilas Reveals Truth Behind Predictions for NCAA Tournament Bracket

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Tristan Afshar | Last updated Apr 3, 2025 11:49 AM ET

Jay Bilas drew plenty of criticism for his NCAA Tournament bracket this year, but the ESPN analyst isn’t backing down. In fact, after watching all four No. 1 seeds advance to the Final Four, Bilas decided to revisit his most scrutinized prediction — and offer the reasoning behind it.

While fans and pundits often look for upset picks to spice up their brackets, Bilas took a more straightforward path. “This year, I had a dilemma,” he wrote in a Wednesday column for ESPN. “When I looked at the paths of each No. 1 seed, I really liked the one each had.”

He noted the rare nature of this outcome, referencing 2008 as the only other time all four top seeds reached the Final Four — a tournament that also happened to take place in San Antonio. That year, Bilas made the same call and received similar pushback.

Past backlash didn’t stop Bilas from trusting the numbers

This double standard surrounding players leaving and coaches leaving their programs needs to stop: pic.twitter.com/HzfEaeqxln
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) April 2, 2025

Bilas acknowledged that his picks weren’t flashy, but he defended the logic behind them. “I got a tremendous amount of guff for my picks in 2008 and again this year,” he wrote. Still, he emphasized that the NCAA Tournament isn’t just about chaos — it’s about crowning a true champion.

Now, with his bracket intact and the Alamodome set to host four No. 1 seeds once again, Bilas believes his approach has been validated. While he may not have chosen the most entertaining path, he certainly chose the most accurate.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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