2025 March Madness scores, takeaways: Sweet 16 down to final four conferences as SEC makes history

The SEC has seven teams in a regional semifinal featuring only teams from ACC, Big Ten and Big 12

The second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament is complete. After four days of nonstop tournament action, the field has been reduced to the Sweet 16 after eight teams punched their ticket to the second weekend of the tournament in different ways.

No. 1 seed Duke advanced with a blowout 89-66 win over No. 9 seed Baylor 89-66 to return to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year under coach Jon Scheyer. No. 4 seed Maryland delivered the best moment of the tournament so far when star big man Derik Queen knocked down a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to give his team a 72-71 win over No. 12 seed Colorado State.

One of the biggest winners of the weekend was No. 3 seed Kentucky. The Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019 in Year 1 of the Mark Pope era with an 84-75 win over No. 6 seed Illinois. The Wildcats will face SEC foe Tennessee in next week's Sweet 16.

2025 NCAA Tournament scores

All times Eastern | NCAA Tournament schedule | LIVE bracket

• (1) Florida 77, (8) UConn 75 | Highlights
• (1) Duke 89, (9) Baylor 66 | Highlights
• (3) Kentucky 84, (6) Illinois 75 | Highlights
•  (2) Alabama 80, (7) Saint Mary's 66 | Highlights
• (4) Maryland 72, (12) Colorado State 71 | Highlights
• (6) Ole Miss 91, (3) Iowa State 78  | Highlights
•  (2) Michigan State 71, (10) New Mexico 63 | Highlights
• (4) Arizona 87, (5) Oregon 83 | Highlights

CBS Sports will be with you the entire way updating this story with the latest from every second-round game on Saturday. Keep it locked here for scores, analysis and highlights throughout the evening.

[Mar 24, 2025 at 12:20 am ET · Cameron Salerno]

Derik Queen provides March Madness Magic

There are moments in the NCAA Tournament that leave you remembering exactly where you were when they happened. Derik Queen's buzzer-beater against Colorado State will be one of them. Queen has become a fan-favorite in college basketball because of his unique style of play. Queen is a center who plays like a guard and is well on his way to becoming a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Maryland is heading to its first Sweet 16 since 2016 and is one game away from reaching the Elite Eight for the first time in 23 years. Standing in Maryland's way will be Florida -- the No. 1 seed in their region. Queen vs. Florida's bigs will be worth tuning into next week.

[Mar 24, 2025 at 12:20 am ET · Cameron Salerno]

Florida ends UConn's chance at a three-peat

For the better part of the last month, Florida has looked almost unbeatable. The Gators entered this tournament as one of the favorites to win the national title but faced their first test against the two-time reigning champions. After UConn took a 61-59 lead with 3:28 remaining, the Gators locked in and passed their first test with flying colors. Florida advanced because Walter Clayton Jr. put the team on his back down the stretch. Clayton hit some wild jumpers in the final moments that extended the lead to eight in the final minute and put the game away for good. Not every championship run is created equal. UConn won all 12 NCAA Tournament games by double-digits en route to back-to-back national titles. The lesson here is that the margin of victory doesn't matter because it's all about surviving and advancing.

[Mar 24, 2025 at 12:19 am ET · Cameron Salerno]

Kentucky returns to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019

When Mark Pope was handed the keys to the Kentucky program last spring after John Calipari exited for the vacant job at Arkansas, he had to rebuild an entire roster from scratch. Kentucky had zero scholarship players return, and Pope quickly assembled a winner. After a handful of heartbreaking first-round exits under Calipari, Pope guided Kentucky to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019 in Year 1 on the job. The Wildcats were able to advance out of the first weekend without star guard Jaxson Robinson in the lineup. Robinson, a former BYU player under Pope, is out for the remainder of the season because of a wrist injury. In Robinson's absence, others have stepped up. Prized transfer Koby Brea scored 23 points, and star guard Otega Oweh added 15 in the win over Illinois. Kentucky went 2-0 in the regular season against Tennessee and will face Rick Barnes' squad again, this time for a spot in the Elite Eight. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, this should be viewed as a successful first year of the Pope era.

[Mar 24, 2025 at 12:16 am ET · Cameron Salerno]

Arizona advances to the Sweet 16

FINAL: (4) Arizona 87, (5) Oregon 83

The final game of the second round of the NCAA Tournament came down to the wire. No. 4 Arizona survived a furious comeback bid from No. 5 seed Oregon and held on for a 87-83 win in the battle of former Pac-12 foes. The Wildcats will face No. 1 seed Duke in the Sweet 16 next week.

Arizona star guard Caleb Love scored a game-high 29 points in the win.

The Wildcats trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half before mounting a major comeback. More storylines and drama heading into next week: Love will face Duke again, a team he's extremely familiar with from his time with North Carolina. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd has guided Arizona to the Sweet 16 three times in his four years with the school.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 11:12 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Michigan State is going back to the Sweet 16

FINAL: (2) Michigan State 71, (10) New Mexico 63

For the 16th time in the Tom Izzo era at Michigan State, the Spartans are heading to the Sweet 16. Izzo ties Arkansas coach John Calipari for the most Sweet 16 appearances by active head coaches. Michigan State trailed by as many as 10 points midway through the first half before outscoring New Mexico 42-32 in the second half. MSU will face No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the Sweet 16 next week.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 10:44 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Arizona ahead in matchup of former Pac-12 foes

HALFTIME: (4) Arizona 42, (5) Oregon 38

After getting off to a disastrous start and trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half (19-4), No. 4 seed Arizona mounted a comeback to take a 42-38 lead into the break over No. 5 seed Oregon. Arizona guard Jaden Bradley scored 11 points during the first 20 minutes, while star guard Caleb Love added nine. The Wildcats are seeking their third Sweet 16 berth under coach Tommy Lloyd. The winner of this game faces No. 1 seed Duke in the Sweet 16.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 10:42 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ole Miss headed to the Sweet 16

FINAL: (6) Ole Miss 91, (3) Iowa State 78

Ole Miss is headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2001 after slicing up Iowa State with an incredible offensive performance. The Rebels shot a sizzling 58.2% from the floor and made 11 of 19 attempts from beyond the arc en route to a stunningly dominant victory over the Cyclones. Ole Miss built its lead to 26 in the second half and then coasted to the finish line. Sean Pedulla led the Rebels with 20 points while Malik Dia added 18. No team posted a better shooting percentage against Iowa State this season.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 9:53 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Michigan State on upset alert

HALFTIME: (10) New Mexico 31, (2) Michigan State 29

The final double-digit seed in action tonight (and the last team from the Mountain West standing) is giving Michigan State everything it can handle. New Mexico will take a 31-29 lead into the locker room.

The Lobos led wire-to-wire in the first half and extended their lead to as many as 10 midway through the opening 20 minutes of play. New Mexico forward Mustapha Amzil scored a team-high 12 points in the first half, while star guard Donovan Dent scored four.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 9:35 pm ET · David Cobb]

Derik Queen delivers for Maryland

Maryland freshman Derik Queen delivered the first game-winning buzzer-beater of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Sunday to lift the No. 4 seed Terrapins to a thrilling 72-71 win over No. 12 seed Colorado State. Queen's runner over Ethan Morton trickled through the net just as the clock hit all zeroes to send onto the second weekend of the Big Dance for the first time since 2016.

The wild ending capped a back-and-forth battle that included 15 lead changes. Queen led the charge for the Terps with 17 points and six rebounds. But he'd been quiet for much of the second half until demanding the basketball with the game on the line.

WATCH: Maryland star Derik Queen banks in first buzzer-beater of March Madness 2025 to advance to Sweet 16

David Cobb

[Mar 23, 2025 at 9:19 pm ET · Kyle Boone]

Maryland wins at the buzzer

FINAL: (4) Maryland 72, (12) Colorado State 71

DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?

No. 4 seed Maryland, trailing by as many as 12 in the second round to Colorado State, just came all the way back to beat the Rams with a buzzer-beater from Terps freshman Derik Queen.

Queen gathered the inbounds, drove to his left and elevated off his off-foot for a floating fadeaway that found the bank and cashed. 

Unreal!

Queen finishes with a team-high 17 points, including the game-winner to advance Maryland into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016. 

Here's another look, because it was that sweet. Just an unreal play in isolation for Queen.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 9:15 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ole Miss looking strong

HALF: (6) Ole Miss 40, (3) Iowa State 29

Ole Miss fell behind 13-5 early but absolutely dominated from there to close the half with an 11-point lead behind big starts from Sean Pedulla and Malik Dia. The duo combined for 24 points, and the Rebels hit all nine of their free throws as flipped the script to take command. The Cyclones got 10 from Curtis Jones, but Milan Momcilovic is just 1 of 7 from the field. The Rebels are 20 minutes away from their first Sweet 16 since 2001.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 8:34 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Tyrese Proctor blooming perfectly for Duke

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Things haven't always worked out exactly as planned for Tyrese Proctor, but the Duke guard isn't the type of person to jump ship when the waters get rough. But after yet another stellar performance in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Proctor is receiving his flowers as one of the most important pieces of the early Jon Scheyer era at Duke. 

Proctor led Duke with 25 points on 7-for-8 shooting from behind the arc in Sunday's 89-66 win against Baylor in the second round of the East Region, an encore performance after knocking down 6-of-8 three-pointers two days earlier against Mount St. Mary's. Proctor has as many three-pointers through two games of the NCAA Tournament as Duke's first two opponents (13). 

Tyrese Proctor may not become a lottery pick, but he's bloomed perfectly for Duke in March Madness

Chip Patterson

[Mar 23, 2025 at 8:22 pm ET · David Cobb]

Alabama dances onward

FINAL: (2) Alabama 80, (7) Saint Mary's 66

Alabama never cooled off against Saint Mary's and rode a strong offensive showing to the Sweet 16. Saint Mary's drew within single digits several times in the second half but could never consistently get stops against the high-flying Crimson Tide. Six players reached double figures for Alabama, which overcame an 11-6 deficit in the turnover battle. Bama will get No. 6 seed BYU in the Sweet 16 in what figures to be a compelling battle between two of the best offensive teams in college basketball.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 8:02 pm ET · David Cobb]

Maryland in trouble

HALF: (12) Colorado State 37, (4) Maryland 30

Colorado State shot 50% from the floor in the first half and got 12 points from star Nique Clifford while building its lead to as much as 12 on Maryland. The Terrapins fought back after a slow start to get within striking distance, but they didn't get much from star guards Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice, who have combined for seven points on 3-of-14 shooting thus far. Derik Queen has 12 for the Terps, but he'll need some help in the second half.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 7:48 pm ET · Kyle Boone]

Kentucky into the Sweet 16

FINAL: (3) Kentucky 84, (6) Illinois 75

Kentucky is dancing its way into the Sweet 16 in Year 1 under coach Mark Pope. The Wildcats handled Illinois from early in this game and held it at arm's length down the stretch to punch their ticket to the second weekend. It's the first time since 2019 Kentucky will be in the Sweet 16 -- and in the same field of teams as former coach John Calipari and his Razorbacks. (Albeit on the other side of the bracket.)

Kentucky guard Koby Brea finished with 23 points on the day after earlier in the week talking about how the Evo NXT ball was hard to shoot with and affected his shot. Fellow backcourt mates Lamont Butler and Otega Oweh combined for 29 points.

Illinois struggled to handle the ball early, much like it did all season, and that may have been the ultimate difference in the game. It committed 14 turnovers on which UK converted into 26 points, while Illinois converted just 8 points on five forced turnovers.

UK moves into the next round where it will face a familiar foe in Tennessee, the Midwest Region's No. 2 seed. Kentucky swept the regular season series over the Vols 2-0 with wins of five points and 11 points.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 7:04 pm ET · David Cobb]

Alabama in command

HALF: (2) Alabama 42, (7) Saint Mary's 29

Saint Mary's did not commit a single turnover in the first half but trails Alabama by 12 anyway after the Crimson Tide shot 55.2%. Chris Youngblood led the charge, drilling all three of his 3-point attempts. The Gaels finished the half 0 for 6 from deep and will need to get hot from deep in the second half if they wish to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 6:25 pm ET · Kyle Boone]

Kentucky pacing Illinois at half

Halftime: (3) Kentucky 37, (6) Illinois 32

Kentucky leads by five at the halftime intermission in Milwaukee over Illinois as both make bids to earn a Sweet 16 berth. UK led by as many as 12 in the first half, but the Illini made a strong push to close the half, including makes on four of its final five field goal attempts, to cut the lead to five.

Illinois has really struggled handling the ball and was abysmal with its decision-making early, contributing to UK's early successes. But it did a better job down the stretch of executing and maximizing possessions. It has eight turnovers at the half.

Kentucky has 14 points off those turnovers to Illinois' seven points off turnovers, which so far has been the difference. Wildcats guard Koby Brea and Lamont Butler have also been huge with a combined 19 points on 3 of 6 3-point shooting.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 5:57 pm ET · Kyle Boone]

Kentucky pounces on Illini early

Mid first-half: (3) Kentucky 25, (6) Illinois 13

Hard to draw up a much better start than what Kentucky's done thus far midway through the first half: It is up 10 after forcing eight turnovers, making three 3s and committing just one turnover. UK defense not known for wreaking havoc, but Illini struggling to take care of the ball and gifting chances to the WIldcats early. 

[Mar 23, 2025 at 6:14 pm ET · David Cobb]

Everything Dan Hurley had to say

UConn coach Dan Hurley's emotions ran the gamut after the No. 8 seed Huskies dropped a 77-75 thriller to No. 1 seed Florida in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The leader of the two-time reigning national champions was irate walking off the floor but then sullen in his postgame press conference. Hurley has come under the microscope amid his revitalization of the Huskies' program in recent years. An overly animated sideline demeanor, honest candor with the press and unending thirst for greatness make make him one of college basketball's most-fascinating and unabashedly authentic characters.

Everything an emotional Dan Hurley said after UConn's NCAA Tournament streak ended in loss to Florida

David Cobb

[Mar 23, 2025 at 5:17 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Flagg, Proctor lead Duke past Baylor

FINAL: (1) Duke 89, (9) Baylor 66

Duke is moving on to the Sweet 16 after recording a statement 89-66 win over Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils will await the winner of tonight's showdown between No. 4 seed Arizona and No. 5 seed Oregon to find out who their opponent will be in next week's Sweet 16.

The difference in this game was the star power of Cooper Flagg and Tyrese Proctor. Flagg looked like his usual self and finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Proctor caught fire by knocking down 7 of 8 attempts from the 3-point line. Proctor finished with 25 points.

The loss by Baylor likely marks the end of the road for superstar freshman VJ Edgecombe in Waco. Edgecombe is a projected lottery pick in this summer's NBA Draft. Edgecombe finished with 16 points, while Jeremy Roach -- a former Duke player -- scored seven against his old team.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 4:08 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Duke in control vs. Baylor

HALFTIME: (1) Duke 47, (9) Baylor 30

After going down 24-23 midway through the first half, Duke outscored Baylor by 18 points in the final eight minutes to take a 47-30 lead into the locker room. Cooper Flagg (15 points) and Tyrese Proctor (11 points) paced the Duke offense in the first half, as the Blue Devils shot an impressive 13 of 20 (65%) from the floor. 

Baylor star Jeremy Roach, a former Duke player, finished the first with three points. Baylor didn't score the final 3:07 of the first half and missed 10 of its last 12 shot attempts.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 3:24 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Flagg vs. Edgecombe is living up to the hype

EARLY 1H: (1) Duke 15, (9) Baylor 13

Duke superstar Cooper Flagg is off to a hot start in a matchup of future top NBA Draft picks. Flagg has six points already, and he just converted an And-1 with Baylor star VJ Edgecombe -- another projected lottery pick -- guarding him. Edgecombe has four points, and he just threw down an alley-oop dunk.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 2:33 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida surives, advances to Sweet 16

FINAL: (1) Florida 77, (8) UConn 75

A second-round showdown between No. 1 seed Florida and two-time reigning national champion UConn delivered on the hype in a major way on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the Gators survived for a 77-75 win over the upset-minded Huskies. 

UConn led 61-58 with under 4 minutes to play before the Gators used a Walter Clayton Jr. 3-pointer and a Will Richard transition dunk to seize their first lead of the second half. But the Huskies weren't done, as Solomon Ball responded with a 3-pointer of his own at the 2:12 mark to even the score. 

It was all Gators from there, though, as Clayton kept pouring it on to lead his team into the Sweet 16. The veteran guard finished with a game-high 23 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 15 points in the second half. Liam NcNeeley hit a 3-pointer as time expired for the Huskies to make the final score a bit closer.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 1:58 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Can Florida avoid the upset?

MID 2H: (8) UConn 52, (1) Florida 51

The final 7:30 in regulation will be fun, so buckle up. UConn stretched its lead to six points moments ago after big man Tarris Reed Jr. threw down a ferocious two-handed slam. Florida hasn't led since late into the first half. UConn has won 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament games, which is tied for second with Duke for the most all-time.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 1:39 pm ET · David Cobb]

Battle in Raleigh

14:55 2H: (8) UConn 40, (1) Florida 37

UConn is now dealing with a bit of foul trouble as Samson Johnson is on the bench with three fouls. That's a huge storyline to monitor down the stretch in a tight game, as he's the best rebounder on a UConn team that has its hands full with Florida's convoy of bigs. The Gators have limited the Huskies to 4 of 19 shooting from 3-point range so far, but the Huskies are fighting for loose balls and matching UF on the glass.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 1:02 pm ET · David Cobb]

UConn hanging tough

HALF: (1) Florida 31, (8) UConn, 31

UConn shot just 32.4% in the first half but is hanging tough vs. Florida anyway, due in part to eight Gator turnovers. Hassan Diarra drilled a 3-pointer with five seconds left in the half to tie it up and send the Huskies into the locker room with some momentum. Alijah Martin led Florida with 14 in the half while Liam McNeeley scored nine to lead UConn. Samson Johnson was a beast on the interior for the Huskies, who have a 9-7 edge in offense rebounds against Florida's voracious front line. Samson has nine total boards and had a huge slam late in the half.

[Mar 23, 2025 at 12:08 pm ET · Adam Finkelstein]

March Madness delivers its most star-powered NBA draft matchup in years: Cooper Flagg vs. VJ Edgecombe

Everybody loves an upset in the first couple days of the NCAA Tournament. But when Cinderella doesn't make it to the ball and the big, chalky names move on to subsequent rounds, it frankly makes the ensuing games all the more exciting.

You know who else likes it when the biggest programs advance? NBA scouts.

Sunday's slate is absolutely loaded with NBA prospects. The headliner is the matchup between 1-seed Duke and 9-seed Baylor, which could feature not just multiple first-round picks, but multiple lottery picks.

It starts of course with Cooper Flagg, widely perceived to be the runaway favorite as the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. Fellow freshmen Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach are likely bound for the green room as well, while sharpshooter Isaiah Evans has been trending up as of late.

March Madness delivers its most star-powered NBA draft matchup in years: Cooper Flagg vs. VJ Edgecombe

Adam Finkelstein

[Mar 23, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Dan Hurley sees a lot of UConn in Florida — but to be the champs, the Gators have to beat the two-time champs

The two-time defending national champion UConn Huskies will attempt on Sunday afternoon to continue the mythic quest for a three-peat, something that has not been accomplished since the NCAA Tournament bracket expanded. But to keep the dream alive Dan Hurley's squad must take down one of the tournament's top teams, No. 1 seed Florida, and a Gators squad that looks familiar to the Huskies' head coach. 

When Hurley sees Florida, he doesn't just see a team that's properly rated as one of the top teams in the country, he sees a group that looks like the Husky teams that cut down nets each of the last two seasons. 

"The bigs, it reminds me of kind of what we had with [Adama] Sanogo and [Donovan] Clingan and Samson Johnson these last couple years where they just keep trotting out big, skilled, tenacious two-way players that are all over the glass," Hurley said. "They've got a lot of depth on the perimeter, and they're old. I mean, they've got a lot of great pieces."

Dan Hurley sees a lot of UConn in Florida — but to be the champs, the Gators have to beat the two-time champs

Chip Patterson

[Mar 23, 2025 at 11:40 am ET · Chip Patterson]

Sunday's expert picks

The final eight spots in the Sweet 16 will be awarded on Sunday as the opening weekend of the 2025 NCAA Tournament comes to a close with a day full of headline-worthy action across the country. Like many, you may be dealing with "Busted Bracket Syndrome" after seeing your supposed upset picks fall short in what was a fairly chalky first round. Luckily, you can always find another path to victory, and our college basketball analysts have pulled together some expert picks to help. 

The day begins in Raleigh with No. 1 seed Florida going toe-to-toe with the two-time reigning national champion and No. 8 seed UConn. The Huskies' hopes for a three-peat are on the line, but so is Florida's desire to take over the mantle of the team to beat in the tournament.  

At the moment, the team to beat is Duke, which only reasserted its status as the favorite to win it all with a 44-point drubbing of Mount St. Mary's in Cooper Flagg's return to action. The Blue Devils' next foe is expected to be tougher, though. Like Florida, they face coach with a title ring in Scott Drew and Baylor. 

2025 March Madness predictions: NCAA bracket expert picks against the spread, odds in Sunday's Round 2 games

Chip Patterson

[Mar 23, 2025 at 11:21 am ET · Cameron Salerno]

Duke let standout PG Jeremy Roach walk; a year later, retooled Blue Devils draw Roach, Baylor in March Madness

When Duke came up short in last year's Elite Eight loss to NC State, the Blue Devils retooled their roster ahead of the arrival of star freshman Cooper Flaggwith the idea of getting back to the final weekend of the college basketball season on the forefront.  

That meant seeing program legend Jeremy Roach, forward Mark Mitchell and other members of Duke's star-studded 2024 recruiting class enter the transfer portal to properly build around the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.  

Coming off the best statistical season of his college career, losing Roach — or even electing to encourage him to transfer — could've been viewed as a massive risk for the Blue Devils. Roach averaged 14 points per game and shot 42.9% from the 3-point line while providing a steady veteran presence in the backcourt. But Duke needed to, quite simply, get a lot bigger to execute an insanely versatile lineup coach Jon Scheyer had in mind.

Duke let standout PG Jeremy Roach walk; a year later, retooled Blue Devils face Roach, Baylor in March Madness

Cameron Salerno