2025 March Madness First Four predictions: Xavier vs. Texas, Mount St. Marys vs. American

If YOU believe the NCAA Tournament begins in Dayton with the First Four, you probably think that a hot dog is a sandwich. All odds are provided by BetMGM Sportsbook.Musketeers senior Zach Freemantle, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, has been waiting for this moment after missing nearly two full years — including Xavier’s 2023 Sweet 16 run — due to injury.Playmaking guard Ryan Conwell is made for March, scoring at least 20 points in four straight games before a 38-point outburst in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals.

Sean Miller (21-12 in the NCAA Tournament) could make another run to the second week with one of the top shooting teams in the nation, which has won seven of its past eight games.Texas enters tied for the all-time mark for most losses by an at-large NCAA Tournament team (19-15), having gone 5-13 against top 50 teams on KenPom.com (Xavier is ranked 43rd), while losing eight of its past 12 games.

Texas is talented, but inconsistent and undisciplined, fouling at one of the highest rates in the nation (more than 26 percent of possessions), led by a coach (Rodney) on the verge of losing his job. This blockbuster matchup will be played between two of the four “luckiest” teams in the nation, according to KenPom.com.American will need more of it, relying on an offense that takes nearly 45 percent of its shots from beyond the arc against a defense that’s held opponents to 31.4 percent 3-point shooting this season.

The Mountaineers will lean into more trustworthy strengths, holding a superior edge on the glass (No.47 vs.

No.283) and foul rate (No.

75 vs.No.

337), while feeding junior Dola Adebayo in the paint.During their MAAC Tournament title run, Mount St.

Mary’s allowed an average of 54 points per game. This season: 9-13 2011-24 record: 378-340-12Howie Kussoy has long been the New York Post’s main handicapper in college basketball (since 2011) and college football (since 2013)....