The 2025 March Madness tournament was a memorable mix of intensity and high-level basketball — where the drama of the early rounds gave way to a Final Four filled with powerhouse programs. It was a tournament defined less by underdog magic and more by elite programs getting their cue.

What made this year most memorable was the highly improbable event of all four No. 1 seeds — Florida, Houston, Auburn and Duke — reaching the Final Four. That rarely happens, and fans were astonished and amazed at the consistency and dominance of the top-tier teams. All these teams boasted high-level play, star power and the kind of consistency that wins championships.

The title contest was a Florida-Houston battle that came down to the wire. In a physical, tense fight, Florida won out, capturing their third national title. Walter Clayton Jr. was the tournament star, recording huge numbers and earning Most Outstanding Player honors. His efforts, along with timely contributions from Florida’s deep bench, sealed the deal.

This year’s tourney didn’t rely on shocking upsets or Cinderella tales. Instead, it was a reflection of just how dominant the upper-echelon programs really are. Every round was like a heavyweight fight, especially in the Elite Eight and Final Four, when the cream of the crop went at it in some of the most competitive games of the year.

One of the hottest subjects of debate was the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) dominance. The conference broke a record for most teams in the field and made a deep run through the bracket. It was a clear sign of the SEC’s growing power in college basketball, as some of the other power conferences underperformed and sparked talk of shifting power in the sport.

In the end, 2025’s tournament was an exhibition of elite-level hoops. While it lacked some of the customary Cinderella drama, it compensated with high-stakes games, elite-level performers and an all-time finale. It was a new kind of madness — less chaotic, more calculated — but no less engrossing.