One of the more interesting first-round matchups in the 2025 NCAA Tournament is Yale vs Texas A&M, which will take place on Thursday, March 20, 2025. This game from Ball Arena in Denver, CO will feature a team from the best conference in college basketball, the SEC, taking on a team that has a history of being a dangerous opponent for teams from that conference.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Aggies are 7.5-point favorites going into this first-round clash. The total for this contest has been set at 141.5 points. Continue reading to get our thoughts on this Ivy League vs SEC showdown on Thursday and to get our best bet for a game that could go down to the wire in Denver.
Can Yale Pull Off Another First-Round Upset?
Yale won the Ivy League championship this season to earn their spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are no strangers to success in this tournament after beating Auburn in the first round last year. Here, they will look to put forth a similarly impressive performance in the opening round as they come into March Madness with 15 wins in their last 16 games.
As we saw in last year’s NCAA Tournament, Yale will go as far as guard John Poulakidas will take them. Poulakidas scored 28 points in the Bulldogs’ upset of Auburn in last year’s first round but was held to just 9 points in their second-round loss to San Diego State. Which version of Poulakidas we see in this game will go a long way toward determining whether or not Yale can get a win here.
Texas A&M Looks to Hold Off Bulldogs
The Texas A&M Aggies finished the regular season in fifth place in a loaded SEC. But they could not deliver in the SEC tournament, going one-and-done in that tournament with a double-overtime loss to Texas in the second round. A&M heads into the NCAA Tournament still enjoying a high seed, thanks in large part to a huge advantage on the glass over the majority of teams they face.
Texas A&M heads into March Madness ranked fourth in the country in rebounding. The Aggies average 41.2 rebounds per game, which is even more impressive given the quality of competition they have faced this year. The Aggies ranked fifth in the country in strength of schedule by Kenpom, something that could come in handy if the Aggies can get through the first weekend of this tournament.
Yale vs Texas A&M Prediction
Yale +7.5 (-110) over Texas A&M
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Claim Bonus - Yale proved last year against Auburn that they can hang with elite teams in this tournament.
- The Bulldogs have won 15 of their last 16 games entering the NCAA Tournament.
