The beauty of March Madness is that nobody can correctly predict exactly what will happen. Upsets will happen and brackets will busted. Ahead of the NCAA Tournament officially starting on Thursday, Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby shared his bracket.
Crosby has several major upsets on his bracket this year. That includes the #12 McNeese Cowboys making a run to the Sweet 16. That is one of his several picks we’ll take a look at below.
Maxx Crosby’s picks:
- Saint Mary’s to reach the Sweet 16
- McNeese to reach the Sweet 16
- St. John’s to reach the Final Four
- Auburn to win the National Championship
Maxx Crosby March Madness Bracket 2025
Maxx Crosby’s bracket!
Auburn 🏆
McNeese in the Sweet 16 🤠
Saint Mary’s > Alabama 👀#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/8GqeiJugUS— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 18, 2025
Saint Mary’s to reach the Sweet 16
In 2024-25, the Saint Mary’s Gales finished 28-5 during the regular season. They were 17-1 in West Coast Conference play and their conference loss was in the championship game. Saint Mary’s defeated Gonzaga twice during the regular season but lost 58-51 in the WCC championship. Raiders DE Maxx Crosby has the Gales making a run to the Sweet 16. Crosby predicts Saint Mary’s will beat Vanderbilt in the first round and Alabama in the Round of 32. Beating the Crimson Tide would be a major upset for the Gales. Can they make a run like Maxx Crosby has predicted? The #7 seeds are 139-155 all-time in the NCAA tournament and only one champion has been a #7 seed.
McNeese to reach the Sweet 16
The McNeese Cowboys were the best team in the Southland Conference during the 2024-25. They finished with a 27-6 record and went 19-1 in Conference play. That included a Southland Conference Championship In 2024-25, McNeese has a top 12-ranked defense in the country. They allow an average of (64.1) points per game to their opponents this season. McNeese is not going to blow anyone out offensively but they will wreak havoc on the defensive end. The Cowboys are a #12 seed in the NCAA tournament. Twelve seeds have made it past the Sweet 16 just twice. Maxx Crosby predicts that McNeese will make the Sweet 16, beating Clemson and Purdue to reach that point. McNeese has been led all season long by their team manager Amir Khan who recently inked an NIL deal.
St. John’s to make the Final Four
No coach can change the trajectory of a franchise like Rick Pitino. He continuously has taken beaten-down programs and made them into championship contenders. His latest project is the St. John’s Red Storm basketball team. Pitino has been the head coach for two seasons. St. John’s went 20-13 in 2023-24. Rick Pitino had a year to recruit and establish his culture. The Red Storm went 30-4 in 2024-25 and 18-2 in the Big East. St. John’s won the Big East conference tournament and is a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament. Five times the champion of March Madness has been a #2 seed. Maxx Crosby has predicted that St. John’s will make a run to the Final Four. Their biggest upset would be beating #1 Florida in the Elite 8. How far can St. John’s make it with Rick Pitino as their head coach?
Auburn to win the National Championship
Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers were the #1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers brought back a ton of experience this season. Their average age is 23 years old. Not what you normally see in college. Auburn has used that experience as an advantage all season long. The Tigers went 28-5 and won the SEC regular season title. However, Auburn lost in the semi-finals to Tennessee of the SEC Tournament. In the first round, the Tigers are slated to play Alabama State. Number #1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament have won 25 times. The Tigers hope to become the 26th. Raiders DE Maxx Crosby has predicted that Auburn will win the National Championship this year. Crody has Auburn beating St. John’s in the Final Four and then Duke in the National Championship.
