As we prepare to turn the page on the calendar, something becomes crystal clear — it’s almost time to go dancing. That’s right, March Madness is right around the corner!
To celebrate the impending madness and take a look at some teams to watch, Jordan Brenner and Peter Keating welcomed ESPN’s Jay Bilas to the latest episode of the Underdogs podcast.
Jay agreed with Jordan that there is really a six-pack of teams with a true ceiling of the national championship. Jay says a couple of weeks ago he has it at eight teams that he thought could win it all, but perhaps in hindsight he was being a bit generous. But, he points out that it’s a lot different getting to a Final Four than it is to win a national title. Once you get to the Final Four, you better be legit.
When it comes to teams outside the top contenders, who does Jay see as viable national title contenders? He thinks if healthy, Iowa State could be in that conversation. He says if the Cyclones are healthy, they’re legit and the Cougars remind him a bit of Houston. Jay says they’re a lot better offensively than they’ve been the last few years while remaining very good on the defensive end. He also points to Texas Tech, Arizona and even Missouri have outside shots as well because of their talent levels.
Jay says, ultimately, if you get hot at the right time, something can happen. He would put Michigan State in that conversation as well, but they just don’t shoot it, which is confounding since they’ve always been a good shooting team. The silver lining to that, however, is that it has sharpened their focus on getting to the foul line. The Spartans are shooting more free throws this year than at any time Jay can remember.
Outside of the top teams, who does @JayBilas could make a run in March?
“I think Iowa State, healthy, could do it…If they’re healthy they’re legit.
I would put Michigan State in there, except they don’t shoot it…The one good part about that is I think it’s sharpened their… pic.twitter.com/5de0YWQYgu
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) February 28, 2025
Watch or listen to the whole show below and make sure to keep an eye on the Underdogs podcast feeds on Apple and Spotify as well as the Underdogs YouTube page for future episodes!
AUDIO:
NCAA Tournament Preview, feat. Jay Bilas!
Will Duke be able to overcome their lack of experience? Does Houston have what it takes to make a deep run? Jordan and Peter are joined by ESPN’s Jay Bilas to break down all their early picks for March Madness – from the heavy-hitters (Auburn, Alabama) to the sleepers (we’re looking at you, Iowa State and Texas Tech).
VIDEO:
Be sure to check out more episodes of Underdogs on the Underdogs YouTube page and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! You can also follow Peter on X at @PeterKeatingNJ and Jordan at @JordanBrenner.
