2025 NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET

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VCU-BYU SERIES
RECORD: BYU leads 1-0
STREAK: BYU W1
LAST 10: n/a
1st GAME: BYU 81, VCU 77 (12/16/83)
LAST GAME: Same

VCU RAMS
RECORD: 28-6 (15-3 A-10)
NCAA NET: 31 KenPom: 30
LOCATION: Richmond, Va.
CONFERENCE: Atlantic 10
COACH: Ryan Odom
AT VCU: 52-20 (2nd Year)
CAREER: 222-126 (10th year)

#17 BYU COUGARS
RECORD: 24-9 (14-6 Big 12)
NCAA NET: 25 KenPom: 24
LOCATION: Provo, Utah
CONFERENCE: Big 12
COACH: Kevin Young
AT BYU: 24-9 (1st Year)
CAREER: Same

WASHINGTON, D.C. – 11^th-seeded VCU will meet sixth-seeded BYU Thursday in Dever, Colo. in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
 
The Rams (28-6) punched their NCAA ticket Sunday when they defeated George Mason 68-63 in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship Game at Capital One Arena and claimed the league's automatic berth.
 
VCU will be making its 20^th NCAA Tournament appearance overall and the 14^th since 2004. The Rams last reached the "Big Dance" in 2023.
 
BYU, ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll, is directed by first-year Coach Kevin Young, who has guided the Cougars to a 24-9 mark. BYU reached the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament before bowing out to second-ranked Houston on Friday. The Cougars are led by First Team All-Big 12 forward Richie Saunders, who is averaging 16.0 points per game this season. The Cougars boast the 11^th-most efficient offense in the country, according to KenPom.com.
 
BYU defeated VCU 81-77 in the only meeting between the two schools on Dec. 16, 1983 at the University of Kentucky Invitational in Lexington, Ky.

BORN TO RUN: VCU enters the NCAA Tournament after claiming the Atlantic 10 Tournament for the third
time since 2015. The Rams defeated George Mason 68-63 in the title game on March 16 behind 18 points from
A-10 Player of the Year Max Shulga and 17 by Tournament MVP Jack Clark. VCU trailed for a total of just 3:32
in three wins over St. Bonaventure, Loyola Chicago and George Mason.

DANCING IN THE DARK: VCU has reached the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time in program history. The
Rams are 13-18 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, and staged a memorable run from the First Four to the
Final Four in 2011. Two players on that Final Four squad, Darius Theus (assistant coach) and Bradford Burgess
(director of student-athlete development) are current VCU staff members. The Rams will be making their 14th
NCAA appearance in the past 21 tournaments.

THUNDER ROAD: Guard Max Shulga was named 2025 A-10 Player of the Year. He’s the third Ram to claim the
honor in five years, joining Bones Hyland (2021) and Ace Baldwin (2023). Additionally, guard Zeb Jackson was
selected the league’s Sixth Man of the Year, while guard Joe Bamisile was named All-Conference Second Team
and All-Academic, and forward Luke Bamgboye was named All-Defensive and All-Rookie.

BLOOD BROTHERS: VCU is a league-best 162-64 (.718) in A-10 play since joining in the league in 2012-13.

WAITIN’ ON A SUNNY DAY: VCU’s average margin of victory this season is 14.7 points, which ranks sixth
nationally.... VCU ranks 12th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (36.7)... The Rams are averaging 9.6
three-pointers per game this season, the highest mark in school history... The Rams receive 37.0 percent of their
scoring from beyond the arc, which ranks 51st nationally... VCU leads the A-10 and ranks 42nd nationally in
turnover margin (+2.5)... Forward Jack Clark shot .196 (10-of-51) from 3-point range in non-conference play,
but is shooting .425 (37-of-87) from long distance in the 21 games since.

RAMROD: VCU ranks 23rd nationally in defensive efficiency. The Rams lead the country in effective field goal
defense (.444), including fourth in 2-point field goal defense (.436)... VCU has forced 15 or more turnovers in
a game 16 times this year... Bamgboye’s 74 blocks this season are the most by a Rams’ freshman since Sanders’
95 in 2007-08 and are the second-most in the country by a freshman this season... VCU’s rebounding margin
of +5.1 ranks 37th nationally and is its highest since the 1995-96 season (+8.2)... VCU ranks sixth nationally in
blocks per game (5.5) and seventh in block percentage (15.6). Bamgboye is averaging 5.3 blocks per 40 minutes...
The Rams are turning opponents over on 20.6 percent of possessions, the 31st-best rate in the country.