College Basketball

2025 March Madness Sweet 16 predictions, best bets, picks by Chris "The Bear" Fallica

Updated Mar. 28, 2025 12:24 a.m. ET

"Bear Bets" are real wagers that Chris "The Bear" Fallica is actually making.

We're heading to the Sweet 16 for college basketball, and I'm back with a few wagers for the next round of March Madness hoops. Let's dive into my picks.

No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 5 Michigan

I'm staying away from the side. And that's because the thing I am most confident about here is that Auburn will score points. Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin can be exposed defensively and that should lead to a parade of baskets for the Tigers.

On the flip side, we know Michigan can turn the ball over, but the Wolverines can also knock down 3s, which could result in them hanging around a big number. I’m not interested in playing Plinko. I'll just take Auburn’s team total Over.

PICK: Auburn team total Over 80.5 points

No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Purdue

Houston got a bad deal geographically, and we know that. I also don't think Kelvin Sampson cares one bit. He’ll probably use that as a massive motivator as well. But that won't be the deciding factor here.

Houston made a bit of a mess late against Gonzaga, but this team can score — L.J. Cryer and Emanuel Sharp from the perimeter, J'Wan Roberts inside, and the Cougars defend and rebound as always. Can Purdue’s backcourt handle that pressure? Will Trey Kaufman-Renn have as much success inside as he did in the first two rounds? I’m not sure about that.

The Sweet 16 is usually where trendy underdogs go to die, and I’ll bank on that continuing here.

PICK: Houston (-8) to win by more than 8 points

Chris "The Bear" Fallica has covered sports for nearly three decades. While college football has been his focus, he also enjoys the NFL, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, MLB, NHL and Horse Racing, with an "occasional" wager on such events. Chris recently won the inaugural Circa Football Invitational and finished in the Top 10 of the Golden Nugget Football Contest. He's a multiple-time qualifier for the NHC Handicapping Championship. Remember, "The less you bet, the more you lose when you win!" Follow him on Twitter @chrisfallica.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!