Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton issued an important public service announcement ahead of the NCAA tournament.
March Madness officially kicks off with two men's First Four matchups on Tuesday night. Fans still have time to complete their brackets before the first round commences on Thursday.
Brackets are big business, and many fans will diversify their risk by joining multiple pools with different picks. Haliburton condemned that approach, advising followers to put all their eggs in one basket.
"Make one bracket and stand on it," Haliburton declared on social media.
Who should you pick to win March Madness?
PROVIDENCE, RI - MARCH 19: The March Madness logo shown on the floor before the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - First & Second Rounds Practice Day at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on March 19, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
Perhaps Haliburton will ride with his alma mater in his one and only bracket. Iowa State enters March Madness as the No. 2 seed following a 27-7 season, beginning March Madness against Tennessee State on Friday.
Haliburton wouldn't be the only one to back the Cyclones. ESPN's Jay Bilas has Iowa State making its first Final Four appearance since 1944.
"The Cyclones are among the nation's best defensive teams, scoring almost 20 points per game off turnovers," Bilas wrote. "The only pause you should have here is Iowa State's inconsistent free throw shooting. Everything else is Final Four quality."
However, Bilas is one of 10 ESPN analysts out of 21 highlighted staffers to pick Arizona to cut the nets on April 6. A whopping 19.9 percent of the public, as of Tuesday afternoon, chose the Wildcats to win it all in ESPN brackets.
Arizona still isn't the most popular choice. Nearly a quarter (24.8%) of ESPN brackets have Duke going the distance for its first national title since 2015.
The Blue Devils earned a No. 1 seed after going 32-2. Jon Scheyer's club extended its winning streak to 11 with Sunday's ACC Championship Game triumph over Virginia.
Duke tops KenPom's net ratings, joining Arizona as the only other team with a top-five offense (No. 4) and defense (No. 2). Freshman forward Cameron Boozer has the Blue Devils looking like a tough out.
Meanwhile, 14.3 percent of ESPN bracket contestants picked Michigan to secure the national title. Florida received 7.5 percent backing to successfully defend its crown, and 5.9 percent like Houston to avenge last year's National Championship Game loss.
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