The Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators meet in an all-SEC clash to kick off the Final Four on Saturday. Then, the Duke Blue Devils square off with the Houston Cougars in the nightcap in San Antonio. Each battle between No. 1 seeds could produce games that are talked about for decades.

The SportsLine Projection Model has revealed its Houston Cougars vs. Duke Blue Devils picks for the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Saturday

The Final Four will be a heavyweight battle after a chalky NCAA Tournament, but not all of the top seeds are created equal.

Tennessee veterans Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack were part of the Volunteers team that lost to Purdue in the Elite Eight last year. They could have left to explore their professional basketball opportunities, but decided to return to Tennessee for another opportunity like the one they have today.

Tennessee never saw the NCAA Midwest Region final against Houston unfolding the way it did. The Volunteers missed 19 of their first 22 shots and scored just eight points in the first 15 minutes of their 69-50 loss.

Houston jumped to a big lead by limiting Tennessee, and the Cougars cruised past the Volunteers to advance to their Final Four since 2021.

No. 1 seed Houston is headed to the Final Four for the second time in the past five seasons after imposing its will on No. 2 seed Tennessee for a 69-50 win in the Elite Eight on Sunday. The Cougars used a masterful defensive effort to build a 22-point first half lead and then held on late for their 17th consecutive victory.

The Duke Blue Devils face the Houston Cougars in the Final Four of the men’s NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Who is playing in women's Final Four? See the national semifinal teams in the March Madness NCAA Tournament and schedule for Friday, April 4, 2025.