HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen joined Commissioner of Security and Insurance James Brown to make “expert” predictions for the 2025 men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament.
Secretary Jacobsen and Commissioner Brown worked through the daunting March Madness brackets, each donning a green Sharpie in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
The Secretary and Commissioner began with the women’s bracket, where Big Sky Conference champion Montana State earned a No. 13 seed and will face Ohio State on Friday afternoon. Commissioner Brown chose top-overall seed UCLA to advance to the Final Four, where they would face perennial power UConn. He also moved 2024 NCAA Champion South Carolina into the Final Four.
Secretary Jacobsen advanced LSU, UConn, and upset-pick Alabama to her Final Four. The Crimson Tide’s last Final Four run came in 1994.
As for the final spot in the women’s national semifinals?
“Look at this. Faith in our Montana team,” said Secretary Jacobsen as she penned the Bobcats into the Final Four. “I think I’m going to just have to go with our Montana team.”
“All the way, baby!” Secretary Jacobsen continued without hesitation, writing MSU on the champion line.
“She’s got the Bobcats winning it all, and so do I,” said Commissioner Brown. “We’ve got Montana State holding up the hardware, winning the women’s national championship, bringing home the trophy to the Treasure State.”
In the men’s field, the University of Montana grads wasted little time advancing the Big Sky Conference champion Grizzlies to the Elite 8. Secretary Jacobsen picked Michigan State, Missouri, and Gonzaga to move on to the Final Four, while Commissioner Brown advanced a trio of No. 1 seeds – Auburn, Florida, and Houston. Former Montana Tech coach Kelvin Sampson has coached the Houston Cougars for more than a decade.
The final spot in the national semifinals again went to the Treasure State team.
“I’m always loyal to the Griz, and they’re awesome,” said Secretary Jacobsen.
“Might I note for the record that Travis DeCuire, who is the head coach of the Griz, graduated with me at the University of Montana, Class of 1994,” said Commissioner Brown. “And then we got the Grizzlies moving on. It’ll be the first time since Michael Ray Richardson, if you know that reference for those Griz fans when we almost beat UCLA in the 1970s, those great John Wooden teams. We’ve got the Grizzlies winning it.”
Secretary Jacobsen and Commissioner Brown wished Coach DeCuire’s Grizzlies and Coach Tricia Binford’s Bobcats the best of luck as they set out to represent Montana on national TV.
Final Four Picks
Secretary Jacobsen women’s Final Four: LSU, UConn, Alabama, Montana State
Secretary Jacobsen’s women’s championship: Montana State over UConn
Commissioner Brown’s women’s Final Four: UCLA, UConn, South Carolina, Montana State
Commissioner Brown’s women’s championship: Montana State over UCLA
Secretary Jacobsen’s men’s Final Four: Michigan State, Missouri, Montana, Gonzaga
Secretary Jacobsen’s men’s championship: Montana over Michigan State
Commissioner Brown’s men’s Final Four: Auburn, Florida, Montana, Houston
Commissioner Brown’s men’s championship: Montana over Florida
