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March Madness 2025: NCAA Tournament First Round TV channel, schedule, watch on Sling

Trisha Easto   Paste BN

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Urologists have reported an increase in scheduled vasectomies during the NCAA March Madness tournament. It gives men the chance to relax and recover, while simultaneously watching dozens of college basketball games — uninterrupted by other obligations. The First Round tips off on Thursday, March 20 with a full schedule of 16 games, followed by another 16 on Friday, March 21.

It's probably a little late to schedule a vasectomy for this week, but you can stream the First Round on Sling from anywhere (even work, I won't tell). Here's how:

What channel is March Madness on?

With 16 games airing on both Thursday and Friday, Turner Broadcasting is turning to a variety of its channels to broadcast them all. The men's tournament will air across TruTV, TNT, TBS and CBS.

WATCH THE WOMEN: March Madness is here: How to watch the 2025 women's NCAA basketball tournament on Sling

How to watch March Madness First Round without cable

If you're like the rest of us and you've cut the cord, you will need a subscription in order to watch March Madness. Sling offers you access to plenty of live sports. Unlike some other cord-cutting streaming services, Sling actually carries TNT, TBS, TruTV and other Warner Bros. and Discovery owned networks. This means you will have full access to the the NBA season, the most March Madness, and so much more with the click of a button.

Watch the most March Madness with Sling

What channels does Sling offer?

Sling Orange and Sling Blue get you plenty of access to live sports, but for the true sports fans out there check out the Sports Extra package. When paired with Sling Orange (which really lends to sports fans), you'd be getting more of the ESPN-suite like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU and ESPNews. If you're leaning into the women's tournament, Sling Orange with the Sports Extra Package is for you. If you're leaning into the men's tournament, Sling Blue with the Sports Extra Package is your best bet. And if you want to watch both, Sling has a Sling Orange + Blue package that you can also add the Sports Extra Package too.

What is the difference between Sling Orange and Sling Blue?

  • Sling Orange: The Sling Orange package has over 30 channels, including popular networks like ESPN, Disney Channel, CNN and HGTV. This is a popular pick for families and sports fans who want access to live game coverage and kid-friendly content. Sling Orange allows streaming on one device. Save 50% on your first month and pay just $23.
  • Sling Blue: With more than 45 channels, Sling Blue caters to a wider audience with major networks like FOX, NBC, Bravo and National Geographic. This package is perfect for those who enjoy a nice mix of news, reality television and lifestyle programming. Sling Blue allows streaming on up to three devices. Save 50% on your first month and pay just $23.

Full schedule for the First Round of March Madness

There's 32 games total between Thursday and Friday. The schedule kicks off at 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday and the last game doesn't start until after 10 p.m. ET, before picking up for the same schedule on Friday. Here's a look at the full schedule, with opponents, all times are in the Eastern Time zone.

Thursday, March 20

  • 12:15 p.m.: No. 9 Creighton vs. No. 8 Louisville
  • 12:40 p.m.: No. 13 High Point vs. No. 4 Purdue
  • 1:30 p.m.: No. 14 Montana vs. No. 3 Wisconsin
  • 2 p.m.: No. 16 SIU Edwardsville vs. No. 1 Houston
  • 2:50 p.m.: No. 16 St. Francis/Alabama State vs. No. 1 Auburn
  • 3:15 p.m.: No. 12 McNeese vs. No. 5 Clemson
  • 4:05 p.m.: No. 11 VCU vs. No. 6 BYU
  • 4:35 p.m.: No. 9 Georgia vs. No. 8 Gonzaga
  • 6:50 p.m.: No. 15 Wofford vs. No. 2 Tennessee
  • 7:10 p.m.: No. 10 Arkansas vs. No. 7 Kansas
  • 7:25 p.m.: No. 13 Yale vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
  • 7:35 p.m.: No. 11 Drake vs. No. 6 Missouri
  • 9:25 p.m.: No. 10 Utah State vs. No. 7 UCLA
  • 9:45 p.m.: No. 15 Omaha vs. No. 2 St. John’s
  • 10 p.m.: No. 12 UC San Diego vs. No. 5 Michigan
  • 10:10 p.m.: No. 14 UNC Wilmington vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

Friday, March 21

  • 12:15 p.m.: No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 8 Mississippi State
  • 12:40 p.m.: No. 15 Robert Morris vs. No. Alabama
  • 1:30 p.m.: No. 14 Lipscomb vs. No. 3 Iowa State
  • 2 p.m.: No. 12 Colorado State vs. No. 5 Memphis
  • 2:50 p.m.: No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s/American vs. No. 1 Duke
  • 3:15 p.m.: No. 10 Vanderbilt vs. No. 7 St. Mary’s
  • 4:05 p.m.: No. 11 North Carolina/San Diego State vs. No. 6 Ole Miss
  • 4:35 p.m.: No. 13 Grand Canyon vs. No. 4 Maryland
  • 6:50 p.m.: No. 16 Norfolk State vs. No. 1 Florida
  • 7:10 p.m.: No. 14 Troy vs. No. 3 Kentucky
  • 7:25 p.m.: No. 10 New Mexico vs. No. 7 Marquette
  • 7:35 p.m.: No. 13 Akron vs. No. 4 Arizona
  • 9:25 p.m.: No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 8 UConn
  • 9:45 p.m.: No. 11 Texas/Xavier vs. No. 6 Illinois
  • 10 p.m.: No. 15 Bryant vs. No. 2 Michigan State
  • 10:10 p.m.: No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 5 Oregon

Watch 2025 March Madness with Sling

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

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