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Men's March Madness schedule: NCAA Tournament start times, TV, streaming for first round

Jordan Mendoza   Paste BN
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The schedule for the madness is set.

Earlier Sunday, the NCAA Tournament selection committee released the bracket for the 2025 edition of men's March Madness. The matchups have been set for a few hours and fans have already started filling out their brackets, but when those first set of games will be played has now been announced. Fans can now start planning their viewing schedule and making note of possible upsets to keep an eye on or who is starting a run toward the Final Four.

After the First Four games on Tuesday and Wednesday, the first round of the NCAA Tournament kicks off Thursday, March 20 and Friday, March 21. It will be two days of games starting at lunchtime on the East Coast and going way into the late hours in the West for a full day of hoops that makes this tournament so magical.

The second round tip times will be announced once the matchups are set, but for now, here's the schedule breakdown for the first round of the men's NCAA Tournament:

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Men's NCAA Tournament dates

  • First Four: March 18-19
  • First round: March 20-21
  • Second round: March 22-23
  • Sweet 16: March 27-28
  • Elite Eight: March 29-30
  • Final Four: April 5
  • National championship game: April 7

Men's NCAA Tournament first round schedule, times, how to watch

All times Eastern

Thursday, March 20

  • 12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Louisville vs. No. 9 Creighton (Lexington) | CBS
  • 12:40 p.m.: No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 High Point (Providence) | truTV
  • 1:30 p.m.: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Montana (Denver) | TNT
  • 2 p.m.: No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16. SIU Edwardsville (Wichita) | TBS
  • 2:50 p.m.: No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Saint Francis/Alabama State (Lexington) | CBS
  • 3:15 p.m.: No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 McNeese State (Providence) | truTV
  • 4:05 p.m.: No. 6 Brigham Young vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth (Denver) | TNT
  • 4:35 p.m.: No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia (Wichita) | TBS
  • 6:50 p.m.: No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Wofford (Lexington) | TNT
  • 7:10 p.m.: No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas (Providence) | CBS
  • 7:25 p.m.: No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale (Denver) | TBS
  • 7:35 p.m.: No. 6 Missouri vs. No. 11 Drake (Wichita) | truTV
  • 9:25 p.m.: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Utah State (Lexington) | TNT
  • 9:45 p.m.: No. 2 St. John's vs. No. 15 Omaha (Providence) | CBS
  • 10 p.m.: No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego (Denver) | TBS
  • 10:10 p.m.: No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 UNC-Wimington | truTV

Friday, March 21

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

How to watch men's NCAA Tournament

First round action will be aired on CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV. Games can also be streamed on Sling TV and Paramount+ (for select games aired on CBS).

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