Men's March Madness bracket picks, predictions for all 16 first-round games today
Editor's note: Follow Men's March Madness live updates and scores from Friday's first-round action.
The NCAA Tournament rolls on Friday with 16 more first-round games.
Friday marks the March Madness debut of Duke basketball freshman phenom Cooper Flagg, who has missed the No. 1 seeded Blue Devils final two games in the ACC tournament with a sprained left ankle injury. The Blue Devils enter the NCAA Tournament as the favorites to cut down the nets in San Antonio.
Also in action on Friday are No. 1 seed Florida, No. 2 seeds Alabama and Michigan State and No. 3 seeds Iowa State and Kentucky.
Thursday's first-round schedule featured three true upsets in No. 12 seed McNeese State beating No. 5 seed Clemson, No. 11 seed Drake beating No. 6 Missouri and No. 10 Arkansas beating No. 7 Kansas. No. 9 seed Creighton also knocked off No. 8 seed Louisville on Thursday.
How many upsets will happen on Friday? Where will they come? That will soon be answered throughout the day as 16 teams look to get one step closer to the Final Four.
With that though, here is a look at the full first-round March Madness schedule for Friday, including a look at expert picks from reporters across the Paste BN Sports Network.
March Madness 2025 bracket picks
All times Eastern.
(8) Mississippi State vs (9) Baylor prediction
Time, TV: 12:15 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- Jordan Mendoza: Baylor
- Paul Myerberg: Baylor
- Erick Smith: Baylor
- Eddie Timanus: Mississippi State
- Dan Wolken: Baylor
- Sam Sklar: Mississippi State 77, Baylor 73
(2) Alabama vs (15) Robert Morris prediction
Time, TV: 12:40 p.m. | truTV (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Alabama
- Myerberg: Alabama
- Smith: Alabama
- Timanus: Alabama
- Wolken: Alabama
(3) Iowa State vs (14) Lipscomb prediction
Time, TV: 1:30 p.m. | TNT (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Iowa State
- Myerberg: Iowa State
- Smith: Iowa State
- Timanus: Iowa State
- Wolken: Iowa State
(5) Memphis vs (12) Colorado State prediction
Time, TV: 2 p.m. | TBS (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Colorado State
- Myerberg: Memphis
- Smith: Colorado State
- Timanus: Colorado State
- Wolken: Memphis
(1) Duke vs (16) Mount St. Mary's prediction
Time, TV: 2:50 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- Mendoza: Duke
- Myerberg: Duke
- Smith: Duke
- Timanus: Duke
- Wolken: Duke
- Rodd Baxley: Duke 95, Mount St. Mary's 40
(7) Saint Mary's vs (10) Vanderbilt prediction
Time, TV: 3:15 p.m. | truTV (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Saint Mary's
- Myerberg: Vanderbilt
- Smith: Saint Mary's
- Timanus: Saint Mary's
- Wolken: Vanderbilt
- Aria Gerson: Saint Mary's 67, Vanderbilt 62
(6) Ole Miss vs (11) North Carolina prediction
Time, TV: 4:05 p.m. | TNT (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: North Carolina
- Myerberg: Ole Miss
- Smith: Ole Miss
- Timanus: North Carolina
- Wolken: North Carolina
- Sam Hutchens: Ole Miss: 72, North Carolina 66
- Baxley: Ole Miss 70, North Carolina 69
(4) Maryland vs (13) Grand Canyon prediction
Time, TV: 4:35 p.m. | TBS (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Maryland
- Myerberg: Maryland
- Smith: Grand Canyon
- Timanus: Maryland
- Wolken: Maryland
(1) Florida vs (16) Norfolk State prediction
Time, TV: 6:50 p.m. | TNT (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Florida
- Myerberg: Florida
- Smith: Florida
- Timanus: Florida
- Wolken: Florida
- Kevin Brockway: Florida 97, Norfolk State 63
(3) Kentucky vs (14) Troy prediction
Time, TV: 7:10 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- Mendoza: Kentucky
- Myerberg: Kentucky
- Smith: Kentucky
- Timanus: Kentucky
- Wolken: Kentucky
- Ryan Black: Kentucky 84, Troy 63
(7) Marquette vs (1) New Mexico prediction
Time, TV: 7:25 p.m. | TBS (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: New Mexico
- Myerberg: New Mexico
- Smith: New Mexico
- Timanus: New Mexico
- Wolken: New Mexico
- Ben Steele: Marquette 81, New Mexico 77
(4) Arizona vs (13) Akron predictions
Time, TV: 1:30 p.m. | TNT (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Arizona
- Myerberg: Arizona
- Smith: Arizona
- Timanus: Arizona
- Wolken: Arizona
(8) UConn vs (9) Oklahoma predictions
Time, TV: 9:25 p.m. | TBS (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Oklahoma
- Myerberg: UConn
- Smith: UConn
- Timanus: UConn
- Wolken: UConn
- Colton Sulley: UConn 79, Oklahoma 77
(6) Illinois vs (11) Xavier predictions
Time, TV: 9:45 p.m. | CBS (Fubo)
- Mendoza: Illinois
- Myerberg: Xavier
- Smith: Illinois
- Timanus: Illinois
- Wolken: Illinois
- Shelby Dermer: Xavier 81, Illinois 77
(2) Michigan State vs (15) Bryant prediction
Time, TV: 10 p.m. | TBS (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Michigan State
- Myerberg: Michigan State
- Smith: Michigan State
- Timanus: Michigan State
- Wolken: Michigan State
(5) Oregon vs (12) Liberty prediction
Time, TV: 1:30 p.m. | TNT (SlingTV)
- Mendoza: Oregon
- Myerberg: Oregon
- Smith: Oregon
- Timanus: Oregon
- Wolken: Oregon
- Chris Hansen: Oregon
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Paste BN Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.