The 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament was as advertised on Thursday’s opening day of first-round games, with a few upsets leading the charge.
No. 12 seed McNeese dominated Clemson through the first half before surviving a late comeback scare in the second half, securing the program’s first-ever March Madness win with a 69-67 victory. Then, No. 11 seed Drake took down Missouri, earning a 67-57 win in Ben McCollum’s first season as head coach.
Arkansas also handed Kansas a 79-72 loss, marking the Jayhawks’ first loss in the first round since 2006. The win also sets up an all-time coaching matchup between the Razorbacks’ John Calipari and St. John’s Rick Pitino, who both won national championships at Kentucky.
USA TODAY Sports chronicled the action from all of Thursday’s games, including highlights and more. Scroll below for a recap of all the games.
Men’s March Madness games today
All times Eastern. Final scores will be updated.
Thursday, March 20
- (9) Creighton 89, (8) Louisville 75
- (4) Purdue 75, (13) High Point 63
- (3) Wisconsin 85, (14) Montana 66
- (1) Houston 78, (16) SIU Edwardsville 40
- (1) Auburn 83, (16) Alabama State 63
- (12) McNeese 69, (5) Clemson 67
- (6) BYU 80, (11) VCU 71
- (8) Gonzaga 89, (9) Georgia 68
March Madness games tonight
All times Eastern. Final scores will be updated.
Thursday, March 20
- (2) Tennessee 77, (15) Wofford 62
- (10) Arkansas 79, (7) Kansas 72
- (4) Texas A&M 80, (13) Yale 71
- (11) Drake 67, (6) Missouri 57
- (7) UCLA 72, (10) Utah State 47
- (2) St. John’s 83, (15) Omaha 53
- (5) Michigan 68, (12) UC San Diego 65
- (3) Texas Tech 82, (14) UNC Wilmington 72
Texas Tech survives
Texas Tech holds on, surviving UNC Wilmington with an 82-72 win behind Kerwin Walton’s game-high 27 points with a whopping eight 3-pointers. Kevin Overton added 18 points off the bench.
With that, the first day of first-round NCAA Tournament games is complete. On to day two.
St. John’s handles Omaha, sets up matchup with Arkansas
St. John’s survives the early scare, defeating Omaha with ease 83-53. RJ Luis led the way with 22 points, setting up a second-round matchup between legendary coaches Rick Pitino and John Calipari of Arkansas.
Did someone say fireworks?
Michigan advances with 68-65 win over UC San Diego
A trendy upset pick can’t get it done, as Michigan holds on for a 68-65 win over the 12-seeded Tritons.
UC San Diego held up against Michigan’s pair of 7-footers, holding Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf to 14 and nine points, respectively. UCSD’s Tyler McGhie led the way for the Tritons with 25 points in a valiant effort.
UNC Wilmington, UC San Diego both in close games
UC San Diego trails Michigan 63-58, while UNC Wilmington trails Texas Tech 45-43. The 12 seed and 14 seed, respectively, are holding strong in the second half and could have a chance for some huge late-night upsets.
UNC Wilmington holding strong with Texas Tech
UNC Wilmington is proving to be a tough out, as Texas Tech leads just 38-34 at halftime in a 3 vs. 14-seed game.
Wilmington has a balanced scoring effort, with eight players in the scoring book with Nolan Hodge leading the way with seven points. Texas Tech’s Kerwin Walton was sensational in the first half, with 15 points and five 3-pointers.
UCLA dominates Utah State
UCLA handles Utah State with ease, coming away with a 72-47 win. Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with 14 points each.
Michigan holding strong, Texas Tech underway
UC San Diego was a trendy upset pick over No. 5 Michigan, but the Wolverines have held fast out of the gate. They lead 28-19 coming into the last five minutes of the first half.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, has tipped off against UNC Wilmington, marking the nightcap for Day 1.
Omaha continues to hang around with St. John’s
St. John’s has battled back to take the lead against Omaha in the last quarter of the first half, but the Mavericks have hung around.
With under five minutes left until half, St. John’s leads 28-22 in what has been a back-and-forth game. St. John’s has found success from beyond the arc.
UCLA leads Utah State 39-27 at halftime
Bruins with no issues against the Aggies through the first half, as UCLA holds a 39-27 lead heading into the second period.
UCLA shot 16 of 29 from the field, led by Skyy Clark, Dylan Andrews and Aday Mara, who all have eight points each.
Drake completes upset over Missouri
Make it two mid-major programs heading to the second round, as Drake defeats Missouri 67-57 behind Bennett Stirtz’ 21 points. The Bulldogs join McNeese as mid-majors headed to the Round of 32.
Drake improves to 31-3 on the season as first-year coach Ben McCollum and his influx of Division II transfers continue to shock college basketball.
Omaha with early 7-0 lead over St. John’s
Could a 15 vs. 2 seed upset be brewing? Omaha takes a 7-0 lead over St. John’s three minutes into the first half, although there’s a ton of time left in the game, of course.
Texas A&M hangs on vs. Yale
Texas A&M is moving onto the Round of 32, where it’ll take on the winner of Michigan-UC San Diego after its 80-71 win over Yale.
The Bulldogs actually outscored the Aggies 42-40 in the second half, but Texas A&M’s 11-point lead at halftime was the difference in the first-round matchup. Aggies forward Pharrel Payne led all scorers with 25 points off the bench.
UCLA, Utah State tip off
A 7-10 battle between UCLA and Utah State is underway, with the Bruins and Aggies tied at 10 early in the first half.
Arkansas beats Kansas 79-72
Arkansas hangs on for a hard-fought victory over Kansas, which suffers its first loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2006. A disappointing season for the Jayhawks ends in a fashion that legendary coach Bill Self hasn’t seen in a long time.
Jonas Aidoo and Johnell Davis led the way for the Razorbacks with 22 and 18 points, respectively, setting up a potential John Calipari vs. Rick Pitino coaching matchup in the Round of 32 if St. John’s moves past 15-seed Omaha tonight.
Kansas takes lead over Arkansas
Kansas takes a 67-64 lead over Arkansas in one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament so far. The Jayhawks’ zone defense is giving the Razorbacks offense fits after Arkansas was getting whatever it wanted in the first half.
Four Kansas players are in double figures, with Zeke Mayo leading the way with 18 points. AJ Storr and KJ Adams have 13 each while Hunter Dickinson has scored 11, all of which came in the first half.
Tennessee moves on with win over Wofford
Wofford gave Tennessee more trouble than the Vols likely thought, but they hold on for a 77-62 win.
Chaz Lanier led all scorers with 29 points, pouring in six 3-pointers. Zakai Ziegler was also in double-figures, adding 12 points.
Drake leads Missouri at halftime
Drake has Missouri on upset alert, as the Bulldogs lead 30-23 at halftime. Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz has been as advertised, with 14 points and two assists. Not bad for a first-year Division II transfer.
Arkansas on an 8-0 run to start second half
The Razorbacks’ offense is flying right now, as they start the second half on an 8-0 run to take a 55-44 lead over Kansas. Aidoo, DJ Wagner and Johnell Davis have combined for 41 of Arkansas’ 55 points so far.
High-scoring first half results in slight Arkansas edge
In the battle of two legendary coaches, Arkansas leads after the first half in a high-scoring affair, 47-44. This one is shaping up to be quite the finish.
Razorbacks forward Jonas Aidoo was sensational in the first period, with 16 points and three blocks on 8-of-13 shooting. Kansas forward Hunter Dickinson was also doing it all, adding 11 points with six rebounds and four assists.
Drake-Missouri tips off
One of the most intriguing matchups of the first day of action — (6) Missouri vs. (11) Drake — is underway. The Bulldogs and first-year coach Ben McCollum went 30-3 this season but are matched up with a potent offense in the Tigers.
Texas A&M leads Yale early
The Aggies hold a 25-12 advantage over Yale midway through the first half, despite the Bulldogs being a trendy upset pick for many. We’ll see if the Bulldogs can cut into this deficit with plenty of time still remaining.
Arkansas has early edge over Kansas
The highly anticipated John Calipari-Bill Self coaching matchup has been a good one so far. No. 10 seed Arkansas has a 16-14 advantage over No. 7 seed Kansas with about 13 minutes remaining in the first half. Forward Jonas Aidoo has been the most active player so far for the Razorbacks, with six points. Hunter Dickinson, appearing in what feels like his 29th NCAA Tournament, has seven points for Kansas.
Tennessee starting strong vs Wofford
Tennessee’s push for its first-ever Final Four appearance is off to an encouraging start. The No. 2 seed Volunteers are out to a 17-8 lead over No. 15 seed Wofford with about 12 minutes remaining in the first half. Coach Rick Barnes’ two All-Americans, guards Zakai Zeigler and Chaz Lanier, have five and seven points, respectively, while making a combined five of seven shots.
Gonzaga wins, sets up second-round matchup with Houston
Even in what’s a relative down year for Gonzaga, the Bulldogs continue to win in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga got out to a 30-5 lead and never really looked back from there, riding an outrageously efficient offensive performance in a 89-68 thumping of Georgia in a meeting of No. 8 and No. 9 seeds Thursday in the tournament’s first round.
The Zags were carried largely by three players — Khalif Battle, Braden Huff and Nolan Hickman — who combined to score 60 points while making 22 of their 31 shots. Battle, an Arkansas transfer, added a team-high eight rebounds. As a team, Gonzaga made 12 of its 20 3-pointers while holding Georgia to a 5-of-26 mark from beyond the arc.
The resounding victory sets up a second-round date with No. 1 seed Houston on Saturday. With a win, Gonzaga would advance to the Sweet 16 for a 10th-consecutive tournament. With Thursday’s victory, the Bulldogs haven’t lost a first-round tournament game since 2008 — when they were ousted by Davidson and some lanky kid named Steph Curry.
Gonzaga up big on Georgia
Coach Mark Few’s team is wrapping up the last game of the afternoon slate in style. In a matchup of Bulldogs, No. 8 seed Gonzaga is having little trouble with No. 9 seed Georgia, with a 25-point lead with about six minutes remaining.
The Bulldogs (the ones from Spokane, Washington, that is) have been on an absolute shooting tear today, making 60.8% of their shots and 70.8% of their 3-pointers.
BYU gets past VCU
A BYU team that got hot at the end of the season has stretched its excellent play into the NCAA Tournament. Behind 16 points from Richie Saunders, the great grandson of the man who invented the tater tot, the Cougars defeated VCU 80-71 Thursday in Denver in a matchup of two teams with the potential to make the tournament’s second weekend.
For BYU, it marked the end of a not-so-desirable run for the otherwise successful program. Entering the day, the Cougars had lost five consecutive games in the Round of 64, with their last victory coming all the way back in 2011, when Jimmer Fredette was starring for the team. With the win, BYU advances to face off against No. 3 seed Wisconsin Saturday.
McNeese upsets Clemson, advances to second round
The first major upset of March Madness is officially in the books, as No. 12 seed McNeese upsets No. 5 seed Clemson in the first round Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s the first NCAA Tournament win for McNeese, who was led by Brandon Murray’s 21 points.
The Cowboys led the whole way and held off a late run in the second half by the Tigers to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. McNeese will get No. 4 seed Purdue on Saturday, March 22 in the second round for a trip to the Sweet 16.
Gonzaga up at halftime over Georgia
Gonzaga came into Thursday’s NCAA Tournament first-round game ready to play.
A 30-5 start to the first half gives the No. 8 seed Bulldogs a 48-27 halftime lead over No. 9 Georgia in Wichita, Kansas. Gonzaga shot an impressive 58.6% from the field in the opening 20 minutes of action of the Midwest region contest.
Clemson knocking on door of McNeese
Clemson appears to not be going down with a fight.
The Tigers get a big-time 3-pointer from Chase Hunter to get within eight of No. 12 McNeese with two minutes to go in the second half of Thursday’s first-round game in Providence, Rhode Island.
Auburn advances to second round
After a slow start, No. 1 overall seed Auburn largely had its way with No. 16 seed Alabama State in an 83-63 victory in the first round Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky. The Tigers outscored the Hornets 51-32 after Alabama State cut the Auburn lead to 32-31 with less than two minutes remaining in the first half.
Miles Kelly had a team-high 23 points for Auburn and made seven of his 15 3-pointers while Johni Broome finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. A nice run and a valiant effort from Alabama State. The Tigers advance to the second round Saturday, when they’ll meet No. 9 seed Creighton.
BYU up on VCU at halftime
What figured to be one of the more competitive first-round matchups is halfway over.
No. 6 seed BYU has the lead over No. 11 seed VCU 39-28 at halftime in Denver. The Cougars were one of the hottest teams in the country in the final month of the regular season, winning nine of their final 10 games, and have continued that momentum into March Madness. BYU ended the half on a 12-2 run, with five of those points coming from Fousseyni Traore. Highly touted freshman Egor Demin has a game-high 11 points for the Cougars, who are shooting 50% from the field and from 3-point range.
VCU had only one made field goal in the final 6:43 of the first half.
Gonzaga off to strong start vs Georgia
Gonzaga has won at least one game in 15 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Its hopes of extending that to 16 is off to a good start. The Bulldogs, a No. 8 seed in this year’s tournament, has scored the game’s first 13 points in its first-round matchup against No. 9 seed Georgia in Wichita, Kansas.
The winner of the matchup will advance to take on No. 1 seed Houston in the second round of the tournament’s Midwest Region.
Auburn pulling away from Alabama State
Whether it’s simply a much more talented team starting to assert itself or a rousing halftime speech from coach Bruce Pearl paying off, Auburn is starting to run away with its first-round game. After leading by only two late in the first half, the Tigers have come alive in the second half, stretching their lead to 18, 58-38, with about 13 minutes left in regulation. Miles Kelly is leading the way for Auburn, with a game-high 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range.
McNeese up big on Clemson at halftime
One of the most popular 12-over-5 upset picks on brackets is so far is playing out like some hoped. McNeese, the Southland champion, is having its way so far with Clemson, carrying a 31-13 lead into halftime against coach Brad Brownell’s Tigers.
Clemson wasn’t always the most dynamic team offensively on its way to a program-record 27 wins this season, but the first half of its most important game of the reason represented a new low. The Tigers missed 19 of their 24 shots and 14 of their 15 3-pointers, along with 10 turnovers.
Houston rolls to second round
Coach Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars had little, if any, trouble in their first-round matchup, blowing past No. 16 seed SIU Edwardsville 78-40 in a first-round matchup in the Midwest Region. Milos Uzan made six of his seven shots for a team-high 16 points while Houston held SIUE to just 30.6% shooting, including a 2-of-24 mark from 3-point range.
McNeese off to hot start against Clemson
Before he reportedly heads off to NC State, Will Wade will look to secure at least one more emphatic win at McNeese.
The former LSU coach has the Cowboys out to an 18-8 lead over No. 5 seed Clemson in the first round Thursday in Providence. Brandon Murray has come off the bench for a team-high eight points while his team is holding the normally disciplined Tigers to just three made shots on 14 attempts, along with seven turnovers. Christian Shumate provided an exclamation point for McNeese, with a put-back dunk to stretch his team’s lead to 10.
Auburn getting early test from Alabama State
The tournament’s No. 1 overall seed is in some early trouble. Auburn, which entered its matchup against No. 16 seed Alabama State as a heavy favorite, is only leading the Hornets by two points, 29-27, with about three minutes remaining in the first half of their first-round matchup Thursday at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
It’s been a rough offensive start for the Tigers, who have made only 10 of their first 25 shots. Potential national player of the year Johni Broome has only three points.
Wisconsin moves on to second round
Wisconsin had a quick and painful exit from last year’s NCAA Tournament, with a 72-61 loss to James Madison in the first round.
This year, the Badgers are sticking around at least a little longer. Coming off a 26-win regular season and a run to the Big Ten Tournament championship game, No. 3 seed Wisconsin rode a balanced offensive effort to an 85-66 victory against No. 14 seed Montana. Five players finished in double figures for coach Greg Gard’s team, which advances to the second round, where it will take on either No. 6 seed BYU or No. 11 seed VCU in Denver.
Houston rolling past SIUE
One of the tournament’s four No. 1 seeds looks every bit the part so far. Fresh off its Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships, Houston came out hot against No. 16 seed SIU Edwardsville, building a 28-9 lead in the game’s first 11 minutes. After going into halftime with a 52-24 advantage, the Cougars are up 58-30 with about 14 minutes remaining.
Wisconsin pulling away from Montana
In the first game of the day from Denver’s Ball Arena Thursday, No. 3 seed Wisconsin is starting to asset itself about midway through the second half against No. 14 seed Montana, the Big Sky champio. After seeing its lead cut to four in the opening minutes of the second half, the Badgers have created a cushion for themselves, with a 72-54 advantage with about eight minutes remaining.
Five Wisconsin players are already in double figures, including newly-minted second-team All-American John Tonje, who has 13 points and has made all seven of his free-throw attempts.
Purdue gets past High Point
It was touch-and-go a bit for Purdue in its first-round game Thursday against High Point, leading by just three with seven minutes remaining.
From there, though, the Boilermakers pulled away, going on a 12-2 run to put away the Panthers 75-63 in Providence, Rhode Island. Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith finished with 21 and 20 points, respectively, while Camden Heide came off the bench to add 11 points and 10 rebounds. Coach Matt Painter’s team will take on the winner of No. 5 seed Clemson’s game against No. 12 seed McNeese.
Creighton knocks off Louisville
And there we have our first ‘upset’ of the game. Creighton, the 9 seed, upends 8-seed Louisville and ACC Coach of the Year Pat Kelsey 89-75. The Cardinals will make the short trek back home from Rupp Arena, while the Bluejays will advance to play the winner of Auburn and Alabama State on Saturday.
Pat Kelsey gets technical, fan throws water on court
Tempers are flaring among Louisville faithful in their first-round game vs. Creighton. Cardinals coach Pat Kelsey is called for a technical foul after talking to an official as they made their way up court on a Creighton possession. The game was further delayed after a presumed Louisville basketball fan threw a water bottle onto the court to voice their disapproval on the technical.
Creighton’s Steven Ashworth hit both free throws to extend the Bluejays’ lead to 77-63 with 3:15 to play.
Reyne Smith leaves for Louisville with injury
Reyne Smith has been a critical piece in Louisville’s rapid turnaround under first-year coach Pat Kelsey, leading the ACC in made 3-pointers after following Kelsey over from the College of Charleston.
He entered the NCAA Tournament, however, having missed the Cardinals’ previous four games with an ankle injury. Though he tried giving it a go, he was moving around gingerly and fell down to the floor after appearing to reaggravate his ankle as he rose up for a 3-pointer about midway through the second half. While in obvious pain, he was tended to by team trainers before being helped back to the locker room by two of his teammates, unable to put any weight on the injured ankle.
Purdue up on High Point at halftime
The Boilermakers withstood an early push from High Point to take a 37-27 lead into halftime of their first-round matchup in the Midwest Region in Providence, Rhode Island.
Braden Smith looks every bit of the first-team all-American that he was this season, with 10 points, four assists and two steals for coach Matt Painter’s Boilermakers squad, though he has struggled shooting, making only three of his 11 attempts from the field.
CBS paid tribute to Greg Gumbel
The first day of the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament opened on an understandably somber note.
The CBS studio crew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Clark Kellogg paying tribute to the late CBS broadcaster Greg Gumbel, whose face and voice had become synonymous with March Madness. Gumbel died in December after a battle with cancer. The show began with an archived audio clip of Gumbel, along with a song from the Rolling Stones, Gumbel’s favorite band.
Read more about it here.
Purdue starting to pull away from High Point
High Point was hanging close earlier, but Purdue is starting to show why it’s nine seed lines higher than its opponent.
The Panthers have gone scoreless for the past three minutes as the Boilermakers have extended their advantage to 10, 35-25, with 1:53 remaining in the first half. The run was highlighted by thunderous put-back dunk by Myles Colvin.
High Point hanging with Purdue early
High Point is doing its best so far to make sure making the NCAA Tournament isn’t the, pardon the pun, high point of its season.
The Panthers were a somewhat trendy 13-over-4 pick in brackets and are showing why early, trailing the Boilermakers by just two, 25-23, with about six minutes left in the first half in Providence, Rhode Island. Purdue has been carried by its star tandem of guard Braden Smith and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who have 10 points apiece.
Creighton up on Louisville by 15 at half
In a matchup of two of the tournament’s most under-seeded teams, Creighton holds a sizable halftime lead over Louisville, with a 49-34 advantage at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Bluejays, customarily one of the best offensive teams in the sport under coach Greg McDermott, have been on fire from beyond the arc, making nine of their 16 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes. Sharpshooter Steven Ashworth has been leading the way with a team-high 13 points while making three of his six 3s, but the biggest difference-maker may have been Jamiya Neal, who has 12 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
Chucky Hepburn, the ACC defensive player of the year, has a game-high 18 points for Louisville, accounting for more than half of his team’s points.
Creighton surging ahead of Louisville
In the first game of the most jam-packed day in college basketball, Creighton’s starting to get hot.
After the Bluejays missed their first five 3-pointers, they’ve caught fire, making five of their past nine as part of a 12-0 run to build a 15-point lead over Louisville late in the first half in what’s a pseudo-road game for Creighton in Lexington, Kentucky, about 70 miles from the Cardinals’ campus.
Ryan Kalkbrenner spurring Creighton lead
Creighton’s 7-1 senior forward Ryan Kalkbrenner has seven points on 3-of-3 shooting, helping the Bluejays to a 28-21 lead.
Creighton, Louisville trading blows
The Cardinals and Bluejays are engaged in a back-and-forth battle nearing the 12-minute timeout. Creighton leads 16-15, with both teams shooting 50% from the field.
Louisville, Creighton tip off
And we are underway! No. 8 seed Louisville and No. 9 seed Creighton tip off the action on CBS. The winner will advance to play the winner between No. 1 overall seed Auburn and 16 seed Alabama State.
Watch select March Madness games live with Sling TV
Where to watch March Madness 2025
- TV channels: CBS | TBS | TNT | truTV
- Streaming: March Madness live | Sling TV | Fubo (free trial)
The 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament will be broadcast across multiple TV channels and streaming platforms, including CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Per a joint release from the NCAA and Turner Sports:
- CBS will broadcast 24 games throughout the tournament including the national championship, Final Four semifinals, Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second rounds.
- TBS will televise 18 games, including the Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second round games.
- TruTV will air or simulcast a total of 21 games, including the First Four games, Elite Eight, Sweet 16 and first and second round games.
- TNT will televise 12 games, including First and Second round matchups
March Madness Live will carry all NCAA Tournament games, though fans hoping to use this option must provide a valid cable login. For games that air on the Turner broadcast network (TBS, TNT and truTV), Sling TV is an option. Fubo also carries CBS and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
March Madness AI picks
AI has picked the entire March Madness bracket for USA TODAY. It has Kanas beating Alabama in the national championship game. Here’s how it got there.
Barack Obama bracket
Former President Barack Obama has released his bracket, picking Duke to beat Florida in the national championship game. For a full breakdown of his bracket, including Final Four picks, upsets and more, click here.
March Madness upset picks
Looking for reasonable upsets to give you a boost in your bracket group? Check out five potential bracket-busters here.
March Madness channels
- CBS | TBS | TNT | truTV
Four channels will carry March Madness in 2025. For those who need refreshers on where to find TBS and TNT, look no further.
March Madness schedule by round
Here is a full round-by-round look at the schedules and dates for the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament:
- First round: March 20-21
- Second round: March 22-23
- Sweet 16: March 27-28
- Elite Eight: March 29-30
- Final Four: Saturday, April 5
- National championship: Monday, April 7
What time is first men’s NCAA Tournament game?
- Time: 12:15 p.m. ET
The first game of the day will pit No. 8 seed Louisville vs. No. 9 seed Creighton at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS.
TruTV channel
TruTV will broadcast four games in Thursday’s first round, starting with No. 4 seed Purdue vs. No. 13 seed High Point at 12:40 p.m. ET. For a full rundown of where you can find truTV, click here.
March Madness locations
Here’s a full look at the locations for the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament, beginning with the first round:
First, second rounds
- Amica Mutual Pavilion (Providence, R.I.)
- Rupp Arena, (Lexington, Ky.)
- Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, Kan.)
- Ball Arena (Denver)
- Rocket Arena (Cleveland)
- Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee)
- Lenovo Center (Raleigh, N.C.)
- Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle)
How to stream March Madness games for free
There are no true ways to stream March Madness games for free. However, fans do have a few ways to watch the games at no cost to them.
One option is March Madness Live, which will carry every game of the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament for free — but which requires a valid cable login to use. Another option is Fubo, which offers a limited free trial but which only carries games on CBS.
Printable March Madness bracket
Time is running out to fill out a bracket! Need a printable one? USA TODAY Sports has you covered.
Watch select March Madness games with Fubo (free trial)
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