Ready for the madness? How to watch, stream the 2025 NCAA March Madness Tournament

[ASFN Admin]

College basketball fans can go big or go home with their bracket as the 2025 NCAA March Madness tournament is now set.

Not quite prepared for the madness?

Here's scheduling information and how to watch the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments.

When does March Madness start?​

The men’s First Four is Tuesday and Wednesday, and the first round starts on Thursday. Here is the full men’s schedule.

• 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 (San Antonio, Texas)
• National championship: April 7 (San Antonio, Texas)

When does the men's NCAA tournament start?​

First Four games for the 2025 men's NCAA Tournament will take place on Tuesday, March 18 and Wednesday, March 19. The four games will be split, two apiece, across Tuesday and Wednesday.

Teams that win the First Four games on Tuesday will advance to first-round games of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 20. Teams that win the First Four games on Wednesday will advance to first-round games on Friday, March 21 — all told, a quick turnaround with travel and game prep for the winners of First Four games.

Here's a breakdown of the First Four schedule for the 2025 NCAA Tournament:

Tuesday, March 18

• Game 1: No. 16 Alabama State vs. No. 16 Saint Francis - 5:40 p.m. CT
• Game 2: No. 11 North Carolina vs. No. 11 San Diego State - 8:10 p.m. CT

Wednesday, March 19

• Game 1: No. 16 Mount St. Mary's vs. No. 16 American - 5:40 p.m. CT
• Game 2: No. 11 Xavier vs. No. 11 Texas - 8:10 p.m. CT

When does the women's NCAA tournament start?​

The first set of the 2025 women's NCAA Tournament's First Four games will consist of two games on Wednesday, March 19, and two more on Thursday, March 20.

The play-in teams are technically in the NCAA Tournament but would play an extra game more than everyone else if they were to make a deep run in the tournament. Winners from the First Four games would play in a first-round match two days after their initial play-in.

Here is when they play:

Wednesday, March 19

• Game 1: No. 11 Princeton vs. No. 11 Iowa State - 6 p.m. CT
• Game 2: No. 16 Southern vs. No. 16 UC San Diego - 8 p.m. CT

Thursday, March 20

• Game 1: No. 11 Washington vs. No. 11 Columbia - 6 p.m. CT
• Game 2: No. 16 Wiliam & Mary vs. No. 16 High Point - 8 p.m. CT

2025 March Madness printable bracket​

• Men's 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket.
• Women's 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket.

What channels are airing the NCAA March Madness Tournament?​

Games will be aired on CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV.

How to stream the 2025 March Madness tournament​

Here are the following ways to watch the 2025 NCAA March Madness tournament:

• Use Hulu + Live TV if you don’t want to miss a single March Madness match-up, or stream select games on platforms carrying CBS, TBS, TNT or truTV.
• You can stream March Madness on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, Max, YouTube TV, Sling TV or Fubo.
• You can also stream all games with the official NCAA March Madness Live app (you must log in with your TV provider).
• Games can also be streamed on Sling TV.

— USA TODAY Network contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: March Madness 2025 schedule: See dates, times and how to watch live

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