How to watch, stream Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville in NCAA 1st round: TV, predictions

Houston put together a memorable and record-setting run through the Big 12 Conference.

Now, the Cougars aim to do the same in the NCAA Tournament and cap what has already been an outstanding season. Houston makes its seventh straight NCAA appearance, a program record, in the same place where the Cougars started that streak, Wichita.

Let the madness begin.#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/C9qySAkPfI
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) March 20, 2025

The Cougars will be taking on the Cougars from SIU Edwardsville, making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, in the opening round of the Midwest Region. SIU Edwardsville qualified for the tournament by winning the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

What SIU Edwardsville coach Brian Barone said on facing Houston in NCAA Tournament

Houston (30-4), which went 19-1 in the conference during the regular season, enters Thursday’s NCAA opener on a 13-game winning streak, and now have won 26 of its past 27 games after defeating Arizona last Saturday to win the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship tournament title.

Final Big 12 basketball power rankings: Houston, by far, at the head of the class

The Cougars are playing an NCAA tourney game in Wichita for the first time since 2018, which was the first appearance in the tourney for Houston under current coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston defeated San Diego State on a last-second shot but lost in the second round to Michigan, on a buzzer-beater.

Houston determined to have better memories of Wichita this time in the NCAA tourney

SIU Edwardsville (22-11) is led by graduate guard Ray’Sean Taylor, the team’s leading scorer who is averaging 19.4 points per game. He had 20 points in its OVC tournament title game win against Southeast Missouri St.

What to know about SIU Edwardsville, Houston's first-round opponent at NCAA tourney

Graduate guard LJ Cryer is Houston's top scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game. Junior point guard Milos Uzan is coming into his own in his first season with the Cougars, averaging 4.3 assists and is coming off a career-high 25 points in Houston's Big 12 Tournament title-game win.

Houston is also expected to get graduate forward J’Wan Roberts, the team’s top rebounder (6.3 rpg), back on Thursday. Roberts sat out the Big 12 semifinal and title game wins with a sprained right ankle, suffered during the Cougars’ quarterfinal game against Colorado.

Houston forward J'Wan Roberts on status for the NCAA tourney: 'I'm doing pretty good'

The winner between Houston and SIU Edwardsville will move on to the second round on Saturday against the winner of the first-round game between No. 9 seed Georgia and No. 8 seeded Gonzaga.

Houston vs. SIU Edwardsville TV Channel, Live Stream, Predictions

Who: No. 1 seeded Houston (30-4) vs. No. 16 seeded SIU Edwardsville (22-11) in the opening round of the Midwest Region in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

When: 1 p.m. CST | Thursday, March 20

Where: INTRUST Bank Arena | Wichita, Kansas

ESPN FPI Prediction: Houston has a 99.0% chance to win

Our Prediction: Houston 86, SIU Edwardsville 55

TV Channel: TBS

Live Stream: Stream the game live online on the MAX app, Sling, DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu, YouTube TV and the March Madness app.

Radio Station: Listen on SiriusXM channel 204 (Houston broadcast). The game will also be aired on Westwood One on Sirius channel 211 and XM channel 204.

Live Audio Stream: Listen online on The Varsity Network App