March Madness start times, TV schedule for NCAA Tournament first-round

It is time for the Madness known as the NCAA Tournament, with round of 64 games tipping off Thursday morning and dominating the headlines and airwaves for the next several days.

By the time we arrive at Sunday night, the field will be cut down to 16, as fans around the world watch via television sets, phones, computers and any other screen that allows for it.

Games will air on CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV along with streaming on the March Madness Live app.

The first game tips at 11:15 a.m. CST on CBS with Louisville and Creighton in an 8-9 contest as part of the South Region. From there, games start throughout the rest of the day, concluding with No. 3 Texas Tech taking on No. 14 UNC Wilmington beginning at 9:10 p.m. on truTV.

Friday sees more of the same with another 8-9 featuring Mississippi State and Baylor battling starting at 11:15 a.m. That is when Iowa State will hit the court, as the Cyclones face Lipscomb at 12:30 p.m. live on TNT from Milwaukee.

Here is the complete first-round schedule with start times and television channels for the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament:

2025 NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST-ROUND GAMES

Thursday, March 20

(All game times at CST)

(8) Louisville vs. (9) Creighton, 11:15 a.m. | CBS
(4) Purdue vs. (13) High Point, 11:40 a.m. | truTV
(3) Wisconsin vs. (14) Montana, 12:30 p.m. | TNT
(1) Houston vs. (16) SIU Edwardsville, 1 p.m. | TBS
(1) Auburn vs. (16) Alabama St., 1:50 p.m. | CBS
(5) Clemson vs. (12) McNeese, 2:15 p.m. | truTV
(6) BYU vs. (11) VCU, 3:05 p.m. | TNT
(8) Gonzaga vs. (9) Georgia, 3:35 p.m. | TBS
(2) Tennessee vs. (15) Wofford, 5:50 p.m. | TNT
(7) Kansas vs. (10) Arkansas, 6:10 p.m. | CBS
(4) Texas A&M vs. (13) Yale, 6:25 p.m. | TBS
(6) Missouri vs. (11) Drake, 6:35 p.m. | truTV
(7) UCLA vs. (10) Utah State, 8:25 p.m. | TNT
(2) St. John's vs. (15) Omaha, 8:45 p.m. | CBS
(5) Michigan vs. (12) UC San Diego, 9 p.m. | TBS
(3) Texas Tech vs. (14) UNC Wilmington, 9:10 p.m. | truTV

Friday, March 21

(All game times are CST)

(8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Baylor, 11:15 a.m. | CBS
(2) Alabama vs. (15) Robert Morris, 11:40 a.m. | truTV
(3) Iowa State vs. (14) Lipscomb, 12:30 p.m. | TNT
(5) Memphis vs. (12) Colorado State, 1 p.m. | TBS
(1) Duke vs. (16) Mount St. Mary's/American, 1:50 a.m. | CBS
(7) Saint Mary's vs. (10) Vanderbilt, 2:15 p.m. | truTV
(6) Ole Miss vs. (11) North Carolina/San Diego State, 3:05 p.m. | TNT
(4) Maryland vs. (13) Grand Canyon, 3:35 p.m. | TBS
(1) Florida vs. (16) Norfolk State, 5:50 p.m. | TNT
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) Troy, 6:10 p.m. | CBS
(7) Marquette vs. (10) New Mexico, 6:25 p.m. | TBS
(4) Arizona vs. (13) Akron, 6:35 p.m. | truTV
(8) UConn vs. (9) Oklahoma, 8:25 p.m. | TNT
(6) Illinois vs. (11) Xavier/Texas, 8:45 p.m. | TNT
(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Bryant, 9 p.m. | TBS
(5) Oregon vs. (12) Liberty, 9:10 p.m. | truTV