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

Action in the round of 64 begins Thursday with start of 32 games over two days

Carter Gilmore and Wisconsin hit the court on Denver on Thursday to face Montana in the NCAA Tournament. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We are just hours from the start of two of the greatest days in the sports world, as 32 games take place Thursday and Friday in the NCAA Tournament, also known as March Madness.

Which Cinderella will emerge? Will there be a buzzer-beat? We find out the answers to those questions and more as the field gets cut down to 16 by Sunday night.

Wisconsin will be one of the first teams out of the gates, as the Badgers take on Montana Thursday at 12:30 p.m. CST from Denver. 

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