Ayrton Oneill
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The tournament, which consists of 68 teams, is mostly played in March, with the First Four games marking the official start. In 2025, the First Four games were held on March 18 and 19, with the tournament concluding on April 7.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What | NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament |
| Tournament Name | March Madness, The Big Dance |
| Number of Teams | 68 |
| Format | Single-elimination |
| Start Date | March 18, 2025 |
| First Four Location | UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio |
| Championship Game Location | Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas |
| Championship Game Date | April 7, 2025 |
| Championship Game Time | 8:50 p.m. ET |
| Broadcasters | CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV, Paramount+ |
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What You'll Learn
The First Four
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the Division I level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament consists of 68 teams and was first conducted in 1939. The tournament has become part of American popular culture through bracket contests that award money and other prizes for correctly predicting the outcomes of the games.
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Tournament schedule and dates
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, or March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The tournament is played mostly during March and consists of 68 teams.
The 2025 March Madness tournament began with the First Four on Tuesday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 19, at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. The tournament will end with the championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday, April 7, at 8:50 p.m. ET. The Final Four will take place on April 5 and 7.
The cities for the first (round of 64) and second (round of 32) rounds of the tournament are Lexington, Kentucky; Providence, Rhode Island; Seattle; Wichita, Kansas; Cleveland; Denver; Milwaukee; and Raleigh, North Carolina. The regional semifinals (Sweet 16) and finals (Elite Eight) will take place in Newark, New Jersey (East); Atlanta (South); Indianapolis (Midwest); and San Francisco (West).
- Creighton 89, Louisville 75
- Purdue 75, High Point 63
- Wisconsin 85, Monoe 86
- Baylor 75, Mississippi State 72
- Alabama 90, Robert Morris 81
- Iowa State 82, Lipscomb 55
- Colorado State 78, Memphis 70
- Duke 93, Mount St. Mary's 49
- Saint Mary's 59, Vanderbilt 56
- Ole Miss 71, North Carolina 64
- Maryland 81, Grand Canyon 49
- Florida 95, Norfolk State 69
- Kentucky 76, Troy 57
- New Mexico 75, Marquette 66
- Arizona 93, Akron 65
- UConn 67, Oklahoma 59
- Illinois 86, Xavier 73
- Michigan State 87, Bryant 62
- Oregon 81, Liberty 52
- Purdue 76, McNeese 62
- Arkansas 75, St. John's 66
- Michigan 91, Texas A&M 79
- Texas Tech 77, Drake 64
- Auburn 82, Creighton 70
- BYU 91, Wisconsin 81
- Houston 81, Gonzaga 76
- Tennessee 67, UCLA 58
- Florida 77, UConn 75
- Duke 89, Baylor 66
- Kentucky 84, Illinois 75
- Alabama 80, Saint Mary's 66
- Maryland 72, Colorado State 71
- Ole Miss 91, Iowa State 78
- Michigan State 71, New Mexico 63
- Arizona 87, Oregon 83
- Alabama 113, BYU 88
- Florida 87, Maryland 71
- Duke 100, Arizona 93
- Texas Tech 85, Arkansas 83 (OT)
- Michigan State 73, Ole Miss 70
- Tennessee 78, Kentucky 65
- Auburn 70, Michigan State 64
- Houston 62, Purdue 60
- Florida 84, Texas Tech 79
- Duke 85, Alabama 65
- Houston 69, Tennessee 50
- Auburn 70, Michigan 65
- Florida 84, Houston 75
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History of the tournament
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the Division I level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament is played mostly during March and consists of 68 teams.
The first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was played in 1939, with eight teams. Oregon is the first NCAA tournament champion, beating Ohio State for the title. The term "March Madness" was first used in reference to basketball by an Illinois high school official, Henry V. Porter, in 1939. However, it didn't become associated with the NCAA tournament until CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger used it during the coverage of the 1982 tournament. The tournament field grew to 16 teams in 1951, doubled to 32 in 1975, and expanded to its current size of 68 teams in 2011.
The early years of the tournament were characterized by competition with the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The NIT was founded a year before the NCAA tournament and was held entirely in New York City at Madison Square Garden. Because New York was the center of the press in the US, the NIT often received more coverage than the NCAA tournament. Teams often competed in both tournaments during the first decade, with the City College of New York winning both tournaments in 1950. Soon after, the NCAA banned teams from participating in both tournaments.
Over the years, the tournament has become part of American popular culture, with bracket contests awarding money and other prizes for correctly predicting the outcomes of the games. In 2023, Sports Illustrated reported that an estimated 60 to 100 million brackets are filled out each year. The tournament has also seen the introduction of a new logo for tournament-wide branding, with bespoke tourney-exclusive courts at each venue.
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Tournament format
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the Division I level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament consists of 68 teams and is played mostly during March. The 68-team format was adopted in 2011; it had remained largely unchanged since 1985 when it expanded to 64 teams. Before that, the tournament size varied from as little as 8 to as many as 53 teams. The field was restricted to conference champions until at-large bids were extended in 1975, and teams were not fully seeded until 1979.
The First Four games are considered the official start to March Madness. The tournament ends with the Final Four and the national championship game. The cities for the first (round of 64) and second (round of 32) rounds of the tournament vary. The regional semifinals (Sweet 16) and finals (Elite Eight) also take place in different locations.
In 2016, the NCAA introduced a new "NCAA March Madness" logo for tournament-wide branding, which included bespoke tourney-exclusive courts at each of the tournament venues from the same manufacturer with the same floor composition across each round. Previously, the NCAA would use the venue's existing default floor with tournament and NCAA decals applied. Starting in 2017, the #1 overall seed picks the sites for their first- and second-round games and their potential regional games. Additionally, the selection committee began releasing the top 16 seeds three weeks before Selection Sunday as a bracket preview.
All tournament games are broadcast by CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV under the program name NCAA March Madness. With a contract through 2032, Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery pay $891 million annually for the broadcast rights. The NCAA distributes revenue to participating teams based on how far they advance, which provides significant funding for college athletics. The tournament has become part of American popular culture through bracket contests that award money and other prizes for correctly predicting the outcomes of the most games. In 2023, Sports Illustrated reported that an estimated 60 to 100 million brackets are filled out each year.
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How to watch
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The tournament consists of 68 teams and is mostly played in March.
March Madness is available to watch on TV through CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. Many games will be broadcast on local CBS affiliates, so you can watch with a digital antenna without a cable or streaming service subscription.
If you prefer streaming, you can watch March Madness on Paramount+. You can also access the tournament on streaming services with access to CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, such as YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Hulu + Live TV.
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Frequently asked questions
March Madness for men's basketball starts on March 18, 2025, with the First Four games taking place in Dayton, Ohio.
The tournament consists of 68 teams.
The championship game will take place on April 7, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
March Madness games will be broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. It will also be available for streaming on Paramount+.
