March Madness First Round Schedule, Tip-Off Times & How to Watch

The road to history begins now. Find the full March Madness first round schedule below, along with where to watch every game live.

March Madness—where dreams are realized, legacies are built, and heartbreak is never more than a buzzer-beater away—is officially set to tip off.

It all starts Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio, with the First Four, the opening act of college basketball’s grandest stage. Four teams will fight for their chance to join the field of 64, knowing full well that every Cinderella story begins with a single step.

Then, on Thursday morning, the real madness begins. Sixteen games. A full day of drama, emotion, and the unforgettable moments that define this tournament. And just when you think you’ve caught your breath, Friday brings sixteen more—each possession magnified, each shot carrying the weight of a season, each team chasing the same impossible dream.

Here, in the quiet before the storm, we set the stage. Below, the tip times for every First Four and first-round game, mapped out in Eastern Time. The schedules are locked. The anticipation is palpable. Now, all that’s left is to let the madness begin.

March Madness First Round Schedule 2025

Tuesday

• 6:40 p.m.: No. 16 St. Francis vs. No. 16 Alabama State
• 9:10 p.m.: No. 11 North Carolina vs. No. 11 San Diego State

Wednesday

• 6:40 p.m.: No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s vs. No. 16 American
• 9:10 p.m.: No. 11 Xavier vs. No. 11 Texas

Thursday

• 12:15 p.m.: No. 9 Creighton vs. No. 8 Louisville (CBS)
• 12:40 p.m.: No. 13 High Point vs. No. 4 Purdue (TruTV)
• 1:30 p.m.: No. 14 Montana vs. No. 3 Wisconsin (TNT)
• 2 p.m.: No. 16 SIU Edwardsville vs. No. 1 Houston (TBS)
• 2:50 p.m.: No. 16 St. Francis or Alabama State vs. No. 1 Auburn (CBS)
• 3:15 p.m.: No. 12 McNeese vs. No. 5 Clemson (TruTV)
• 4:05 p.m.: No. 11 VCU vs. No. 6 BYU (TNT)
• 4:35 p.m.: No. 9 Georgia vs. No. 8 Gonzaga (TBS)
• 6:50 p.m.: No. 15 Wofford vs. No. 2 Tennessee (TNT)
• 7:10 p.m.: No. 10 Arkansas vs. No. 7 Kansas (CBS)
• 7:25 p.m.: No. 13 Yale vs. No. 4 Texas A&M (TBS)
• 7:35 p.m.: No. 11 Drake vs. No. 6 Missouri (TruTV)
• 9:25 p.m.: No. 10 Utah State vs. No. 7 UCLA (TNT)
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 15 Omaha vs. No. 2 St. John’s (CBS)
• 10 p.m.: No. 12 UC San Diego vs. No. 5 Michigan (TBS)
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 14 UNC Wilmington vs. No. 3 Texas Tech (TruTV)

Friday

• 12:15 p.m.: No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 8 Mississippi State (CBS)
• 12:40 p.m.: No. 15 Robert Morris vs. No. Alabama (TruTV)
• 1:30 p.m.: No. 14 Lipscomb vs. No. 3 Iowa State (TNT)
• 2 p.m.: No. 12 Colorado State vs. No. 5 Memphis (TBS)
• 2:50 p.m.: No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s or American vs. No. 1 Duke (CBS)
• 3:15 p.m.: No. 10 Vanderbilt vs. No. 7 St. Mary’s (TruTV)
• 4:05 p.m.: No. 11 North Carolina or San Diego State vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (TNT)
• 4:35 p.m.: No. 13 Grand Canyon vs. No. 4 Maryland (TBS)
• 6:50 p.m.: No. 16 Norfolk State vs. No. 1 Florida (TNT)
• 7:10 p.m.: No. 14 Troy vs. No. 3 Kentucky (CBS)
• 7:25 p.m.: No. 10 New Mexico vs. No. 7 Marquette (TBS)
• 7:35 p.m.: No. 13 Akron vs. No. 4 Arizona (TruTV)
• 9:25 p.m.: No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 8 UConn (TNT)
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 11 Texas or Xavier vs. No. 6 Illinois (CBS)
• 10 p.m.: No. 15 Bryant vs. No. 2 Michigan State (TBS)
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 5 Oregon (TruTV)