Inside The Wildcats

March Madness schedule, scores, first-round bracket updates

The 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament tips off today with 16 games

Ben Sherman

BYU guard Richie Saunders (15) leads the Cougars against VCU in Thursday's opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
BYU guard Richie Saunders (15) leads the Cougars against VCU in Thursday's opening round of the NCAA Tournament. / Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
In this story:

The 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament has finally arrived with 16 first-round March Madness games tipping off Thursday.

The games begin at 9:15 a.m. PT/MST with No. 8 Louisville facing No. 9 Creighton in a South Region game in Lexington, Kentucky. You can watch the game on CBS. The final game of the day is No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 UNC Wilmington at 7:10 p.m. PT/MST.

Two potential upsets to watch today are No. 11 VCU vs. No. 6 BYU and No. 12 UC San Diego vs. No. 5 Michigan. BYU and Michigan are only favored by 2.5 points.

The Arizona Wildcats don't play their first-round game until Friday at 4:35 p.m. PT/MST. The Wildcats are in Seattle and will be holding an open practice to the public at 2:45 p.m. today.

Here's the complete first-round March Madness schedule for Thursday, with game times and TV channels. We'll keep this post updated throughout the day with scores.

Today's March Madness schedule, scoreboard

(All game times PT/MST)

  • FINAL: (9) Creighton 89, (8) Louisville 75
  • FINAL: (4) Purdue 75, (13) High Point 63
  • FINAL: (3) Wisconsin 85, (14) Montana 66
  • FINAL: (1) Houston 78, (16) SIU Edwardsville 40
  • FINAL: (1) Auburn 83, (16) Saint Francis/Alabama St. 63
  • FINAL: (12) McNeese 69, (5) Clemson 67
  • FINAL: (6) BYU 80, (11) VCU 71
  • FINAL: (8) Gonzaga 89, (9) Georgia 68
  • FINAL: (2) Tennessee 77, (15) Wofford 62
  • FINAL: (10) Arkansas 77, (7) Kansas 72
  • FINAL: (4) Texas A&M 80, (13) Yale 71
  • FINAL: (11) Drake 67, (6) Missouri 57
  • FINAL: (7) UCLA 72, 10) Utah State 67
  • FINAL: (2) St. John's 83, (15) Omaha 53
  • FINAL: (5) Michigan 68, (12) UC San Diego 65
  • FINAL: (3) Texas Tech 82, (14) UNC Wilmington 72

NCAA Tournament bracket

Here's the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket:

2025 NCAA Tournament bracket
2025 NCAA Tournament bracket / NCAA

More Arizona & Big 12 Analysis

Published |Modified
Ben Sherman
BEN SHERMAN

Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.

Home/Basketball