NCAA Tournament: Start times, channel information for all first round games

All the action will air live on CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV once again this year

Iowa State and head coach TJ Otzelberger head to Milwaukee to begin play in the NCAA Tournament. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

For those relatively new to enjoying the NCAA Tournament, getting to see each and every game at once is just something you have always known. For those of us from the “older” generation, we feel blessed.

Back in the day, games were decided regionally, with close games resulting in fans being tuned to that contest. There was also a mix package that provided all four games in a window at once, but all of that is a thing of the past.

Starting Thursday at 11:15 a.m. CT and concluding with the final slate of games Friday night, all first round games are available through CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV along with via the March Madness Live app.

Iowa State opens up action against Lipscomb on Friday at 12:30 p.m. CT from Milwaukee. The game will air live on TNT with Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan Van Gundy and Lauren Shehadi on the call.

The opening round play-in games tip Tuesday and conclude Wednesday. 

Here is the complete schedule for first round games in the NCAA Tournament:

2025 NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

(All times are CT)

First Four

Tuesday, March 18

• No. 16 Alabama State vs. Saint Francis, 5:40 p.m. (truTV)
• No. 11 San Diego State vs. No. 11 North Carolina, 8:10 p.m. (truTV)

Wednesday, March 19

• No. 16 American vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, 5:40 p.m. (truTV)
• No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 Xavier, 8:10 p.m. (truTV)

First Round

Thursday, March 20

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

Friday, March 21

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