Men’s March Madness tips off with Purdue, Creighton advancing: How to watch the best games, players

By Canadian Press on March 20, 2025.

Purdue and Creighton were among the first teams to advance into the second round of March Madness. Louisville was one and done.

Tens of thousands filled out brackets in hopes of winning the office poll or at least a bit of respect. Who will win it all? Auburn, Duke, Florida and Houston are the top seeds.

Games to watch

Connecticut vs. Oklahoma, Friday. UConn has a chance to be the first program to win three straight NCAA titles since Hall of Fame coach John Wooden led UCLA to a seventh straight title in 1973. UConn is seeded No. 8 in the West Regional and will need to slow down Sooners freshman guard Jeremiah Fears.

Duke vs. Mount. St. Mary’s, Friday. Freshman star Cooper Flagg said he’ll be ready to play for the top-seeded Blue Devils. The All-America forward and likely No. pick in the NBA draft missed previous game with an ankle injury.

North Carolina. vs. Ole Miss, Friday. North Carolina quieted some of the controversy about its invitation to the NCAA Tournament with a 95-68 win over San Diego State in their First Four matchup. The 11th-seeded Tar Heels are a 1 1/2-point favorite over the Rebels, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

How can I watch?

Every game of the men’s tournament will be aired — here is a schedule that will be updated with matchups — either on CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV and their digital platforms, including Paramount+. CBS will handle the Final Four and national title game this year.

The NCAA will also stream games via its March Madness Live option.

Who are the favorites?

The top betting favorites as the tournament begins: Florida and Duke are listed as co-favorites (+325), according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Auburn (+425) and Houston (+600) are next.

When are the games?

The first round tipped off on Thursday and will continue Friday, stretching from Providence, Rhode Island, to Seattle and busting brackets from coast to coast.

The Sweet 16 from March 27 to 30 will put games in Newark, New Jersey (East Regional), Atlanta (South), Indianapolis (Midwest) and San Francisco (West).

The Final Four is in San Antonio on Saturday, April 5, with the championship game two nights later on April 7.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

The Associated Press

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