The National Collegiate Athletic Association refers to the Division I men's basketball tournament as "March Madness." It is a single-elimination championship that is held in the US to decide the national champion in men's collegiate basketball. It has grown to be one of the biggest yearly sporting events in the US, despite its reputation for upsetting fan favourites.
March Madness, which features 68 teams and is played in March, was first held in 1939 with eight teams. Oregon won its first NCAA tournament after defeating Ohio State that year. In addition to the 36 schools that obtain at-large spots, the tournament teams consist of the 32 Division I conference winners. Following their selection by an NCAA selection committee, these "at-large" teams are revealed on Selection Sunday, a nationally broadcast event. In 2024, after defeating San Diego State 75-60, No. 1 seed UConn won its sixth national championship.
March Madness Men's Format 2024-25
The schedule for the 2024-25 March Madness, as per the NCAA, is as follows:
Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 16
First Four: March 18-19
First round: March 20-21
Second round: March 22–23
Sweet 16: March 27-28
Elite Eight: March 29-30
Final Four: April 5 at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
NCAA championship game: April 7 at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The locations for the men's tournament in 2025, as per the NCAA, are as follows:
| Round | City | Venue | Dates | Host |
| First Four | Dayton, Ohio | UD Arena | March 18 - 19 | University of Dayton |
| First/Second | Lexington, KY | Rupp Arena | March 20 -22 | University of Kentucky |
| First/Second | Providence, RI | Amica Mutual Pavilion | March 20 - 22 | Providence College |
| First/Second | Seattle, WA | Climate Pledge Arena | March 21 - 23 | University of Washington |
| First/Second | Wichita, KS | Intrust Bank Arena | March 20 - 22 | Wichita State University |
| First/Second | Cleveland, OH | Rocket Arena | March 21 - 23 | Mid-American Conference |
| First/Second | Denver, CO | Ball Arena | March 20 - 22 | Mountain West Conference |
| First/Second | Milwaukee, WI | Fiserv Forum | March 21 - 23 | Marquette University |
| First/Second | Raleigh, NC | Lenovo Center | March 21 - 23 | NC State University |
| East Regional | Newark, NJ | Prudential Center | March 27 - 29 | Seton Hall University |
| West Regional | San Francisco, CA | Chase Center | March 27 - 29 | Pac-12 Conference |
| South Regional | Atlanta, GA | State Farm Arena | March 28 - 30 | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Midwest Regional | Indianapolis, IN | Lucas Oil Stadium | March 28 - 30 | IU Indianapolis/Horizon League |
March Madness Men's Schedule 2024-25
First Four Schedule
Tuesday, March 18
- (16) Alabama State 70, (16) Saint Francis 68
- (11) North Carolina 95, (11) San Diego State 68
Wednesday, March 19
- (16) Mount St. Mary's 83, (16) American University 72
- (11) Xavier 86, (11) Texas 80
Round of 64 Schedule
First Round
Thursday, March 20
No. 8 Louisville, No. 9 Creighton No. 4 Purdue, No. 13 High PointNo. 3 Wisconsin, No. 14 MontanaNo. 1 Houston, No. 16 SIU EdwardsvilleNo. 1 Auburn, No. 16 Alabama StateNo. 5 Clemson, No. 12 McNeeseNo. 6 BYU, No. 11 VCUNo. 8 Gonzaga, No. 9 GeorgiaNo. 2 Tennessee, No. 15 WoffordNo. 7 Kansas, No. 10 ArkansasNo. 4 Texas A&M, No. 13 YaleNo. 6 Missouri, No. 11 DrakeNo. 7 UCLA, No. 10 Utah StateNo. 2 St. John's, No. 15 OmahaNo. 5 Michigan, No. 12 UC San DiegoNo. 3 Texas Tech, No. 14 UNC Wilmington
Friday, March 21
No. 8 Mississippi State, No. 9 Baylor No. 2 Alabama, No. 15 Robert MorrisNo. 3 Iowa State, No. 14 LipscombNo. 5 Memphis, No. 12 Colorado StateNo. 1 Duke, No. 16 Mount St. Mary's/AmericanNo. 7 Saint Mary's, vs. No.10 VanderbiltNo. 6 Ole Miss, No. 11 North CarolinaNo. 4 Maryland, No. 13 Grand CanyonNo. 1 Florida, No. 16 Norfolk StateNo. 3 Kentucky, No. 14 TroyNo. 7 Marquette, No. 10 New MexicoNo. 4 Arizona, No. 13 AkronNo. 8 UConn, No. 9 OklahomaNo. 6 Illinois, vs. No. 11 Xavier/TexasNo. 2 Michigan State, No. 15 BryantNo. 5 Oregon, No. 12 Liberty
Second Round
Sunday, March 22
TBA
Sweet 16 Schedule
Thursday, March 27
TBA
Friday, March 28
TBA
Elite Eight Schedule
Saturday, March 29
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
Sunday, March 30
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
Final Four Schedule: Saturday, April 5
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
National Championship Game: Monday, April 7
- TBD vs. TBD | 8:50 p.m.
When is the first March Madness game?
Following Selection Sunday on March 16, the University of Dayton hosted the First Four rounds of the 2024–25 March Madness on March 18–19 in Dayton, Ohio, at the UD Arena.
When does men's March Madness start?
The Men's March Madness officially started on Selection Day, March 16, 2025.
When is Selection Sunday?
The official start of the Men's March Madness was on March 16, 2025, Selection Day. It was telecasted at 6 p.m. ET on CBS. After which, the First Four were held on March 18 and March 19.
When is the last game of March Madness?
The NCAA championship game, or the final game of the 2024–25 March Madness, will take place at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on April 7.
FAQs on March Madness
A. The first game of the 2024–25 March Madness will be hosted at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, on March 18–19 after Selection Sunday on March 16.
A. Men's March Madness officially kicks off on March 16, 2025, with Selection Day.
A. The Men's March Madness begins on March 16, 2025, with Selection Day at 6 p.m. ET on CBS. Following this, the First Four take place on March 18 and 19.
A. The final game of the 2024–25 March Madness, the NCAA championship game, is scheduled for April 7, 2025, at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
A. Sixty-eight teams compete in the single-elimination tournament, aiming to be crowned the NCAA Division I men's basketball champion.
