NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Schedule: Friday, March 21

Written By Caleb Tallman | Published at March 17, 2025

The first round of NCAA men's basketball tournament games is a whirlwind, with 16 scheduled games each day on Thursday and Friday.

We have Friday's schedule for you, so you can make sure you don't miss a minute of the action, with the first game starting just after noon Eastern time and the last game not scheduled to start until after 10 p.m. on Friday, meaning more than 12 hours of game action.

The 16 teams that win their first-round matchups on Friday will advance to the round of 32 and play their second-round matchups on Sunday. Here's the NCAA Tournament schedule and estimated start times for Friday, March 21.

BONUS BETS FOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL BETTING

Be a part of the action for all of the insanity of March Madness by betting on your favorite teams, top seeds, Cinderellas, and more. To get the most out of your NCAA Tournament betting, the best online betting sites have an array of promos to choose from. Check out the top sports betting promos for Friday's first-round NCAA Tournament games.

Sportsbook

Bonus

Features

Bet

Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win

Wide coverage of US and international sports
Linked to MGM Rewards loyalty program
Regular odds boosts and promos

Bet Now BetMGM Review

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET (Available in the US) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 7 days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

New Customers: Bet $5+ Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly

Wide coverage of US and international sports
High-quality iOS and Android apps
Very fast withdrawal times

Bet Now DraftKings Review

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new customer. Min. $5 first-time bet req. Max. $200 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Plus, upon qualifying bet placement, get 1 100% Profit Boost Token, valid only for a NCAA Tournament Winner bet. Max. Bet: $10. Profit Boost Tokens are single-use and expire on 4/6/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Must select Token BEFORE placing bet. Boost only applies to winnings. Ends 4/6/26 11:59 PM ET. Terms: Promos | DraftKings Sportsbook

Double Your Winnings on Your First 10 Bets! $50 Max Bets

Only sportsbook legal in Florida
Hot Bets feature
Live NFL streaming

Bet Now Hard Rock Bet Review

To be eligible, the Player must be at least 21 years old, physically located in an Eligible Jurisdiction: AZ, CO, IL, IN, MI, NJ, OH, TN, or VA, and not on any exclusionary lists in any Eligible Jurisdiction. Excluded patrons are prohibited from participating in Promotions. To be eligible all personal and contact data associated to your account must be verifiable. GAMBLING PROBLEM Arizona Customers: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or Text NEXTSTEP to 53342. Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia Customers: Call 1-800-GAMBLER Indiana Customers: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT Tennessee Customers: Call or text the Tennessee REDLINE: 1-800-889-9789

Get $300 Back in Bonus Bets Every Day For 10 Days

Offers one of the best same-game parlays
Highly rated mobile app
Impressive sports coverage

Bet Now FanDuel Review

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit RG Help . Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit Helpline and Chat – CONNECTICUT COUNCIL (CT). Hope is here. MA Gambling Helpline or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Visit Home (MD). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) 21+ (18+ D.C., KY, WY) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino). First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at FanDuel Sportsbook

Bet $50, Get $300 in FanCash

Unique FanCash loyalty program
Variety of bonuses and ongoing promos
Fast, reliable app with live betting and streaming

Bet Now Fanatics Review

Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-522-4700, Home (MD), (800)-327-5050 or MA Gambling Helpline (MA), Call (877)8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), or Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), (888) 789-7777 or CONNECTICUT COUNCIL – ON PROBLEM GAMBLING (CT), or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), If gambling is more than a game, free help is available . . . - NCDHHS Problem Gambling (NC). New customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, or WY. Must opt-in and wager $10+ cash on any market with odds of -500 or longer to receive $100 in FanCash each day for your first 3 days (issued when qualifying wager settles). Your 3 days begin the day you establish your account. FanCash rewards expire at 11:59 p.m. ET 7 days from issuance. Terms, including FanCash terms, apply - see Fanatics Sportsbook app.

Friday's schedule for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Here is the second full day of the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament, scheduled for Friday, March 21. We have each matchup listed by region, including the scheduled TV tip times. Games will never start earlier than their scheduled times, but if any early games go long, scheduled times can get backed up. All times are Eastern.

South Region

14 Lipscomb vs. 3 Iowa State, 1:30 p.m., TV: TNT
11 San Diego State/North Carolina vs. 6 Ole Miss, 4:05 p.m., TV: TNT
10 New Mexico vs. Marquette, 7:25 p.m., TV: TBS
15 Bryant vs. 2 Michigan State, 10:00 p.m., TV: TBS

West Region

12 Colorado State vs. 5 Memphis, 2:00 p.m., TV: TBS
13 Grand Canyon vs. 4 Maryland, 4:35 p.m., TV: TBS
16 Norfolk State vs. 1 Florida, 6:50 p.m., TV: TNT
9 Oklahoma vs. 8 UConn, 9:25 p.m., TV: TNT

East Region

9 Baylor vs. 8 Mississippi State, 12:15 p.m., TV: CBS
15 Robert Morris vs. 2 Alabama, 12:40 p.m., TV: truTV
16 American/Mount St. Mary's vs. 1 Duke, 2:50 p.m., TV: CBS
10 Vanderbilt vs. 7 Saint Mary's, 3:15 p.m., TV: truTV
13 Akron vs. 4 Arizona, 7:35 p.m., TV: truTV
12 Liberty vs. 5 Oregon, 10:10 p.m., TV: truTV

Midwest Region

14 Troy vs. 3 Kentucky, 7:10 p.m., TV: CBS
11 Texas/Xavier vs. 6 Illinois, 9:45 p.m., TV: CBS

First-round games on Friday, March 21, are taking place at the following venues:

Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina
Rocket Arena in Cleveland
Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee
Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle

Announcer pairings for the NCAA Tournament

With CBS and Turner Sports joining together to cover every NCAA Tournament game again for the 2025 tournament, expect some excellent broadcasting pairs. Ian Eagle, who took over for Jim Nance last season, will once again be leading the top broadcasting team with the same group he had last season: Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, and Tracy Wolfson as the sideline reporter. They will call games each round as well as the Final Four and national championship.

There are three studio teams for the NCAA Tournament. The New York team will consist of host Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Clark Kellogg. The Atlanta team will be host Adam Lefkoe, Jay Wright, Candace Parker, and Seth Davis. Additional personalities include host Adam Zucker, analyst Wally Szczerbiak, rules analyst Gene Steratore, and Jami Erdahl with game updates.

Here are all of the official pairings:

Ian Eagle / Bill Raftery / Grant Hill / Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter)
Brian Anderson / Jim Jackson / Allie LaForce (sideline reporter)
Kevin Harlan / Dan Bonner / Stan Van Gundy / Lauren Shehadi (sideline reporter)
Andrew Catalon / Steve Lappas / Evan Washburn (sideline reporter)
Lisa Byington / Robbie Hummel / Jalen Rose / Andy Katz (sideline reporter)
Spero Dedes / Jim Spanarkel / Jon Rothstein (sideline reporter)
Tom McCarthy / Steve Smith / Deb Antonelli / AJ Ross (sideline reporter)
Brad Nessler / Brendan Haywood / Dana Jacobson (sideline reporter)

Each of the above groups will cover the first and second round. The top four will also go through the Elite Eight, and the top grouping will have the Final Four and national championship.