March Madness is underway with the First Four kicking off the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
On Tuesday night, Alabama State knocked out St. Francis (Pa.), 70-68, on a last-second layup by Amarr Knox to earn a date with No. 1 overall seed Auburn on Thursday in a South Region game at Lexington, Kentucky.
In the nightcap, No. 11 seed North Carolina blitzed No. 11 San Diego State, 95-68 to temporarily hush the naysayers who dismissed the Tar Heels’ worthiness of being included in the field.
UNC advances to face No. 6 Ole Miss on Friday.
North Carolina, despite a 1-12 record against Quad I opponents, was the last team in the field. The NCAA selection committee’s decision to include UNC in the tournament drew public ire, especially with UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham serving as chair of the committee.
Cunningham watched Tuesday’s win from press row next to ACC commissioner Jim Phillips.
“I’m sure there’s still doubt from the outside,” UNC guard Seth Trimble told reporters after the win. “I’m sure there’s still hate.”
Two more First Four games are on the schedule Wednesday night in Dayton before first-round action gets underway Thursday afternoon.
STREAM: Every NCAA Tournament game on DirecTV Stream (free trial)
Here’s a look at the NCAA Tournament bracket:
First Four results, schedule
Tuesday’s results
(16) Alabama State 70, (16) Saint Francis (Pa.) 68
(11) North Carolina 95, (11) San Diego State 68
Wednesday’s First Four schedule
(16) American University vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s, 6:40 p.m. | truTV
(11) Texas vs. (11) Xavier, 9:10 p.m. | truTV
Round of 64 TV schedule
Thursday’s first-round schedule (tip times are approximate)
(8) Louisville vs. (9) Creighton, 12:15 p.m. | CBS
(4) Purdue vs. (13) High Point, 12:40 p.m. | truTV
(3) Wisconsin vs. (14) Montana, 1:30 p.m. | TNT
(1) Houston vs. (16) SIU Edwardsville, 2 p.m. | TBS
(1) Auburn vs. (16) Alabama State, 2:50 p.m. | CBS
(5) Clemson vs. (12) McNeese, 3:15 p.m. | truTV
(6) BYU vs. (11) VCU, 4:05 p.m. | TNT
(8) Gonzaga vs. (9) Georgia, 4:35 p.m. | TBS
(2) Tennessee vs. (15) Wofford, 6:50 p.m. | TNT
(7) Kansas vs. (10) Arkansas, 7:10 p.m. | CBS
(4) Texas A&M vs. (13) Yale, 7:25 p.m. | TBS
(6) Missouri vs. (11) Drake, 7:35 p.m. | truTV
(7) UCLA vs. (10) Utah State, 9:25 p.m. | TNT
(2) St. John’s vs. (15) Omaha, 9:45 p.m. | CBS
(5) Michigan vs. (12) UC San Diego, 10 p.m. | TBS
(3) Texas Tech vs. (14) UNC Wilmington, 10:10 p.m. | truTV
Friday’s first-round schedule (tip times are approximate)
(8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Baylor, 12:15 p.m. | CBS
(2) Alabama vs. (15) Robert Morris, 12:40 p.m. | truTV
(3) Iowa State vs. (14) Lipscomb, 1:30 p.m. | TNT
(5) Memphis vs. (12) Colorado State, 2 p.m. | TBS
(1) Duke vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s/American, 2:50 p.m. | CBS
(7) Saint Mary’s vs. (10) Vanderbilt, 3:15 p.m. | truTV
(6) Ole Miss vs. (11) North Carolina, 4:05 p.m. | TNT
(4) Maryland vs. (13) Grand Canyon, 4:35 p.m. | TBS
(1) Florida vs. (16) Norfolk State, 6:50 p.m. | TNT
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) Troy, 7:10 p.m. | CBS
(7) Marquette vs. (10) New Mexico, 7:25 p.m. | TBS
(4) Arizona vs. (13) Akron, 7:35 p.m. | truTV
(8) Connecticut vs. (9) Oklahoma, 9:25 p.m. | TNT
(6) Illinois vs. (11) Xavier/Texas, 9:45 p.m. | TNT
(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Bryant, 10 p.m. | TBS
(5) Oregon vs. (12) Liberty, 10:10 p.m. | truTV
