There haven’t been any stunning buzzer-beaters – yet – but the first round of the men’s NCAA Tournament provided everything from some upsets to top seeds flexing their muscles en route to the second round.

We started off with 68 teams and the field shrunk to 32 by the end of Friday night. It was non-stop basketball in the past 48 hours, and there are plenty of notable points coming from the first-round results. On Friday, Duke’s star showed little trouble in his return, the Big Ten capped off to a fantastic start and things continued to get worse for the ACC.

Now that the opening round is complete we can look forward to the second round, but before that, here are the winners and losers from Friday’s first-round action:

Winners

Cooper Flagg

There was much worry about the health of Cooper Flagg in the NCAA Tournament. Even if Duke faced No. 16 Mount Saint Mary’s, the chance at a national championship hinged on the star freshman.

It took just less than two minutes for all worries to go away. Flagg absorbed contact for a bucket and the foul, looking like the same person who could win the national player of the year. He didn’t appear to have any problems in the 22 minutes he played as he caused havoc on both sides of the court near the rim. He finished with 14 points, a team-high seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

The competition will get tougher for Duke with Baylor up next in the second round, but Flagg’s NCAA Tournament debut should erase any doubt of him being limited and keep the Blue Devils a heavy title favorite.

Colorado State

Two weeks ago, Colorado State wasn’t even considered for the NCAA Tournament. Flash forward to Friday and the Rams are into the Round of 32 and their hot streak continues. A strong second half and a career-day from sophomore guard Kyan Evans propelled 12th-seeded Colorado State past No. 5 Memphis.

The momentum keeps rolling for Colorado State as its now won 11 in a row. The Rams needed every single one of them to make the Big Dance, and Colorado State has proven how a strong conference tournament can translate into March Madness success. It is now in the second round for the first time since 2013 and, with how good the offense has been, the Rams have a chance of making the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1969.

Big Ten’s perfect start

The Big Ten couldn’t have had a better start, as all eight of its teams have moved on to the second round. Michigan had to fend off a potential upset bid by UC San Diego, but better-seeded teams such as Purdue and Wisconsin didn’t have much trouble against double-digit seeded teams on Thursday. Plus, UCLA dominated Utah State in a 25-point victory.

Maryland kept the streak alive on Friday as it cruised to a victory against Grand Canyon. Illinois, Michigan State and Oregon all did the same with large victories. What’s even more impressive was it’s mostly been dominance. The average margin of victory for the Big Ten schools was 19.8, showcasing the strength it had. Could the Big Ten keep the streak going in round two?

Connecticut’s three-peat chances

The odds aren’t in its favor, but Connecticut still has a chance to be the second three-peat champion with a victory over a stingy Oklahoma team. The Sooners certainly put up a fight, but the Huskies had the clutch gene still on their side for the eight-point win.

It’s now 13 consecutive tournament wins for Dan Hurley, and this one may have been the most impressive given how weird this season has been at UConn. Oklahoma had all the makings of a team to end its season, but Hurley knows how get his team victories in March. After all, there is a reason he has the second-best winning percentage in the tournament behind John Wooden.

A big challenge awaits UConn on Sunday with Florida next, but the Huskies deserve credit for not folding.

The Pitino family

Another round of hoops is in store for the Pitino boys after New Mexico defeated Marquette. The Lobos and Golden Eagles were close throughout the night before a late 11-0 run gave New Mexico a 10-point lead that created enough space from Marquette.

Now both Rick and Richard Pitino will be coaching in the Round of 32 in the same tournament for the first time. What’s even more remarkable is Richard Pitino’s victory ended a long NCAA Tournament win drought for the Lobos. They lost their past four tournament games and hadn’t won since 2012. Both Pitino coaches have taken on jobs where March Madness success hadn’t happened in quite some time, and they both will play at least one more game this weekend.

Losers

Upsets

Where was the madness?

It’s been the tournament of favorites so far with only three upsets – teams seeded No. 11 or higher – in the first round. McNeese and Drake did it on Thursday and only Colorado State was able to do it on Friday. It’s the lowest amount of first-round upsets in the NCAA Tournament since 2007 when only two happened.

While it’s a testament to some of the best teams in the country proving themselves, it’s certainly taken away what many people watch the tournament for, especially when seven happened in last year’s opening round. There’s still a chance some upsets could happen in the second round and double-digit seeded teams go on Cinderella runs, but it’s not a good start for chaos.

Memphis

Penny Hardaway has brought relevance back to his alma mater, but it has yet to translate into March success. Despite solid performances from Dain Dainja and Colby Rogers, Memphis clearly missed Tyrese Hunter as the Tigers got cold in the second half and Colorado State raced past them to pull off the upset.

It’s fair to question Memphis’ ceiling now with Hardaway. Yes, the Tigers have won at least 20 games in his seven seasons in charge, but it’s amounted to only four NCAA Tournament appearances. Even worse, Hardaway is 1-3 in the tournament and it marks two consecutive one-and-done appearances. This loss may be the worst yet given the No. 5 seed was Memphis’ best spot since it was a No. 2 seed in 2009. The Tigers had their best chance at finally making the Sweet 16 again for the first time since 2009, but it ends in an early exit. Memphis might just be a true mid-major that can’t show out when the lights shine bright.

North Carolina adds to ACC’s rough showing

It followed the typical North Carolina script. Against Mississippi, the 11th-seeded Tar Heels fell way behind in the first half, made a furious comeback attempt to make it close in the final minutes, but they couldn’t do enough at the end for a narrow loss. North Carolina lost to the Rebels 71-64, nearly pulling off the second major upset of the day.

There was plenty of debate about North Carolina’s inclusion into the field, but its elimination from the tournament means three of the four ACC teams are done after two days. Duke is the lone remaining team and it very well could save the conference by winning the national championship, but it won’t erase the fact it’s been a season to forget in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

SEC’s mediocre first round

First off, the top heavyweights of the SEC remain national championship contenders. Auburn, Florida, Alabama and Tennessee all had little trouble in their first games and will be tough to beat.

But as for the rest of the conference, it wasn’t a first round to write home about. The SEC finished the first round 8-6, with the majority of losses happening to those teams that struggled a bit in conference play but did enough to get in the field. Texas lost in the First Four, Georgia and Missouri got handled on Thursday, and Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma all fell short on Friday. It’s not a bad record, but it certainly doesn’t help the argument the SEC deserved to get a record 14 teams in the field. Maybe there should have been less.

There’s still a very good chance the national champion is from the SEC, but Greg Sankey sure wishes more of his teams were in considering it now has the same amount as the Big Ten – which didn’t have any team lose.

Kevin Willard

It’s hard to advance in the NCAA Tournament and be in the loser category, but the situation with Maryland coach Kevin Willard is overshadowing a phenomenal season by the Terrapins. After beating Grand Canyon, it should have been a celebration of Maryland’s largest NCAA Tournament win in team history. Instead, Willard threw some shade at reporters regarding what he said a day earlier about his job and now former athletic director Damon Evans.

‘I’ve talked to these guys, they know what’s going on. I’ve been open with them, I’ve been honest with them, they know exactly what’s going on,’ he said. ‘Whatever I say you’re gonna write whatever you wanna say anyways. This is a waste of my time. We have a website that might as well be TMZ. So, I can’t do anything about it, I can’t do anything about Twitter, I can’t do anything about what’s going on.’

The Terrapins have the potential to go on a deep run this month, and the focus should be on trying to make the first Final Four since 2002. Instead, Willard seems busy trying to build a case to leave, perhaps to Villanova, once the season ends. Not a great look for a real good team.

(This story was updated with more information.)

Legendary boxer George Foreman has died at the age of 76 years old, according to a statement released Friday by his family on his official Instagram account.

In 1994, Foreman became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history by knocking out Michael Moorer at age 46 years and 169 days old. He retired in 1997 at the age of 48 and was inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Foreman had 81 fights during his career with an overall record of 76-5 (68 wins by knockout), but arguably his most notable bout of his career happened when he battled against Muhammad Ali on Oct. 30, 1974. The fight was known as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’

What was the Rumble in the Jungle?

George Foreman put his heavyweight championships on the line against Muhammad Ali at Stade Tata Raphaël, a stadium in Africa, and the fight was billed as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’

The fight was watched by 50 million people using closed-circuit television, according to an article in The Hartford Courant. The bout was named the 1974 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year.

How did Muhammad Ali beat George Foreman?

Foreman was undefeated before the fight but was knocked out by Ali in the eighth round. Ali earned the WBA, WBC, and The Ring undisputed heavyweight titles.

Ali used his ‘rope-a-dope’ tactics by leaning against the ropes to dodge some of Foreman’s strikes and draining his energy before capitalizing on an opportunity to bring the champion down.

The fight was once considered the most-watched live televised broadcast event at that time.

‘It was really strange,’ Foreman said during an interview with CBS while reflecting on his fight with Ali. ‘I thought I would knock him out in one or two rounds but in the third round, I’d hit him and he fell on me and I thought, ‘That’s it.’ And he started screaming, ‘That’s all you got George, show me something.’ And I knew then I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

How did Rumble in the Jungle impact other fighters?

Lennox Lewis fought Hasim Rahman in a heavyweight championship match in South Africa in 2001.

‘I remember watching the (Rumble in the Jungle) fight and it was like a Super Bowl,’ Lewis told Box Nation. ‘It stood in my memory for so long that I said to myself, ‘As a champion I want to fight in Africa.’

‘My outcome wasn’t like Muhammad Ali’s but I still fought in Africa.’

Rahman was the betting underdog but produced another upset Africa, knocking out Lewis in the fifth round.

Rumble in the Jungle highlights: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali

Boxing legend, family man and tireless entrepreneur George Foreman died at the age of 76 on Friday, his loved ones confirmed on social media.

The Olympic gold medalist was known for a great many things, including his “Rumble in the Jungle” loss to Muhammad Ali, in 1976, and how he − incredibly − became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history at the age of 46 in 1997.

Throughout his storied boxing career, Foreman won 76 of 81 total fights, and was later inducted into both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Aside from the sport he pursued a wide array of interests, from television and an infamous kitchen appliance to books and the ministry.

‘My life is much more than boxing – I’ve been knocked out more outside the ring than in the ring,’ Foreman told USA TODAY in 2023.

Here’s what else you need to know about Foreman.

Widely known for two historic comeback fights

Long before he was a Hall of Famer, Foreman won an Olympic gold medal first in 1968 when waved a small American flag across four corners of an auditorium in Mexico City.

Though Foreman is known for his many victories in the ring, one of his most memorable fights was when he lost to Muhammad Ali in the famous battle ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’

The spectacle took place on Oct. 30, 1974, when a then-25-year-old Foreman took on a 32-year-old Ali at the Stade des Martyrs stadium in In Zaire. An underdog, Ali made a comeback after losing his world title when he declined to be drafted for the Vietnam War.

Foreman returned to boxing in 1987 at the age of 38 after a 10-year hiatus from the ring and managed a historic comeback in 1994 when, at the age of 46, he defeated 26-year-old Michael Moorer after coming out of retirement.

Foreman had 12 children, including 5 sons named George

While balancing an illustrious career, Foreman also cemented his status as great father to 12 children, including five sons named after him.

George Jr., George III, George Foreman IV, George Foreman V and George Foreman VI share the same name as Foreman, who wanted them to never feel disconnected from their family or their past, according his 2001 memoir ‘George Foreman’s Guide to Life.’

‘I named all my sons George Edward Foreman so they would always have something in common,’ Foreman wrote on his website. ‘I say to them, ‘If one of us goes up, then we all go up together. And if one goes down, we all go down together!”

Foreman starred in sitcom and reality travel show

Since his retirement, Foreman tried out various television projects, including the self-titled “George” sitcom in which he played a retired boxer helping troubled kids in an after-school program. The show, produced by actor Tony Danza, aired in 1993 and 1994 on ABC.

The show starred Sheryl Lee Ralph as Foreman’s wife before she skyrocketed to fame with her Emmy-winning turn in “Abbott Elementary.”

“My heart is with the Foreman family today,” Ralph posted on Threads. “George had a smile as wide as his spirit and a heart full of kindness. I’ll never forget how eager he was to learn, grow, and give his all.”

She shared a couple images from their show, saying they took her back to 1993.

“From the ring to the screen, he showed up with joy, humility, and heart,” she said. “Rest well, my friend.”

More recently, Foreman appeared on a charming reality travel show about aging famous men getting out of their comfort zone. In “Better Late Than Never,” Foreman traveled to Japan, China, Germany, Sweden, Spain, and Morroco alongside fellow legendary athlete Terry Bradshaw and actors William Shatner, and Henry Winkler.

The show aired on NBC from 2016 to 2018, when Foreman was in his late 60s. He posted on X that the globetrotting experience “made me a better person.”

In 2023, Khris Davis played Foreman in the biopic, ‘Big George Foreman.’

Also known for as author, ordained minister and grillmaster

Foreman was a man of many talents and interests.

Among those he was best known for was his George Foreman Grill, which became a staple in many American households in the late 1990s and early 2000s after the legend endorsed the electric gadget in an infomercial in which he famously said: “It’s so good, I put my name on it.”

Foreman sold the grill as a tool for Americans to get healthier and as a way for people who wanted the flavor of a grill without as much hassle.

Immediately following Foreman’s retirement, he became an ordained minister, started preaching on a Houston radio show and led informal Bible studies. That eventually led him to host outdoor “revival” services while renovating an old building on the northeast side of Houston and turning it into a church, according to Foreman’s website.

Foreman has written multiple books, including “Knockout Entrepreneur,” aimed at sharing his keys to success.

“The world is full of people who want to play it safe, people who have tremendous potential but never use it,” Foreman wrote in the 2010 book. “Somewhere deep inside them, they know that they could do more in life, be more, and have more – if only they were willing to take a few risks.”

RALEIGH, N.C. – In the moments after his team survived a 67-59 rock fight of a first-round NCAA men’s basketball tournament game against Oklahoma, UConn coach Dan Hurley boiled the emotions down to the simplest possible terms.

“It feels normal,” Hurley told CBS’ Tracy Wolfson.

Well, yeah. In a way.

UConn, the back-to-back national champions, won a 13th straight NCAA Tournament game. That’s normal.

But the ugly, grinding way the Huskies needed to get it done?

Not normal – maybe in a good way.

“As much as our defense has plagued us throughout the year, it advanced us today,” Hurley said.

Also not normal? On Sunday, 8th-seeded UConn will be an underdog against No. 1 Florida. A big one. And if you read between the lines, it’s perhaps why Hurley was so proud to get out of the first round the way they did Friday.

Most likely, it’s coming to an end. And nobody knows that better than him.

“I think there’s honor in getting to the round of 32 and making someone put you down to end this run we’ve been on,” Hurley said. “If it wasn’t for all my antics and viral moments there would be more focus on what we’ve accomplished. It’s been an amazing run.”

The reason Hurley sounded like he was talking in the past tense is because he understands what he’s up against in Florida. When he watches the Gators, he sees a lot of what UConn had the last two years.

The multiple big men who crush you on the glass. The perimeter depth and waves of shooting. The relentlessness and precision in the way they execute. The aura and swagger of a team that knows it’s peaking at exactly the right time, almost on the exact same timeline as the Huskies two years ago when they were the trendy pick to win the title even though they hadn’t done it yet under Hurley.

Florida and 39-year-old coach Todd Golden still haven’t proven it. Maybe that gives the Huskies a chance. Maybe.

“The championship pedigree is still there for us,” Hurley said. “There’s a belief in the UConn jersey this time of year. Someone is going to have to put us down for us to go away.”

You saw a little of that against Oklahoma. UConn tried and tried to build a comfortable lead, couldn’t quite get it to double-figures, then watched it disappear completely as Sooners freshman guard Jeremiah Fears started to get rolling.

But with 3:39 remaining, one of the last remaining pieces of that championship pedigree made the shot that mattered. A bit earlier, Alex Karaban had passed up a 3-pointer in the corner only to get an earful from Hurley coming back to the bench for a timeout.

“I told him to shoot the (expletive) ball,” Hurley said.

“I wasn’t going to make that mistake again,” Karaban said.

And so with 3:39 left, even though he was a couple of steps behind the 3-point line, Karaban saw an opening and Fears coming a little too late to contest. So he let it fly. It hit the bottom of the net for a 60-56 lead, and that was all UConn needed on a night it went 6-of-25 from deep.

“When you play teams at this level, which is the best of the best in the tournament, the windows are tighter,” Hurley said. “You’re not going to get the perfect shot. The only way we’re going to win the game, especially with the way Liam (McNeeley) was shooting (1-for-8 from three), they were both struggling. We were on life-support and we needed one of them to step up and make some shots, and it was Alex.”

So UConn moves on. Probably just for two more days.

But after a season of angst and “suffering,” as Hurley put it, just to get to this point and win a first-round game was meaningful. Even for a coach whose mind is wired for perfection, it certainly sounded like it was enough.

The March Madness debut of the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and a slew of popular upset picks highlighted the first-round action as the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament rolled on throughout the country Friday.

There were 16 games on the schedule and the slate featured blowouts, upsets and so much more.

Cooper Flagg and No. 1 seed Duke beat No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s in a East region matchup that garnered a lot of attention early. 

Two-time defending national champion UConn is moving on to the second round after a 67-59 victory over No. 9 seed Oklahoma. No. 6 seed Illinois beat No. 11 seed Xavier in a Midwest region battle while No. 12 Colorado State held on to beat No. 5 seed Memphis in their South Region first-round game.

Popular Final Four and national championship picks like No. 1 seed Florida and No. 2 seeds Alabama and Michigan State also earned NCAA Tournament victories and will move on to the second round of March Madness.

Here’s how the second day of the 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket went down.

How many perfect brackets remain?

The chances of producing a perfect bracket this year are looking slim with each passing game. According to ESPN, only 121 perfect brackets are remaining in its respective tournament challenge after the second day of action.

Prior to Michigan State and Oregon’s victories, the official March Madness X account stated that only 249 perfect brackets remained.

Second-round game times announced for Sunday

Final: Oregon 81, Liberty 52

Nate Bittle had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Ducks in the first-round victory. Jackson Shelstad had 17 points and four rebounds. Oregon will play former Pac-12 rival Arizona in the second round.

Final: Michigan State 87, Bryant 62

Coen Carr had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Spartans in the victory over the Bulldogs. Jeremy Fears Jr. finished with 11 points and six assists. Michigan State will play New Mexico in the next round.

Final: Illinois 86, Xavier 73

Tomislav Ivišić produced a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Illini’s first-round victory over the Musketeers. Kasparas Jakučionis added 16 points and nine rebounds. Illinois will play Kentucky in the second round.

Final: UConn 67, Oklahoma 59

Solo Ball had 14 points and five rebounds for the Huskies while Alex Karaban had 13 points and seven rebounds. UConn will meet Florida in the second round.

UConn vs Oklahoma: Huskies fighting off Sooners

After a pair of free throws by Jeremiah Fears closed the Sooners’ deficit to 57-56, the Huskies went on a 7-2 run over the next two minutes to take a 64-58 lead with a little more than a minute to go.

Illinois vs. Xavier: Illini opening things up

Illinois has turned a five-point halftime lead against Xavier into a 17-point lead against Xavier. After the Musketeers got a layup from Dayvion McKnight, the Fighting Illini went on a 17-6 run to go up 69-52 with 9:39 to play.

Oklahoma vs. UConn: Here come the Sooners

Trailing by six at the half, the Sooners are within 46-45 against the Huskies with 9:54 to play after Mohamed Wague scored five unanswered points in a matter of 39 seconds. UConn called timeout.

Michigan State vs Bryant: Spartans up at half

Michigan State finished the first half on a 10-4 run to go up 33-28 at halftime against Bryant. Trailing 24-23, the Spartans went on a run over the next 4:06 that included five points from Coen Carr, who went into the locker room with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and was 3 for 3 from the line.

Oregon vs. Liberty: Ducks off to hot start

The Ducks, who are the 5 seed in the East Region, are shooting the lights out against the Flames and hold a 27-11 lead with 7:55 to go in the first half. Jackson Shelstad already has 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, including two 3-pointers. Oregon is shooting 50% as a team from the field.

Illinois vs Xavier: Illini lead by five

Tomislav Ivisic and Kylan Boswell have been a problem for the No. 11 Musketeers so far, as they have combined for 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including five 3-pointers. But Xavier only trails 40-35 at halftime thanks to eight points from Dailyn Swain and Dante Maddox Jr.

Michigan State struggling against Bryant

The Spartans, who are the No. 2 seed in the South Region, are finding tough sledding against the Bulldogs, champions of the America East Conference. Bryant jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held Michigan State scoreless for the first 2 minutes, 37 seconds. Bryant leads 19-17 with 7:19 remaining at the TV timeout.

UConn vs Oklahoma: Huskies lead at halftime

The two-time defending champion Huskies have a narrow 32-26 lead against the Sooners at halftime in an 8-versus-9 West Region matchup. UConn has put together a balanced attack with Tarris Reed Jr. leading the way with eight points off the bench. Jeremiah fears has 11 points for Oklahoma.

Final: Arizona 93, Akron 65

The Wildcats overwhelmed the Zips in the second half, turning a 10-point halftime lead into a lopsided 28-point victory. After falling behind 9-0 to start the game, Akron hung around for most of the first half before Arizona found some separation just before halftime. The Wildcats methodically pulled away from the Zips in the second half, with Jaden Bradley (19 points) and Trey Townsend (16 points) leading the way. Arizona shot 56.5% from the field, including 48% from 3-point land.

Final: New Mexico 75, Marquette 66

The Lobo pulled away late in what was a fairly close game from start to finish. Donovan Dent finished with 21 points while Nelly Junior Joseph added 19 points and seven rebounds. David Joplin’s game-high 28 points was not enough to push the Golden Eagles into the second round. The Lobos will play the winner of Michigan State vs. Bryant.

Final: Kentucky 76, Troy 57

Otega Oweh finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Wildcats in the first-round victory. Andrew Carr and Koby Brea reached scored 13 points. Kentucky will meet the winner of Illinois and Xavier in the second round.

Marquette and New Mexico remain close in second half

The Golden Eagles and Lobos were tied at 55 with 7:47 left in the second half before Donovan Dent made a pair of free throws to put New Mexico ahead.

Final: Florida 95, Norfolk State 69

Walter Clayton Jr.’s 23 points set the pace for the Gators in the first-round victory over the Spartans. Thomas Haugh had 13 points and four assists and Alex Condon scored 12 points. Christian Ings scored a team-high 16 points for the Spartans.

Florida will play the winner of UConn and Oklahoma.

Halftime: Arizona 41, Akron 31

Trey Townsend has 11 points for the Wildcats in the first half while Caleb Love has contributed with five points and five rebounds. Tavari Johnson had a game-high 13 points for the Zips in the first half.

Florida running away from Norfolk State

Walter Clayton Jr. had 23 points and four rebounds as the Gators led the Spartans 72-52 with 9:37 left in the second half. Alijah Martin added 13 points. Jaylani Darden leads the Spartans with 15 points and six rebounds.

Halftime: Kentucky 35, Troy 27

Otega Oweh had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists for the Wildcats in the first half. Andrew Carr added 11 points. No other player had more than four points for the team. Jackson Fields had a team-high seven points in the first half for the Trojans.

Halftime: New Mexico 35, Marquette 32

CJ Noland had a team-high nine points while Donovan Dent had eight points for New Mexico. The Lobos had three other players with six points.

Ben Gold had nine points and four rebounds for the Golden Eagles. David Joplin also had nine points.

Kentucky and Troy begin play

Kentucky leads Troy 11-9 with 14:04 remaining in the first half. Otega Oweh has six points after making his first three field goal attempts for the Wildcats.

Florida continues to overwhelm Norfolk State

The Gators have quickly pulled away from the Spartans. Florida leads Norfolk State 42-14 with 6:52 left in the first half. Walter Clayton Jr. led the way early with his 13 points but Alijah Martin has also contributed to the Gators’ offensive attack with 11 points.

Florida leads Norfolk State early in first half

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 13 of the Flordia’s first 22 points with 13:13 left in the first half. Clayton also had three rebounds and two assists.

Maryland beats Grand Canyon

The Terrapins are moving on to the second round after an 81-49 victory over the Antelopes. Maryland will play Colorado State in Seattle.

Forward Julian Reese nearly produced a double-double performance with 18 points and nine rebounds in Maryland’s first-round game. Center Derik Queen produced 12 points and 15 rebounds to record a double-double in his first playoff game.

According to ESPN, 1,098 perfect brackets remain as part of its tournament challenge after Maryland beat Grand Canyon.

How many perfect NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament brackets remain?

It’s always one thing to strive for a bracket that will win you bragging rights against your friends but others may strive for more, such as the perfect bracket.

Many of those dreams have already been shattered during the tournament’s first round. Following Ole Miss’ victory over North Carolina, there are only 0.0044% perfect brackets remaining, according to the official March Madness Men’s Basketball account on X.

Ole Miss’ win provided a positive moment for the last winless bracket on ESPN’s platform. The bracket had incorrectly predicted the first 22 games of the tournament.

Ole Miss beats RJ Davis, North Carolina

The Tar Heels fall short in their comeback attempt. Ole Miss is moving on after securing the 71-64 victory. Sean Pedulla led the Rebels with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. Davis had 15 points in the loss.

Julian Reese, Maryland lead Grand Canyon in second half

Reese has 18 points and nine rebounds with 7:36 left in the second half. Ja’Kobi Gillespie has contributed 16 points for the Terrapins. Tyon Grant-Foster has 23 points for Grand Canyon, but he is the team’s only player in double figures.

UNC attempts to come back

North Carolina rallies for an 11-0 run, bringing the Tar Heels within four points against the Rebels, who lead 63-59 with 4:09 remaining in the second half.

Maryland leads Grand Canyon at the half

The No. 4 seed Maryland Terrapins are leading No. 13 seed Grand Canyon 42-28 at halftime. Julian Reese tops the Terrapins in scoring with 12 points and six rebounds.

Saint Mary’s survives Vanderbilt

No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s narrowly escaped an early exit by defeating Vanderbilt 59-56 to advance to the second round. Jordan Ross led the Gaels in scoring with 15 points, while Augustas Marciulionis added 14 points and eight rebounds in the victory. Saint Mary’s will face No. 2 seed Alabama in the next round.

Duke Blue Devils cruise into the second round

No. 1 seed Duke defeated No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s with a dominant 93-49 victory. The Blue Devils were led by Tyrese Proctor, who scored 19 points, and Cooper Flagg, who contributed 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Duke will face No. 9 seed Baylor in the second round.

Ole Miss leads North Carolina at the half

No. 6 seed Ole Miss leads No. 11 seed North Carolina 44-26 at halftime. Dre Davis is leading the Rebels with 13 points, while Jaemyn Brakefield came off the bench and added 10 points.

Flagg’s NCAA Tournament debut

Cooper Flagg played 22 minutes, scoring 14 points and recording 7 rebounds, 4 assists and two blocks against the No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers. Flagg appears to be at his best despite dealing with an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the past two and a half games.

Vanderbilt leads Saint Mary’s at the half

No. 10 seed Vanderbilt is leading No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s 29-22. Jason Edwards is leading the Commodores in scoring with 13 points and three rebounds.

No. 12 Colorado State upsets No. 5 Memphis

Colorado State narrowly defeated Memphis 78-70, with Kyan Evans leading the Rams in scoring with 23 points, which included six three-pointers, four assists and no turnovers. Colorado State will play the winner of the matchup between No. 4 seed Maryland and No. 13 Grand Canyon in the second round.

Duke leads Mount St. Mary’s at the half

The No. 1 seeded Duke Blue Devils are leading the No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers 54-28 at halftime. Duke’s Cooper Flagg has nine points, two rebounds, and two assists. Flagg returns from missing the past couple of games due to an ankle injury.

March Madness Friday schedule reset

Vanderbilt and Saint Mary’s are underway in Raleigh, North Carolina as the second set of 2025 NCAA Tournament games have tipped off. It’s tied early. Duke is crushing Mount St. Mary’s late in the first half and Colorado State is nursing a lead over Memphis in the final minutes of regulation

Memphis and Colorado State go back-and-forth

No. 12 seed Colorado State was a popular pick in NCAA Tournament brackets this year, so much so that the Rams were actually a slight favorite over No. 5 seed Memphis at tip off. Their South Region first-round game has lived up to those predictions.

Memphis entered halftime with the lead behind big man Dain Dainja (20 points) and Colby Rogers (15 points), but Colorado State star Nique Clifford is starting to come alive after halftime and just sparked a 7-0 run to the Rams a 52-48 lead with 13:20 to go in the second half. There have already been seven lead changes.

Iowa State cruises past Lipscomb into March Madness second round

No. 3 Iowa State made easy work in its 82-55 win over No. 14 seed Lipscomb in a South Region first-round matchup on Friday in Milwaukee. Milan Momcilovic led the Cyclones with 20 points and they shot better than 58% as a team. Iowa State gets the winner of Ole Miss-North Carolina in the second round.

Duke’s Cooper Flagg gets first March Madness points

Freshman Cooper Flagg was in the starting lineup for Duke when it tipped off its 2025 NCAA Tournament against No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s on Friday. He got his first bucket about 90 seconds into the game in transition, completing a nifty and-1 layup.

Prepare for Duke vs. Mount St. Mary’s with Cooper Flagg’s mom

As No. 1 seed Duke gets ready to tip off its 2025 NCAA Tournament against No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s, the status of star Cooper Flagg will be the biggest topic of discussion. He’s expected to play for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in the ACC tournament last week and make his March Madness debut.

It will be the latest chapter in a banner freshman season for the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. USA TODAY Sports recently spoke to Flagg’s mom to get her thoughts on being a sports parent.

Alabama pulls away to beat upset-minded Robert Morris

The Crimson Tide are safe. After Robert Morris briefly took a second-half lead, its Cinderella bid fell short thanks to the play of Alabama star Mark Sears. He led the second-seeded Crimson Tide to a 90-81 win over No. 15 seed Robert Morris in Cleveland. Sears finished with 22 points and 10 assists. They await the winner of the East Region first-round matchup between No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s and No. 10 seed Vanderbilt in Sunday’s round of 32 games.

Mark Sears steps up for Alabama vs. Robert Morris

No. 15 seed Robert Morris briefly took the lead on No. 2 seed Alabama with seven minutes to go in their East Region first-round matchup, but an 11-1 Crimson Tide run capped off by a 3-point play from star Mark Sears has provided some breathing room. Robert Morris maybe has time for one last push, down 81-71 with two minutes left.

Baylor holds on to beat Mississippi State

Things got dicey late for Baylor and it nearly led to the first buzzer beater of March Madness, but the Bears are moving on to the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. No. 9 seed Baylor held on for a 75-72 win over No. 8 seed Mississippi State Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mississippi State cut the Baylor lead to one in the final two minutes of regulation, but Bears freshman V.J. Edgecombe knocked down some clutch free throws and the Bulldogs’ potential game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds was well off the mark.

A matchup with No. 1 seed Duke or No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s awaits on Sunday.

Robert Morris, Mississippi State on the comeback trail

After a mostly sleepy Thursday of March Madness, the first couple games of Friday’s action appear to set to come down to the wire.

No. 9 seed Mississippi State just cut No. 8 Baylor’s lead to 69-67 with less than two minutes to go, while Robert Morris has pushed back to within four of No. 15 seed Robert Morris with 10 minutes to go.

Alabama extends lead on Robert Morris

Just when it seemed like Alabama was officially on upset watch early in the second half, the Crimson Tide have answered. Alabama has limited Robert Morris to 3 of 10 shooting since halftime and just hit four of its past five shots to push the lead to 56-46 with 12:18 to go.

Iowa State takes control early vs. Lipscomb

No. 3 seed Iowa State and No. 14 seed Lipscomb are underway in their South Region first-round matchup and the Cyclones have seized momentum about 12 minutes into the first half. Iowa State just reeled off a 12-0 run to take a double-digit lead on the Atlantic Sun Conference champions.

Can Amarion Dickerson, Robert Morris make March Madness noise?

A Cleveland native is going off in Cleveland, and a potential Cinderella possibility is brewing as a result.

Robert Morris guard Amarion Dickerson is up to 13 points on 6 of 12 shooting after his late 3-pointer cut Alabama’s lead to 40-36 at halftime. The Colonials were big underdogs against their SEC counterparts and have stayed within reach despite the Crimson Tide shooting better than 60% from the field in the first half.

Robert Morris is controlling the tempo and grabbed eight offensive rebounds before halftime to set up an intriguing final 20 minutes. The school has never won an NCAA Tournament game in eight previous appearances.

Baylor leads Mississippi State to start second half

No. 9 seed Baylor will take a 37-32 lead into the second half of its East Region first-round matchup against No. 8 seed Mississippi State. Forward Norchad Omier leads the Bears with nine points and six rebounds, while Josh Hubbard is pacing Mississippi State with a game-high 14 points. Poor shooting is affecting Baylor, while eight turnovers have left the Bulldogs in an early hole.

Robert Morris hanging tough vs. Alabama, Clifford Omoruyi’s dunks

No. 15 seed Robert Morris keeping things interesting with No. 2 seed Alabama in the first half of their East Region matchup. The Horizon League champion Colonials pulled to within 32-29 at one point, taking advantage of Alabama’s turnovers after falling behind by 10. The problem is Robert Morris has no answer for Alabama big man Clifford Omoruyi. He’s got 13 points on 6 of 6 shooting, including a couple thunderous dunks.

Alabama leads Robert Morris, 34-29, at the under-four minute media timeout before halftime.

March Madness upset picks today

South Region No. 5 seed Memphis and No. 12 seed Colorado State is the fourth game set to tip off soon as part of Friday’s first-round action at the 2025 NCAA Tournament. It’s also one of the trendy upset picks in NCAA brackets around the country, although oddsmakers have actually pegged the Rams as a slight favorite as Memphis deals with injury concerns.

The first full day of action was relatively short on upsets, with McNeese’s win over Clemson being an exception. Friday offers a few more opportunities for lower seeds to advance. Here’s a look at some options, including Colorado State.

No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 8 Mississippi keep it close

The No. 9 seeded Baylor Bears and No. 8 Mississippi State faced off early in the first quarter to kick off the Friday March Madness action. The Bulldogs led 16-14 with 11:16 left in the first half.

March Madness Friday schedule has started

The Friday first-round games at the men’s 2025 NCAA Tournament are officially underway with No. 9 seed Baylor facing No. 8 seed Mississippi State the first to tip off from Raleigh, North Carolina.

March Madness 2025 expert predictions

USA TODAY experts set their picks ahead of the NCAA Tournament. Here is who they picked.

Jordan Mendoza

Full bracket

Final Four: Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston
Final: Florida vs. Houston
National champion: Houston

Paul Myerberg

Full bracket

Final Four: Auburn, St. John’s, Duke, Tennessee
Final: Auburn vs. Duke
National champion: Duke

Eddie Timanus

Full bracket

Final Four: Auburn, Florida, Duke, Houston
Final: Florida vs. Duke
National champion: Florida

Dan Wolken

Full bracket

Final Four: Michigan State, Florida, Duke, Houston
Final: Florida vs. Duke
National champion: Duke

2025 Men’s March Madness Printable Bracket

Here is your printable March Madness bracket.

Click for your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket

Is Cooper Flagg playing in March Madness for Duke?

Cooper Flagg, the projected top pick in this year’s NBA draft and one of the favorites to win national player of the year, will be available to play for No. 1-ranked Duke on Friday in the first round of the Men’s NCAA Tournament after spraining his ankle a week ago in the ACC quarterfinals. — Dan Wolken

March Madness bracket: Dates, times, TV, results and scores (needs updates)

All times Eastern

Tuesday, March 18

First Four games

South region: No. 16 Alabama State def. No. 16 St. Francis, 70-68
South region: No. 11 North Carolina def. No. 11 San Diego State, 95-68

Wednesday, March 19

First Four games

East region: No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s def. No. 16 American, 83-72, 6:40 p.m. on truTV
Midwest region: No. 11 Xavier def. No. 11 Texas, 86-80, 9:10 p.m. on truTV

Thursday, March 20

Round of 64 games

South region: No. 9 Creighton def. No. 8 Louisville, 89-75
Midwest region: No. 4 Purdue def. No. 13 High Point, 75-63
East region: No. 3 Wisconsin def. No. 14 Montana, 86-66
Midwest region: No. 1 Houston def. No. 16 SIU-Edwardsville, 78-40
South region: No. 1 Auburn def. No. 16 Alabama State, 83-63
Midwest region: No. 12 McNeese State def. No. 5 Clemson, 69-67
East region: No. 6 BYU def. No. 11 VCU, 80-71
Midwest region: No. 8 Gonzaga def. No. 9 Georgia, 89-68
Midwest region: No. 2 Tennessee def. No. 15 Wofford, 77-62
West region: No. 10 Arkansas def. No. 7 Kansas, 79-72
South region: No. 4 Texas A&M def. No. 13 Yale, 80-71
West region: No. 11 Drake def. No. 6 Missouri, 67-57
Midwest region: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Utah State, 9:25 p.m. on TNT
West region: No. 2 St. John’s vs. No. 15 Omaha, 9:45 p.m. on CBS
South region: No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego, 10 p.m. on TBS
West region: No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 UNC-Wilmington, 10:10 p.m. on truTV

Friday March 21

Round of 64 games

East region: No. 9 seed Baylor def. No. 8 seed Mississippi State, 75-72
East region: No. 2 Alabama def No. 15 Robert Morris, 90-81
South region: No. 3 Iowa State def No. 14 Lipscomb, 82-55
West region: No. 5 Memphis vs. No. 12 Colorado State, 2 p.m. on TBS
East region: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 American/Mount St. Mary’s, 2:50 p.m. on CBS
East region: No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Vanderbilt, 3:15 p.m. on truTV
South region: No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 North Carolina/San Diego State, 4:05 p.m. on TNT
West region: No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon, 4:35 p.m. on TBS
West region: No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Norfolk State, 6:50 p.m. on TNT
Midwest region: No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Troy, 7:10 p.m. on CBS
South region: No. 7 Marquette vs. No. 10 New Mexico, 7:25 p.m. on TBS
East region: No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 13 Akron, 7:35 p.m. on truTV
West region: No. 8 UConn vs. No. 9 Oklahoma, 9:25 p.m. on TNT
Midwest region: No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Texas/Xavier, 9:45 p.m. on CBS
South region: No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Bryant, 10 p.m. on TBS
East region: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 Liberty, 10:10 p.m. on truTV

Watch 2025 NCAA Tournament games with Sling TV

Saturday, March 22

Midwest Region: No. 12 McNeese State vs. No. 4 Purdue, 12:10 p.m. on CBS
West Region: No. 10 seed Arkansas vs. No. 2 seed St. John’s, 2:40 p.m. on CBS
South Region: No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 4 Texas A&M, 5:15 p.m. on CBS
West Region: No. 11 Drake vs. No. 3 Texas Tech, 6:10 p.m. on TNT
South Region: No. 9 Creighton vs. No. 1 Auburn, 7:10 p.m. on TBS
East Region: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 3 Wisconsin, 7:45 p.m. on CBS
Midwest Region: No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 1 Houston, 8:40 p.m. on TNT
Midwest Region: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 2 Tennessee, 9:40 p.m. on TBS

Sunday, March 23

Round of 32 games, Time and TV channel TBD

Thursday, March 27

East and West region Sweet 16 games, Time and TV channel TBD

Friday, March 28

Midwest and South region Sweet 16 games, Time and TV channel TBD

Saturday, March 29

East and West region finals, Time and TV channel TBD

Sunday, March 30

Midwest and South region finals, Time and TV channel TBD

Saturday, April 5

Final Four

Game 1: 6:09 p.m. on CBS
Game 2: 8:49 p.m. on CBS

Monday, April 7

National championship game: 8:50 p.m. on CBS

What time are March Madness games today?

March Madness continues Friday with another 16 games slated throughout the day. The action kicks off with No. 9 Baylor taking on No. 8 Mississippi State at 12:15 p.m. ET. The first round concludes with No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 5 Oregon at 10:10 p.m. ET.

How to watch March Madness Friday: TV, streaming coverage 

TV channels: Coverage across CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV
Live stream: Max and Sling for games carried on TNT, TBS, TruTV; CBS games available on Fubo

Watch March Madness with Sling

What channel is March Madness on?

Coverage for Friday’s Day 2 action will be broadcast across CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV channels. You can also watch the conclusion of the first round via streaming options: Max and Sling for games carried on TNT, TBS, TruTV. Games carried on CBS are available on Fubo, which offers a free trial subscription to new users.

March Madness odds

March Madness First Four odds, according to BetMGM. Odds as of Thursday, March 20.

Here’s a full look at the favorites to win the men’s tournament, everyone who sits at better odds than +2500.

T1. Duke (+325)
T1. Florida (+325)
3. Auburn (+400)
4. Houston (+600)
5. Tennessee (+1800)
6. Alabama (+2000)
T7. Michigan State (+2500)
T7. St. John’s (+2500)

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

The first day of action from the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament is complete.

Elsewhere, No. 1 seeds UCLA and South Carolina took care of business, as expected, downing Southern and Tennessee Tech with scores of 84-46 and 108-48, respectively. No. 2 seed Duke had one of the most dominant showings of the day, defeating Lehigh 86-25 and holding the Mountain Hawks to single-digit scoring in each quarter.

10-seed Oregon took down 7-seed Vanderbilt in the lone overtime game of the women’s NCAA Tournament so far, taking down the Commodores 77-73 after outscoring Vanderbilt 10-6 in the extra period.

Here’s the full list of scores from the day, along with updates from all 16 games on Friday:

Women’s March Madness games today

All times Eastern

(6) Michigan 80, (11) Iowa State 74
(4) Kentucky 79, (13) Liberty 78
(9) Indiana 76, (8) Utah 68
(3) Notre Dame 106, (14) Stephen F. Austin 54
(5) Kansas State 85, (12) Fairfield 41
(4) Baylor 73, (13) Grand Canyon 60
(2) TCU 73, (15) FDU 51
(1) South Carolina 108, (16) Tennessee Tech 48
(10) Oregon 77, (7) Vanderbilt73 (OT)
(4) Ohio State 71, (13) Montana State 51
(5) Ole Miss 83, (12) Ball State 65
(7) Louisville 63, (10) Nebraska 58
(8) Richmond 74, (9) Georgia Tech 49
(2) Duke 86, (15) Lehigh 25
(5) Tennessee 101, (12) South Florida 66
(1) UCLA 84, (16) Southern 46

UCLA wins 84-46 over Southern

UCLA takes its first-round matchup over Southern with ease, defeating the Jaguars 84-46 behind Lauren Betts’ game-leading 14 points with six rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Cheers to the first full day of action at the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Lauren Betts dominating down low

Lauren Betts, 6-foot-7, is doing her thing against Southern, with 12 points and three blocks so far tonight.

UCLA opens third quarter on 10-2 run

The Bruins are putting the clamps on Southern, with a 10-2 run to start the third quarter. Leaving very little hope for the SWAC champion Jaguars.

UCLA leads Southern 38-16 at half

The last game of the day, featuring No. 1 overall seed UCLA vs. Southern, sees the Bruins holding a 38-16 lead in the first half of Friday’s action.

Tennessee rolls to 101-66 win

Tennessee has no issues with South Florida, as the Lady Vols and Kim Caldwell move onto the Round of 32 with a 101-66 win.

Talaysia Cooper paced Tennessee with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists with two steals and two blocks on the night off the bench. Samara Spencer added 15 points.

Duke handling Lehigh with ease

Duke has been dominant defensively against Lehigh, holding the Mountain Hawks to only 19 points midway through the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils lead 71-19.

Perfect brackets remaining

Following the completion of the Oregon and Louisville women’s basketball games, roughly 240,000 perfect brackets still remain on the women’s side:

Lehigh-Duke tips off

2-seed Duke and 15-seed Lehigh are underway from Durham, North Carolina.

Hopefully for the Blue Devils, C.J. McCollum doesn’t appear and upset Duke like he did in the men’s NCAA Tournament in 2012. That game was also a 2-seed vs. 15-seed matchup.

Louisville beats Nebraska

Louisville gets two key free throws from Olivia Cochran down the stretch to pull out with a 63-58 win over No. 10 Nebraska to advance to the second round.

Now comes one of the most highly anticipated games of the first weekend of the women’s NCAA Tournament: Hailey Van Lith looking to lead No. 2 TCU to a trip to the Sweet 16 against her former squad. Van Lith, of course, transferred from Louisville to LSU after the 2022-23 season before arriving at TCU this past offseason.

Oregon upsets Vanderbilt

No. 10 Oregon knocks out No. 7 Vanderbilt of the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 77-73 overtime win on Friday.

The Commodores came all the way back and forced overtime, but foul trouble down the stretch held Shea Ralph’s squad back from advancing to the second round of the Region 2 Birmingham side of the bracket. Oregon will now face the winner of No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh in the second round on Sunday.

Mikayla Blakes fouls out for Vanderbilt

A huge loss for Vanderbilt in the winding seconds of overtime, as Mikayla Blakes fouls out of the game on an offensive charge. The Commodores are currently trailing 74-73 with under a minute to go.

Vanderbilt forces overtime

Free basketball is in store in Durham!

With seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Leilani Kapinus hits one of the biggest shots in Vanderbilt women’s basketball history to tie the game at 67-67 against Oregon and force overtime.

The Ducks attempted to throw a Hail Mary pass on the inbound in hopes of hitting the buzzer beater game-winning shot, but it hits off the rim from

Vanderbilt giving Oregon its money’s worth

As Ohio State defeats Montana State to advance, Oregon is looking to break up the chalk party against No. 7 Vanderbilt. The Ducks lead by four with under two minutes in the fourth quarter against the Commodores as they look to advance. Vanderbilt, however, has had a massive run down the stretch to stay alive.

No. 4 Ohio State handling No. 13 Montana State

Montana State was able to hang with the Buckeyes for a time, but Ohio State has pulled away in the second half. The Buckeyes’ lead has ballooned to 20 in the fourth quarter.

Lisa Leslie on hand to cheer on best friend Dawn Staley, South Carolina in March Madness

Legendary WNBA and Olympic forward Lisa Leslie took in No. 1 South Carolina’s commanding 108-48 win over No. 16 Tennessee Tech on Friday at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Leslie and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley played with each other on Team USA at several Olympic games.

Ole Miss takes lead over Ball State

Ole Miss has come all the way back from down 7-0 to take an 21-12 lead going into the second quarter of Friday’s first-round game against No. 12 Ball State.

The No. 7 Rebels picked it up defensively over the final three minutes of the first quarter down in Waco, Texas, as they held the Cardinals scoreless over the final 3:15 of the frame. It was a 19-5 run for Ole Miss over the final 7:39.

Oregon leads Vanderbilt at halftime

A potential upset is brewing in Durham, North Carolina, as No. 10 seed Oregon leads No. 7 seed Vanderbilt 36-25 at halftime. Oregon outscored Vanderbilt 24-14 in the second quarter thanks to an impressive 8 of 9 shooting (3 for 3 3-point shooting) from the field in the frame alone.

Commodores leading scorer Mikayla Blakes leads the game with 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the field at halftime.

South Carolina defeats Tennessee Tech

South Carolina opens up its March Madness run with a decisive 108-48 win over No. 16 seed Tennessee State on Friday. Full domination by the reigning national champions, who rested their starters for extended periods in the second half.

As noted by ESPN’s broadcast, South Carolina is now 17-1 in its last 18 women’s NCAA Tournament games. The Gamecocks set a NCAA Tournament record with 66 points from their bench.

Baylor holds on, advances

No. 4 seed Baylor staves off a possible upset to No. 13 Grand Canyon, as the Lady Bears hold on for a 73-60 win in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.

The Lopes had it as close as four points at two different points in the fourth quarter, but a nearly six-minute stretch of not hitting a single field goal to close the quarter was the difference between a potential upset victory and the loss.

Grand Canyon-Baylor remains close

No. 4 seed Baylor and No. 13 Grand Canyon is shaping up to be a fun finish, as Molly Miller’s Lopes are trailing by just six points in the fourth quarter. Baylor has not led by more than nine points in the game.

Less than four minutes to play in Waco, Texas with the Lady Bears leading 63-57.

TCU advances past Fairleigh Dickinson

Hailey Van Lith, Madison Conner and Sedona Prince are on to the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament with a decisive 73-49 win over No. 15 seed Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday. It’s the first NCAA Tournament victory for TCU since 2006.

TCU played the part of a No. 2 seed on Friday, as the Horned Frogs shot 52.7% from the field and outnumbered the Knights in virtually every statistical category. TCU will face the winner of No. 7 seed Louisville vs. No. 10 Nebraska on Sunday.

Injury update on Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles

Per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said that guard Olivia Miles told her that she’ll be okay for the Irish’s second-round game vs. No. 6 Michigan ‘but she’s got to get treatment.’

Ivey said that Miles’ injury, which came in the fourth quarter of Notre Dame’s first-round win over Stephen F. Austin, came as a result of stepping on someone’s foot. Click here to read more about Miles’ injury.

Notre Dame updates women’s March Madness bracket

The Fighting Irish crank out a big celebration at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana, as they update the women’s NCAA Tournament bracket on the wall.

Notre Dame showed why it is considered one of six legit contenders to win the national championship this year on Friday, as it opened up March Madness with a 106-54 win over No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin. As noted by the Irish’s postgame notes, it is just the second time in program history that Notre Dame has scored at least 100 points in an NCAA Tournament game.

South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley makes highlight pass

Oh, that was smooth! South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley finds Chloe Kitts inside the paint for a behind-the-back bounce pass and the layup.

Gamecocks are now out to a commanding 40-12 lead over Tennessee Tech. South Carolina is shooting 71.4% from the field, compared to Tennessee Tech’s 28.6%.

South Carolina up big after first quarter

The defending champs came ready to play on Friday, as No. 1 seed South Carolina leads No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech 33-12 after the first quarter. South Carolina closed the first quarter on a 17-6 run over the last 3:47 of the frame.

A balanced scoring attack by the Gamecocks in the first quarter, as eight of their nine players that touched the floor in the first quarter have scored. Apart from its scorching 66.7% shooting from the field, perhaps the most impressive stat of the first quarter for South Carolina is its 21 points from its bench.

Kansas State advances

No. 5 Kansas State is on to the second round of the Region 4 Spoken side of the bracket with a commanding 85-41 win over No. 12 seed Fairfield.

The Wildcats will take on No. 4 seed Kentucky on Sunday, March 23 in the second round.

TCU leads Fairleigh Dickinson at halftime

No. 2 seed TCU holds an eight-point lead over No. 15 seed Fairleigh Dickinson at halftime in Fort Worth, Texas.

Madison Conner was the difference marker in the second quarter for TCU, as the Horned Frogs guard had 10 points in the second frame alone after just going 1-for-3 from the field for three points in the first quarter. Big 12 Player of the Year Hailey Van Lith had a quiet first half, as she just has five points on 2 of 7 shooting at halftime.

South Carolina tips off against Tennessee Tech

The defending national championship, No. 1 seed South Carolina, has tipped off at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina against No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech.

Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks are looking to become the first program since UConn to win back-to-back national championship titles since 2013-16. The winner of this game will get No. 9 Indiana, which upset No. 8 Utah earlier Friday.

Notre Dame puts up 100 points to defeat Stephen F. Austin

The Irish are on to the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament with a decisive 106-54 win over No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin on Friday at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana.

Notre Dame, which was led by Sonia Citron and Hannah Hidalgo’s 24 points, now faces No. 6 seed Michigan, which beat No. 11 seed Iowa State earlier Friday. A story to keep an eye on surrounding the Irish is the health of guard Olivia Miles, who exited the game around the 8:15 mark of the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury.

TCU-FDU tips off in Texas

Game 7 of the day between No. 2 seed TCU and No. 15 seed Fairleigh Dickinson has tipped off down in Fort Worth, Texas at Schollmaier Arena.

Madison Conner has a quick five points for the Horned Frogs, who lead 8-6 at the 4:40 mark of the first quarter.

Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles exits game

Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles exits the game at the 8:15 mark of the fourth quarter after tweaking her ankle. ESPN’s cameras show Miles walking off the court in South Bend, Indiana on her own power but with a significant hobble.

Kansas State leads Fairfield at halftime

No. 5 seed Kansas State heads into the locker room with a 37-25 lead over No. 12 seed Fairfield.

The Stags put together a much better second-quarter performance than its first, as they scored an even 16 points with the Wildcats in the second frame alone. To put into a compare-contrast of the first and second quarters in Lexington, Kentucky, Kansas State led 21-9 after the opening 10 minutes.

Notre Dame forces three straight turnovers

Defense is leading to offense for Notre Dame — literally.

Already up 60-33 in the third quarter against No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin, the No. 3 seeded Irish force three consecutive turnovers on defense, leading to six quick points. Notre Dame is out in front of Stephen F. Austin 67-33 in South Bend right now.

Indiana upsets Utah

The first upset of the women’s NCAA Tournament has taken place, as No. 9 seed Indiana knocks off No. 8 seed Utah 76-68 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Yarden Garzon led Indiana with 17 points on the afternoon.

The Hoosiers will now get the winner of No. 1 seed South Carolina vs. No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech on Sunday, March 23 in the second round of the Region 2 Birmingham side of the bracket.

Notre Dame pushes lead over Stephen F. Austin to 28

Olivia Miles hits Liatu King inside the paint for the layup to extend Notre Dame’s lead over Stephen F. Austin to 56-28 in Friday’s first-round game of the Region 3 Birmingham side of the bracket.

A real smooth pass from Miles who found King while on the run. The Irish are out to a hot 10-0 run to start the third quarter in South Bend.

Kansas State breaking away

No. 5 seed Kansas State has jumped out to a 23-9 lead over No. 12 seed Fairfield with eight minutes remaining in the first half of this Region 4 Spokane first-round matchup.

As noted by ESPN’s broadcast, Fairfield has not scored since the 3:53 mark of the first quarter. Total domination by the Wildcats right now in Lexington, Kentucky.

Notre Dame leads big at halftime

An extended time off since the ACC tournament appears to have been what Notre Dame needed, as the No. 3 seeded Irish lead No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin 46-25 at halftime.

Sonia Citron leads Notre Dame with 11 points on 4 of 7 shooting (3 of 5 3-point shooting). Hannah Hidalgo has just eight points on 4 of 8 shooting from the field at halftime. The Irish outscored the Lady Jacks 22-6 inside the paint in the first 20 minutes of action in South Bend, Indiana.

Dawn Staley outfit for NCAA Tournament first-round game

Who won the 2024 women’s March Madness

South Carolina won the national championship last season, defeating Caitlin Clark and Iowa 87-75.

Indiana gains separation from Utah

The Hoosiers have gained some separation from Utah in the first-round matchup with a 44-38 lead at the media timeout with 4:44 left in the third quarter. Gianna Kneepkens is up to 15 points to lead Indiana.

Notre Dame doubles up Stephen F. Austin after one quarter

After one quarter, Notre Dame leads Stephen F. Austin 26-13. The Lumberjacks opened the game with the first six points, but were outscored 26-7 after that. Hannah Hidalgo leads the Fighting Irish with eight points.

Indiana-Utah tied at halftime

Utah and Indiana head to halftime tied at 31. Gianna Kneepkens leads the Badgers with 11 points, while Lilly Meister has eight points to lead the Hoosiers off the bench.

Notre Dame-Stephen F. Austin State tip-off

The matchup between Notre Dame and Stephen F. Austin State has tipped off in South Bend, Indiana. The Lumberjacks started on an 8-2 run to start the game, but Notre Dame uses a 10-0 run to the media timeout to lead 12-8.

The winner of this game plays No. 6 Michigan.

Kentucky survives with 79-78 win over Liberty

Kentucky survived with a 79-78 win over Liberty after the Flames could not foul Georgia Amoore with 2.8 seconds left, allowing the Wildcats to shoot free throws and keep themselves alive.

The Wildcats will play the winner of Iowa-Murray State. Amoore finished with 34 points ― tying a Kentucky NCAA Tournament game record ― and eight assists in 40 minutes.

Georgia Amoore ties Kentucky NCAA Tournament record for points

With 6.8 seconds left, Georgia Amoore hits one of two free throws to tie the Kentucky record for points in an NCAA Tournament game with 34. Kentucky leads 79-78 with 2.8 seconds left after a 3-pointer from Emma Hess.

Liberty within one point of Kentucky

Kentucky’s lead is down to just one point, as Liberty guard Avery Mills hits a 3-pointer to bring the game to 74-73 with 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.

It is the first shot from the field and points of the day for Mills. Liberty is on a 16-6 run in the last 6:12 of the game.

Kentucky-Liberty tightening up

Potential upset alert in Lexington, Kentucky, as No. 13 seed Liberty has gone on a 13-2 run over the last 4:47 in the fourth quarter to cut No. 4 seed Kentucky’s lead to 74-68.

The Wildcats are one for their last nine from the field, and once had a 17-point lead at the 9:36 mark of the fourth quarter.

Indiana-Utah tips off

The first game of the day at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina is underway between No. 8 seed Utah and No. 9 seed Indiana. Shay Ciezki gets the scoring going as she hits a 3-pointer off the assist from Yarden Garzon to put the Hoosiers then-up 3-0.

Indiana is making its seventh women’s NCAA Tournament appearance under Teri Moren. The winner of this game will get the winner of No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech.

Michigan advances to second round

The first game of the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament is in the books, and it goes to No. 6 seed Michigan.

The Wolverines receive a big-time jumper with 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter from freshman guard Olivia Olson to get a five-point cushion to eventually defeat No. 11 seed Iowa State 80-74 in Friday’s first-round game in the Birmingham 3 regional.

Watch women’s March Madness with Fubo (free trial)

Jordan Hobbs gives Michigan lead late

Jordan Hobbs is up to a career-high 26 points and Michigan leads Iowa State 75-69 at the media timeout with 3:27 left in the game.

Kentucky gains separation; Michigan-Iowa State tightening up

Kentucky has opened the second half with a strong run and pushed its lead to 55-39, while Michigan is leading Iowa State 60-57 in the fourth quarter with 7:09 remaining.

Georgia Amoore hit another 3-pointer for Kentucky and is at 26 points now.

Iowa State leads Michigan 56-53 heading into fourth

Iowa State holds a slim 56-53 lead over Michigan heading into the fourth quarter. Audi Crooks leads the Cyclones with 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists. She’s shooting 9 of 11 from the field.

Jordan Hobbs is keeping the Wolverines in the game with 23 points on 7 of 11 shooting. She also has three rebounds and two assists.

What is the women’s NCAA Tournament record for points in a game?

Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore scored 23 points in the first half against Liberty. That begs the question: What’s the NCAA Tournament record for points, and does Amoore have a chance to break it?

Amoore also made five 3-pointers in the first half. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (2024), Connecticut’s Kia Nurse (2017) and Purdue’s Courtney Moses (2012) hold the NCAA Tournament game record with nine.

Georgia Amoore leads Kentucky to a 10-point halftime lead

Kentucky leads Liberty 44-34 at halftime on the first-round matchup behind a 23-point effort from Georgia Amoore. The senior has shot 9 of 13 from the field and has five 3-pointers. She has also added three assists.

Georgia Amoore with 20 points early against Liberty

Kentucky star Georgia Amoore is off to a hot start with 20 points early in the second quarter. Amoore had 15 points in the first quarter and already has hit four 3-pointers. Kentucky leads Liberty 32-19 with 6:36 left in the second quarter.

Iowa State uses 10-0 run to take control before halftime

Led by Audi Crooks, Iowa State went on a 10-0 run to take a 37-29 lead over Michigan. Syla Sword hit a 3-pointer right before the halftime buzzer to make it a 37-32 halftime score.

Crooks leads all scorers with 14 points on 6 of 7 shooting. Jordan Hobbs has 13 points to lead the Wolverines.

Kentucky-Liberty tips off

The second game of the afternoon has tipped off now too, between No. 3 seed Kentucky and No. 14 seed Liberty. The Wildcats hold an early 13-8 lead midway through the first quarter.

Audi Crooks heating up for Iowa State

Audi Crooks, who had 27 points in the First Four, is heating up for Iowa State. She scores back-to-back baskets to cut the Michigan lead to 26-25 at the media timeout with 4:40 left in the first half.

Crooks has nine points, three rebounds and a block in 11 minutes.

Michigan leads Iowa State after first quarter

The first quarter of the first 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament first-round game is in the books. Michigan forces seven turnovers and allows just four made shots to Iowa State to hold a 19-13 lead after the first quarter.

Jordan Hobbs leads all scorers with 10 points. She has half of the six baskets for the Wolverines.

Michigan holds slim advantage early vs Iowa State

At the first media timeout, Michigan leads Iowa State 10-8. Jordan Hobbs leads all scorers with six points for the Wolverines early.

Women’s NCAA Tournament tips off

The women’s NCAA Tournament is underway from South Bend, as No. 6 Michigan takes on No. 11 Iowa State. Iowa State won a First Four game over Princeton to earn this matchup, and is looking to make a run as a double-digit seed.

Michigan-Iowa State predictions

Here’s how our experts at USA TODAY Sports predicted the Michigan vs. Iowa State matchup.

Score predictions for round one games

In an hour, the first game of the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament will tip off. Here’s a prediction for scores for all the games in the first round.

Women’s March Madness can’t miss first-round games

The first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament will feature 32 games across two days. Here’s a look at the seven games you cannot miss this weekend, including three games on Friday.

Quarters vs halves: Why women’s, men’s NCAA tournament games use different formats

Why do men’s and women’s basketball have different formats for game structure? The men’s side plays two 20-minute halves, while the women play four 10-minute quarters. Read about why that is the case here.

Women’s March Madness upset picks

Filling out what could be the perfect bracket is fun. But once the games begin, watching upsets and brackets being destroyed is also fun during March Madness. Check out seven potential bracket-busters here.

Women’s March Madness locations

Here’s a full look at the locations for the 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament, beginning with the first round:

First, second rounds

Purcell Pavilion (South Bend, Indiana)
Memorial Coliseum (Lexington, Kentucky)
Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, South Carolina)
Schollmaier Arena (Fort Worth, Texas)
Foster Pavilion (Waco, Texas)
Schottenstein Center (Columbus, Ohio)
Cameron Indoor Stadium (Durham, North Carolina)
Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles)
Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, Oklahoma)
Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, Connecticut)
XFINITY Center (College Park, Maryland)
Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Carmichael Arena (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Galen Center (Los Angeles)
Moody Center (Austin, Texas)
Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

Women’s March Madness schedule by round

Here’s a round-by-round look at the women’s March Madness schedule, from the first round through the national title game:

First round: March 21-22
Second round: March 23-24
Sweet 16: March 27-28
Elite Eight: March 29-30
Final Four: April 4
National championship: April 6

What time is first women’s NCAA Tournament game?

11:30 a.m. ET

The first tip of the day will come at 11:30 a.m. ET, when No. 6 seed Michigan takes on No. 11 seed Iowa State at 11:30 a.m.

How to stream women’s March Madness games for free

While there are no ways to stream women’s March Madness games for absolutely free, there are a few ways to watch it at no cost. For those who already have a cable subscription, March Madness Live will cover every game online. Another option is Fubo, which covers the entire ESPN family of networks and offers a limited free trial.

Printable March Madness bracket

Time is running out to fill out a bracket for women’s March Madness. Click here for a printable copy.

Where to watch women’s March Madness

TV channels: ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPNU | ESPNews
Streaming: March Madness Live | ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

The 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament will air on the ESPN family of networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews. Streaming options include March Madness Live and the ESPN app, both of which require a valid cable login.

Another option is Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Women’s March Madness bracket predictions

Here’s a look at the bracket predictions for several experts throughout the USA TODAY Sports Network:

Nancy Armour

Final Four: UCLA, UConn, Texas, Duke

Cora Hall

Final Four: South Carolina, UConn, NC State, Notre Dame

Meghan L. Hall

Final Four: UCLA, USC, South Carolina, Notre Dame

Cydney Henderson

Final Four: UCLA, UConn, South Carolina, TCU

Jordan Mendoza

Final Four: UCLA, USC, South Carolina, Notre Dame

For a full look at each expert’s Final Four and national champion picks, click here.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

South Carolina has a chance to join an elite company in the 2025 NCAA women’s tournament. 

The Gamecocks earned the top seed in the 2025 women’s March Madness bracket after finishing the 2024-25 season with a 30-3 record and an SEC tournament win over Texas.

If South Carolina repeats as national champions, the Gamecocks will become the fourth program to win back-to-back titles in the women’s tournament since 1982.

Here are the repeat winners. 

UConn (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) 

Breanna Stewart and the Huskies did the improbable with four consecutive titles, which hasn’t been replicated since.

UConn (2009, 2010) 

The Huskies were unstoppable with an undefeated record in each title season and a starring cast of Maya Moore, Tina Charles and Tiffany Hayes.

Tennessee (2007, 2008) 

Legendary coach Pat Summitt’s final two of her eight titles came from Candace Parker-led teams. Parker went No. 1 overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft.

UConn (2002, 2003, 2004) 

The Huskies had an impressive run with four championships in five years and punctuated the run with three consecutive titles. The eventual No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Diana Taurasi was on all three teams.

Tennessee (1996, 1997, 1998) 

After losing the national championship to UConn in 1995, Pat Summitt’s teams won three consecutive titles. The Lady Vols got revenge and beat the Huskies in the Final Four in 1996 and the Midwest Regional Final in 1997.

USC (1983, 1984) 

Linda Sharp’s teams had greats Cheryl Miller and Cynthia Cooper on the roster as the Trojans became the first team to repeat as champions in the new tournament format.

Hopefully the New York Giants are hungry, because they’re about to be eating some Ws.

New York has signed former Cleveland Browns backup quarterback Jameis Winston, according to the man himself.

The Giants are the fourth different team that Winston will play for in his career, having spent five years with the Buccaneers, four with the Saints and last year with the Browns.

Winston, 31, appeared in 12 games (seven starts) for Cleveland in 2024. He compiled a 2-5 record in those seven starts and threw for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 61.1% completion rate across all 12 games.

Winston is currently slated to be Giants’ starter heading into the 2025 season. The 10-year NFL veteran hasn’t started every game in a season since 2019, partly due to injuries.

The former No. 1 overall pick was in line to be the Saints’ starting quarterback in both 2021 and 2022. In Week 8 of 2021, ACL and MCL tears ended his season early. Winston’s 2022 season was even shorter. He suffered four fractures in his back during a Week 1 game and played only three games. He has served only as a backup quarterback in the years since.

Winston now joins the G-Men in the wake of a 3-14 season and will look to stabilize a quarterback room that struggled mightily last season.

The Giants currently hold the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL draft and are in good position to select a young quarterback if they so choose.