Get ready for the most thrilling moment in college basketball! The 2025 NCAA Selection Sunday is set to ignite the March Madness fever on March 16. This pivotal event will unveil the ncaa bracket 2025, setting the stage for an exhilarating journey towards glory.
Mark your calendars for the selection sunday time at 6 PM ET. CBS will broadcast the men’s tournament bracket reveal. Then, the women’s bracket announcement will be at 8 PM ET on ESPN. This moment of destiny will determine the paths of 68 teams in each tournament, as they embark on their quest for basketball immortality.
The ncaa selection sunday serves as the gateway to March Madness, where dreams take flight and legends are born. As players, coaches, and fans hold their collective breath, the unveiling of the march madness bracket ignites a fire of anticipation across the nation. Every team’s journey to greatness begins with this single reveal, setting the stage for the most thrilling spectacle in college sports.
Key Takeaways
- 2025 NCAA Selection Sunday is on March 16
- Men’s bracket reveal at 6 PM ET on CBS
- Women’s bracket announcement at 8 PM ET on ESPN
- 68 teams selected for each tournament
- Men’s First Four games on March 18-19 in Dayton
- Men’s Final Four on April 5 at Alamodome, San Antonio
- Women’s Final Four on April 4 at Amalie Arena, Tampa
Selection Sunday Time and Broadcast Details
March 16, 2025, is the day to remember! Selection Sunday is when NCAA tournament brackets are shown. It’s a big day for basketball fans all over the country.
Men’s Tournament Reveal
Want to know when the men’s bracket is shown? It’s at 6 PM ET on CBS. This live broadcast will decide the college basketball teams’ fates. So, set your alarm for 6 PM Eastern!
Women’s Tournament Reveal
Then, at 8 PM ET, ESPN will show the women’s bracket. This two-hour wait adds more excitement and suspense.
Live Streaming Options
Can’t watch on TV? No problem! You can stream the NCAA selection show:
- Paramount+ will stream the men’s reveal
- ESPN+ will carry the women’s announcement
- NCAA March Madness Live app offers comprehensive coverage
| Platform | Men’s Tournament | Women’s Tournament | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable TV | CBS | ESPN | Varies |
| Paramount+ | Yes | No | $7.99 – $12.99 |
| ESPN+ | No | Yes | $11.99 |
| NCAA March Madness Live | Yes | Yes | Free |
With these options, you won’t miss a thing. Get ready for an amazing Selection Sunday. It’s the start of exciting college basketball!
Understanding the NCAA Selection Process
The NCAA picks teams for the 2025 tournament with care. A 12-member team, made up of experts, creates the bracket. They work hard to make the perfect bracket for March Madness 2025.
For both men’s and women’s games, 68 teams compete. 31 teams get in by winning their conference titles. The other 37 spots are given out by the committee’s careful choice.
The committee uses the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) for 2025. This tool looks at many things:
- Game results
- Strength of schedule
- Where the game is played
- How many points were scored
- How well teams played on offense and defense
- Wins and losses against other teams
Teams are put into four groups based on their opponents’ NET ranking. This helps the committee see how well each team played all season.
| Quadrant | Home | Neutral | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1-30 | 1-50 | 1-75 |
| 2 | 31-75 | 51-100 | 76-135 |
| 3 | 76-160 | 101-200 | 136-240 |
| 4 | 161-353 | 201-353 | 241-353 |
The final picks are made on March 16, 2025. This is called Selection Sunday. The committee will show the bracket, starting the excitement for March Madness 2025.
Host Networks and Broadcasting Teams
As Selection Sunday 2025 gets closer, fans can’t wait to see the March Madness brackets. CBS and ESPN have put together amazing teams to cover this big event. Let’s look at who will make Selection Sunday special.
CBS Coverage Team and Analysts
CBS is leading the way for the men’s tournament at 6 PM ET. Adam Zucker is the host, with a team of basketball experts by his side. Clark Kellogg, Jay Wright, and Seth Davis will share their insights and guesses for the 68 teams.
ESPN Hosting Crew and Experts
ESPN is covering the women’s tournament at 8 PM ET. Elle Duncan is the host, with a group of basketball stars helping her. Andraya Carter, Rebecca Lobo, and Carolyn Peck will give deep insights into the women’s bracket.
Special Guest Appearances
There will also be surprise visits from basketball legends and stars. These guests will make Selection Sunday 2025 even more exciting. They’ll share their tournament stories and predictions.
With these top teams, fans will have a great time watching. They’ll learn a lot and enjoy the excitement of the bracket reveals. It’s going to be a big event for basketball fans everywhere.
March Madness 2025 Tournament Schedule
College basketball fans are excited. They ask, “When does March Madness start?” The 2025 NCAA Tournament begins on March 18. It will last nearly a month.
Selection Sunday is on March 16 at 6 p.m. ET. This is when the March Madness excitement really starts.
Men’s Tournament Timeline
The men’s bracket starts with the First Four in Dayton on March 18-19. The tournament then moves to the First Round on March 20-21.
Next, it’s the Second Round on March 22-23. The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight follow on March 27-30. The Final Four is on April 5, and the Championship game is on April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Women’s Tournament Timeline
The women’s tournament also starts with the First Four on March 19-20. The First Round is on March 21.
The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight are on March 28-31. The Women’s Final Four is on April 4, and the champion is crowned on April 6.
Key Dates and Venues
Selection Sunday starts at 6 p.m. ET for men and 7 p.m. ET for women. The tournament will be held in many places across the country.
Exciting venues like Rupp Arena in Lexington and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle will host early rounds. Regional semifinals will be in Newark, San Francisco, and Atlanta. The final game will be in San Antonio.
| Event | Men’s Tournament | Women’s Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | March 16, 6 p.m. ET | March 16, 7 p.m. ET |
| First Four | March 18-19 | March 19-20 |
| First Round | March 20-21 | March 21-22 |
| Final Four | April 5 | April 4 |
| Championship | April 7 | April 6 |
How Teams Are Selected for March Madness
The road to the NCAA basketball tournament is filled with tough games. Teams all over the country compete for a spot in the NCAA tournament bracket. The selection process mixes how well teams have done and what the committee thinks.
For the next tournament, 68 teams will shine. Thirty-one teams get automatic bids by winning their conference titles. The other 37 spots are for at-large teams, picked for their season’s work.
The selection committee looks at many things:
- Overall win-loss record
- Strength of schedule
- Performance in conference tournaments
- Quality wins against top-ranked opponents
- NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings
Selection Sunday is on March 16 at 6 p.m. ET. It’s when the NCAA tournament bracket is shown. This event is very exciting and starts the NCAA games today and later.
The First Four games are on March 18. They feature the bottom four at-large teams and the bottom four automatic qualifiers. Then, the tournament gets even more exciting, ending with the Final Four on April 5 and the National Championship game on April 7.
Teams fight hard for their chance in history. Every game, shot, and defensive play matters. It could be the difference between being in the tournament or not.
Streaming Services and Viewing Options
Basketball fans, get ready for Selection Sunday! The NCAA tournament bracket reveal is on March 16, 2025, at 6 PM ET. You have many ways to watch, so you won’t miss a thing.
Cable TV Coverage
Watch CBS for the men’s selection show at 6 PM ET. ESPN will show the women’s bracket at 8 PM ET. These networks give you the old-school TV feel.
Digital Platforms
Cord-cutters, rejoice! Paramount+ and ESPN+ bring the bracket to your devices. Paramount+ has two plans: $8/month with ads and $13/month without ads. New users get a seven-day free trial.
NCAA March Madness Live App
The NCAA March Madness Live app is a must-have. It has streams, highlights, and bracket challenges. You can watch for free for three hours without a subscription. It works on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Xbox.
With these options, you won’t miss the 2025 NCAA tournament. From the First Four games on March 18-19 to the championship on April 7. Don’t miss the madness!
Tournament Venues and Locations
The 2025 NCAA basketball tournaments will feature top college talent in famous arenas. The big ten and big west basketball tournaments will be part of it. Teams will compete in cities full of basketball excitement.
The men’s tournament starts with First Four games in Dayton, Ohio, on March 18-19. The First Round will be in eight cities, like Lexington and Providence. The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be in Newark, Atlanta, Indianapolis, and San Francisco.
The women’s tournament begins with First Four games on March 19-20. Then, there will be intense regional battles. Fans are looking forward to the Birmingham and Spokane Regionals on March 28-31.
The final four 2025 will be the highlight. The men’s Final Four and championship game will be in San Antonio’s Alamodome on April 5 and 7. The women’s games will be in Tampa’s Amalie Arena on April 4 and 6, where new champions will be crowned.
Each venue will have moments to remember, like buzzer-beaters and Cinderella stories. Teams will fight for glory in college basketball’s biggest event.
Selection Committee Criteria and Process
As NCAA Selection Sunday 2025 gets closer, the committee has a big job. They need to make a March Madness bracket that’s fun and fair. They look at more than just how many games a team won or lost.
Team Evaluation Methods
The committee uses old and new ways to check teams. They look at how well teams did in their league, their schedule, and big wins. The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) is very important, with 14 SEC teams in the top 50.
Seeding Considerations
Seeding is tricky. The SEC might get five teams in the top 16 seeds. Teams like Auburn, with 17 big wins, show the SEC’s power. The committee wants to spread out the strong teams and underdogs across regions.
Bracket Formation Rules
There are strict rules for making the bracket. They make sure teams from the same league don’t meet early. They also try to keep teams from the same area together. With the SEC possibly sending 12 to 14 teams, making the bracket is getting harder.
| Criteria | Impact on Selection |
|---|---|
| Quadrant-I Victories | High importance (e.g., Auburn’s 17 wins) |
| NET Ranking | Significant factor (14 SEC teams in top 50) |
| Conference Performance | SEC’s .889 non-conference win percentage considered |
| Quality Wins | Weighed against bad losses |
Fans are excited for the NCAA bracket 2025. The committee’s careful work makes March Madness special. It promises moments we’ll remember forever.
First Four Games and Early Rounds
The NCAA tournament 2025 starts with the First Four games. These games are for men’s basketball and happen on March 18-19, 2025. They take place at the University of Dayton in Ohio.
Women’s First Four games are on March 19-20, 2025. The location for these games has not been decided yet.
When does March Madness start? Men’s basketball begins on March 20-21, 2025. Women’s basketball starts on March 21-22, 2025. These early games are where amazing stories start.
The First Four format started in 2011. It’s very exciting. Every year, at least one team from the First Four goes past the first round. Some teams even make it to the Sweet 16.
| Event | Men’s Tournament | Women’s Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| Selection Sunday | March 16, 2025 (6 PM ET) | March 16, 2025 (8 PM ET) |
| First Four | March 18-19, 2025 | March 19-20, 2025 |
| First Round | March 20-21, 2025 | March 21-22, 2025 |
March Madness selection Sunday is when the excitement begins. On March 16, 2025, the NCAA will announce 68 teams for each tournament. This includes 31 automatic qualifiers and 37 at-large teams. It’s the start of a thrilling month of college basketball.
Championship Weekend Details
The NCAA basketball tournament ends with Championship Weekend. The Final Four teams compete for the top spot in the 2025 March Madness bracket. This event is the highlight of college basketball, attracting fans from everywhere.
Final Four Location
In 2025, the men’s Final Four will be at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This place will become a basketball paradise on April 5. It will host two big semifinal games.
For the women’s tournament, Tampa, Florida, will be the center of attention. Amalie Arena will welcome the top four teams on April 4.
Championship Game Schedule
The men’s championship game is on April 7. It will be a memorable fight for the national title. Women’s basketball fans have their championship game on April 6.
These dates are important for college basketball fans everywhere.
Event Programming
Championship Weekend is more than just games. There are interactive experiences, youth clinics, and alumni events. When “One Shining Moment” plays, and the champions cut down the nets, it’s magic.
This reminds us why the NCAA basketball tournament is so loved in America.
FAQ
What time is Selection Sunday for the 2025 NCAA tournaments?
The men’s bracket will be shown at 6 PM ET on CBS. The women’s bracket will be announced at 8 PM ET on ESPN.
How can I watch the Selection Sunday shows?
You can watch on CBS for the men’s tournament. For the women’s, it’s ESPN. You can also stream on Paramount+, ESPN+, and the NCAA March Madness Live app.
Who will be hosting the Selection Sunday broadcasts?
CBS will have Adam Zucker, Clark Kellogg, Jay Wright, and Seth Davis. ESPN’s team includes Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Rebecca Lobo, and Carolyn Peck.
When does March Madness 2025 begin?
The exact start date is not yet announced. But, the First Four games usually start in mid-March, right after Selection Sunday.
Where will the 2025 Final Four games be held?
The men’s Final Four will be at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The women’s Final Four will be at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
How are teams selected for the NCAA tournaments?
Teams get automatic bids for winning their conference. The selection committee picks at-large bids based on performance, NET rankings, and quality wins.
What is the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET)?
The NET ranks teams for the selection committee. It looks at game results, schedule strength, and more.
Are there any changes to the tournament format for 2025?
No big changes have been announced for 2025. The tournaments will likely have 68 teams in each bracket.
How can I participate in March Madness bracket challenges?
You can join bracket challenges on the NCAA March Madness Live app. Also, check major sports networks and online platforms.
What makes a team a “bubble team” for March Madness?
“Bubble teams” are unsure if they’ll make the tournament. Their selection depends on their performance and how they stack up against others.