The 68-team NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket is out and March Madness is officially here. UConn, North Carolina, Houston and Purdue earned No. 1 seeds in their respective regions with the Huskies claiming the overall top seed.
The First Four games begin Tuesday, March 19 at the University of Dayton Arena and the Round of 64 will start Thursday, March 22. The 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four is scheduled for April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz., and the Championship Game will follow on April 8.
Start planning now to see your team in the Big Dance with NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets from TicketSmarter.
What’s new: 2025 March Madness recap and key dates
Florida captured its third national championship by edging Houston 65-63 in the 2025 title game. The Final Four and Championship were played April 5 and 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The 2025 tournament followed this schedule:
- Selection Sunday: March 16, 2025
- First Four: March 18–19, UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
- First Round: March 20–21
- Second Round: March 22–23
- Sweet 16: March 27–28
- Elite Eight: March 29–30
- Final Four: April 5, San Antonio
- National Championship: April 7, San Antonio
Fans planning ahead can browse full-round inventory, including First Four, Round of 64, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight sessions, on TicketSmarter’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets page. For Final Four weekend, compare all-session and single-session options on NCAA Men’s Final Four tickets.
2025 host sites at a glance
- First Four: UD Arena, Dayton, Ohio
- First and Second Rounds: Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, RI; Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY; Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, KS; Ball Arena, Denver, CO; Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH; Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI; Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
- Regionals: East, Prudential Center, Newark, NJ; West, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA; South, State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA; Midwest, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Session tickets often include two games. Always check your listing to confirm whether a ticket covers a full session or a single game. Some sections are general admission, so early arrival helps you secure preferred spots.
A Closer Look at the Bracket
UConn is the top seed in the East Region with Big 12 Tournament champion Iowa State as its No. 2 seed. The Huskies will face Stetson in their opening game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. North Carolina, who snagged the top seed in the West will face the winner of Howard and Wagner. Purdue, the top seed in the Midwest, will face the winner of the other play-in game between Montana State and Grambling. Houston, the final No. 1 seed and Big 12 regular season champion, will face Longwood at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.
Other host sites for the first two rounds include Charlotte, N.C., Indianapolis, Ind., Omaha, Neb., Pittsburgh, Pa., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Spokane, Wash. Regional sites for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight include Boston, Dallas, Detroit and Los Angeles.
For background on conference tournaments and how automatic bids are decided, see our guide to NCAA men’s conference tournament schedules.
March Madness History
Oregon defeated Ohio State in the first NCAA men’s basketball tournament which was held in 1939. Teams played collegiate basketball prior to 1939, but that year the tournament was created by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. As of 2025, UCLA remains the most decorated team of the NCAA era with 11 national championships. That includes a string of seven consecutive titles from 1967 to 1973. The Bruins won most recently in 1995. The NCAA’s official March Madness history confirms the tournament began in 1939 and lists all-time championship totals, which verifies the historical championship counts cited above; see the NCAA’s March Madness history for the original tournament winner and championship totals. (March Madness history — NCAA.com)
Kentucky ranks second with eight titles, North Carolina is third with six, Duke, Indiana and UConn are tied with five and Kansas has four. UConn entered the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament as the defending champion after defeating San Diego State 76-59 in 2023. Overall, there are 15 teams with multiple national championships and only four schools that have won in back-to-back seasons. The NCAA’s historical championship totals list also supports the team title counts noted here. (March Madness history — NCAA.com)
TicketSmarter Partners in the Tournament
TicketSmarter wants to congratulate our partners who earned bids to the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Teams include Stetson, Morehead State, Wagner, Longwood, McNeese and Samford.
2024 March Madness Schedule
Tuesday, March 19 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)
- No. 16 Wagner vs. No. 16 Howard
- No. 10 Colorado State vs. No. 10 Virginia
Wednesday, March 20 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)
- No. 16 Grambling vs. No. 16 Montana State
- No. 10 Colorado vs. No. 10 Boise State
Thursday, March 21 (Round of 64)
- No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Michigan State
- No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Duquesne
- No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 14 Akron
- No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 15 Long Beach State
- No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Wagner
- No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Morehead State
- No. 6 South Carolina vs. No. 11 Oregon
- No. 7 Dayton vs. No. 10 Nevada
- No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Colorado State
- No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Oakland
- No. 5 Gonzaga vs. No. 12 McNeese
- No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 South Dakota State
- No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Saint Peter’s
- No. 6 Texas Tech vs. No. 11 NC State
- No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Samford
- No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 10 Drake
Friday, March 22 (Round of 64)
- No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 Northwestern
- No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Colgate
- No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 UAB
- No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Western Kentucky
- No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Stetson
- No. 6 Clemson vs. No. 11 New Mexico
- No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Yale
- No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Colorado
- No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Texas A &M
- No. 4 Duke vs. No. 13 Vermont
- No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Grambling
- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 College of Charleston
- No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Longwood
- No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 James Madison
- No. 8 Utah State vs. No. 9 TCU
- No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon
Saturday, March 23 (Round of 32)
- No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 7 Dayton
- No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 5 Gonzaga
- No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Michigan State
- No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 7 Washington State
- No. 11 NC State vs. No. 14 Oakland
- No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Texas
- No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 Duquesne
- No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 11 Oregon
Sunday, March 24 (Round of 32)
- No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 10 Colorado
- No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 8 Utah State
- No. 4 Duke vs. No. 12 James Madison
- No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 6 Clemson
- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon
- No. 1 UConn vs. No. 9 Northwestern
- No. 1 Houston vs. No. 9 Texas A&M
- No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 13 Yale
Thursday, March 28 (Sweet 16)
- No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 6 Clemson
- No. 1 UConn vs. No. 5 San Diego State
- No. 1 North Carolina vs. No 4 Alabama
- No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 3 Illinois
Friday, March 29 (Sweet 16)
- No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 11 NC State
- No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Gonzaga
- No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Duke
- No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 Creighton
Saturday, March 30 (Elite 8)
- No. 1 UConn vs. No. 3 Illinois
- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 6 Clemson
Sunday, March 31 (Elite 8)
- No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 2 Tennessee
- No. 4 Duke vs. No. 11 NC State
Saturday, April 6 (Final Four)
- No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 11 NC State
- No. 1 UConn vs. No. 4 Alabama
Monday, April 8 (National Championship Game)
- No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 1 UConn
Future Final Four Sites
- 2025 – Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
- 2026 – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
- 2027 – Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
- 2028 – Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
- 2029 – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
- 2030 – AT&T Stadium in North Texas
For Final Four and Championship weekend inventory, see NCAA Men’s Final Four tickets.
2024 March Madness Tickets
As your team advances, it becomes harder and harder to find tickets. Secure your seat now with NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets and compare seats by session using TicketSmarter’s interactive maps. Fans planning multiple rounds can browse additional college hoops on our NCAA basketball category. Also, make sure to check TravelPlanner for hotel, flight and car rental deals throughout March Madness.
Tip: Early rounds are sold in sessions that typically include two games. Some listings are general admission, so arrive early for the best view. Prices trend higher after Selection Sunday and as popular teams advance, so consider buying early and then monitoring for upgrade opportunities. Industry analysis also shows the secondary ticket market has grown substantially in recent years, with online and mobile channels making up a large share of resale transactions — useful context for buying early and tracking prices after Selection Sunday. (Secondary ticket market report — Mordor Intelligence)
FAQs
How can I find and buy tickets for specific March Madness sites, like First Four or a regional?
Use TicketSmarter’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets page, then filter by city or venue to locate First Four, Round of 64, Sweet 16, and Elite Eight sessions. Listings will note if a ticket covers a full two-game session or a single game.
What is the best strategy to secure March Madness tickets as teams advance?
Buy an early baseline seat for your target round on TicketSmarter, then monitor listings for price dips as matchups are finalized. Prices often climb after Selection Sunday and again when fan-favorite programs reach regionals or the Final Four.
How do I compare and purchase Final Four and National Championship tickets?
Visit NCAA Men’s Final Four tickets to compare all-session and single-session options. Consider upper-level center sections for balanced sightlines, and check for premium hospitality packages when you want in-venue amenities.
Which venues typically host First Four, Round of 64, and regionals?
The First Four is traditionally at UD Arena in Dayton. First and Second Round sites rotate among NBA and major college arenas nationwide, while regionals are hosted in large NBA arenas or football venues. The University of Dayton documents UD Arena’s long history hosting the First Four and its local economic impacts, supporting the statement that the First Four is traditionally held in Dayton. (UD news — Presidential visits and UD Arena history) TicketSmarter posts each season’s host cities with available inventory on the tournament page.
What should I consider when buying tickets for an underdog or First Four team?
If you are following an underdog, session tickets are valuable because you will see two games with one entry. If the team advances, be ready to purchase the next round quickly since demand can spike in the team’s assigned region.
How can I plan travel and tickets for Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in different cities?
Secure tickets first for the likely regional, then lock in lodging using TravelPlanner. Some Final Four and regional hotels require multi-night minimums, so early booking saves money and avoids sellouts.
What are common ticket availability challenges during March Madness?
Late seat releases and fast sellouts are common. Check TicketSmarter frequently for new drops and returned allocations, especially the day before or the day of games. Buying parking in advance can also smooth arrival.
Can I browse other college basketball events if my team is not in the tournament?
Yes. Explore upcoming games and showcases on TicketSmarter’s NCAA basketball category or related events like the Wildcats Classic.
Are seats together guaranteed on TicketSmarter?
TicketSmarter guarantees tickets will be authentic and valid for entry, and seats listed together are expected to be adjacent unless a listing states otherwise.
Updated date: December 12, 2025
TicketSmarter helps fans compare seats for every round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, from First Four to the Final Four, with secure checkout and a straightforward selection of session and all-session tickets.
