The NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket will be announced tonight. How to watch

March Madness officially begins March 16 with Selection Sunday, where the road to glory for 68 men’s college basketball teams begins.

Following the University of Connecticut Huskies’ victory over the Purdue Boilermakers in the 2024 NCAA National Championship game, Samson Johnson cuts down the net.  Squire Jamie/Getty Images

16 March 2025, 9:52 p.m. GMT+5:30 The source is TODAY.

By Dan Aulbach

Madness is going to happen on Selection Sunday now that March has arrived.

The 68 schools across the country that control their own fate for an elusive NCAA tournament victory will be chosen by the National Collegiate Athletic Association selection committee on March 16 after all Division I men’s college basketball conference championships are over.

The following information explains the selection process.

What is the March Madness team selection process?

The top 37 at-large teams, or those that are not already automatic qualifiers for their conferences, will be chosen by the selection committee based on the outcomes of the 2024–2025 men’s college basketball regular season.

The committee will rank the 68 teams chosen into a competitively balanced bracket after taking into account the pool of at-large teams and the 31 conference tournament winners. Two days after the teams’ final roster is announced, March Madness will start.

For a spot in the round of 64, the field of the bottom four at-large teams and the bottom four automatic-qualifying teams compete in the NCAA tournament’s preliminary First Four round. Starting on March 18, the University of Dayton will host the First Four tournament games.

This year, the Final Four will be held at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. With the thrilling NCAA men’s basketball National Championship game on April 7, the final four teams will play on April 5.

What time does Selection Sunday happen?

Choice Sunday, the same day as the conclusion of many Division I men’s basketball conference tournament finals, is Sunday, March 16.

What time is the Selection Sunday special?

Selection Sunday is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET on March 16.

How to watch the Selection Sunday special

The Selection Sunday Special will air on CBS and is available to stream on Paramount+.

How to fill out a March Madness bracket

To fill out an official NCAA men’s basketball March Madness bracket, click here.

At this time, however, the bracket will remain blank until the official teams included in the tournament are announced March 16.

Who is in the March Madness tournament?

So far, the following teams have received an automatic bid to play in the tournament, after coming out on top of their conference.

Several teams who will automatically qualify for the tournament have yet to compete in the championship game Sunday. The remaining 37 spots will go to selected at-large teams.

Who won March Madness last year?

The University of Connecticut Huskies emerged as the winners of last year’s NCAA tournament, with a 75-60 victory over the Purdue University Boilermakers certifying their second consecutive year cutting down the nets after dominating the tournament field.

The last time a team won three National Championship games in a row was the University of California Los Angeles Bruins, winning seven titles in a row from 1967 to 1973.