The final spots in the men’s NCAA Tournament are up for grabs. 

The No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers and the No. 16 American University Eagles will face off during March Madness’ First Four at the University of Dayton’s UD Arena on Wednesday (6:40 p.m. ET; truTV). The winner will secure a date to go dancing against the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils in the first round, which kicks off in full on Thursday. 

The matchup will be immediately followed by the final play-in tournament matchup between the No. 11 Xavier Musketeers and No. 11 Texas Longhorns (9:10 p.m. ET; truTV), with the winner moving on to face the No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini in the Midwest region during the first round.

Only two First Four Teams have made it to the Final Four — The VCU Rams in 2011 and UCLA Bruins in 2021. Can either First Four team this year be next?

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Dalo Adebayo with massive dunk

Mount St. Mary’s has been dominant in the paint all game long, but that came to a front with seven minutes left in the game when the Mountaineers’ Dalo Adebayo got up for a loud dunk right in the face of American’s Greg Jones.

Adebayo reached 20 points on the night with that bucket.

Eagles 0 for their last 5 from three

As if on cue, the Eagles’ shooters have suddenly gone cold. Their inability to score has led to a 5-minute scoring drought for American.

Mount St. Mary’s is taking full advantage, winning in transition and finding consistent looks close to the basket. Dola Adebayo and Dallas Hobbs have taken control of this game. If they’re not the ones scoring for the Mountaineers, they’re the ones that are driving in and forcing American defenders into the middle before kicking it out to Lipscomb or any of Mount St. Mary’s shooters.

The Mountaineers lead by 19 with nine minutes to play.

Eagles reliant on three-pointers to stay close

American is staying close in this game thanks to lights out shooting from beyond the arc. However, this reliance on three-pointers could prove volatile down the stretch. Any cold streak could give Mount St. Mary’s an insurmountable lead.

As it stands though, American’s shooters − Sprouse, Stephens, Mayock − are the only thing keeping the Eagles in this game. Mount St. Mary’s leads 61-51 with 13 minutes to play.

Mount St. Mary’s still scoring despite American’s defensive changes

So far in the second half, it’s been much of the same, great offense on both sides. However, American has made an effort to limit the Mountaineers’ high-percentage looks down low. That hasn’t stopped the Mountaineers though. They’re making off-balance shots, finding lanes, and getting to the line regardless.

You can tell that the Eagles have improved defensively, but Mount St. Mary’s is getting a lot of lucky bounces and staying just out of reach of American, even if the Eagles are hitting three-pointers at a solid rate.

Five minutes into the second half, Mount St. Mary’s is up eight.

End of 1st Half: Mount St. Mary’s 48, American 38

It was a spectacular offensive half for Mount St. Mary’s, particularly Jedy Cordilia and Dallas Hobbs. Cordilia was incredibly efficient, shooting at an 8-of-9 clip in the first half to lead the Mountaineers with 16 points. Hobbs, meanwhile, was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, including a buzzer beater at the end of the first half that likely decimated American’s spirits.

The loss of Matt Rogers hurts American’s chances moving forward, but there were some positives. Geoff Sprouse has been phenomenal from three-point land, leading the Eagles in scoring. Their defense will certainly need to make some changes going forward if they want any hope of earning a spot in the Round of 64.

Rogers declared out for game

American’s top scorer Matt Rogers was announced out for the rest of this game after re-aggravating a knee injury he suffered early in tonight’s tilt. Rogers had played spectacularly when he was on the court, but after hurting his knee for the second time, he was barely able to walk into the locker room on his own.

The Eagles will be forced to play the rest of this game without their best offensive weapon. Thankfully for them, Elijah Stephens and Geoff Sprouse have been shooting extremely well in the first half. If they maintain their hot hands into the second half, they could very well win this game.

American answers with back-to-back threes

Eagles Geoff Sprouse and Elijah Stephens avenged their fallen ally Rogers with back-to-back threes to bring the Eagles back within two points. Although the Mountaineers were able to answer back with a layup to make it a two-possession game, the Eagles have shown an ability to score points quickly. Any lapse in defense from Mount St. Mary’s could give the lead right back to American.

Matt Rogers aggravates knee

Rogers has been the best offensive player for American since he returned to the floor, but his knee took a bad turn while defending a spin move from Jedy Cordilia.

Rogers was able to return after suffering the injury early on, but he could barely put any weight on his leg as he left the court. Thankfully, he did start walking under his own power as he entered the locker room. Mount St. Mary’s leads 36-28.

Eagles turnovers costing them early

Despite the close score, American has not been very careful with the ball, committing five turnovers already. Most recently, Matt Rogers lost the ball while trying to back down his defender in the paint. That led to an uncontested three-point attempt for Mount St. Mary’s. They missed, but American proceeded to commit an illegal screen for another turnover which led to a pair of Mountaineers free throws at the other end. Mount St. Mary’s leads 26-22 with eight minutes to play.

Matt Rogers returns for American

After an early injury scared fans, Matt Rogers has returned to the floor. Given American’s ability to score with ease, Rogers’ presence could elevate American to a another level. Rogers led the Eagles in scoring leading into the tournament with 17 points per game.

American goes on 8-0 run

While they certainly hadn’t gotten off to a slow start, they picked up stream coming out of the first TV timeout. A combination of patience and offensive rebounding put American on top 18-15.

The Eagles bounced back nicely though, hitting a corner three to get to 20 points, but American has matched them blow for blow early on.

Mount St. Mary’s and American both shooting lights out to start game

While injuries have already started to take their toll in this contest, the offense from both teams has been spectacular to start this contest. Through just four minutes, both teams are on pace to score over 80 points in this game. In all fairness though, each team has been putting up their points in different ways.

Mount St. Mary’s has been able to find consistent space and hit three-pointers, but American has been incredible down low, scoring most of their points in the paint. It’s 15-10 Mount St. Mary’s.

What time is March Madness First Four games today?

March Madness continues with a second night of First Four action. No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s takes on No. 16 American University at 6:40 p.m. ET. That will be followed by the 11-seed game between Xavier and Texas, with an estimated tip off time of 9:10 p.m.

How to watch First Four Wednesday: TV, streaming coverage 

• TV channels: TruTV
• Live stream: Max and Sling

Watch March Madness and First Four with Sling

March Madness First Four odds

March Madness First Four odds, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Tuesday, March 18

Mount St. Mary’s vs. American University

• Spread: American (-2.5)
• Moneyline: American (-145); Mount St. Mary’s (+118)
• Total: 129.5

Xavier vs. Texas

• Spread: Xavier (-2.5)
• Moneyline: Xavier (-155); Texas (+125)
• Total: 149.5

American vs. Mount St. Mary’s predictions

ESPN: American has 53.4% chance to beat Mount St. Mary’s

ESPN’s matchup predictor gave American a 53.4% chance to win its First Four game against Mount St. Mary’s, as of Tuesday afternoon.

NBC Sports: Go with American

“American University earned the right to play in the NCAA Tournament as champions of the Patriot League. Winners of their last four games, American is led by Matt Rogers who averages 17 points per game. Rogers scored 25 in the Patriot League title game against Navy. … These teams have met in years past with American winning the last four meetings and six of the last ten.”

Sports Illustrated: American wins

“The key will be for American to dictate the pace. It ranks in the bottom 10 in adjusted tempo according to KenPom … It can do that against a conservative (Mount St. Mary’s) defense that won’t generate turnovers and allow the team to run its preferred offense throughout.”

Arizona Republic: Mount St. Mary’s 69, American 66

“Both of these schools went 22-12 in the regular season. Both have four-game win streaks. Both won their conference tournaments. We’re taking the underdog in a very close game in Dayton.”

Texas vs. Xavier NCAA Tournament 2025 predictions

ESPN: Texas has 53.6% chance to beat Xavier

ESPN’s matchup predictor gave Texas a 53.6% chance to win their First Four game against Xavier, as of Tuesday afternoon.

Arizona Republic: Xavier 75, Texas 70

“The SEC sent 14 of 16 teams to the tournament and Texas was No. 14. Did the Longhorns deserve the bid? We’re about to find out against an Xavier team that won seven straight games before losing in the first round of the Big East Tournament.”

NBC Sports: Take Xavier

“Xavier lost to Marquette in the Big East Tournament, 89-87. The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for the Musketeers. Zach Freemantle is averaging 17.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game to lead Xavier.”

Action Network: Xavier

“A rematch of the 2023 Sweet 16 game that helped Rodney Terry earn the full-time head coaching job at Texas, this game could end up being a full-circle moment for Terry’s tenure in Austin, as rumors about his job security have been rampant in recent weeks … Xavier has an element that Texas lacks: a go-to interior scorer in sixth-year senior Zach Freemantle.”

First Four scores: Results from March Madness games

Tuesday, March 18

First Four games

2025 Men’s March Madness Printable Bracket

• Click for your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket

March Madness bracket predictions: Expert picks for NCAA Tournament

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

Erick Smith

Full bracket

• Final Four: Michigan State, Texas Tech, Duke, Tennessee
• Final: Michigan State 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

Bracket Predictions: March Madness expert picks: Bracket predictions for 2025 NCAA Tournament

March Madness bracket: First Four/Round of 64 dates, times, TV, results and scores

All times Eastern

Tuesday, March 18

First Four games

Wednesday, March 19

First Four games

FIRST FOUR PREVIEW: Breaking down the opening games of March Madness 2025

Thursday, March 20

Round of 64 games

• South region: No. 8 Louisville vs. No. 9 Creighton, 12:15 p.m. on CBS
• Midwest region: No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 High Point, 12:40 p.m. on truTV
• East region: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Montana, 1:30 p.m. on TNT
• Midwest region: No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 SIU-Edwardsville, 2 p.m. on TBS
• South region: No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 16 Alabama State, 2:50 p.m. on CBS
• Midwest region: No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 McNeese State, 3:15 p.m. on truTV
• East region: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 VCU, 4:05 p.m. on TNT
• Midwest region: No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia, 4:35 p.m. on TBS
• Midwest region: No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Wofford, 6:50 p.m. on TNT
• West region: No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas, 7:10 p.m. on CBS
• South region: No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale, 7:25 p.m. on TBS
• West region: No. 6 Missouri vs. No. 11 Drake, 7:35 p.m. on truTV
• 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. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Baylor, 12:15 p.m. on CBS
• East region: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Robert Morris, 12:40 p.m. on truTV
• South region: No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 Lipscomb, 1:30 p.m. on TNT
• 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, 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

When does the Final Four start?

On the men’s side, the Final Four is scheduled for Saturday, April 5. The NCAA Championship Game will take place three days later on Tuesday, April 7. Starting at the Final Four, all games will played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

For the women, the Final Four will be played on Friday, April 4 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The championship game will Sunday at 3 p.m. at the same venue.

Women’s March Madness schedule

Here is the women’s schedule: 

• First Four: March 19-20
• First round: March 21-22
• Second round: March 23-24
• Sweet 16: March 28-29
• Elite Eight: March 30-March 31
• Final Four: Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Second game starts 30 minutes after first game ends.
• NCAA championship game: Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, hosted at Amalie Arena in Tampa.

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