NCAA Selection Sunday: The Beginning of An Exciting 2025 March Madness

NCAA Selection Sunday is the official announcement day for the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Division I Basketball Tournaments, marking the start of the highly anticipated March Madness. But, what is March Madness? It’s the nickname for the NCAA Tournament, a high-stakes, single-elimination competition that determines the national champion. Selection Sunday determines which teams make it into the tournament and their respective seeds, shaping the competitive landscape for the coming weeks.

When Is Selection Sunday for NCAA Basketball?

For the NCAA tournament in 2025, when does March Madness start? The action officially begins with Selection Sunday on MARCH 16, 2025. The men’s tournament bracket will be announced at 6 P.M. ET ON CBS, while the women’s bracket will be revealed at 8 P.M. ET ON ESPN. These broadcasts will include expert analysis, team reactions, and an in-depth look at the upcoming matchups.

The Significance of NCAA Selection Sunday

Selection Sunday is a momentous occasion for teams, players, coaches, and fans. It marks the transition from the regular season to the high-stakes NCAA Tournament, where every game becomes a do-or-die scenario. The announcement of the bracket fuels speculation, analysis, and anticipation for the thrilling matchups ahead.

Understanding the Selection Process

The NCAA Selection Committee is responsible for selecting and seeding teams for the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament and NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The selection process is intricate and involves a deep evaluation of several factors that aim to identify the most deserving teams for the 68-team field. It combines data-driven analysis with subjective assessment, ensuring a fair and balanced bracket.

The committee examines multiple metrics to determine a team’s eligibility and seed placement, including:

OVERALL RECORD: A team’s win-loss record is the most straightforward metric but doesn’t tell the full story.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (SOS): This measures the difficulty of a team’s schedule by evaluating the quality of their opponents. Teams that consistently face tough competition are given greater consideration.
PERFORMANCE AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: Success against top-tier teams highlights a team’s ability to perform under pressure.
NET RANKINGS (NCAA EVALUATION TOOL): This tool ranks teams based on game results, quality of wins, scoring margin, and other advanced analytics.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Winning a conference championship often serves as a testament to a team’s resilience and talent, providing them with either an automatic bid or a boost in their at-large bid chances.
LATE-SEASON PERFORMANCE: How a team performs in the final stretch of the season is crucial. Teams that peak at the right time are often rewarded for their momentum heading into the tournament.

How teams qualify: Automatic vs. At-Large Bids

Once the bracket is announced on NCAA Selection Sunday, teams are slotted into the tournament based on Automatic and At-large bids.

Automatic Bids

31 teams that win their respective Conference Tournaments earn automatic bids to the NCAA tournament. These victories guarantee their place in the tournament, regardless of their regular-season performance.

At-Large Bids

For the 37 teams that do not secure automatic bids, the committee grants AT-LARGE BIDS based on performance metrics such as strength of schedule, NET rankings and quality wins. These selections are often the most debated aspect of Selection Sunday, as “bubble teams” anxiously wait to hear if they made the cut.

But before the full tournament gets underway, there’s an important opening round that determines the final spots in the 64-team field. What is the First Four in March Madness? The First Four consists of four play-in games featuring the lowest-seeded at-large teams and the lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers. Introduced in 2011, this round allows eight teams to battle for the last four spots in the main bracket, adding an extra layer of drama before the traditional first round begins.

Historical Moments from NCAA Selection Sunday

Selection Sunday has produced countless memorable moments over the years. From surprising selections to shocking omissions, the announcement day has never been short on drama.

One of the most famous stories is that of the Lowest Seed to Ever Win March Madness—in 1985, Villanova, an 8-seed, became the lowest-seeded team to win the NCAA Championship. Their Cinderella run remains a defining moment in tournament history.

Media Coverage and the Role of CBS

CBS AND ESPN provide extensive coverage of Selection Sunday and March Madness. Expert analysts break down the brackets, discuss potential upsets, and highlight must-watch matchups. The NCAA Men’s Selection Sunday Show and NCAA Woman’s Selection Show 2025 will feature live reactions from teams and coaches, adding to the anticipation.

NCAA Women’s Selection Sunday and Growing Popularity

NCAA Selection Sunday: Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins in front of March Madness basketball background.

The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament has gained increased viewership and attention in recent years. NCAA Women’s Selection Sunday has become a major event, showcasing the rise of powerhouse programs and emerging stars in the sport like Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers.

What to Expect from NCAA Women’s Selection Show 2025

The NCAA Women’s Selection Show 2025 will reveal the tournament field, and fans can expect to see strong teams like UCLA, South Carolina, UCONN, and USC leading the charge.

Preparation After Selection Sunday

Once the brackets are set, teams immediately begin preparing for their matchups. Coaches analyze film, devise game strategies, and hold intense practices. Meanwhile, fans continue to fill out brackets, debate upset picks, and count down the days until tipoff.

How to Watch Selection Sunday

For basketball enthusiasts eager to catch every moment of Selection Sunday, there are multiple ways to tune in to the action.

TELEVISION BROADCASTS: The traditional way to watch Selection Sunday is through live broadcasts on CBS and ESPN. The men’s bracket will be unveiled at 6 p.m. ETon CBS, and the women’s bracket will follow at 8 p.m. ETon ESPN. These shows offer in-depth analysis, interviews with coaches and players, and expert predictions for the tournament.
STREAMING OPTIONS: If you prefer streaming, both CBS and ESPN provide digital platforms to watch the Selection Sunday announcements. CBS Sports offers a live stream on its website and app, while ESPN+ subscribers can access the women’s bracket reveal through the ESPN app or website. Additionally, live TV streaming services such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV offer access to CBS and ESPN, ensuring fans can watch the action from virtually anywhere.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE COVERAGE: For fans on the go, social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook provide real-time updates and instant reactions from analysts, teams, and fellow fans. The official NCAA March Madness Twitter account offers live tweets during the bracket announcements, complete with expert insights and behind-the-scenes footage. Websites like NCAA.com, CBS Sports, and ESPN.com will also have live blogs and instant analysis.
WATCH PARTIES AND FAN GATHERINGS: Many fans choose to celebrate Selection Sunday by attending watch parties at sports bars or organizing gatherings at home. These events add to the excitement, as friends and family fill out brackets together and debate their picks while watching the bracket unfold.
PODCAST AND RADIO COVERAGE: For those who prefer audio coverage, sports radio stations and podcasts provide in-depth discussions before, during, and after the announcements. Popular sports podcasts like “The Dan Patrick Show” and “Pardon My Take” often dive deep into Selection Sunday analysis.

The Official Starting Point Of March Madness

Selection Sunday is the official starting point of March Madness, setting the stage for one of the most thrilling sporting events of the year. Whether you’re a die-hard college basketball fan or just enjoy the excitement of a March Madness bracket, this day brings unparalleled anticipation and energy.

From the NCAA Men’s Selection Sunday to the NCAA Women’s Selection Show 2025, the bracket reveals spark conversations, predictions, and unforgettable moments. As we look forward to March Madness 2025, the question remains— Which team will cut down the nets and be crowned NCAA Champions? Only time will tell.

Share On Social Media