The first 32 games of the men’s 2025 NCAA tournament are in the books — and March Madness rolls into the round of 32 starting Saturday.
Whether you missed or simply want to relive the action, consider this your guide to all 16 of Friday’s games with analysis from ESPN’s on-site reporters and keys to each winner’s next matchup below.
Jump to: Results and analysis | Relive the action
FRIDAY RESULTS
Final: Colorado State beat Memphis 78-70
How Colorado State won: Another 5-seed bit the dust in the first round with Kyan Evans helping Colorado State make it happen against Penny Hardaway’s Memphis. The Tigers controlled the first half en route to a 36-31 lead, with Dain Dainja leading the way while PJ Haggerty — the nation’s third-leading scorer — struggled to find the bottom of the net. But Evans caught fire in the second half to the tune of a season-high 23 points and a pair of 3-pointers that helped the Rams stretch their lead to 10 points in the final minutes. Haggerty finished with 18 points on 7-of-23 shooting, but six of those points came in the final minute, by which point CSU had all but punched its ticket to the second round. — Brady Henderson
Colorado State’s key to second-round matchup against Maryland: Hot hands. Colorado State ranked 77th in adjusted offensive efficiency, making just 34% of its 3-point attempts on Feb. 15. Since that day? The Rams have connected on 46% of their shots from beyond the arc, the No. 2 mark in the nation over that stretch. So what happened? Niko Medved didn’t add a new player or bring a star back from a major injury. Rather, Nique Clifford — 14 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in the first round — and the Rams just picked the right time to get hot. Maryland has to stop a Colorado State team that hasn’t missed many 3-point attempts over the past two months. — Myron Medcalf
Final: New Mexico beat Marquette 75-66
How New Mexico won: Star guard Donovan Dent and veteran center Nelly Junior Joseph kept running isolation pick-and-rolls down the stretch — and Marquette, no matter what it tried, couldn’t stop them. With the Golden Eagles holding a two-point lead just before the eight-minute timeout, Lobos coach Richard Pitino leaned on the Dent-Joseph pick-and-roll over and over. The two responded, combining to score 15 of New Mexico’s next 18 points, as the Lobos pulled away for the mild upset. Marquette’s Shaka Smart is now 4-6 when coaching the favorite in the NCAA tournament, according to ESPN Research. — Jake Trotter
New Mexico’s key to second-round matchup against Michigan State: Dent’s ability to get to the free throw line. Dent controlled the game against Marquette with 21 points against the Big East’s No. 2 team in defensive efficiency, finishing 7-for-8 from the free throw line — his ability to get to the charity stripe is incredibly important in a single-elimination tournament. Over his past 10 games, Dent has taken 82 free throws and has made 64 of them for a rate of 78%. He knows how to command the action on the floor and draw fouls. That could be instrumental in his team’s attempt to advance Sunday. — Myron Medcalf
Final: UConn beat Oklahoma 67-59
How UConn won: The Huskies closed out this first-round matchup on a 10-3 run to turn a one-point lead into a 67-59 win over Oklahoma, keeping hopes of a third straight national title alive. Alex Karaban‘s 3 with 3:40 left ended a stretch of 3:10 without a field goal for UConn and extended the lead to four at a crucial moment, with the Huskies never looking back. Oklahoma shot just 32% for the game and was a woeful 3-of-17 from beyond the arc, but relied on a heavy dose of free throws to keep the game close. Oklahoma went to the line 27 times in the game, making 22. With the loss for the Sooners, eight of the SEC’s record 14 teams in the NCAA tournament advance to the round of 32. — David Hale
UConn’s key to second-round matchup against Florida: Experience. The Huskies’ relative decline this season is not difficult to decipher. Coach Dan Hurley’s back-to-back national title teams lost six players to the NBA, including three first-round picks. This group lacks the talent of those teams, which won a pair of championships. But Karaban, Solo Ball, Samson Johnson and Hassan Diarra and Jaylin Stewart have all won at least one ring with Hurley. That championship résumé is an advantage for the Huskies — one they’ll need against a Florida team that might be playing the best basketball in America. — Myron Medcalf
Final: Baylor beat Mississippi State 75-72
How Baylor won: What was a comfortable 11-point lead for Baylor with a little more than eight minutes on the clock turned into a nail-biter in the final minute, but VJ Edgecombe drained two critical free throws while Mississippi State’s Claudell Harris Jr. airmailed a deep 3 out of bounds with less than 1 second left on the clock. It’s Scott Drew’s fifth straight year opening the NCAA tournament with a first-round win, though the Bears haven’t advanced to the second weekend since winning it all in 2021. — David Hale
Baylor’s key to second-round matchup against Duke: Freshmen guards. Baylor has become increasingly reliant on first-year guards Robert Wright and Edgecombe to provide offense, particularly in a half-court setting. Wright was much better in wins than losses during the regular season, averaging 12.2 points and 4.5 assists while shooting 40% from 3-point range in Baylor’s 18 Division I victories. He was terrific against Mississippi State, finishing with 19 points. Edgecombe really gets going when he is given room to attack the rim off the bounce, but his perimeter shooting also improved as the season progressed. For Baylor to have a chance to keep it close vs. Duke, both Wright and Edgecombe need big outings. — Jeff Borzello
Final: Ole Miss beat North Carolina 71-64
How Ole Miss won: The Rebels held on — but only after a game plan that had worked to near perfection for 31 minutes began to unravel. Ole Miss suddenly stopped scoring and its defense, which had frustrated and smothered North Carolina, began struggling with the Tar Heels’ speed and willingness to push the ball downcourt. But after a 22-point lead dwindled to two with 1:09 left, guard Sean Pedulla hit a 3-pointer from the wing — Ole Miss’ eighth triple, but its first of the second half — with 52 seconds remaining. Coach Chris Beard’s team controlled the rebounding edge for most of the game and received more consistent offense from its backcourt of Pedulla and Dre Davis. Chants of “SEC!” broke out in the final seconds as the Rebels advanced to face Iowa State on Sunday. — Adam Rittenberg
Ole Miss’ key to second-round matchup against Iowa State: Davis. The 6-foot-6 senior was a star for a Seton Hall team that won the NIT in a thrilling victory over Indiana State a year ago. And much like last March, Davis has soared for an Ole Miss squad that is a more complete operation when he is impactful. Davis’ 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting in Friday’s win was the 19th time he has registered double figures this season. Ole Miss’ record in those games? 17-2. And that includes wins over Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisville and BYU. Davis’ size and explosiveness could be a challenge for Iowa State in a battle between strong defensive teams. — Myron Medcalf
Final: Illinois beat Xavier 86-73
How Illinois won: When the Illini are dialed in with their best players, especially NBA draft prospects Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley, they are really fun to watch — and really tough to beat. Xavier did all it could to hang with a bigger and more talented Illinois team, especially on a night when the Musketeers’ leading scorer, Zach Freemantle, was held to five points, 12 fewer than his average. Xavier had a real chance at halftime but needed to keep Riley and others in check; instead, Riley took over the game, scoring 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting in the second half. Illinois doesn’t have much depth but got 15 or more points from four starters — Riley, Jakucionis, center Tomislav Ivisic and guard Kylan Boswell — as it advances to face Kentucky in the second round Sunday. A young Illini team had several players making their NCAA tournament debuts, but met the moment with a dominant finish. — Adam Rittenberg
Illinois’ key to second-round matchup against Kentucky: 3-point shooting. There are no secrets with this one. Illinois’ 3-point shooting has been its identity all season, for better or worse. The Illini ranked second in the Big Ten in 3-point attempt rate, with nearly 46% of their shots coming from behind the arc. The only problem? They haven’t been good at making them. Illinois ranked last in the league in 3-point percentage, hitting just 30.1% of their outside shots. But when the 3s are falling, this can be an elite offense. In wins, they shoot 35.7% from 3 (compared with 23.0% in losses), and they’re 15-3 when they make 10 or more 3s — including Friday’s win over Xavier, when they went 12-for-30 from 3. — Jeff Borzello
Final: Duke beat Mount St. Mary’s 93-49
How Duke won: There was little doubt about Duke advancing from tip. The Blue Devils thumped Mount St. Mary’s by 44 points, with four players in double figures and coach Jon Scheyer emptying his bench for the final five minutes of action. It wasn’t exactly a crisp performance for the No. 1-seeded Duke, but Mount St. Mary’s made it easy, shooting just 8-of-33 from the field and 2-of-13 from 3 in the second half. The Mountaineers went more than eight minutes without scoring at one point. The Blue Devils now face Baylor with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. — David Hale
Duke’s key to second-round matchup against Baylor: Cooper Flagg‘s health. After suffering an ankle injury in Duke’s opening round game of the ACC tournament that sidelined him through the finals, there were questions on how ready he would be for the NCAA tournament. He started against Mount St. Mary’s, playing 22 minutes and finishing with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while blocking two shots. Duke didn’t need him to be 100 percent to beat the Mountaineers, but the Blue Devils will need him closer to full health as the tournament progresses. Baylor didn’t come close to living up to expectations this season, but the Bears are still talented and tournament-tested. — Jeff Borzello
Final: Florida beat Norfolk State 95-69
How Florida won: It was a blowout win for the 1-seeded Florida, but credit where it’s due to Norfolk State: The Spartans never backed down. The Gators led by as many as 32 points with 3:15 remaining in the first half, but from there, Norfolk outscored Florida 48-42 — not that the Gators will argue over a 26-point win that sends them to the round of 32 for the first time since 2021. Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with 23 points, including four 3-pointers. Their success beyond the arc — 10-of-32, compared with a woeful 2-of-14 effort by Norfolk State — was the difference. In its previous NCAA tournament game, Florida lost a 102-100 shootout to Colorado in 2024. That combined total of 195 points is the most in a two-game stretch by any team in the NCAA tournament since UConn in 2009, according to ESPN Research. — David Hale
Florida’s key to second-round matchup against UConn: Fast-scoring waves. If you blink, the Gators might have 100 points by the time you open your eyes. That’s what happened to Norfolk State in Friday’s game, when Florida scored 53 points in the first 16:45. Tennessee experienced the same blitz in the SEC tournament championship when Florida launched a 29-14 run in the first half to seize control of the action — after having just scored 57 points in the second half against Alabama 24 hours earlier. A lot of teams can score, but no team in America can throw the knockout punches that Florida does with its big runs. — Myron Medcalf
Final: Alabama beat Robert Morris 90-81
How Alabama won: Robert Morris forward and Cleveland native Amarion Dickerson delivered a memorable performance in his hometown, but the Colonials ran out of steam down the stretch. Dickerson scored a game-high 25 points and briefly gave the Colonials their first lead with a driving and-1 basket with 7:44 to play, prompting the packed Rocket Arena crowd to erupt with “Amarion” and “Robert Morris” chants. Alabama ultimately salted the game away by drawing fouls and getting to the line. The Crimson Tide also got a late boost from forward Grant Nelson, who sat out the first 31 minutes and 13 seconds after injuring his left knee in last week’s SEC tournament. Nelson, Alabama’s leading rebounder (7.6 per game), scored five points and grabbed three rebounds in his limited minutes. When he returned to the bench, the Crimson Tide had the game in hand 82-71. — Jake Trotter
Alabama’s key to second-round matchup against Saint Mary’s: Imposing its will. Stylistically, Alabama won’t have an easy time playing its game against Saint Mary’s. When the Crimson Tide are at their best, they are pushing the tempo, crashing the offensive glass and letting it fly from the perimeter. In wins, they rank fifth nationally in fast-break points and 10th in second-chance points and shoot 36% from 3, according to CBB Analytics. On the other end, they allow just 7.0 fast-break points per game, rank third in fewest second-chance points allowed and sixth in fewest 3-point attempts per game allowed in wins. Alabama has the edge in athleticism and depth — and Nelson looked healthy in his eight-plus minutes against Robert Morris — but the Tide will need to establish their identity immediately. — Jeff Borzello
Final: Michigan State beat Bryant 87-62
How Michigan State won: Jason Richardson played a key role on Tom Izzo’s first Spartans national championship team 25 years ago — and in his own tournament debut, Richardson’s son Jase Richardson made his father proud. The freshman scored 15 points and nailed both of his 3s in the second half, as the Spartans pulled away following a competitive first half. Bryant hung tough for much of the night and trailed by just six following Earl Timberlake‘s three-point play five minutes into the second half, but Richardson answered with back-to-back 3s to push the lead to double digits. Michigan State’s frontcourt, led by Coen Carr and Jaxon Kohler, did the rest as the Spartans outrebounded Bryant 54-29 while pouring in 31 second-chance points. Michigan State has now won seven straight tournament openers. The Spartans face New Mexico on Sunday with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. — Jake Trotter
Michigan State’s key to second-round matchup against New Mexico: Offensive rebounding. Michigan State got off to a slow start against Bryant on Friday, but the Spartans eventually blew the game wide open. The biggest factors: an annihilation of Bryant on the offensive glass and the ability to generate second-chance opportunities. Izzo’s team grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and scored 31 second-chance points, which is very much in character for a group that led the Big Ten in offensive (and defensive) rebounding percentage. The Spartans average nearly 12 offensive rebounds and more than 13 second-chance points per game in wins; New Mexico is one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country, but Michigan State is a different caliber of opponent on the glass. — Jeff Borzello
Final: Iowa State beat Lipscomb 82-55
How Iowa State won: Milwaukee continues to be a favorite spot for Iowa State and coach T.J. Otzelberger, who grew up in the city and led the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 here in 2022. ISU displayed its standard stifling defense, holding Lipscomb to a season-low 55 points and just 28.6% shooting from 3-point range, where the Bisons typically do most of their damage. The Cyclones kept the ball away from top Bisons scorer Jacob Ognacevic until the game was out of reach, and they led by more than 20 points for the final 13:32. The difference between Friday and three years ago was an ISU offense that showed its potency, mainly behind Milwaukee-area native Milan Momcilovic, who had his first 20-point game since November. ISU also regained point guard Tamin Lipsey, who had 10 points and four assists in his return from a groin injury. — Adam Rittenberg
Iowa State’s key to second-round matchup against Ole Miss: Momcilovic. The loss of Keshon Gilbert (13.4 PPG) to a muscle strain was not the Selection Sunday surprise the Cyclones wanted, but the availability of Momcilovic (11.4 PPG, 41% from beyond the arc) is also significant. They went 3-4 while he was out for hand surgery in January but have made 39% of their 3-point attempts and played top-three defense nationally, per BartTorvik.com, since his return in early February. The 6-8 forward scored 20 points in Iowa State’s 82-55 win over Lipscomb and could be the biggest problem for Ole Miss on Sunday. — Myron Medcalf
Final: Kentucky beat Troy, 76-57
How Kentucky won: Kentucky has had deeper, more talented and flashier teams — and these Wildcats have, at times, lacked cohesiveness. But Mark Pope’s squad showed its willingness to share the ball (and the spotlight) in Friday’s win over Troy. The Wildcats assisted on 23 of 28 field goals, coming within one assist of their season high. Led by Otega Oweh‘s six assists, Kentucky had five players with three or more. The team also found its 3-point shooting stroke after an up-and-down first half, as Koby Brea, Collin Chandler and others stepped up — four Wildcats finished with 13 or more points. Troy looked as if it would hang around for a while, but Kentucky never let the Trojans get within single digits over the final 12:18. — Adam Rittenberg
Kentucky’s key to second-round matchup against Illinois: Oweh. Oweh’s win-loss splits over the past month are simply mind-boggling: In Kentucky’s past six wins, he is averaging 23.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists, scoring at least 20 points in each. In Kentucky’s past three losses, he is averaging 4.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist. How does that even happen? Usage plays a role; Oweh has played an average of only 21.0 minutes in those losses, compared with 31.2 in the wins. He has taken an average of six field goal attempts in the losses, compared with 14.3 in the wins. Lamont Butler‘s health and Kentucky’s defense will be factors Sunday, but Oweh needs to play at a high level for the Wildcats to win. — Jeff Borzello
Final: Maryland beat Grand Canyon 81-49
How Maryland won: Grand Canyon took an early 7-2 lead, but it was the largest the Lopes would see the rest of the way — Maryland mounted a 9-0 run to take over and never looked back, cruising to a 32-point win and second-round date with Colorado State. The Terrapins had five players who finished in double-digit scoring, including DeShawn Harris-Smith, who contributed 11 points off the bench. They shot 50.8% from the field overall. — Staff
Maryland’s key to second-round matchup against Colorado State: Defending the paint. Maryland has held every opponent over this 4-1 stretch to under a 50% clip inside the arc. With 6-10 Derik Queen and 6-9 Julian Reese (brother of WNBA star Angel Reese) patrolling the paint, the Terps’ ability to protect the rim could be the difference against a Colorado State team that does not have a significant contributor over 6-8. Yes, the Rams have been one of America’s best 3-point shooting teams lately, but Maryland has the personnel to force Colorado State to live on the perimeter and take more difficult shots. That Maryland interior defense could be the most disruptive factor in that game. — Myron Medcalf
Final: Arizona beat Akron 95-63
How Arizona won: This matchup was competitive for the first 11 minutes, until the 4-seeded Arizona started to stretch a three-point edge into a 41-31 halftime advantage that would turn into a runaway win. Five Wildcats scored in double digits — led by Jaden Bradley‘s 19 points — and it could have very well been seven had they not emptied their bench in the final minutes. With its significant size advantage, Arizona outrebounded Akron 53-22 and outscored the Zips 48-20 in the paint. The Wildcats committed 16 turnovers, something they will need to clean up if they want to advance to the Sweet 16 for the third time in four seasons. — Brady Henderson
Arizona’s key to second-round matchup against Oregon: Trey Townsend. Townsend started the first 22 games of the season, then was moved to the bench in favor of Carter Bryant and then Henri Veesaar. But during Arizona’s late-season struggles, Tommy Lloyd put him back into the lineup, and he has responded. He had 16 points and 3 rebounds against Kansas, 12 points and 5 boards against Texas Tech, and 16 points and 8 rebounds against Akron. (The Big 12 title game was an exception: He played just eight minutes and was held scoreless.) Especially against Oregon, which goes with a little more skill at the 4-spot with either Kwame Evans or Brandon Angel, Townsend will have to step up.— Jeff Borzello
Final: Saint Mary’s beat Vanderbilt 59-56
How Saint Mary’s won: Vanderbilt had two chances to send the game to overtime. Instead, 3-point attempts by Jason Edwards and Devin McGlockton careened off the rim, propelling St. Mary’s to the round of 32 for the third time in four years. The Gaels rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit by owning the paint, outrebounding the Commodores 24-13 in the second half. Luke Barrett and Mitchell Saxen both posted double-doubles for the Gaels. Saxen grabbed the final offensive rebound for St. Mary’s and drew a foul to get back to the line, making the second free throw to put the Gaels up three. Vandy had two open looks to tie it up. Instead, the Commodores have now lost eight of their past nine NCAA tournament games. — Jake Trotter
Saint Mary’s key to second-round matchup against Alabama: Pace of play. Sunday’s matchup will feature one of the biggest contrasts in styles we will see all season: Alabama ranks No. 1 in the country in tempo while Saint Mary’s is No. 360, and the Crimson Tide average nearly 13 more possessions per game than the Gaels. It will be imperative that Randy Bennett’s team gets the game at its preferred pace, keeping Alabama out of transition, not allowing the Tide to start hitting rhythm 3s to generate momentum. Saint Mary’s was able to do that against Vanderbilt, with Friday’s game featuring just 59 possessions. Vanderbilt averaged more than 69 possessions per game in SEC play. — Jeff Borzello
Final: Oregon beat Liberty 81-52
How Oregon won: A 12-seed knocking off a 5-seed in the opening round is something of an NCAA tournament staple. It happened twice this year before Liberty took on Oregon, hoping to do what Colorado State had just done a couple hours earlier at Climate Pledge Arena in knocking off Memphis, and what McNeese had pulled off a day earlier against Clemson. But the Flames couldn’t hang with the Ducks, let alone give them a scare. Oregon jumped out to an 18-2 lead less than 5½ minutes into the game and never looked back. The Ducks led 44-20 at halftime and pulled away for a 29-point win. The only real uncertainty over the final 20 minutes was whether Jackson Shelstad (17 points) or Nate Bittle (14) would finish as their leading scorer. Bittle added 10 rebounds as Oregon advanced to the round of 32 for the ninth time in nine NCAA tournament appearances under coach Dana Altman. — Brady Henderson
Oregon’s key to second-round matchup against Arizona: Interior defense. During a five-game losing streak in late January and early February, the Ducks fell apart on the defensive end of the floor. They allowed at least 1.07 points per possession in all five games, and opponents shot 50% or better inside the arc. Since then, Altman’s team has turned things around defensively, holding five of its last seven opponents to fewer than one point per possession — and its past six opponents to 50% or worse from 2-point range. Now, the Ducks’ interior defense needs to hold its own Sunday against Arizona, one of the best paint teams in the country. The Wildcats rank seventh nationally in paint points per game and 29th in second-chance points; Oregon ranks No. 183 in paint points allowed and No. 186 in second-chance points allowed. The Ducks need to win that battle.— Jeff Borzello
