Empire State Review Team 
Introducing the College Basketball Crown: A New Tournament for College Basketball
As NCAA basketball fans gear up for March Madness, a new opportunity arises for teams that didn’t make the tournament. The inaugural College Basketball Crown is set to ignite excitement starting March 31, 2025, in Las Vegas.
Overview of the College Basketball Crown
The College Basketball Crown is designed to spotlight 16 men’s collegiate basketball teams that were not selected for the NCAA Tournament. This postseason tournament provides a platform for these schools to compete, showcasing the depth of talent in college basketball.
Event Schedule
Scheduled to be held from March 31 to April 6, 2025, the games will take place at both the MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Fans can catch all the action live on FOX and FS1, with tickets available through Vivid Seats.
Participating Teams
This inaugural tournament will feature teams across major conferences including the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East. Each participating conference will automatically qualify two teams, with additional selections made by a committee.
Bracket announcements are scheduled for March 17, 2025. Here’s a look at the first round of matchups:
Matchup Schedule
Monday, March 31
- Game 1: Utah vs. Butler – 3 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 2: George Washington vs. Boise State – 5:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 3: Nebraska vs. Arizona State – 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 4: Georgetown vs. Washington State – 11 p.m. ET (FS1)
Tuesday, April 1
- Game 5: DePaul vs. Cincinnati – 3 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 6: Oregon State vs. UCF – 5:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 7: Colorado vs. Villanova – 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Game 8: Tulane vs. USC – 11 p.m. ET (FS1)
Streaming Options
Fans looking to stream the College Basketball Crown can access games live through the FOX Sports website and the FOX Sports App. Various live-streaming services, including YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and fuboTV, will also offer coverage of the tournament. Additionally, those with a good television antenna can watch on their local FOX station.
