How to watch March Madness: live stream 2023 NCAA basketball from anywhere, Day 2 matchups, what TV channel

By Aatif Sulleyman
last updated

The annual search for the perfect bracket begins again!

A general view of the the tip-off between the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles and the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
(Image: © Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Watch March Madness live stream

You can watch March Madness 2023 across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV in the US. Every game that's on CBS is also being live streamed on Paramount Plus, which is currently offering new users a 30-day FREE trial (use code PICARD). Basketball fans can watch a March Madness live stream on TSN in Canada, BT Sport in the UK, and Kayo Sports in Australia. Full details on how to watch March Madness and the best deals just below.

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Dates: Tuesday, March 14 - Monday, April 3
TV channels: CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV (US)
Watch free: Paramount+ FREE trial (US) | Kayo FREE trial (AUS)
Use ExpressVPN to watch any stream

March Madness First Round men's matchups today

Friday, March 17 2023 (All times ET)

  • No. 10 USC vs. No. 7 Michigan State | 12:15 p.m. |CBS 
  • No. 14 Kennesaw St. vs. No. 3 Xavier | 12:40 p.m. | truTV 
  • No. 14 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 3 Baylor | 1:30 p.m. | TNT 
  • No. 12 VCU vs. No. 5 Saint Mary's | 2 p.m. | TBS
  • No. 15 Vermont vs. No. 2 Marquette| 2:45 p.m. | CBS 
  • No. 11 Pitt vs. No. 6 Iowa State | 3:10 p.m. | truTV 
  • No. 11 NC State vs. No. 6 Creighton| 4 p.m. | TNT 
  • No. 13 Iona vs. No. 4 UConn | 4:30 p.m. | TBS
  • No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson vs. No. 1 Purdue| 6:50 p.m. | TNT 
  • No. 11 Providence vs. No. 6 Kentucky | 7:10 p.m. | CBS 
  • No. 12 Drake vs. No. 5 Miami | 7:25 p.m | TBS 
  • No. 14 Grand Canyon vs. No. 3 Gonzaga| 7:35 p.m. | truTV 
  • No. 9 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 8 Memphis | 9:20 p.m.| TNT
  • No. 14 Montana St. vs. No. 3 Kansas St. | 9:40 p.m. | CBS 
  • No. 13 Kent State vs. No. 4 Indiana | 9:55 p.m. | TBS 
  • No. 11 Arizona St/Nevada vs. No. 6 TCU | 10:05 p.m. | truTV 

Today's best First Round matches 

New York in the house! My first pick is 12 VCU vs 5 Saint Mary’s (2pm ET / 7pm GMT). Expect an absolute thriller from the tip-off as Saint Mary's, under coach Randy Bennett, aim to try to bounce back from their defeat to Gonzaga. It won't be easy, but these guys can defend for days.

And watch out for 16 Fairleigh Dickinson vs 1 Purdue (6.50pm ET / 11.50pm GMT). The Boilermakers have established themselves as one of America's top teams thanks to Zach Edey, who is is hotly-tipped to win a National Player of the Year award. Fairleigh are out of their depth, so prepare for an NCAA massacre.

March Madness 2023 preview

No.3 overall seed the Kansas Jayhawks became March Madness winners for the fourth time a year ago, but the curse of the reigning champions makes them a difficult sell. Nobody has managed to run it back since 2007, and in the last five tournaments the defending champs have bowed out before the Sweet 16 stage.

The Alabama Crimson Tide enters as the No.1 overall seed, having never tasted NCAA Division I glory in 23 previous attempts. Meanwhile, the Houston Cougars are the No.2 overall seed and the Purdue Boilermakers are at No.4.

They're privileged positions to be in, given that the top seeds are handed the easiest route through the tournament, at least on paper. However, the fact that all four No.1 seeds have made it to the Final Four just once in the history of the NCAA Division I basketball tournament shows why they call it March Madness.

March Madness, officially the NCAA Division I basketball tournament, is the pinnacle of college sports, an event that casts the nation under its spell for three glorious weeks of wall-to-wall hoops hoopla.

Read on for details on how to watch a March Madness live stream online from anywhere.

Best deal for March Madness 2023: $20 for all games

Sling (opens in new tab)

If you don't already have cable, by far and away the best deal for watching March Madness is pairing Sling (opens in new tab) with Paramount Plus.

March Madness 2023: watch every game for $20 (opens in new tab).

TBS, TNT and TruTV are all available with Sling Blue, which normally comes in at $40 per month, but new Sling customers can get their first month for half price (opens in new tab) and then you can cancel when you're done. There are no long contracts.

While you can't get CBS on Sling, streaming service Paramount Plus will be showing every CBS March Madness 2023 game. Given that you can get a 30-day free trial of Paramount Plus (opens in new tab) with the code 'PICARD', that adds all the missing matches for nothing. Just don't forget to cancel – or keep it if you like it.

Outside the US? For those away from home, remember that you can use a VPN to access Sling and Paramount Plus from abroad. (opens in new tab)

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How to watch March Madness: live stream 2023 NCAA basketball online in the US without cable

Hulu with Live TV (opens in new tab)

In the US, coverage of March Madness is shared between CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV.

However, it's worth noting that CBS is showing the National Championship and the entirety of the Final Four stage.

Watch March Madness 2023 without cable

If you haven't got those channels on cable, you can watch March Madness via an over-the-top streaming service instead. Sling Blue and Paramount Plus combined is the cheapest option, as detailed above but there are other choices.

Of the many options, Hulu with Live TV is the most fully-featured, as it includes CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV.

A subscription costs $69.99 per month, and grants access to more than 85 premium TV channels, as well as Hulu's entire streaming library, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

For $64.99 you can sign up to DirecTV (opens in new tab) too which also offers all the channels you need, as does YouTube TV which comes in at the same price.

If you subscribe to Hulu, DirecTV or any other US streaming service and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN as outlined below - we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best (opens in new tab).

How to watch March Madness 2023 from outside your country

If you try to watch 2023 March Madness coverage from anywhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem - geo-blocking. That's where your home broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It's a common problem for sports fans all over the world. 

By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home.

Use a VPN to watch a March Madness live stream from anywhere

ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN (opens in new tab)

ExpressVPN - get the world's best VPN
 (opens in new tab)We've put all the major VPNs through their paces and we rate ExpressVPN as our top pick, thanks to its speed, ease of use and strong security features. It's also compatible with just about any streaming device out there, including Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as Android and Apple mobiles.

Sign up for an annual plan now and get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE (opens in new tab). And if you change your mind within the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back without a quibble.

- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days (opens in new tab)

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How to watch March Madness in Ireland

with the help of a quality VPN (opens in new tab)

ESPN Player offers access to March Madness 2023 in Ireland, UK and much of Europe, as well as a host of other American sports.

A monthly pass costs just £9.99 or you can sign up for a year for £59.49. 

Outside of Ireland? Watch March Madness 2023 online just like you would at home with the help of a quality VPN (opens in new tab).

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How to watch March Madness 2023: live stream college basketball for FREE in Australia

Foxtel Go (opens in new tab)

In Australia, March Madness is being shown on ESPN, which is available through Foxtel. Subscribers can also stream the action via the Foxtel Go (opens in new tab) app. 

Kayo Sports (opens in new tab), which is an ideal option for those who don't want the commitment of a lengthy (and pricey) contract, will be live streaming the action.

Kayo lets you stream on one device with its $25 per month One plan, two devices with its $30 per month Basic plan, and three devices with its $35 Premium plan. All of them come with a FREE 7-day trial (opens in new tab).

Kayo also gives you access to over 50 other sports including the NFL, cricket, NRL, F1... the list goes on! Handy if you don't want to go all out on Fox.

Don't forget, you can take your March Madness coverage abroad with you as well. For those wanting to watch home coverage of sports from overseas, a good VPN (opens in new tab) is what you need.

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March Madness live stream: how to watch college basketball in the UK

March Madness on ESPN Player (opens in new tab)

Basketball fans in the UK can watch March Madness on ESPN Player (opens in new tab) which is showing every single game of the tournament on TV and online. It's £9.99 for a month pass of £59.49 for the year.

You can also watch March Madness 2023 on BT Sport through BT TV, Sky TV or Virgin Media. For the full lowdown, check out our guide to the best BT Sport deals, offers, and packages.

A more flexible option is BT's £30 Monthly Pass (opens in new tab), which gets you access to everything BT Sport has to offer without a long-term commitment.

That includes Champions League, Premier League, Serie A and Europa League football, UFC, Premiership Rugby and the European Rugby Champions Cup, international cricket, MotoGP, Major League Baseball, and plenty more.

If you find yourself outside the UK and want to watch March Madness like you would at home, don't worry about geo-blocks on your account – simply grab a VPN (opens in new tab) and follow the instructions above to live stream the action. 

Canada flag

How to watch March Madness 2023: live stream NCAA basketball in Canada

Image (opens in new tab)

In Canada, you can watch all of the March Madness action on TSN.

If you get TSN as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access to a March Madness live stream. 

If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis from CA$19.99 a month or $199.90 each year.

If you decide to subscribe or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go - just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days  (opens in new tab)and follow the instructions above.

2023 March Madness TV times (March 17)

Friday, 17th March 2023 (Round of 64. All times Eastern)

  • No. 10 USC vs. No. 7 Michigan State | 12:15 p.m. |CBS 
  • No. 14 Kennesaw St. vs. No. 3 Xavier | 12:40 p.m. | truTV 
  • No. 14 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 3 Baylor | 1:30 p.m. | TNT 
  • No. 12 VCU vs. No. 5 Saint Mary's | 2 p.m. | TBS
  • No. 15 Vermont vs. No. 2 Marquette| 2:45 p.m. | CBS 
  • No. 11 Pitt vs. No. 6 Iowa State | 3:10 p.m. | truTV 
  • No. 11 NC State vs. No. 6 Creighton| 4 p.m. | TNT 
  • No. 13 Iona vs. No. 4 UConn | 4:30 p.m. | TBS
  • No. 16 Texas Southern/Fairleigh Dickinson vs. No. 1 Purdue| 6:50 p.m. | TNT 
  • No. 11 Providence vs. No. 6 Kentucky | 7:10 p.m. | CBS 
  • No. 12 Drake vs. No. 5 Miami | 7:25 p.m | TBS 
  • No. 14 Grand Canyon vs. No. 3 Gonzaga| 7:35 p.m. | truTV 
  • No. 9 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 8 Memphis | 9:20 p.m.| TNT
  • No. 14 Montana St. vs. No. 3 Kansas St. | 9:40 p.m. | CBS 
  • No. 13 Kent State vs. No. 4 Indiana | 9:55 p.m. | TBS 
  • No. 11 Arizona St/Nevada vs. No. 6 TCU | 10:05 p.m. | truTV 

2023 March Madness dates and schedule

FIRST FOUR
Tuesday, March 14 - Wednesday, March 15

ROUND OF 64
Thursday, March 16 - Friday, March 17

ROUND OF 32
Saturday, March 18 - Sunday, March 19

SWEET 16
Thursday, March 23 - Friday, March 24

ELITE EIGHT
Saturday, March 25 - Sunday, March 26

FINAL FOUR
Saturday, April 1

2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Monday, April 3

March Madness seeds and regions 2023

West Regional

  1. Kansas
  2. UCLA
  3. Gonzaga
  4. Connecticut
  5. Saint Mary's
  6. TCU
  7. Northwestern
  8. Arkansas
  9. Illinois
  10. Boise State
  11. Arizona State/Nevada
  12. VCU
  13. Iona
  14. Grand Canyon
  15. UNC Asheville
  16. Howard

East Regional

  1. Purdue
  2. Marquette
  3. Kansas State
  4. Tennessee
  5. Duke
  6. Kentucky
  7. Michigan State
  8. Memphis
  9. Florida Atlantic
  10. USC
  11. Providence
  12. Oral Roberts
  13. Louisiana
  14. Montana State
  15. Vermont
  16. Texas Southern/Fairleigh Dickinson

South Regional

  1. Alabama
  2. Arizona
  3. Baylor
  4. Virginia
  5. San Diego State
  6. Creighton
  7. Missouri
  8. Maryland
  9. West Virginia
  10. Utah State
  11. North Carolina State
  12. Charleston
  13. Furman
  14. UC Santa Barbara
  15. Princeton
  16. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi/Southeast Missouri State

Midwest Regional

  1. Houston
  2. Texas
  3. Xavier
  4. Indiana
  5. Miami (FL)
  6. Iowa State
  7. Texas A&M
  8. Iowa
  9. Auburn
  10. Penn State
  11. Mississippi State/Pittsburgh
  12. Drake
  13. Kent State
  14. Kennesaw State
  15. Colgate
  16. Northern Kentucky

2023 March Madness venues

The 2023 National Championship Game will take place at NRG Stadium, the 72,220-seat home of the NFL's Houston Texans, while other big-name venues include Madison Square Garden, T-Mobile Arena, Amway Center, Nationwide Arena, Ball Arena and Wells Fargo Center.

The full list of venues follows:

  • University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, Ohio
  • Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
  • Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama
  • Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
  • MVP Arena, Albany, New York
  • Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
  • Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
  • Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
  • T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky
  • T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
  • NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

Aatif Sulleyman
Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.

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