Xavier Musketeers Beat The SEC and March Madness is Underway | OTB 3.20.25

Watch Off the Bench Presented by UDF with Chatterbox Sports Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. LIVE on the Chatterbox Sports YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE to the channel to ensure you never miss a thing. The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, launching on March 18, promises another thrilling March Madness with its blend of powerhouse programs, emerging mid-majors, and inevitable surprises. The 68-team field, finalized on Selection Sunday, March 16, features 31 automatic qualifiers from conference tournaments and 37 at-large bids selected by the NCAA committee. With Selection Sunday now behind us, the bracket is set, and the First Four kicks off the action in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18-19, narrowing the field to 64. The tournament culminates at the Alamodome in San Antonio on April 7, but the opening days will shape the narrative. In the 2025 NCAA First Four, Xavier faced Texas on Wednesday, March 19, in a thrilling matchup. Xavier trailed by as much as 13 points but mounted a furious second-half comeback, fueled by hot shooting and a supportive Dayton crowd. The Musketeers erased the deficit, tying the game at 65 with eight minutes left, and finished with an 86-80 victory, led by Zach Freemantle’s clutch scoring (15 points, including six in the final two minutes). Texas’ Tre Johnson (18 points) couldn’t stop the collapse, and Xavier advanced to face Illinois. On Tuesday, March 18, North Carolina dominated San Diego State in a lopsided 95-68 blowout. The Tar Heels, a controversial at-large pick, silenced doubters early, building a 24-point halftime lead. RJ Davis was unstoppable, going 6-for-6 from three-point range, while San Diego State never found its rhythm, trailing by as much as 33 in the second half. North Carolina moved on to play Ole Miss, proving they belonged in the field of 64. Thursday, March 20, 2025, marks the start of the NCAA Tournament’s First Round, a 16-game marathon that ignites March Madness with wall-to-wall action. Across eight host cities—Lexington, Providence, Wichita, Denver, and more—top seeds like Duke and Florida take on No. 16 underdogs, while volatile 8-9 and 7-10 matchups promise drama. Fresh off Tuesday’s First Four upset, where Alabama State stunned Saint Francis (PA) with an 85-foot pass and a game-winning layup, the day carries upset potential—watch for a 12-seed like McNeese State to challenge a 5-seed like Clemson. Games tip off around noon EDT and run late, broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, with fans glued to screens for buzzer-beaters and bracket chaos.