March Madness 2025 has arrived, and while teams won’t all start in the same place, they share one ultimate goal: a spot in the Final Four. The men’s tournament tipped off with the First Four on Tuesday and Wednesday, leading into first-round action on Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, the women’s First Four games began Wednesday and continue Thursday, with the first round set for Friday and Saturday.
For teams in the First Four, the road to the Final Four is steeper. Only two men’s teams in history have advanced from the First Four all the way to the national semifinals. Those teams will need five wins to reach the Final Four, while the rest need four victories to get there.
This year, the men’s Final Four heads to the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, where March Madness memories have been made before. San Antonio has hosted the men’s Final Four four times, most recently in 2018 when Villanova defeated Michigan for the national title. The men’s Final Four is set for Saturday, April 5, with the championship game on Monday, April 7.
On the women’s side, Tampa, Florida’s Amalie Arena will host the Final Four for a record fourth time. Tampa last welcomed the women’s Final Four in 2019, when Baylor edged Notre Dame in a thrilling championship game. The women’s semifinals will take place Friday, April 4, with the title game on Sunday, April 6.
Last year, UConn’s men’s squad completed a repeat title run, while South Carolina’s women capped a perfect season with a dominant championship win.
Source: NCAA