After an exciting Day 1 in the men’s 2025 NCAA tournament, the March Madness action keeps rolling on Friday.
Whether you’re watching all 16 first-round games or refreshing score pages, consider this your guide to all the major highlights and results, along with reactions and on-site reporting from ESPN writers across the country.
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FRIDAY RESULTS
Most recent games listed first.
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 out-rebounded 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 the last four seasons. — Brady Henderson
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 it. 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 all-time when coaching the favorite in the NCAA tournament, according to ESPN Research. — Jake Trotter
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 like it would hang around for awhile, but Kentucky never let the Trojans get within single digits over the final 12:18. — Adam Rittenberg
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 out-scored 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 to a woeful 2-of-14 effort by Norfolk State — was the difference. In its last 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 Stats and Information. — David Hale
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 X factor against Colorado State in the second round: Defending the paint. Maryland has held every opponent over this 4-1 stretch to under a 50% clip inside the arc. With 6-foot-10 Derik Queen and 6-foot-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-foot-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: 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’ X factor against Iowa State in the second round: Dre 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’ 6-foot-6 size and explosiveness could be a challenge for Iowa State in a battle between a pair of strong defensive teams. — Myron Medcalf
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 no good 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 last nine NCAA tournament games. — Jake Trotter
Saint Mary’s X factor against Alabama in the second round: 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 ranks 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 their 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: 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 head 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 X factor against Baylor in the second round: 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% 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: 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 did finish 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 X factor against Maryland in the second round: 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, eight rebounds and six 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: 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 X factor against Ole Miss in the second round: Milan 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-foot-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: 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 X factor against Saint Mary’s in the second round: 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, 10th in second-chance points and shoot 36% from 3, according to CBB Analytics. And 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 Grant Nelson looked healthy in his eight-plus minutes against Robert Morris — but the Tide will need to establish their identity immediately. — Jeff Borzello
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 X factor against Duke in the second round: Freshmen guards. Baylor has become increasingly reliant on first-year guards Robert Wright and VJ 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 wins. He was terrific against Mississippi State, finishing with 19 points in the win. 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. If Baylor has a chance to keep it close vs. Duke, both Wright and Edgecombe need big outings. — Jeff Borzello
