The No. 11 Xavier Musketeers and No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini face off on Friday, March 21 (3/21/2025). The March Madness Round 1 game takes place at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch the game on DirecTV Stream (free trial). Here’s what you need to know: What: March Madness, Round 1 Who: No. 11 Xavier Musketeers vs. No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini When: Friday, March 21, 2025 (3/21/2025) Time: 9:45 p.m. ET/8:45 p.m. CT Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Channel finder: DirecTV, Verizon Fios, Cox, Xfinity, Spectrum, Optimum DirecTV Stream is comparable to FuboTV, as it provides similar channels and functionalities. Their basic package, priced at $86.99 per month with a free trial, includes just over 90 live TV channels. You can explore all of DirecTV Stream’s channel packages on their website. fuboTV is a live TV streaming service focused on live sports, including U.S. and international soccer, the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and more. It also includes its own fubo Sports Networks with exclusive programming. It offers 212 channels starting at $54.99 (for one month, then $84.99), includes unlimited DVR, and streams on most devices. Right now you can try fuboTV free. Use our 2025 March Madness guide for everything you need to know about the NCAA Tournament. STREAM March Madness on DirecTV StreamGET TICKETS to March Madness games from SeatGeek.SHOP for March Madness gear on Fanatics.BET on March Madness with our 2025 NCAA Tournament Betting Guide. March Madness Schedule All games Friday, March 21: (9) Baylor vs. (8) Mississippi State | 12:15 p.m. ET | CBS (STREAM) (15) Robert Morris vs. (2) Alabama | 12:40 p.m. ET | TruTV (STREAM) (14) Lipscomb vs. (3) Iowa State | 1:30 p.m. ET | TNT (STREAM) (12) Colorado State vs. (5) Memphis | 2 p.m. ET | TBS (STREAM) (16) Mount St. Mary’s vs. (1) Duke | 2:50 p.m. ET | CBS (STREAM) (10) Vanderbilt vs. (7) Saint Mary’s | 3:15 p.m. ET | truTV (STREAM) (11) North Carolina vs. (6) Ole Miss | 4:05 p.m. ET | TNT (STREAM) (13) Grand Canyon vs. (4) Maryland | 4:35 p.m. ET | TNT (STREAM) (16) Norfolk State vs. (1) Florida | 6:50 p.m. ET | TNT (STREAM) (14) Troy vs. (3) Kentucky | 7:10 p.m. ET | CBS (STREAM) (10) New Mexico vs. (7) Marquette | 7:25 p.m. ET | TBS (STREAM) (13) Akron vs. (4) Arizona | 7:35 p.m. ET | TruTV (STREAM) (9) Oklahoma vs. (8) UConn | 9:25 p.m. ET | TNT (STREAM) (11) Xavier vs. (6) Illinois | 9:45 p.m. ET | CBS (STREAM) (15) Bryant vs. (2) Michigan State | 10 p.m. ET | TBS (STREAM) (12) Liberty vs. (5) Oregon | 10:10 p.m. ET | TruTV (STREAM) Here’s a recent AP March Madness story: Xavier Musketeers (22-11, 13-8 Big East) vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (21-12, 13-9 Big Ten) Milwaukee; Friday, 9:45 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Fighting Illini -3.5; over/under is 159.5 BOTTOM LINE: Illinois plays Xavier in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Illini’s record in Big Ten games is 13-9, and their record is 8-3 in non-conference games. Illinois leads the Big Ten with 83.8 points and is shooting 45.0%. The Musketeers are 13-8 against Big East teams. Xavier is the best team in the Big East scoring 15.2 fast break points per game. Illinois scores 83.8 points, 12.6 more per game than the 71.2 Xavier allows. Xavier has shot at a 46.9% rate from the field this season, 4.7 percentage points higher than the 42.2% shooting opponents of Illinois have averaged. TOP PERFORMERS: Kasparas Jakucionis is scoring 15.0 points per game with 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Fighting Illini. Will Riley is averaging 15.4 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 48.8% over the last 10 games. Ryan Conwell is shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc with 3.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Musketeers, while averaging 16.7 points. Zach Freemantle is averaging 18.7 points and 6.6 rebounds over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Fighting Illini: 6-4, averaging 81.7 points, 33.8 rebounds, 15.8 assists, 3.7 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 83.2 points per game. Musketeers: 8-2, averaging 81.6 points, 30.0 rebounds, 17.9 assists, 8.0 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.5 points.