Sixteen games across the country Thursday opened up the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament and probably to some extent busted at least part of your March Madness bracket in the process. Maybe you picked High Point to take down Purdue or thought No.

In the first game No. 16 St. Francis (PA) will square off with No. 16 Alabama State, with a trip to Kentucky to take on the top overall seed Auburn on the line. In the second game, No. 11 North Carolina — a surprising inclusion in the tournament — takes on No.

The top betting favorites as the tournament begins: Florida and Duke are listed as co-favorites (+325), according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Auburn (+425) and Houston (+600) are next. The first round tipped off on Thursday and will continue Friday, stretching from Providence, Rhode Island, to Seattle and busting brackets from coast to coast.