March Madness first round: What to know, how to watch Colorado State vs Memphis
March Madness is here!
The Colorado State men's basketball team is back in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons after the Rams won the Mountain West tournament to secure a bid to the Big Dance.
CSU is set to face Memphis, winners of the American Athletic Conference.
Here's a look at everything to know about Friday's CSU men's basketball game against Memphis:
What time does Memphis vs Colorado State basketball start in first-round NCAA Tournament game?
- Date: Friday, March 21
- Start time: 11 a.m. Pacific/noon Mountain/1 p.m. Central/2 p.m. Eastern
Friday's CSU men's basketball game against Memphis in the NCAA Tournament will tip at 11 a.m. PT/noon MT in Seattle.
What channel is the Colorado State vs Memphis basketball game on?
Memphis and CSU's game will be broadcast nationally on TBS.
TBS in Colorado can be found at:
- DirecTV/DirecTV Stream channel 247
- Dish channel 139
- Xfinity channel 678 (HD)
- Fort Collins Connexion channel 193
How can you listen to the game on the radio?
- The CSU broadcast is available on the Colorado State Sports Network on 99.1 FM or on the Varsity Network app.
- CSU's radio team will be Brian Roth (play-by-play) and Adam Nigon (analyst).
What are the records?
Colorado State is 25-9, winners of 10 games in a row and into the NCAA Tournament as the Mountain West's tournament champion. Memphis is 29-5, winners of eight games in a row and the regular season and tournament champions of the American Athletic Conference.
NCAA Tournament bracket
Memphis and Colorado State are in the west region. Memphis is the No. 5 seed and Colorado State is the No. 12. The winner of Friday's game advances to Sunday's second round to face the winner of No. 4 Maryland and No. 13 Grand Canyon.
What are the betting odds for Memphis vs Colorado State basketball?
Colorado State is favored by 2.5 points by a number of sites, including ESPN BET, Bet365, BetMGM, Draft Kings, BetNow and FanDuel.
Who are the coaches?
CSU is led by Niko Medved, who is in his seventh season as head coach of the Rams. He's 142-84 at CSU and 221-171 overall in his career. Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway is in his seventh season as Memphis coach. He's 162-67 and in the NCAA Tournament for the third time.
Stadium information
The game will be at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Climate Pledge Arena has a basketball capacity of 18,300.
What do the metrics say?
Colorado State is No. 42 in KenPom and Memphis is No. 51. KenPom projects a one-point win (74-73) for the Rams.
Colorado State is No. 27 and Boise State is No. 49 in the NCAA's NET rankings.
Who are the top players to watch?
Here are some players for each team who will be key to the game:
COLORADO STATE
- Nique Clifford: The 6-foot-6 wing is coming off a Mountain West tournament MVP performance as he averaged 25 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game over three wins. He was named honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press this week.
- Kyan Evans: The sophomore point guard is averaging 10.2 points and 3.1 assists per game this season and shooting 43% from 3-point range. Those numbers in conference play only jump up to 12 points, 3.4 assists and 45% 3-point shooting.
- Rashaan Mbemba: The numbers of the 6-foot-7 big man aren't flashy at 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, but he brings a key physicality to the inside for CSU that will be necessary against Memphis.
MEMPHIS
- PJ Haggerty: The 6-foot-3 guard was named second-team All-American this week by the Associated Press. He is averaging 21.8 points per game this season, third-most in the country.
- Dain Dainja: The 6-foot-9 forward averages 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and is coming off a 22-point, 12-rebound game in the AAC title game.
- Tyrese Hunter: The 6-foot guard went down injured in the AAC semifinals and missed the title game, but has not been ruled out by Hardaway. His status could have an important role in Friday's game. Hunter is third on the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game, hits 40% of his 3-pointers and averages 3.6 assists per game.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: What to know, how to watch Colorado State vs Memphis basketball game
Topics
-
Memphis vs Colorado State schedule, TV channel: How to watch March Madness NCAA Tournament game
What time is the Memphis vs Colorado State NCAA Tournament game? How to watch Tigers vs Rams March Madness game on Friday, March 21 on TV.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Mountain West semifinal: What to know, how to watch Colorado State vs Utah State
A look at Friday's Mountain West semifinal matchup between Colorado State and Utah State: How to watch, key players and more.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Mountain West championship: What to know, how to watch Colorado State vs Boise State
A look at Saturday's Mountain West championship matchup between Colorado State and Boise State: How to watch, key players and more.Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Colorado State vs Memphis prediction: Our pick for 2025 NCAA Tournament first round
It’s the Colorado State Rams vs the Memphis Tigers in the March Madness bracket. Here’s our prediction for the 2025 NCAA Tournament basketball game.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Mississippi State vs Baylor schedule, TV channel: How to watch March Madness NCAA Tournament game
What time is the Mississippi State vs Baylor NCAA Tournament game? How to watch Bulldogs vs Bears March Madness game on Friday, March 21 on TV.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Iowa State vs Lipscomb schedule, TV channel: How to watch March Madness NCAA Tournament game
What time is the Iowa State vs Lipscomb NCAA Tournament game? How to watch Cyclones vs Bisons March Madness game on Friday, March 21 on TV.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Florida vs Norfolk State schedule, TV channel: How to watch March Madness NCAA Tournament game
What time is the Florida vs Norfolk State NCAA Tournament game? How to watch Gators vs Spartans March Madness game on Friday, March 21 on TV.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Michigan State vs Bryant schedule, TV channel: How to watch March Madness NCAA Tournament game
What time is the Michigan State vs Bryant NCAA Tournament game? How to watch Spartans vs Bulldogs March Madness game on Friday, March 21 on TV.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
What time is the Xavier vs. Texas game? How to watch, stream March Madness First Four game
March Madness continues Wednesday with a First Four matchup between the Xavier Musketeers and Texas Longhorns. Here's how to watch.Yahoo Sports - 4h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Bears assign jersey numbers for 2025 free agent class
The newest members of the Chicago Bears have received their jersey numbers.Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Inside the Derek Stingley Jr. deal
The Texans moved quickly to extend the contract of cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., providing a clear example to all other teams (including the other team in Texas) regarding how things should be done.Yahoo Sports - 13m -
Seahawks should take a chance on free-agent WR Michael Gallup
The Seattle Seahawks hosted free-agent WR Michael Gallup on a visit. They should take a chance on the un-retired playmaker.Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Score predictions for Tennessee versus Wofford March Madness college basketball game
Vols Wire provides score predictions for the Tennessee-Wofford basketball game in the NCAA Tournament first round.Yahoo Sports - 15m -
Daniel Cormier hopes for better ending to Conor McGregor's UFC career
If Conor McGregor never fights again, Daniel Cormier thinks his lasting UFC memory is an unfortunate one. It's been almost four years since McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) last fought when he broke ...Yahoo Sports - 15m
More in Sports
-
March Madness may belong to the Tar Heels: Why North Carolina can make deep run through 2025 NCAA bracket
The Tar Heels face No. 6 seed Ole Miss on Friday and are favored to winCBS Sports - 6m -
On Dodgers' Japan trip, Shohei Ohtani is everywhere and nowhere
The star is omnipresent in ads across his home country, but fan fervor keeps the real Ohtani out of sight.ESPN - 7m -
Mount St. Mary's vs. American odds, predictions, time: 2025 First Four picks from proven model
The SportsLine Projection Model has revealed its American Eagles vs. Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers picks for the First Four 2025 in Dayton on WednesdayCBS Sports - 7m -
Sources: Vikes to roll with McCarthy, not Rodgers
The Vikings are moving past their discussions with free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, leaving second-year player J.J. McCarthy atop the quarterback depth chart as offseason practices approach, ...ESPN - 8m -
Draymond: '1 million percent' have case for DPOY
After a defensive gem that held Giannis Antetokounmpo to 5-of-16 shooting -- the Bucks star's worst shooting game in the past two seasons -- the Warriors' Draymond Green outlined his case for a ...ESPN - 8m