North Carolina vs. San Diego State FREE STREAM today: How to watch March Madness First Four

DAYTON, Ohio – March Madness continues as a pair of 11-seeds take the spotlight when North Carolina battles San Diego State in the First Four today – Tuesday, March 18 – at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. The matchup is available to watch on multiple streaming services for free.

How do I watch North Carolina vs. San Diego State for free?

This March Madness game will broadcast live on truTV with tipoff at 9:10 p.m. Eastern. Fans who have parted ways with their cable provider can catch the game at no cost by taking advantage of streaming alternatives like DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial.

Sling TV is offering half off your first month for new customers.

After earning a No. 1 seed in last year’s Big Dance, the 2025 Tar Heels (22-13, 15-8 ACC) will be making their first appearance in the First Four. One of the most decorated teams in college basketball was among one of the final selections to make up the 68-team field.

North Carolina caught fire to salvage a pedestrian season, recording eight wins in their last 10 games before bowing out in the ACC semifinals. They lost to rival Duke three times this season, including a heartbreaker in that penultimate conference showdown.

Perhaps most damning, the Tar Heels went just 1-12 in Quad 1 games but countered with an 8-0 mark in Quad 2 contests. It marked the 19th NCAA tournament appearance in the last 21 years for the blueblood program.

Hubert Davis' Tar Heels are led by three key players who average double figures in scoring.

Senior guard RJ Davis touts a team-high 17.0 points, 3.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 40.9% from the field.

Freshman guard Ian Jackson is averaging 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and just under one assist while shooting 46.4% from the field, including 39.6% from beyond the arc.

Seth Trimble rounds out the scoring trio with 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 42.7% from the field.

Sophomore guard Elliott Cadeau is the maestro with 6.0 assists to go along with 9.5 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 44.8% from the field.

Watch North Carolina vs. San Diego State for free on DirecTV Stream

The Aztecs (21-9, 14-7 MWC) are looking to make a statement on March Madness opening night as the program continues it ascension. They were bounced out of the Mountain West quarterfinals courtesy of Boise State, marking a setback from a two-year run that is the best in program history after losing to UConn in the national championship game in 2023 and returning to the Sweet 16 last year.

Brian Dutcher’s bunch is ready for the chaos of March, the month they believe they play their best basketball.

San Diego State has a 1-2 punch of double figure scoring, guided by senior guard Nick Boyd, who is averaging a team-high 13.4 points, 4.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 41.7% from the field, including 35.7% from beyond the arc.

Sophomore guard Miles Bird is a handful with 12.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 38.4% from the field.

The Aztecs are elite defensively, but they will need to put up points to keep up with the Tar Heels (80.8 points per game) on this stage. Bogging down UNC’s guard-heavy attack could bring this one down to the wire.

Freshman forward Magoon Gwath is slated to make his return after missing the past five games. The Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks while shooting 51.2% including 37.2% from beyond the arc.

The winner will advance to face the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels on Friday at 4:05 p.m. Eastern on TNT. The game will be played at at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

What are the latest odds for North Carolina vs San Diego State?

Moneyline: UNC: (-4.5), SDSU: (+4.5)

Spread: UNC: -205, SDSU: +170

Over/Under: 142.5

Odds by DraftKings

Who is announcing North Carolina vs. San Diego State?

Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel will be the announcers while Jon Rothstein reports courtside.

Here’s more information on how to watch North Carolina vs. San Diego State on TV or streaming services:

What: Men’s NCAA tournament First Four: North Carolina vs. San Diego State

When: Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Time: 9:10 p.m. Eastern

Where: UD Arena | Dayton, Ohio

Channel: truTV

Best streaming options: DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling TV (half off first month)

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