How to stream NCAA basketball with a VPN
Bypass streaming restrictions on your school or office Wi-Fi and watch NCAA college basketball live streams from anywhere:
- Get ExpressVPN.
- Connect to a server location that matches the broadcaster you want to watch. For example, American basketball fans can connect to a server in the U.S. to catch games on Hulu+Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV.
- It’s game time!
Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
Why you need a VPN to stream NCAA basketball
Your internet provider might slow your connection when it detects streaming activity, causing laggy streams and buffering. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, which hides your activity from your ISP. This means you can bypass this type of throttling and live stream college basketball games without any issues.
If you often find yourself stuck at work and the Wi-Fi at your job blocks streaming services, this doesn’t mean you have to miss any games. VPN encryption prevents the network from monitoring your activity, allowing you to unblock streaming platforms with ease. Just make sure you don’t cheer too loudly when your favorite team wins!
The best VPN for watching college basketball in 2025
The ExpressVPN server network includes locations in 12 U.S. states, making it easy to find one where you need it. The 10-Gbps servers give you a blazing-fast VPN connection, so you can enjoy pixel-perfect video quality, even in UHD. You can connect seamlessly to sports streaming platforms that broadcast college basketball games, such as ESPN+, Fubo, and Peacock.
A single ExpressVPN account lets you connect up to 8 devices at once, so you can watch a game on your smart TV while other members of your household stream on their own devices. Try ExpressVPN now with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
How to watch NCAA basketball online with free streaming trials
If you want to watch college basketball online, you can subscribe to a streaming service offering live TV channels. The channel lineups vary from platform to platform, so you may not find one that streams all the games you want to watch—which is where their free trial offers can come in handy. If a platform only has one or two games you want to watch, you can do it for free.
| Service | Channels | Free trial length |
| DirecTV Stream | ABC, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNU (Max package), Fox, FS1, NBC, TBS, TNT, TruTV, The CW, select regional sports networks | 5 days |
| Fubo | ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, SEC Network, The CW, select regional sports networks | 7 days |
| Hulu + Live TV | ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, TBS, TNT, TruTV, The CW, select regional sports networks | 3 days |
| Paramount Plus | CBS, CBS Sports Network | 7 days |
| YouTube TV | ABC, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, SEC Network, TBS, TNT, TruTV, The CW | Varies |
Want it on the big screen? Learn about all the ways to get ExpressVPN on your TV.
Other NCAA basketball streaming options
Several streaming services offer exclusive college basketball coverage throughout the 2024-25 season. Learn more about those options below.
United States
ESPN+
ESPN+ will stream over 5,000 NCAA basketball games in 2024-25, including college basketball at all levels, from the SEC and Big 12 to Division II and Division III. Most of the games are ESPN+ exclusives, but there are some of the bigger games that ESPN will simulcast on its TV channels.
If your otherwise-fast connection seems to slow down whenever you connect to ESPN+, causing buffering a poor streaming quality, your ISP might be throttling your connection. To avoid this, connect to an ExpressVPN server in the U.S. to encrypt your connection so your ISP can’t monitor your activity.
Sling TV
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, and the SEC Network
Sling TV provides access to most channels airing college basketball except for CBS. It also gives you access to ABC in select markets. In order to get the full complement of channels showing NCAA basketball, you’ll need to sign up to both the Orange and Blue plans, and get the Sports Extra pack at additional cost.
Peacock
Peacock will stream every college basketball game airing on NBC throughout the 2024-25 season. The platform will also have exclusive Big Ten games. Peacock is a fair bit cheaper than the other U.S. streaming options, and NBC Sports is available on the cheapest plan, which you can buy on a monthly basis with no ongoing contract.
How to watch NCAA basketball in Canada
TSN
Channels: TS1, TS2, TS3, TS4, TS5
TSN offers many of the top college basketball games of the season to fans in Canada, including the NCAA tournament. If you don’t have cable, TSN+ carries all the same games, with the option to watch live or on-demand. In addition to college basketball, TSN+ has major pro sports such as the NBA, NHL, NFL. You can sign up for a monthly or annual subscription.
How to watch NCAA basketball in the UK
NOW
Channels: Sky Sports channels
NOW gives you access to select NCAA basketball games—including March Madness—via Sky Sports channels. The service offers a one-day pass, which is great if you just want to watch a single game here and there. It also offers monthly and biannual subscription options.
Want it on the big screen? Learn about all the ways to get ExpressVPN on your TV.
Watch college basketball live streams on all your devices
ExpressVPN is compatible with all major streaming devices, from smartphones and tablets to gaming consoles and smart TVs. You can easily watch your favorite college basketball team securely, at home or on the go. You can connect up to eight devices with a single account.
2025 March Madness Schedule
March will be here before you know it, and with it, the non-stop action of the NCAA tournament. Here’s a general schedule of when the games are, in case you need to plan your vacation days ahead of time.
| Round | Dates | Venues |
| Selection Sunday | Sunday, March 16, 2025 | CBS and Paramount Plus |
| First Four | March 18 – 19, 2025 | University of Dayton |
| First Round | March 20 – 21, 2025 | Amica Mutual Pavilion Rupp Arena Climate Pledge Arena Intrust Bank Arena Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Ball Arena Fiserv Forum PNC Arena |
| Second Round | March 22 – 23, 2025 | Amica Mutual Pavilion Rupp Arena Climate Pledge Arena Intrust Bank Arena Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Ball Arena Fiserv Forum PNC Arena |
| Sweet 16 | March 27 – 28, 2025 | Prudential Center Chase Center State Farm Arena Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Elite 8 | March 29 – 30, 2025 | Prudential Center Chase Center State Farm Arena Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Final Four | April 5, 2025 | Alamodome |
| NCAA Championship Game | April 7, 2025 | Alamodome |
ExpressVPN is a VPN service not intended to be used as a means of copyright circumvention. Please read the ExpressVPN Terms of Service and your content provider’s Terms of Use for more details.
FAQ: About watching college basketball live streams
Can I use a VPN to watch NCAA basketball from another country?
Some users might watch college basketball games by connecting to a VPN server in a country other than their own, but doing so may violate copyright or the streaming service’s terms of use. ExpressVPN is a privacy and security tool, and using it to circumvent copyright is against our Terms of Service. We cannot see or control what you do while connected to our VPN, so you are responsible for ensuring that your use complies with all relevant terms and laws.
Can I use a free VPN to watch college basketball games?
You can try, but free VPNs often have limited server networks, so you might not find a server in the location you need. They typically provide slower speeds and limit your bandwidth, so you may have to deal with constant buffering or disconnects during matches. ExpressVPN has servers in 12 U.S. states, and our high-speed servers give you smooth streaming quality, even in UHD. You can try ExpressVPN risk-free with our 30-day money-back guarantee.
How can I watch the men’s NCAA basketball tournament?
The 2025 men’s NCAA basketball tournament (AKA March Madness) will air across CBS, TNT, TruTV, and TBS. DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV offer all four channels. You can use their free trials to catch some of the games.
How can I watch NCAA basketball in Europe?
You can watch some NCAA basketball games on NOW in the UK, but the coverage is typically not available in the rest of Europe. Brits traveling abroad can avoid missing games on NOW with ExpressVPN. Connect to one of our servers in the UK to watch securely from anywhere.
Does HBO Max have March Madness?
Yes, Max (previously known as HBO Max) will have March Madness games via the B/R Sports add-on. The platform will show all March Madness games airing on TBS, TNT, and TruTV.
How can I watch NCAA basketball outside the U.S.?
You can stream March Madness games via TSN in Canada, and on NOW in the UK. NOW also covers the NCAA women’s basketball final. Aside from that, NCAA basketball coverage isn’t generally available outside the U.S. Traveling abroad doesn’t have to mean missing games, though—you can watch securely on your usual platform from anywhere with ExpressVPN.
Is there a streaming service for NCAA basketball?
NCAA basketball doesn’t have a dedicated streaming service like MLB.TV or NBA League Pass. There is a March Madness app, but you need a cable or cord-cutting subscription to access its content. Your best bet for streaming NCAA is to use a cord-cutting service such as Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, or DirecTV Stream.
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