How to watch all college basketball games

How to watch College Basketball without cable – Cord Cutters News

Want to watch college hoops without the expensive cost of traditional TV? You’re in luck. Even though live NCAA Division I Basketball games are televised on national networks like ESPN, FS1, NBC Sports Network, and TNT — they’re no longer confined to cable and satellite providers. Thankfully, those days are over. You can stream the above channels, along with all of your favorite Entertainment, Lifestyle, and News networks — and all you need is Wi-Fi. 

If you’re a fan of the NCAA, streaming basketball might be right for you. One of the few ways to stream college basketball is with an over-the-top (OTT) cable-alternative service. But the trick is choosing a streaming service that carries all of the channels that broadcast live college basketball games. Don’t worry, we detail what services are best for college basketball streaming below. 

NCAA basketball games are televised across a variety of channels. Some of these include major networks like ESPN, while others appear on regional sports networks (RSNs) that are specific to your market area. Others are broadcast on streaming-only channels like beIN Sports. 

The national broadcasting networks that televise NCAA games include ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, FS2, NBC Sports Network. AT&T TV NOW, Hulu + Live TV, TBS, TNT, and YouTube TV provide all of these channels within their plans. Sling TV has all of these national channels, but you’ll need to pay an extra $10 for FS2 as part of the Sports Extra bundle. fuboTV falls short when it comes to TBS and TNT. Philo doesn’t carry any sports channels, so it’s no surprise that it doesn’t televise college basketball. 

Not every RSN is the same — they depend on your local market area. NCAA games appear on ABC, CBS, and FOX local affiliate channels. So, depending on your service area, you should have complete coverage with AT&T TV NOW, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. Sling TV, according to its help page, only provides local FOX and NBC channels in select areas, like Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles. 

College basketball games stream live on beIN Sports, Eleven Sports, ESPN 3, and Stadium. fuboTV includes beIN Sports, Eleven Sports, and ESPN 3 — plus, if you want Stadium, you can pay an extra $11/mo. Sling TV includes ESPN 3 and Stadium with its Sling Orange plan, but you’ll need to add the Sports Extra bundle for beIN Sports. However, neither AT&T TV NOW, Hulu, nor Philo checks any of these boxes. 

How do you know what cable-alternative service is right for you and your needs? Before you make a decision, it’s best to see what the professionals are saying. Our Hulu + Live TV review examines the channels and features that come with its service. Although, if you prefer customization, take a look at all the add-ons and channels Sling TV offers with our full review.  Or, notice what kind of packages and channels are available with fuboTV in our top-down analysis. YouTube TV provides an impressive number of channels, including locals and RSNs — take the deep plunge into everything it offers with our YouTube TV review. 

Yes, you’ll most certainly be able to stream March Madness with an OTT cable-alternative service. March Madness games are televised on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV. The most complete coverage is available via AT&T TV NOW, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. Sling Orange with the Sports Extra add-on is a near-complete way to watch college basketball. However, you’re better off with a digital antenna to get a wider range of local channels and RSNs. Unfortunately, since fuboTV no longer has TBS and TNT, you’ll need to find another way to stream games when they appear on those channels. 

Yes, the NCAA March Madness Live app gives you direct access to every game as well as replays. The app is available to download via the App Store and Google Play. If you don’t have a TV provider, there’s a three-hour window to watch live broadcasting. But after that timeframe, you’ll need to sign in with your TV provider’s information. 

You can watch college basketball games that broadcast on local channels with an over-the-air (OTA) Live TV. Digital antennas like HDHomeRun deliver broadcasting specific to your region, such as sports coverage in 4K quality. 

Local blackouts mean that the occasional game will not appear on national broadcasting networks and instead be televised on a local channel affiliate. So, if your cable-alternative package doesn’t provide local channels, you may want to consider a digital antenna (as mentioned above). 

You can watch live NCAA Basketball games by navigating to ncaa.com. From the top menubar, click on the ellipses (…) and then select Ways to Watch. All you need to do is sign in with your TV provider’s information. 

Yes, you can watch the March Madness Tournament on Roku’s streaming devices. In fact, there’s the NCAA March Madness Live channel located in the Roku Store. And just like the NCAA March Madness Live app, you’ll get a three-hour preview window to get a taste before you need to log in with your TV provider’s information.

How to Watch College Basketball 2022–2023

We looked at dozens of TV providers to see which are best for watching college basketball and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Editor's choice

Editorial rating (3.5/5)

Spectrum

Price: $49.99/mo. for 12 mos.

Conference channels: ACCN, BTN, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network

DVR storage: Up to 35 HD hrs.

Contract: 12 mos.

Best value

Editorial rating (4.0/5)

Sling TV

Price: $40.00–$55.00/mo.

Conference channels: ACCN, BTN, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network

DVR storage: 50 hrs. included

Free trial: N/A

Best for cord-cutters

Editorial rating (4. 3/5)

Hulu + Live TV

Price: $69.99–$75.99/mo.

Tournament channels: CBS, CBS Sports Network, TBS, TNT, and truTV

DVR storage: Unlimited

Free trial: N/A

Live CBS Sports

Editorial rating (4.3/5)

Paramount+

Price: $4.99–$9.99/mo.

Features: Live access to your local CBS station in Premium plan

DVR storage: N/A

Free trial: 7 days

Cheapest

Editorial rating (4.5/5)

OTA Antenna

Price: $20.00–$60.00 (one-time payment)

Tournament channels: CBS

Features: All local broadcast channels

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By Taylor Kujawa Edited By Mikayla Rivera

Share | Nov 7, 2022

College basketball returns to the court in November for the 2022–2023 season. With a new campaign ahead, you’ll want to ensure you have the right channels to watch your favorite college teams in action.

Spectrum TV® Select with the Sports View add-on is our favorite TV plan for watching Division I basketball. Spectrum has one of the most comprehensive lineups of college basketball channels, including several college conference networks. It also carries every March Madness channel, so you won’t miss out on the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments.

If you prefer streaming on a budget, Sling TV is a great option that offers the best value at a low monthly price. You can mix and match its plans and add-ons to curate a channel lineup that makes the most sense for your viewing habits.

To help you weigh your options, we’ll outline the channels you’ll need to watch college hoops and how our top provider recommendations compare.

Jump to:

• College basketball channels
• NCAA Tournament channels
• Best TV providers for college basketball
• Watch college basketball for free

The channels you need to watch college basketball

Watching every minute of college basketball on live TV is an overwhelming feat. But we’ll break it all down for you by separating the regular NCAA basketball season from the NCAA Tournament.

College basketball channels

The channels you need to watch college basketball’s regular season depend on two things: your location and your team. Most casual fans will be happy with CBS Sports, ESPN, and FOX Sports networks. Those are the bread-and-butter sports channels that deliver many marquee college basketball matchups.

Freebie fans can also get a decent amount of NCAA basketball games on local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. But if you want the most games possible, you’ll want a TV plan—probably cable or satellite—with your preferred conference’s dedicated channel and your regional sports network (RSN).

The best way to determine what channels you’ll need is to visit the schedule on your team’s official website. Most Division I college basketball teams will list the broadcaster(s) for each game on their schedule. From there, you’ll be able to see if you need one of these conference channels or an RSN to get more coverage of your favorite team.

Conference channels:

• ACC Network
• Big Ten Network
• Pac-12 Network
• SEC Network

Regional sports networks:

• Altitude Sports
• AT&T SportsNet
• Bally Sports
• MSG Network
• NBC Sports Regional Networks
• New England Sports Network (NESN)
• ROOT SPORTS

In recent years, ESPN+ has become one of the prime locations to catch college sports—not just basketball. The streaming service currently has long-term agreements with more than 15 college conferences, including the Big 12, the Ivy League, and the Missouri Valley Conference, so you’ll get hundreds of collegiate basketball games all in one location.

If you want the most college basketball action, ESPN+ should be part of your game plan.

NCAA Tournament channels

You need only four channels to catch every moment of the men’s Big Dance:

• CBS
• TBS
• TNT
• truTV

If you’re interested in replays, you might also want CBS Sports Network (but you don’t need it). Almost every cable, satellite, and live TV streaming service carries all five of these tournament channels.

The two most important channels, though, are CBS and TBS. Both show a ton of tournament action yearly, and the two networks alternate each year as the exclusive broadcasters of the Final Four and NCAA Championship Game. TBS gets the even years while CBS has the odd ones—meaning CBS will air this season’s final rounds come April 2023.

Besides these channels, you can also catch every live tournament game plus highlights and replays with the NCAA March Madness Live app by logging in with your TV provider.

Best TV providers for college basketball

• Editor’s choice: Spectrum—TV Select plan ($49.99/mo. for 12 mos.) w/ Sports View add-on ($6.00/mo.)
• Best value: Sling TV—Sling Blue plan ($40.00/mo.)
• Cheapest: OTA antenna ($20.00–$60.00 one-time purchase)

Enter your zip code below to see which TV providers have the best sports channel lineups in your area.

Editor’s choice: Spectrum

Editorial rating (3.5/5)

Recommended plan:

TV Select ($49.99/mo. for 12 mos.) w/ Sports View ($6.00/mo.)

Tournament channels:

CBS, CBS Sports Network, TBS, TNT, and truTV

Conference channels:

ACCN, BTN, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

• Access to top conference channels
• Wide regional sports network availability
• Many channel add-on options

• Smaller channel counts
• Confusing DVR options

Among cable and satellite providers, we recommend Spectrum’s TV Select package ($49.99 a month) with the Sports View add-on ($6.00 a month). It has over 125 channels, including all five tournament channels and key RSNs. Some cable and satellite providers have similarly priced plans with more total channels—but not those valuable RSNs.

If you’re interested in the conference channels, you’ll want to double-check Spectrum’s channel lineup for your location. Some conference channels are available only in certain areas. You may also need to upgrade with Spectrum’s Entertainment View add-on ($12.00 a month) for an expanded lineup of sports and entertainment channels.

View Spectrum plans

NCAA March Madness Live app

If you already have a cable, satellite, or live TV streaming subscription, you can sign in to the NCAA March Madness Live app with your provider credentials and watch every game in the tournament. It’s a great way to catch live games and highlights while on the go.

If you don’t have a TV provider, you can still take advantage of the app’s free three-hour preview. That’s enough to watch at least one game for nothing.

Best value: Sling TV

Editorial rating (4.0/5)

Recommended plan:

Sling Blue plan ($40.00/mo.)

Tournament channels:

TBS, TNT, and truTV

Conference channels:

ACCN, BTN, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network

Data effective as of post date. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

• Inexpensive pricing
• Customizable packages
• No commitment

• Limited local channels
• Low DVR space included

Sling TV offers the best value for watching college basketball because it carries many games for a low monthly cost. Its Sling Blue plan is just $40.00 a month and comes with essential basketball channels like TBS, TNT, and truTV. Those Turner Sports networks are crucial for watching most men’s NCAA Tournament games and many marquee NBA matchups.

You may have noticed from our pros and cons list that Sling TV doesn’t have complete local channel coverage. While FOX and NBC are available to Sling TV users in select markets, you won’t find ABC or CBS in any of the service’s plans. But that’s not the end of the world for sports fans.

Most sports that air live on ABC are also accessible on ESPN3, an ESPN overflow channel available to all Sling Orange and Sling Orange + Blue subscribers. Several Sling TV deals also come with a free HD antenna to ensure you still get every local channel available in your area. That way, it’s still possible to watch this year’s National Championship game on CBS.

Our favorite Sling TV sign-up offer is the AirTV 2 + HD antenna deal. Usually, those two items cost around $150 together. But this bundle costs only $49 when you prepay for three months of Sling TV service.

The AirTV 2 device is super beneficial for watching sports because it integrates your local antenna channels with the Sling TV guide. That means you can still bounce between CBS and the Turner Sports channels, so you don’t miss a beat during March Madness.

Beyond local channels, you can get even more college basketball coverage with Sling TV’s Sports Extra add-on for as low as $11.00 a month. Its channels vary depending on your base plan, but the add-on grants access to conference channels like Big Ten Network (BTN), Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and ACC Network (ACCN).

A major benefit of including conference channels in your TV plan is that you can also stream games and extra content through conference apps. Keep scrolling to get the full play-by-play.

View Sling TV plans

We’ve broken down how you can stream some of the major college basketball conferences. Spoiler alert: you’ll need a TV provider login at the ready or a subscription to ESPN+ to access these Power Five streaming options.

Atlantic Coast Conference: ESPN owns and operates ACC Network (ACCN), which offers 150+ live men’s and women’s college basketball games per year. You can stream ACCN content through the ESPN app using a TV provider login.

Big Ten Conference: Because of the Big Ten and FOX Sports’ partnership, you can stream Big Ten Network (BTN) games using the FOX Sports app. You’ll need a TV provider login to get all the college basketball action, but FOX Sports channels and BTN are widely available in most mid-level TV plans.

Big 12 Conference: Big 12 fans might be surprised to know that you can get a lot of games through Big 12 Now on ESPN+ for $9.99 per month. ESPN+ also has a ton of live college basketball from smaller conferences like the Sun Belt Conference.

Pacific-12 Conference: To stream Pac-12 games, you’ll need to make sure Pac-12 Network is in your TV plan. You can check the network’s TV provider availability on the Pac-12 website. From there, you can download the Pac-12 Now app to watch live games, studio shows, and other programming from the Conference of Champions.

Southeastern Conference: Like the ACC, the SEC’s dedicated channel is operated by ESPN. That means you can stream SEC Network content—including live college basketball games—on the ESPN app. Of course, you’ll need a TV plan that includes SEC Network in order to log in and watch those games.

Cheapest: Over-the-air (OTA) HD TV antenna

Editorial rating (4.5/5)

Recommended antenna:

Mohu Leaf 50 ($45.99 one-time payment*)

College basketball channels:

ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC

Tournament channels:

CBS

Features:

All local broadcast channels

View on Amazon

Read Mohu Leaf review

CableTV. com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price $45.99 (as of 9/29/22 3:00 p.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.

• Low, one-time price
• Local coverage

• No out-of-market coverage
• No DVR

If you’re not ready to commit to a monthly TV plan, then an over-the-air (OTA) digital antenna is the next best thing. You’ll be able to catch every college basketball game that airs on your local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliate channels.

An antenna only gives you a small fraction of college basketball games. But it’ll come in handy during the springtime when CBS airs part of the NCAA Tournament. There are also a lot of other leagues that you’ll have access to throughout the year—including the NBA and WNBA.

We recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 antenna for $45.99 on Amazon*—not bad for a one-time purchase—because it can receive TV signals within a 60-mile range. Depending on your location, that should get you the primary local channels needed for college basketball. But you can verify that information by entering your zip code on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Reception Map Tool.

View Mohu Leaf on Amazon

NCAA Tournament on Paramount+

Another cheap way to watch some of the NCAA Tournament is to sign up for Paramount+. Its $9.99 a month Premium plan includes live CBS games, plus CBS Sports HQ coverage and replays from CBS Sports Network.

A one-time TV antenna purchase can give you those same CBS games. But the extra coverage of CBS Sports HQ and CBS Sports Network alongside Paramount+’s immense movie and TV library is enough to warrant the monthly price.

How to watch college basketball for free

An OTA digital antenna is one of the easiest ways to get free access to live college basketball games. While the antenna itself will cost money, it’s only a one-time purchase that will benefit you for many seasons to come.

Ranging from $20 to $60, an antenna will give you every local network affiliate within range. Possible channels include ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. Because CBS is home to NCAA Tournament matchups, an antenna can be very handy when it comes to watching the men’s side of March Madness.

We recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 ($45.99 on Amazon*) because of its 60-mile range and 4K capabilities.

Another way to watch college basketball without paying is to sign up for a free trial through a live TV streaming service. With careful planning and discipline, you could watch a solid amount of basketball before your trial expires. Just don’t forget to cancel on time, or that plan will ruin the free-ness.

Final take

Almost any cable, satellite, and live TV streaming provider will grant you access to some college basketball games. While tournament games will air on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, you’ll also need access to conference channels and your RSN to watch regular-season college basketball.

From a cable standpoint, Spectrum’s affordable TV Select plan and add-ons have the most college basketball channels, RSNs, and premium channels to hold you over when basketball isn’t on.

For cord-cutters, Sling TV is a great streaming option with excellent prices, lots of college basketball offerings, and sweet deals (free antenna, anyone?) for new customers.

If saving money is your goal, you’ll still be able to catch some regular season and tournament college basketball games on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC with a one-time purchase of a digital antenna.

How to watch college basketball FAQ

Methodology

Our experts spent over 40 hours researching TV providers and testing plans, apps, and other services to determine the best ways to watch college basketball this season. We compared these various viewing options by examining prices, channel lineups, and extra features.

To learn more about our methods, check out our How We Rank page.

Disclaimer

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Amazon.com price as of 9/29/22 3:00 p. m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

How to Watch College Basketball: Live Streaming 19-20 NCAA Games Online From Anywhere

Over the next few months, the best college basketball teams from around the country will be battling it out on the courts of the United States.

Luckily, you've been in the right place to learn how to live live college basketball — right through to the March Madness and the national championship — from the comfort of your own living room or wherever.

Last season, the Virginia Cavaliers, led by De'Andre Hunter, became national champions after beating Texas Tech 85-77 in an overtime win. Will the Cavaliers be able to win championships?

According to pre-season polls, the Michigan State Spartans start this year to win's National Championship, followed by the Kentucky Wildcats, Duke Blue Devils and Memphis Tigers. Although a lot can happen during the season, and in the spring comes the March madness!

Whether you're rooting for your favorite school or any of the teams in the 32 NCAA conferences this season, Ditching shows you how to stream every college basketball game this season so you don't miss a minute of the action.

• And don't miss NCAA football - our live stream

How to live stream basketball outside the US

If you live in a country where there is no official broadcast, you can watch college basketball or play games.'play locally due to regional restrictions, then you'll be best to use VPN service dial a number in the US where there is coverage.

A VPN makes this easy as it allows you to change your IP address so that you are in a completely different place. Most VPNs are also pretty easy to use. We’ve reviewed hundreds of VPNs and can recommend ExpressVPN as the best VPN currently available:

Express VPN comes with a 30-day money back guarantee and is now the best rated VPN in the world. You can watch on many devices at the same time, including Smart TV, Fire TV Stick, PC, Mac, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, tablets, etc.

Check out Express VPN and get three months free on an annual plan. In addition to helping you set up a b-ball, VPNs are opening up a world of blocked websites, international Netflix directories, and much safer surfing.

If you're planning to watch the 2019-20 college basketball season on TV, then you'll need a cable package or streaming service that gives you access to ESPN, CBS, CBS Sports Network, TBS, TNT, TruTV, and FS1. Regional sports networks such as Fox Sports Networks and Stadium also broadcast NCAA games, but their coverage is usually limited to regional games.

However, if you know which conference your favorite team belongs to, you can make sure your cable package has a network that will show their games. For example, CBS will show games from AAC, ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC, while CBS Sports Network will show games from A10, Big East, Mac, Mountain West, NEC and Patriot. Conference League. However, ESPN networks (including ESPN and ESPNU) have the rights to broadcast games from just about every conference, so you'll want to make sure the cable TV or streaming service package you choose has ESPN.

In addition, some conferences have their own networks, such as the ACC conference with the ACC network, the Big Ten conference with the Big Ten network, and the Pac-12 network with the Pac-12 network, for example. While it can be confusing, if you have access to ESPN, CBS, CBS Sports Network, TBS, TNT, TruTV, and FS1, you'll be able to watch most of the college basketball games that will be played this season.

How to Stream College Basketball Online Without Cable

Unlike how the NFL has Game Pass or MLB has MLB. TV, unfortunately there is no equivalent for watching college basketball online. don’t worry as we’re here to help.

If you want to watch every college basketball game online this season, you’ll need a streaming service that will provide you with all of the channels listed above. However, at this time, no streaming service does anything other than make it easier for you'We've compiled a list of our favorite streaming services and the networks they give you access to..

• ESPN+ $4.99 per month - ESPN+ will broadcast select college basketball games (and a host of other sports!) throughout the season.
• AT&T TV Now from $50/month - AT&T's streaming service includes local channels, regional sports networks, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox Sports 1 and SEC Network.
• fuboTV $54.99 per month - fuboTV gives you access to local channels, regional sports networks, the Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports 1 and the Pac-12 network, but does not include ESPN.
• Hulu + Live TV $44.99 per month - Hulu + Live TV gives you access to local channels, regional sports networks, Big Ten, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and SEC Network.
• Sling TV $25/month - Sling TV provides access to regional sports networks, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox Sports 1, SEC Network, and the ACC Network with the optional addition of a sports package. However, the service does not include local channels. While you can choose the Sling Orange or Sling Blue package, the Orange & Blue combo package is your best bet for watching basketball this season.0014
• YouTube TV $49.99 per month - YouTube TV includes local channels, regional sports networks, ACC Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox Sports 1 and SEC Network..

Stream Basketball Worldwide with ESPN Player

If You Hope’ If you live in the US, you might be puzzled by how extremely popular college sports are in the country. However, remember that today’s college athletes will be tomorrow’s NBA stars and many fans love to follow the player’s journey from the very beginning.

So if you're a big sports fan living outside the US who wants to know what it's all about, or even a foreign American who wants to catch this year's college basketball season, then you need to know about ESPN Player .

Just like ESPN + allows US viewers to stream various sports online, ESPN Player does the same for sports fans in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia. The service itself costs £9.99/€11.99 per month or £69.99/€79.99 per year.’ subscription that also gives you access to additional content from ESPN.

While the basic service will let you watch many of this year's college basketball games, there's also an add-on called the NCAA College Pass that gives you access to over 2,000 top college sports events from the US for £8.99/€9 .99 per day. £17.99 / €19.99 monthly and £99. 99 / €109.99 annually.

Watch NCAA College Basketball Canada

if you’re a Canadian who wants to follow college basketball in the US this season, then TSN you have covered since the network is the home of NCAA basketball in Canada.

Unfortunately ESPN Player doesn’t exist in Canada, but you can also use VPN to access one of the streaming services we’ve listed above.