Monday\u2019s national championship game capped a 2025-26 men\u2019s college basketball season that saw a surge in TV ratings. On3 is breaking down the most-watched games of the year.<\/p>\n
The title game between Michigan<\/a> and UConn<\/a> averaged 18.3 million viewers<\/a> across TBS, TNT and truTV. As a whole, the 2026 NCAA Tournament drew 10.9 million viewers on average, marking a 7% increase from last year and the second most-watched March Madness since 1994. It followed up a regular season which also saw ratings rise<\/a> across all major networks.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n On3 tracked TV ratings data throughout the 2025-26 men\u2019s college basketball season. Here are the most-watched games of the year, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel figures.<\/p>\n National championship: Michigan vs. UConn<\/p>\n Date\/Time: April 6, 8:50 p.m. ET Michigan\u2018s<\/a> victory over UConn<\/a>, which secured the Wolverines\u2019 first national title since 1989, averaged 18.3 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV. That includes a peak audience of 20.4 million as it became the most-watched national championship since 2019 and the top game of the 2025-26 college basketball season.<\/p>\n Final 4: Michigan vs. Arizona<\/p>\n Date\/Time: April 4, 9:08 p.m. ET Michigan\u2018s<\/a> dominant victory over Arizona<\/a> averaged 14.293 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV, making it the second most-watched game of the year. That includes 811,000 people watching the \u201cFab Five\u201d alt-cast on truTV.<\/p>\n Final 4: UConn vs. Illinois<\/p>\n Date\/Time: April 4, 6:09 p.m. ET Although Final Four viewership was down compared to last year, UConn\u2019s<\/a> win over Illinois<\/a> was still the third most-watched men\u2019s college basketball game of the year. An average of 14.16 million viewers tuned in across TBS, TNT and truTV as the Huskies fought off a late surge from the Fighting Illini to punch their ticket to the national championship once again.<\/p>\n Elite 8: UConn vs. Duke<\/p>\n Date\/Time: March 29, 5:05 p.m. ET An average of 13.4 million viewers tuned to CBS as\u00a0UConn<\/a>\u00a0rallied from 19 points down to defeat Duke<\/a>\u00a0in the Elite 8 That includes a peak of 18.9 million viewers as\u00a0Alex Karaban<\/a>\u00a0found\u00a0Braylon Mullins<\/a>\u00a0for the game-winning shot with 0.4 second left.<\/p>\n Round of 32: St. John\u2019s vs. Kansas<\/p>\n Date\/Time: March 22, 5:15 p.m. ET St. John\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0victory over\u00a0Kansas<\/a>\u00a0led the TV ratings charge as it became the most-watched game through the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. An average of 10.58 million viewers tuned to CBS as the Red Storm took down the Jayhawks on a buzzer-beating shot by\u00a0Dylan Darling<\/a>\u00a0in the Round of 32.<\/p>\n Elite 8: Purdue vs. Arizona<\/p>\n Date\/Time: March 28, 8:49 p.m. ET Through the first half against Arizona<\/a>,\u00a0Purdue<\/a>\u00a0had an upset on its mind as the Boilermakers took a halftime lead. But the Wildcats flipped the script out of the break, outscoring Purdue 48-26 in the second half to clinch a spot in the Final Four for the first time in 25 years.<\/p>\n Round of 32: Kentucky vs. Iowa State<\/p>\n Date\/Time: March 22, 2:40 p.m. ET Early in the Round of 32 matchup against\u00a0Iowa State<\/a>,\u00a0Kentucky<\/a> made things interesting with an early lead. But the 2-seeded Cyclones hit the gas and didn\u2019t look back as they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, and more than 9.79 million viewers tuned in for the game.<\/p>\n Round of 32: TCU vs. Duke<\/p>\n Date\/Time: March 21, 5:15 p.m. ET After surviving\u00a0Siena<\/a>\u00a0in the first round,\u00a0Duke<\/a>\u00a0again faced an upset scare in the second round against\u00a0TCU<\/a>. But\u00a0Cameron Boozer<\/a>\u00a0and the Blue Devils prevailed to keep their season alive. An average of 9.55 million viewers tuned in for the thrilling round of 32 matchup.<\/p>\n Sweet 16: St. John\u2019s vs. Duke<\/p>\n Date\/Time: March 27, 7:10 p.m. ET Caleb Foster\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0return came at the perfect time for\u00a0Duke<\/a>\u00a0in the Sweet 16 matchup against\u00a0St. John\u2019s<\/a>. Foster and\u00a0Patrick Ngongba<\/a>\u00a0made key plays down the stretch to help the Blue Devils take down the Red Storm and advance to the Elite 8.<\/p>\n Round of 32: Louisville vs. Michigan State<\/p>\n Date\/Time: March 21, 2:40 p.m. ET As\u00a0Michigan State<\/a>\u00a0secured a second straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in a decade,\u00a0Louisville<\/a>\u00a0kept things fairly close. The Spartans\u2019 77-69 win averaged 8.47 million viewers on CBS in the afternoon window on Saturday and rounded out the Top 10 most-watched men\u2019s college basketball games of the year.<\/p>\n More most-watched men\u2019s basketball games<\/p>\n Sweet 16: Texas<\/a> vs. Purdue<\/a> (March 26, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 8.35 million
Channel: TBS + TNT + truTV
Viewers: 18.3 million<\/p>\n
Channel: TBS + TNT + truTV
Viewers: 14.29 million<\/p>\n
Channel: TBS + TNT + truTV
Viewers: 14.16 million<\/p>\n
Channel: CBS
Viewers: 13.43 million<\/p>\n
Channel: CBS
Viewers: 10.58 million<\/p>\n
Channel: TBS + truTV
Viewers: 10.14 million<\/p>\n
Channel: CBS
Viewers: 9.79 million<\/p>\n
Channel: CBS
Viewers: 9.55 million<\/p>\n
Channel: CBS
Viewers: 9.37 million<\/p>\n
Channel: CBS
Viewers: 8.47 million<\/p>\n
Elite 8: Iowa<\/a> vs. Illinois<\/a> (March 28, 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS + truTV) \u2013 8.24 million
Elite 8: Tennessee<\/a> vs. Michigan<\/a> (March 29, 2:15 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 7.49 million
Sweet 16: Michigan State<\/a> vs. UConn<\/a> (March 27, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 7.34 million
Round of 32: Miami (FL)<\/a> vs. Purdue<\/a> (March 22, Noon ET, CBS) \u2013 6.83 million
Duke<\/a> vs. Arkansas<\/a> (Nov. 27, 8:15 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 6.81 million
Michigan State<\/a> vs. North Carolina<\/a>\u00a0(Nov. 27, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX) \u2013 6.499 million
Round of 32: Saint Louis<\/a> vs. Michigan<\/a> (March 21, Noon ET, CBS) \u2013 6.25 million
Round of 32: VCU<\/a> vs. Illinois<\/a> (March 21, 8 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 5.65 million
Sweet 16: Arkansas<\/a> vs. Arizona<\/a> (March 26, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 5.53 million
Round of 64: Siena<\/a> vs. Duke<\/a> (March 19, 2:50 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 5.43 million
Round of 32: Iowa<\/a> vs. Florida<\/a> (March 22, 7 p.m. ET, TBS) \u2013 5.14 million
Round of 64: Santa Clara<\/a> vs. Kentucky<\/a> (March 20, Noon ET, CBS) \u2013 4.999 million
Sweet 16: Alabama<\/a> vs. Michigan<\/a> (March 27, 7:35 p.m. ET, TBS + truTV) \u2013 4.83 million
Big Ten Championship: Purdue<\/a> vs. Michigan<\/a> (March 15, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS) \u2013 4.72 million<\/p>\n