It seems there’s one thing uniting college basketball coaches this March: late start times. The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament feature a fair share of very late tip-offs, with the latest games not beginning until after 10 p.m. ET, often ending well past midnight on the East Coast. This is the reality of a 68-team tournament; in order to air all the games and give fans a chance to catch the endings, start times must be staggered into the late hours.
Naturally, coaches aren’t fans of these late tip-offs as they result in less recovery time and less than ideal travel schedules. This weekend, two prominent coaches expressed their frustration regarding the late games. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo seemed visibly dismayed when he learned that his Spartans were scheduled to play at 8:40 p.m. ET on Sunday night after their first round win over Bryant.
Tom Izzo had a relatable reaction to the start time for Michigan State’s second round game https://t.co/OSrg8XVUey
(via @MarchMadnessMBB) pic.twitter.com/6IlOH6iAtZ
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 22, 2025
During Izzo’s postgame press conference, the moderator mentioned the Spartans’ next game time, catching the head coach off guard. His eye roll upon hearing the tip time was one for the books. “What time was that game?” he asked the moderator, who replied, “8:40, breaking news.” Izzo responded, “At least it’s an hour earlier,” referencing the late start they had on Friday.
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin was similarly frustrated after his team’s loss to Tennessee in the second round on Saturday. Meeting with the press well after midnight, he was terse. When prompted by the moderator for a statement, Cronin simply replied, “I don’t really have one. It’s 12:30.” When asked about looking forward rather than backward, he said, “Right now, guys, it’s 12:40 a.m. and our season just ended. That’s it. You’re going to ask me about next year. Right now my biggest concern is how bad the seats are on the Allegiant flight, on that terrible plane that we’re going on to fly home tomorrow.”
Cronin’s reaction is understandable. When your season concludes and you find yourself in front of the press approaching 1 a.m., it’s hard to muster much enthusiasm. However, he has had plenty to say throughout the season.
Unfortunately, late games are simply part of the postseason landscape in college basketball. If teams want to take advantage of the over $1 billion per year financial windfall that the tournament generates, late-night games are a requirement. Nevertheless, that won’t stop coaches from voicing their complaints.
