Florida’s 65–63 comeback win over Houston in the NCAA men’s championship averaged 18.1 million viewers on CBS, the most-watched title game since 2019, with a peak of 21.1 million viewers in the final minutes—up 22% from 2024. The Final Four games averaged 16.4 million, the best in eight years, with Saturday’s semifinals drawing 15.5 million. Overall, the men’s tournament averaged 10.2 million viewers, a 3% increase from last year.

NEW YORK– Florida’s thrilling comeback win over Houston in Monday night’s NCAA championship was the most-watched men’s title game in six years.

The Gators’ narrow 65-63 victory drew an average of 18.1 million viewers on CBS, according to early Nielsen ratings — a 22% jump from last year’s title game, which aired across TBS, TNT, and truTV. Viewership peaked at 21.1 million during the intense final minutes of the game.

This marks the first time since 2019 that the national championship has surpassed 18 million viewers. That year, Virginia’s overtime win over Texas Tech averaged 19.63 million on CBS.

The three men’s Final Four games drew an average of 16.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched Final Four in eight years and marking a 21% increase from 2024.

Saturday’s national semifinals alone averaged 15.5 million viewers, also the highest in eight years.

Overall, the men’s tournament averaged 10.2 million viewers across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, which is a 3% rise compared to last year.

On the women’s side, Connecticut’s 82-59 win over South Carolina in the national title game drew an average of 8.6 million viewers on ABC, peaking at 9.8 million. While that’s down from last year’s record-breaking 18.9 million for the South Carolina–Iowa showdown—Caitlin Clark’s final college game—it still represents a 75% increase from the 2022 UConn–South Carolina title game, which aired on ESPN.

In addition, Friday night’s national semifinals for the women averaged 3.9 million viewers, making it the third-highest semifinal viewership since ESPN began broadcasting the tournament in 1996.