NCAA Basketball Livestream: How to Watch College Basketball Games Online Without Cable
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Quick Answer: The best way to stream NCAA basketball games online is DirecTV Stream. Get a free trial here.
This year’s D1 college basketball season is just around the corner with March Madness kicking off March 19, but there are still some great regular season games to enjoy before then.
But, if you’re looking to follow the 2024 season of Division 1 college basketball, you may need to dial in your streaming setup. Below is a quick guide on how to watch NCAA basketball online without cable, including an easy way to stream a few games for free.
How to Watch NCAA Basketball Online Without Cable
College basketball broadcasts are spread out across many channels including ESPN, CBS Sports, TNT, and FOX Sports, as well as regional sports networks (RSNs) and conference-specific channels. Luckily, there are a few live TV streaming services that get you almost all of these channels. And even if they don’t carry a specific channel, you can typically use your account credentials to access NCAA streams through a channel’s or conference’s companion app.
Editor’s Pick: DirecTV Stream
Also Great: Sling
Most Affordable: ESPN+
1. Stream NCAA Basketball on DirecTV Stream
With ESPN, TNT, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, and RSNs (in most areas) in its channel lineup, DirecTV Stream is our favorite way to watch college basketball online without cable. Plus, using the credentials from your DirecTV Stream account, you can log in to conference websites to watch even more NCAA livestreams.
DirecTV Stream packages start at $79.99 a month and all come with a five-day free trial to start. However, you’ll want the Choice package ($108.99/month) to get RSNs, and also consider the DirecTV Sports Pack ($14.99/month) for CBS Sports Network and other sports channels.
2. Stream NCAA Basketball on Sling
Another great live TV streaming service is Sling, whose Orange + Blue package carries ESPN, TNT, FOX Sports, and RSNs (in select areas). Best of all, this Orange + Blue package starts at just $55 a month, but Sling is running a deal right now that slashes $25 off your first bill. You can also get certain conference channels with the Sling Sports Extra add-on ($11 a month).
3. Stream NCAA Basketball on ESPN+
If you don’t want to shell out for a live TV streaming service, you can grab a subscription to ESPN+. The sports streamer, which costs just $10.99 a month, will be showing more than 3,200 men’s college basketball games, including many D1 games between top teams.
How to Stream NCAA Basketball for Free
Want to stream NCAA basketball games for free? Be sure to take advantage of the free trial for DirecTV Stream. This will let you watch college basketball games for free for five days, as long as you remember to cancel your subscription before the trial is up. Sign up for that free trial here.
2024 NCAA Basketball Schedule
The 2023-24 NCAA D1 basketball season kicked off on Monday, Nov. 6, and runs through March 17, 2024. The 2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament — better known as March Madness — will start two days later on March 19.
Men’s College Basketball Rankings (February 2024)
Perdue and UConn have been dominant this season, both going 22-2, as of this writing. Houston, Marquette, Arizona, Kansas, UNC, Tennessee, Duke, and Iowa State round out the top 10.