Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. has been a top player in the NCAA tournament. The senior guard scored 34 points to lead the Gators past Auburn on Saturday and into the tonight’s championship game. Houston staged a furious comeback in the final minutes against Duke in their Final Four game to reach the title game. Houston has never won a March Madness title, and Florida hasn’t cut down the nets in nearly 20 years, since it won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.
The men’s NCAA basketball championship game between Florida and Houston is scheduled to tip-off tonight at 8:50 p.m. ET (5:50 p.m. PT) on CBS. Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream the game.
Walter Clayton Jr. (1) and the Florida Gators will face the Houston Cougars for the men’s NCAA basketball championship game.
How to watch the March Madness championship without cable
Tonight’s title game will be shown on CBS, which you can get with a cable subscription or a live TV streaming service. The most affordable option is signing up for a month of Paramount Plus with Showtime. With the $13-a-month Paramount Plus with Showtime plan, you’ll be able to watch the final game of the tournament.
What devices can I use to watch Florida vs. Houston?
You’ll find an app for Paramount Plus on an iPhone or Android phone as well as an iPad, Android tablet or Amazon Fire tablet. It’s also available on mainstream streaming platforms, including Roku, Apple TV, Android TV/Google TV and Fire TV, and smart televisions from major manufacturers LG, Samsung and Vizio. Paramount Plus is also accessible through Xbox and PlayStation game consoles.
Read more: March Madness TV Deals
For more specifics, check out the full list of supported devices for Paramount Plus.
L.J. Cryer (4) scored 26 points to lead Houston past Duke in the Final Four on Saturday night.
How to watch Florida vs. Houston for free
Go to the NCAA’s March Madness Live site or use its March Madness Live app and you’ll be able to watch games free. You can watch March Madness Live on iOS and Android devices along with Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox. The app also supports AirPlay and Chromecast. As with most things that are free, there’s a catch. Without proving you’re a pay TV subscriber, you get only a three-hour preview, after which you’ll need to log in to continue watching.
You can also use an indoor antenna hooked up to your TV to watch the men’s final on CBS. Quality antennas cost as little as $20. See our comparison of indoor antennas here.
The easiest way to watch the national championship, however, is to sign up for YouTube TV’s 21-day free trial. You’ll just need to remember to cancel it in three weeks.
How to watch the NCAA Men’s final with a live TV streaming service
You can also use a live TV streaming service to watch Florida and Houston in the final. Four of the five live TV streaming services offer CBS, but remember that not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to ensure it carries CBS in your area.
YouTube TV is $83 a month and includes CBS. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see if CBS is available in your area. Right now, the first two months are discounted to $60 a month, and there is a free, 21-day trial.
Read our YouTube TV review.
Hulu with Live TV costs $83 a month and includes CBS. On its live news page, you can enter your ZIP code under the “Can I watch local news in my area?” question at the bottom of the page to see which local channels you get.
Read our Hulu with Live TV review.
Fubo’s Pro plan costs $85 a month and includes CBS. Fubo is currently offering the first month for $65. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our Fubo review.
The live TV streaming services above allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide and our recommendations for the best sports streaming services.
How to watch Florida vs. Houston with a VPN
If no convenient opportunities exist to watch the game where you live, then a VPN with a US-based server should provide access to the tournament. With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, are very easy to use.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
ExpressVPN is our best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN that works on a variety of devices. It costs $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you’ll get three months free and save 49%. That translates to $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Who won the men’s March Madness last year?
The UConn Huskies defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 to repeat as college basketball champions. It was the first time a school had won back-to-back March Madness titles since the Florida Gators in 2007.
