UConn’s victory over SDSU lowest-viewed NCAA men's final on record

NEW YORK (AP) — Connecticut’s victory over SanDiego State in the men’s national championship game ended up beingthe lowest-viewed final on record.

The Huskies’ 76-59 win averaged 14.69 million viewers on CBS.The previous low was 15.99 in 2018, when Villanova beat Michigan onTBS.

UConn’s 2004 victory over Georgia Tech, which averaged 17.09million, was the lowest on CBS until Monday night. CBS and TBSbegan alternating Final Fours in 2016.

Still, Monday’s game was the most-watched program on televisionthat evening and the most-watched basketball game — college or pro— since Kansas’ victory over North Carolina in last year’s nationalchampionship game.

The women’s NCAA championship game set a record Sunday when LSUbeat Iowa 102-85, with 9.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN2.

This year’s men’s tournament averaged 9.55 million, down 7% fromlast year but up 4% from 2021. The first round on March 16-17averaged 9.2 million, a record for the most-watched round of64.

The lack of national name-brand teams after upsets the firstweekend and in the regional semifinals took their toll on viewingnumbers.