2014 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Tips Off with N.C. State vs. Xavier Delivering Highest-Rated NCAA First Four(TM) Game Ever

The NCAA First Four(TM) on truTV presented by Northwestern Mutual telecast featuring North Carolina State vs. Xavier (9-11:15 p.m. ET) registered the highest-rated NCAA First Four(TM) telecast ever - since the current format began in 2011 - averaging a 1.2 HH metered market rating, according to Nielsen. The telecast peaked with a 1.3 HH rating from 9:45-10 p.m.

Tuesday's NCAA First Four(TM) doubleheader (March 18) averaged a 0.9 HH metered market rating, up 13% compared with the first night of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship last year. The doubleheader began with Albany vs. Mount St. Mary's at 6:30 p.m.

The top metered markets for the N.C. State/Xavier telecast were Raleigh-Durham, Greenville, Cincinnati, Charlotte and Dayton.

Coverage will continue tonight, Wednesday, March 19, on truTV with a doubleheader featuring Cal Poly vs. Texas Southern and Iowa vs. Tennessee tipping off at 6:40 p.m. Kevin Harlan will call the action with analysts Len Elmore and Reggie Miller and reporter Rachel Nichols.

For the fourth consecutive year, Turner Sports and CBS Sports are providing live coverage of all 67 games from the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship across four national television networks - TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV.

For the first time this year, the Final Four on Saturday, April 5, will be televised on TBS with "teamcasts" or team-specific telecasts for each game airing on TNT and truTV. The National Championship Game on Monday, April 7, will air on CBS for the 33rd consecutive year.

Source: Nielsen Media Research, Arianna truTV data based on Live + SD metered market for 03/18/14 compared to historical Day 1 First Four dates.