CBS led all networks on Thursday night with its coverage of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, drawing an overall 2.0 rating/7 share with adults 18-49 in primetime, according to Nielsen overnight numbers.
CBS/Turner posted a 6.6 household overnight rating for Thursday’s all-day coverage, a record for the tournament’s opening day.
ABC came in second with a 1.9/6. Grey’s Anatomy was steady with a 2.1 and Scandal fell 11% to a season-low 2.4. At 10 p.m., American Crime slipped another two tenths to a 1.2.
Fox was in third – but first among total viewers – as American Idol remained even with last week with a 1.8 rating.
NBC’s The Blacklist and The Slap each rose a tenth to a 1.8 and 0.7, respectively. Earlier, Dateline, which focused on suspected killer Robert Durst, rose 33% from last week to a 1.2. NBC came in fourth with a 1.2/4.
The CW rounded out the evening with a 0.5/2. Vampire Diaries rose a tenth to a 0.7, while Reign was steady at a 0.4.
