First & Jenn

The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is exploding with the First Round (Round of 64) today! All 16 games are live across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, with full streaming on March Madness Live. This is the day brackets get wrecked — upsets, Cinderellas, and high-stakes action from Greenville, SC; Buffalo, NY; Oklahoma City, OK; and Portland, OR.

Tonight’s March Madness Schedule: All 16 First-Round Games, Exact Times, TV Channels & Locations

All times Eastern (ET). All games are on the March Madness Live app.

1. 12:15 p.m. ET: (8) Ohio State vs. (9) TCU
   • East Region
   • Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
   • TV/Stream: CBS, Paramount+ and Fubo
2. 12:40 p.m. ET: (4) Nebraska vs. (13) Troy
   • South Region
   • Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
   • TV/Stream: truTV and Sling TV
3. 1:30 p.m. ET: (6) Louisville vs. (11) South Florida
   • East Region
   • Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
   • TV/Stream: TNT and Hulu + Live TV
4. 1:50 p.m. ET: (5) Wisconsin vs. (12) High Point
   • West Region
   • Location: Moda Center, Portland, OR
   • TV/Stream: TBS and YouTube TV
5. 2:50 p.m. ET: (1) Duke vs. (16) Siena
   • East Region
   • Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
   • TV/Stream: CBS
6. 3:15 p.m. ET: (5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) McNeese
   • South Region
   • Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
   • TV/Stream: truTV
7. 4:05 p.m. ET: (3) Michigan State vs. (14) North Dakota State
   • East Region
   • Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
   • TV/Stream: TNT
8. 4:25 p.m. ET: (4) Arkansas vs. (13) Hawai’i
   • West Region
   • Location: Moda Center, Portland, OR
   • TV/Stream: TBS
9. 6:50 p.m. ET: (6) North Carolina vs. (11) VCU
   • East Region
   • Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
   • TV/Stream: TNT
10. 7:10 p.m. ET: (1) Michigan vs. (16) Howard
    • Midwest Region
    • Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
    • TV/Stream: CBS
11. 7:25 p.m. ET: (6) BYU vs. (11) Texas
    • West Region
    • Location: Moda Center, Portland, OR
    • TV/Stream: TBS
12. 7:35 p.m. ET: (7) Saint Mary’s vs. (10) Texas A&M
    • South Region
    • Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
    • TV/Stream: truTV
13. 9:25 p.m. ET: (3) Illinois vs. (14) Penn
    • Midwest Region
    • Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
    • TV/Stream: TNT
14. 9:45 p.m. ET: (8) Georgia vs. (9) Saint Louis
    • East Region
    • Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
    • TV/Stream: CBS
15. 10:00 p.m. ET: (3) Gonzaga vs. (14) Kennesaw State
    • West Region
    • Location: Moda Center, Portland, OR
    • TV/Stream: TBS
16. 10:10 p.m. ET: (2) Houston vs. (15) Idaho
    • South Region
    • Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
    • TV/Stream: truTV

How to Watch March Madness Tonight (Free Streams, Cable & Apps)

• TV Channels: CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV (check your cable/satellite guide — most packages include them)
• Streaming (No Cable Needed):
  • March Madness Live app/website (official free hub—sign in for full access)
  • Paramount+ (CBS games + truTV add-ons)
  • Sling TV (Orange/Blue plans cover all—cheap trial)
  • YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream (full network access)

Pro tip: Download the NCAA March Madness app now for multi-game viewing, live scores, bracket tracking, and alerts—perfect for cord-cutters chasing every upset!

Key Matchups & Storylines to Watch Tonight

Duke vs. Siena (2:50 p.m.) — Overall #1 seed Duke opens vs. 16-seed Siena—title favorites with Cooper Flagg hype, but 16-seeds have history of shocks.

Wisconsin vs. High Point (1:50 p.m.) — Classic 5-12 upset goldmine (12-seeds win ~36% historically)—High Point as mid-major Cinderella.

Louisville vs. South Florida (1:30 p.m.) — 6-11 prime chaos (39% upset rate)—South Florida could bust brackets early.

North Carolina vs. VCU (6:50 p.m.) — VCU’s March magic vs. UNC—another 6-11 threat.

Michigan vs. Howard (7:10 p.m.) — #1 Michigan faces First Four survivor—drama if Howard makes history.

Notably, tonight’s games are expected to deliver plenty of upsets and memorable storylines—target those 11/12 seeds for your pool!

What Tonight’s Games Mean for Your Bracket

First round is bracket destruction central — ~8-10 upsets average per tournament. Nail 11/12-seed picks (South Florida, High Point, VCU) for winning edges. Winners advance to Round of 32 (Sat/Sun)—update live via app (no changes post-tipoff).

Full Tournament Schedule: What’s Next After Tonight

• Tomorrow (Friday, March 20): Remaining 16 first-round games — more chaos!
• Saturday/Sunday (March 21-22): Second round (Round of 32).
• Sweet 16: March 26-27.
• Final Four: April 4 & 6 in Indianapolis.

Bookmark this page for daily March Madness 2026 updates — we’ll recap today’s results and preview Friday tomorrow. Who’s your biggest upset pick tonight? Share in the comments or on X!