The 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket is set, and the tip times and television schedule have been revealed for the First Four and first-round action. The First Four will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the first-round games will follow on Thursday and Sunday.
All games will be shown across networks from CBS Sports and TNT Sports: CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV. Games that are shown on CBS will also be available on the Paramount+ streaming service, while games that are shown on TNT, TBS, and truTV will also be available via HBO Max.
Here’s a look at the March Madness schedule with the tip times, TV networks, and broadcasting crews for the first round of the men’s NCAA Tournament. All times are Eastern (ET):
Tuesday, March 17 (First Four)
(16) UMBC vs. (16) Howard | 6:40 p.m. | truTV; Jordan Kent, Jim Spanarkel, Jenny Dell
(11) Texas vs. (11) NC State | 9:15 p.m. | truTV; Brian Anderson, Charles Barkley, Dick Vitale, Jenny Dell
Wednesday, March 18 (First Four)
(16) Prairie View A&M vs. (16) Lehigh | 6:40 p.m. | truTV; Jordan Kent, Jim Spanarkel, Jenny Dell
(11) Miami (Ohio) vs. (11) SMU | 9:15 p.m. | truTV; Jordan Kent, Jim Spanarkel, Jenny Dell
Thursday, March 19 (First Round/Round of 64)
(8) Ohio State vs. (9) TCU | 12:15 p.m. | CBS; Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson
(4) Nebraska vs. (13) Troy | 12:40 p.m. | truTV; Brandon Gaudin, Chris Webber, Andy Katz
(6) Louisville vs. (11) South Florida | 1:30 p.m. | TNT; Jason Benetti, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) High Point | 1:50 p.m. | TBS; Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg
(1) Duke vs. (16) Siena | 2:50 p.m. | CBS; Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson
(5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) McNeese | 3:15 p.m. | truTV; Brandon Gaudin, Chris Webber, Andy Katz
(3) Michigan State vs. (14) North Dakota State | 4:05 p.m. | TNT; Jason Benetti, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce
(4) Arkansas vs. (13) Hawai’i | 4:25 p.m. | TBS; Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg
(6) North Carolina vs. (11) VCU | 6:50 p.m. | TNT; Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson
(1) Michigan vs. UMBC/Howard | 7:10 p.m. | CBS; Jason Benetti, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce
(6) BYU vs. Texas/NC State | 7:25 p.m. | TBS; Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg
(7) Saint Mary’s vs. (10) Texas A&M | 7:35 p.m. | truTV; Brandon Gaudin, Chris Webber, Andy Katz
(3) Illinois vs. (14) Penn | 9:25 p.m. | TNT; Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson
(8) Georgia vs. (9) Saint Louis | 9:45 p.m. | CBS; Jason Benetti, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce
(3) Gonzaga vs. (14) Kennesaw State | 10 p.m. | TNT; Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg
(2) Houston vs. (15) Idaho | 10:10 p.m. | truTV; Brandon Gaudin, Chris Webber, Andy Katz
Friday, March 20 (First Round/Round of 64)
(7) Kentucky vs. (10) Santa Clara | 12:15 p.m. | CBS; Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
(5) Texas Tech vs. (12) Akron | 12:40 p.m. | truTV; Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross
(1) Arizona vs. (16) Long Island University | 1:35 p.m. | TNT; Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi
(3) Virginia vs. (14) Wright State | 1:50 p.m. | TBS; Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn
(2) Iowa State vs. (15) Tennessee State | 2:50 p.m. | CBS; Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
(4) Alabama vs. (13) Hofstra | 3:15 p.m. | truTV; Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross
(8) Villanova vs. (9) Utah State | 4:10 p.m. | TNT; Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi
(6) Tennessee vs. Miami (OH)/SMU | 4:25 p.m. | TBS; Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn
(8) Clemson vs. (9) Iowa | 6:50 p.m. | TNT; Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross
(5) St. John’s vs. (12) UNI | 7:10 p.m. | CBS; Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi
(7) UCLA vs. (10) UCF | 7:25 p.m. | TBS; Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn
(2) Purdue vs. (15) Queens | 7:35 p.m. | truTV; Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
(1) Florida vs. Prairie View/Lehigh | 9:25 p.m. | TNT; Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross
(4) Kansas vs. (13) Cal Baptist | 9:45 p.m. | CBS; Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi
(2) UConn vs. (15) Furman | 10 p.m. | TBS; Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn
(7) Miami (Fla.) vs. (10) Missouri | 10:10 p.m. | truTV; Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.