March Madness Kicks Off With First Four Play-In Games The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament officially begins with the First Four, a series of play-in games that determine the final teams in the 64-team bracket. These matchups, held on Tuesday and Wednesday, feature teams from smaller conferences and at-large selections competing for the last spots in the tournament field. The First Four serves as the opening stage of March Madness, setting the tone for the entire tournament. The First Four has been a staple of the NCAA Tournament since its introduction in 2011, when the tournament expanded from 65 to 68 teams. The format includes four games, with the winners advancing to the official 64-team bracket. This year’s 2026 tournament will see the No. 16 seeds facing off in two matchups: UMBC vs. Howard and Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh. Meanwhile, the No. 11 seeds will compete in Texas vs. NC State and Miami (Ohio) vs. SMU. The First Four is consistently held at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio, a venue that has hosted the play-in games since the format’s inception. The city’s central location and the arena’s capacity make it an ideal choice for the event, which is under contract through 2026. The games will take place on March 17 and 18, with both matches broadcast on truTV. After the First Four, the winners will advance to the first round of the tournament, which begins on March 19. From there, the bracket progresses through the First Round, Second Round, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and the national championship game, typically held in early April. While the First Four is technically a play-in round, it has historically produced memorable moments.#march_madness #tru_tv #first_four #university_of_dayton_arena #ncaa_division_i_men_s_basketball_tournament
March Madness Play-In Games Kick Off on March 17 The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament officially begins with the play-in games, also known as the First Four, starting on Tuesday, March 17, in Dayton, Ohio. These matchups will determine the final four spots in the 64-team bracket. The men’s tournament kicks off with the First Four games on March 17 and 18, followed by the first round on March 19 and 20. The women’s tournament will start its First Four games on March 18, with the first round beginning March 20. The play-in games feature four matchups, with the first two games scheduled for Tuesday, March 17. At 9:15 p.m. ET, No. 11 Texas will face No. 11 NC State, while No. 16 UMBC will take on No. 16 Howard at 6:40 p.m. ET. On Wednesday, March 18, the remaining First Four games will take place, with No. 11 Miami (OH) vs. No. 11 SMU at 9:15 p.m. ET and No. 16 Prairie Views vs. No. 16 Lehigh at 6:40 p.m. ET. The first game of the men’s tournament will be the 6:40 p.m. ET matchup between No. 16 UMBC and No. 16 Howard on Tuesday, March 17. All First Four games will be broadcast on truTV, with live streaming options available through the March Madness Live app and SlingTV. The games will be held at the University of Dayton’s UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. For the women’s tournament, the first game of the First Four is set for March 18, with the first round beginning March 20. Bracket submission deadlines for both the men’s and women’s tournaments are approaching. For the men’s tournament, brackets must be submitted by Thursday, March 19, with deadlines set for NCAA (noon), ESPN (12:15 p.m.), Yahoo! (12:15 p.m.), CBS (noon), and USA TODAY (noon). The women’s tournament brackets are due by Friday, March 20, with NCAA (noon), ESPN (11:30 a.m.), Yahoo! (11:10 a.m.), CBS (11:30 a.m.), and USA TODAY (11:15 a.m.) as submission times.#ncaa #march_madness #umbc #dayton_ohio #tru_tv
NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament First Four Schedule and Results Dayton hosted the First Four games on March 17 and 18, 2026, as part of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The opening day featured two tightly contested matchups, with No. 16 seed Howard defeating No. 16 seed UMBC 86-83 and No. 11 seed Texas narrowly edging No. 11 seed NC State 68-66. These results set the stage for the second day of action, which included additional games to determine which teams would advance to the 64-team bracket. The First Four, introduced in 2011 when the tournament expanded from 65 to 68 teams, serves as a qualifier for the lowest-ranked teams. It features four games: two on the first day and two on the second, with the winners advancing to the main tournament. The 2026 edition saw No. 16 seeds Prairie View A&M and Lehigh face off, while No. 11 seeds Miami (Ohio) and SMU competed for a spot in the next round. The tournament’s structure ensures that the four lowest-ranked teams—typically No. 16 seeds and at-large inclusions—compete in a mini-tournament to secure a place in the 64-team bracket. The games are held at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, a venue that has hosted the First Four since 2011, except for 2021, when the event was moved to Indiana due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The First Four games on March 17 included Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh and Miami (Ohio) vs. SMU. The winners of these matchups would join the previously victorious teams from the first day, completing the selection process for the main tournament. The event concluded on March 18, with the final results determining which teams would advance to the next round. The tournament’s scheduling and format highlight the competitive nature of college basketball, as teams with lower seeds face off in a bid to secure a spot in the larger tournament.#ncaa_men_s_basketball_tournament #dayton #tru_tv #ud_arena #sling_tv
2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule and Coverage Details The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will begin with the First Four games on truTV, starting Tuesday, March 17, and continuing on Wednesday, March 18, at 6 PM ET. First Round games will follow on Thursday, March 19, and Friday, March 20, at Noon ET. All games will be broadcast live across four national networks—TBS, CBS, TNT, and truTV—and streamed on NCAA March Madness Live. CBS games will also be available on Paramount+, while TBS, TNT, and truTV games will stream on HBO Max. The tournament’s 68-team field is finalized, with 31 automatic bids and 37 at-large selections. Each team aims to advance through the bracket, which will culminate in the Final Four National Semifinals on April 4 and the Men’s National Championship on April 6 in Indianapolis, airing on TBS. Tip times for the Second Round games on Saturday will be announced after Thursday’s matches, with Sunday’s schedule released following Friday’s games. The First Four and First Round matchups for March 17–20 will determine early-round progressions, with detailed tip times and commentator assignments provided. The tournament’s schedule spans from Selection Sunday on March 15 through the championship games, offering fans comprehensive coverage of all rounds. A printable bracket and full schedule for the 2026 March Madness event are available, including dates and locations for each round. Additional resources include explanations of the NET rankings, historical insights into March Madness, and coverage of HBCU teams’ participation in the tournament. The event also highlights key moments from past legends like Charles Barkley and Dick Vitale, as well as notable buzzer-beater performances in tournament history.#tnt #cbs #tru_tv #tbs #ncaa_division_i_men_s_basketball_championship
NCAA Men's Tournament Kicks Off with First Four Games The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament officially begins on Tuesday with the First Four games, setting the stage for a season of high-stakes matchups and potential upsets. Two key contests will air on TruTV, featuring No. 16 seeds Howard and UMBC, and No. 11 seeds NC State and Texas. The winners of each game will advance to the first round on Thursday, with the victors facing No. 1 Michigan and No. 6 BYU, respectively. The Howard vs. UMBC matchup highlights the potential for Cinderella stories, as both teams have emerged from their conferences as tournament champions. Howard, led by guards Bryce Harris and Cedric Taylor, enters the tournament on an eight-game winning streak, having dominated the MEAC with a 11-3 conference record. The Bison’s success is bolstered by their strong offensive rebounding and free-throw shooting, averaging over 25 attempts per game with a 73% conversion rate. Their only loss in the last month came in overtime to Yale, a team that narrowly missed NCAA tournament qualification. UMBC, meanwhile, brings a storied history to the First Four, most notably their 2018 upset of No. 1 Virginia. The Retrievers, coached by Ryan Odom before he took over at Virginia, are making their first tournament appearance since that historic run. Under new coach Jim Ferry, UMBC has maintained a strong defensive presence, limiting opponents to just 67 points per game while outscoring them by 13 points on average. The team’s ball-control strategy, with fewer than 10 turnovers per game and just five steals, underscores their disciplined approach. The NC State vs. Texas showdown adds another layer of intrigue, as both teams have faced challenges in their respective conferences.#tru_tv #ncaa_men_s_tournament #first_four #bryce_harris #cedric_taylor
March Madness 2026 Begins Tonight in Dayton, Ohio The 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament kicks off tonight in Dayton, Ohio, with the first round of games, known as the “First Four,” set to take place. Two matchups featuring No. 16 seeds will open the tournament, as Howard University faces UMBC, while No. 11 seeds NC State and Texas will square off in another early contest. Additional First Four games will be held on Wednesday, with Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh and Miami (OH) vs. SMU set to compete. All four matchups will be broadcast on truTV. The tournament will be televised across multiple networks, including CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, with additional games available via streaming platforms. HBO Max and Paramount+ will also carry select matches, offering fans flexible viewing options. Notably, Paramount+ is currently offering a discounted rate of $2.99 per month for the first two months, providing an affordable way to access the tournament. For viewers seeking to stream truTV, several services provide access. The network is available on Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV, with the latter offering a promotional price of $59.99 per month for the first two months. A 10-day free trial is also available for YouTube TV, while Hulu provides a three-day trial. TruTV can be found on DIRECTV through the Choice, Ultimate, or Premiere Packs, as well as on Optimum, Spectrum, Cox, and Xfinity via their channel finder tools. To watch truTV live, users can access the network’s website or app with a valid cable login. A free 10-minute preview is available for new users. Alternatively, the Blue package on Sling TV offers access to truTV, though the Orange package does not include the channel.#ncaa_men_s_basketball_tournament #cbs #dayton_ohio #tru_tv #tbs
