2026 NCAA Tournament first-round game dates, tip-off times, TV channels announced

The 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket is in place after Sunday’s selection show. Now, the tip-off times and TV channels have been announced for both the First Four and the Round of 64.

Tuesday and Wednesday will both have two games in Dayton as the First Four get underway. One of those matchups will feature a special broadcast team as Dick Vitale calls his first-ever NCAA Tournament game on TV, alongside Charles Barkley and play-by-play commentator Brian Anderson.

Then, on Thursday, the Round of 64 will begin as the rest of the field starts tournament action. Here is the full list of dates, tip-off times and TV channels for first-round games in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

First Four (Dayton)

16 UMBC vs. 16 Howard
Tuesday – March 17, 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV (Jordan Kent, Jim Spanarkel, Jenny Dell)
11 Texas vs. 11 NC State
Tuesday – March 17, 9:15 p.m. ET, truTV (Brian Anderson, Charles Barkley, Dick Vitale, Jenny Dell)

16 Prairie View vs. 16 Lehigh
Wednesday – March 18, 6:40 p.m. ET, truTV (Jordan Kent, Jim Spanarkel, Jenny Dell)
11 Miami (OH) vs. 11 SMU
Wednesday – March 18, 9:15 p.m. ET, truTV (Jordan Kent, Jim Spanarkel, Jenny Dell)

East (Washington, D.C.)

Greenville
1 Duke vs. 16 Siena
Thursday – March 19, 2:50 p.m. ET, CBS (Ian Eagle/Bill Raftery/Grant Hill/Tracy Wolfson)
8 Ohio State vs. 9 TCU
Thursday – March 19, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS (Ian Eagle/Bill Raftery/Grant Hill/Tracy Wolfson)

San Diego
5 St. John’s vs. 12 Northern Iowa
Friday – March 20, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS (Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)
4 Kansas vs. 13 Cal Baptist
Friday – March 20, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS (Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)

Buffalo
6 Louisville vs. 11 USF
Thursday – March 19, 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT (Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce)
3 Michigan State vs. 14 North Dakota State
Thursday – March 19, 4:05 p.m. ET, TNT (Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce)

Philadelphia
7 UCLA vs. 10 UCF
Friday – March 20, 7:25 p.m. ET, TBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
2 UConn vs. 15 Furman
Friday – March 20, 10 p.m. ET, TBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)

South (Houston)

Tampa
1 Florida vs. 16 Prairie View/Lehigh
Friday – March 20, 9:25 p.m. ET, TNT (Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross)
8 Clemson vs. 9 Iowa
Friday – March 20, 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT (Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross)

Oklahoma City
5 Vanderbilt vs. 12 McNeese State
Thursday – March 19, 3:15 p.m. ET, truTV (Brandon Gaudin/Chris Webber/Andy Katz)
4 Nebraska vs. 13 Troy
Thursday – March 19, 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV (Brandon Gaudin/Chris Webber/Andy Katz)

Greenville
6 North Carolina vs. 11 VCU
Thursday – March 19, 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT (Ian Eagle/Bill Raftery/Grant Hill/Tracy Wolfson)
3 Illinois vs. 14 Penn
Thursday – March 19, 9:25 p.m. ET, TNT (Ian Eagle/Bill Raftery/Grant Hill/Tracy Wolfson)

Oklahoma City
7 St. Mary’s vs. 10 Texas A&M
Thursday – March 19, 7:35 p.m. ET, truTV (Brandon Gaudin/Chris Webber/Andy Katz)
2 Houston vs. 15 Idaho
Thursday – March 19, 10:10 p.m. ET, truTV (Brandon Gaudin/Chris Webber/Andy Katz)

West (San Jose)

San Diego
1 Arizona vs. 16 Long Island
Friday – March 20, 1:35 p.m. ET, TNT (Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)
8 Villanova vs. 9 Utah State
Friday – March 20, 4:10 p.m. ET, TNT (Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)

Portland
5 Wisconsin vs. 12 High Point
Thursday – March 19, 1:50 p.m. ET, TBS (Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg)
4 Arkansas vs. 13 Hawaii
Thursday – March 19, 4:25 p.m. ET, TBS (Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg)

Portland
6 BYU vs. 11 Texas/NC State
Thursday – March 19, 7:25 p.m. ET, TBS (Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg)
3 Gonzaga vs. 14 Kennesaw State
Thursday – March 19, 10 p.m. ET, TBS (Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak, Jared Greenberg)

St. Louis
7 Miami vs. 10 Missouri
Friday – March 20, 10:10 p.m. ET, truTV (Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein)
2 Purdue vs. 15 Queens
Friday – March 20, 7:35 p.m. ET, truTV (Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein)

Midwest (Chicago)

Buffalo
1 Michigan vs. 16 UMBC/Howard
Thursday – March 19, 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS (Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce)
8 Georgia vs. 9 Saint Louis
Thursday – March 19, 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS (Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce)

Tampa
5 Texas Tech vs. 12 Akron
Friday – March 20, 12:40 p.m. ET, truTV (Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross)
4 Alabama vs. 13 Hofstra
Friday – March 20, 3:15 p.m. ET, truTV (Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross)

Philadelphia
6 Tennessee vs. 11 Miami (OH)/SMU
Friday – March 20, 4:25 p.m. ET, TBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
3 Virginia vs. 14 Wright State
Friday – March 20, 1:50 p.m. ET, TBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)

St. Louis
7 Kentucky vs. 10 Santa Clara
Friday – March 20, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS (Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein)
2 Iowa State vs. 15 Tennessee State
Friday – March 20, 2:50 p.m. ET, CBS (Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel, Jon Rothstein)

The 2026 NCAA Tournament will get underway with the First Four on Tuesday and Wednesday. From there, full days of action await in the Round of 64 on Thursday and Friday.