March Madness 2026: First-round schedule, game times, TV networks; NCAA tournament printable bracket

Game times for the first 36 games of the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament are set.

The play-in games will take place across Tuesday and Wednesday, with the tournament getting underway in earnest on Thursday with 16 first-round games.

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Duke is the No. 1 overall seed and grabbed the top seed in the East region. Michigan is the No. 1 team in the Midwest region and is a slight betting favorite to win the tournament ahead of the Blue Devils.

[Enter Yahoo Bracket Mayhem for shot at 50K | Printable bracket]

Tuesday, March 17

• 6:40 p.m.: No. 16 UMBC vs. No. 16 Howard (TruTV)

• 9:10 p.m.: No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 NC State (TruTV)

Wednesday, March 18

• 6:40 p.m.: No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh (TruTV)

• 9:10 p.m.: No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU (TruTV)

Thursday, March 19

• 12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU (CBS)

• 12:40 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy (TruTV)

• 1:30 p.m.: No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida (TNT)

• 1:50 p.m.: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point (TBS)

• 2:50 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena (CBS)

• 3:15 p.m.: No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese (TruTV)

• 4:05 p.m.: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State

• 4:25 p.m.: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii (TBS)

• 6:50 p.m.: No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU (TNT)

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 UMBC or Howard (CBS)

• 7:25 p.m.: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas or NC State (TBS)

• 7:35 p.m.: No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M (TruTV)

• 9:25 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn (TNT)

• 9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis (CBS)

• 10 p.m.: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)

• 10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)

Friday, March 20

• 12:15 p.m.: No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara (CBS)

• 12:40 p.m.: No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron (TruTV)

• 1:35 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU (TNT)

• 1:50 p.m.: No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State (TBS)

• 2:50 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State (CBS)

• 3:15 p.m.: No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra (TruTV)

• 4:10 p.m.: No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State (TNT)

• 4:25 p.m.: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) or SMU (TBS)

• 6:50 p.m.: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa (TNT)

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa (CBS)

• 7:25 p.m.: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF (TBS)

• 7:35 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens

• 9:25 p.m.: No. 16 Prairie View A&M or Lehigh vs. No. 1 Florida (TNT)

• 9:45 p.m.: No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist (CBS)

• 10 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman (TBS)

• 10:10 p.m.: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Missouri (TruTV)