Just over a year ago, I was writing an article about how the 2020 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament had been canceled due to the risk associated with the novel coronavirus pandemic. The untimely conclusions of the NBA and college basketball seasons were among the first signs that the virus was a serious threat, and a year later, we’re just now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as vaccines become widely available.
In the meantime, the college basketball season actually happened this year in spite of endless challenges in its way, and as a result, there will be March Madness this year. The timing has shifted slightly, but there will still be 68 college basketball teams competing for spots in the second round this weekend. It all starts on Thursday when the 16 seeds Texas Southern and Mount St. Mary’s face off in the first First Four game at 5:10 p.m. ET.
First Four | Thursday, March 18th
- 5:10 p.m. ET: (16) Texas Southern vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s | truTV
- 6:27 p.m. ET: (11) Drake vs. (11) Wichita State | TBS
- 8:40 p.m. ET: (16) Appalachian State vs. (16) Norfolk State | truTV
- 9:57 p.m. ET: (11) UCLA vs. (11) Michigan State | TBS
First Round | Friday, March 19th
- 12:15 p.m. ET: (7) Florida vs. (10) Virginia Tech | CBS
- 12:45 p.m. ET: (3) Arkansas vs. (14) Colgate | truTV
- 1:15 p.m. ET: (1) Illinois vs. (16) Drexel | TBS
- 1:45 p.m. ET: (6) Texas Tech vs. (11) Utah State | TNT
- 3:00 p.m. ET: (2) Ohio State vs. (15) Oral Roberts | CBS
- 3:30 p.m. ET: (1) Baylor vs. (16) Hartford | truTV
- 4:00 p.m. ET: (8) Loyola Chicago vs. (9) Georgia Tech | TBS
- 4:30 p.m. ET: (5) Tennessee vs. (12) Oregon State | TNT
- 6:25 p.m. ET: (4) Oklahoma State vs. (13) Liberty | TBS
- 7:10 p.m. ET: (8) North Carolina vs. (9) Wisconsin | CBS
- 7:15 p.m. ET: (2) Houston vs. (15) Cleveland State | truTV
- 7:25 p.m. ET: (4) Purdue vs. (13) North Texas | TNT
- 9:20 p.m. ET: (7) Clemson vs. (10) Rutgers | TBS
- 9:40 p.m. ET: (6) San Diego State vs. (11) Syracuse | CBS
- 9:50 p.m. ET: (3) West Virginia vs. (14) Morehead State | truTV
- 9:57 p.m. ET: (5) Villanova vs. (12) Winthrop | TNT
First Round | Saturday, March 20th
- 12:15 p.m. ET: (5) Colorado vs. (12) Georgetown | CBS
- 12:45 p.m. ET: (4) Florida State vs. (13) UNC Greensboro | truTV
- 1:15 p.m. ET: (3) Kansas vs. (14) Eastern Washington | TBS
- 1:45 p.m. ET: (8) LSU vs. (9) St. Bonaventure | TNT
- 3:00 p.m. ET: (1) Michigan vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s/Texas Southern | CBS
- 3:30 p.m. ET: (5) Creighton vs. (12) UC Santa Barbara | truTV
- 4:00 p.m. ET: (2) Alabama vs. (15) Iona | TBS
- 4:30 p.m. ET: (6) USC vs. (11) Wichita State/Drake | TNT
- 6:25 p.m. ET: ((2) Iowa vs. (15) Grand Canyon | TBS
- 7:10 p.m. ET: (7) UConn vs. (10) Maryland | CBS
- 7:15 p.m. ET: (4) Virginia vs. (13) Ohio | truTV
- 7:25 p.m. ET: (8) Oklahoma vs. (9) Missouri | TNT
- 9:20 p.m. ET: (1) Gonzaga vs. (16) Norfolk State/Appalachian State | TBS
- 9:40 p.m. ET: (6) BYU vs. (11) Michigan State/UCLA | CBS
- 9:50 p.m. ET: (3) Texas vs. (14) Abilene Christian | truTV
- 9:57 p.m. ET: (7) Oregon vs. (10) VCU | TNT
If you have cable or an internet TV service like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, or AT&T TV, you have access to all of the networks that will be broadcasting games this year. You can also stream games online on the NCAA website or on your mobile device with the NCAA March Madness Live app, but you’ll need a cable login.
