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JUMP TO:
- NCAA First Four scores
- NCAA First Four updates
- NCAA First Four schedule
- How to watch NCAA First Four
- NCAA March Madness schedule
With Selection Sunday having come and passed, the 2026 March Madness field is set. But while the field of 68 teams is final, there's more to be settled before the first round begins.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, March Madness officially opens with the First Four matchups, as the four lowest-seeded at-large bids and the four lowest-seeded automatic bids are set to compete for a spot in the Round of 64.
STREAM: Watch 2026 First Four games live with DIRECTV
All four games will be played at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, where eight teams are hoping their postseason run lives on. First up on Tuesday will be UMBC vs. Howard, with the winner claiming the No. 16 seed in the Midwest Region and an opportunity to face No. 1 Michigan. Then, NC State will take on Texas for the West Region's No. 11 seed, with A.J. Dybantsa and No. 6 BYU awaiting the victor.
The First Four action continues Wednesday with Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh; the winner there will claim the South Region's No. 16 seed and the right to face the defending champions, No. 1 Florida. And finally, on Wednesday night, the Miami (OH) Redhawks, one of college basketball's biggest stories in 2025-26 after their unbeaten regular season, will face SMU for the Midwest Region's 11th seed. Either the Redhawks or Mustangs would then take on No. 6 Tennessee.
The Sporting News is tracking live results from the 2026 First Four for the NCAA Tournament. Follow along below for final scores, highlights and more from the matchups as March Madness gets underway.
MARCH MADNESS HQ: Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Printable bracket
NCAA First Four basketball scores
UMBC vs. Howard
Texas vs. NC State
Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh
Miami (OH) vs. SMU
SN EXPERT BRACKETS: DeCourcy (Arizona) | Bender (Michigan) | Iyer (Arizona) | Gay (UCLA women)
March Madness First Four live highlights, results from NCAA Tournament's opening games
All times ET. This section will be updated closer to tip off between UMBC vs. Howard.
MORE UPSET PICKS: 10 seeds | 11 seeds | 12 seeds | 13 seeds
March Madness First Four schedule 2026
Tuesday, March 17
| No. 16 UMBC vs. No. 16 Howard | 6:40 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 11 Texas vs. No. 11 NC State | 9:15 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
Wednesday, March 18
| No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh | 6:40 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU | 9:15 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
MORE REGION PREVIEWS: East | West | Midwest | South
How to watch NCAA First Four games
- TV channels: truTV
- Live streams: DIRECTV
All four of the First Four games at the 2026 NCAA Tournament will air on truTV. Cord-cutters seeking to stream the First Four matchups can turn toward DIRECTV.
Catch every game — try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live college basketball, MLB, NHL and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1 and NFL Network — all included with DIRECTV.
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NCAA Tournament schedule 2026
Round 1
Thursday, March 19
| No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU | 12:15 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy | 12:40 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida | 1:30 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point | 1:50 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena | 2:50 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese | 3:15 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State | 4:05 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii | 4:25 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU | 6:50 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 UMBC/Howard | 7:10 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas/NC State | 7:25 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 7 Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 Texas A&M | 7:35 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn | 9:25 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis | 9:45 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State | 10 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho | 10:10 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
Friday, March 20
| No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara | 12:15 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron | 12:40 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU | 1:35 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State | 1:50 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State | 2:50 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra | 3:15 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State | 4:10 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio)/SMU | 4:25 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa | 6:50 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 5 St. John's vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa | 7:10 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF | 7:25 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens | 7:35 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
| No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M/Lehigh | 9:25 p.m. | TNT, DIRECTV |
| No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist | 9:45 p.m. | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman | 10 p.m. | TBS, DIRECTV |
| No. 7 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 10 Missouri | 10:10 p.m. | truTV, DIRECTV |
Round 2
Saturday, March 21
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
Sunday, March 22
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
Sweet 16
Thursday, March 26
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
Friday, March 27
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBD |
Elite Eight
Saturday, March 28
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
Sunday, March 29
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | CBS, Fubo, Paramount+ |
Final Four
Saturday, April 4
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
| TBD vs. TBD | TBD | TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
National championship
Monday, April 6
| TBD vs. TBD | 8:50 p.m. | TBS, truTV, DIRECTV |
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