March Madness 2026: First Four Kick Off

0:00On March 16th, March Madness 2026 is here, with the full bracket now out for everyone to grab and fill. 68 college basketball teams will battle through 67 games, starting with the first four on Tuesday, March 17th in Dayton, Ohio. Florida Gators kick things off as the defending champions and a number one seed, joining Duke, Arizona, and Michigan at the top. Duke grabbed the overall top spot in the East region, setting up some high stakes early matchups. Fans are buzzing about local squads like No. 5 St. John's, facing No. 12 Northern Iowa in the East, No. 13 Hofstra against No. 4 Alabama in the Midwest, and No. 16 L.I.U. Taking on No. 1 Arizona out West, Miami, Ohio earned an at-large bid, but heads to the first four versus SMU for a shot at the No. 11 seed. First round action tips off Thursday afternoon, followed by second round games over the weekend. The sweet 16 hits Thursday, March 26th, Elite 8 on March 28th, Final 4 on Indianapolis on April 4th in the title.

1:07Game April 6th. Pool players everywhere are diving in early, ready to chase those perfect picks as the madness unfolds over the next few weeks.