March Madness 2026: First Round Thrills

0:00On March 19th, the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament is underway, with the first four games wrapped up in Dayton. Texas edged out North Carolina State 68-66 on Tuesday, while Howard beat UMBC 86-83. Miami of Ohio topped SMU 89-79 on Wednesday, and Prairie View A&M defeated Lehigh 67-55. First round action kicks off Thursday across four regions, featuring top sees like Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida. Experts are buzzing about potential upsets, especially in that 89 matchup between Ohio State and TCU at 1215 PM Eastern on CBSN, Greenville. Heavy hitters like Yukon, Gonzaga, Purdue, and Houston anchor their brackets, but mid-majors such as North Dakota State, Ferman, and Kennesaw State. Could shake things up. Games spread out over Thursday and Friday on CBS, TNT, TBS, and True TV from Portland to Tampa.

1:01Fans are filling out brackets and joining pools everywhere, with printable versions making it easy to track paths to the final four. The tournament's massive reach means packed arenas and non-stop TV coverage, drawing millions who love the Cinderella stories, and buzzer beaters that. Define March Madness. CBS Sports has full-live updates, scores, and matchup breakdowns for every game through the national championship. Second round matchup starts Saturday, March 21st, at sites like Buffalo and Oklahoma City, wrapping up the intensity right away. Keep an eye on these early games as they set the stage for bracket-busting drama all the way to the title.