March Madness Kicks Off with Stacked First Round

0:00On March 19th, it's the first full day of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament kicking off with a stack slate of first round. Action starting at 12.15 pm, Eastern time. Heavy hitters like number one seeds, Duke and Michigan headlined the matchups, facing long shot underdogs, Sienna and Howard, while powerhouses Houston, and Gonzaga draw tough opponents in Idaho and Kennesaw State. Afternoon games bring extra buzz, especially for Syracuse fans eyeing South Florida against Louisville at 1.30 pm, where some might show up to. Voice their feelings toward coach Brian Hodgson. Right after, Sienna challenges Duke at 2.50 pm, pitting former orange assistant Jerry McNamara against Malik Brown and the Blue Devils. Fans have fired up over these personal rivalries and Cinderella stories, with chatter online about potential upsets from teams like Troy, High Point. And McNeese. Local angles add flavor, as orange supporters debate heading to Buffalo, not just for the games, but for those coaching connections.

1:04Evening tips off with VCU, taking on North Carolina at 6.50 pm, featuring another intriguing storyline with Phil Martelli Jr. in the mix, followed by Texas against BYU in Illinois versus Penn. Broadcast spanned CBS, TNT, TBS and True TV, with top announcing teams calling the action. As brackets bust and buzzer beaters loom, this opening day sets the stage for March Man's Magic Tune in and see which seed survived the shakeup.