NCAA Tournament 2026: First Thirty-Six Games Set

0:00On March 18th, the times are now set for the first 36 games of the 20-26 men's NCAA tournament. Playing match-ups kick off Tuesday, March 17th and Wednesday March 18th on True TV, with the main first round actions starting Thursday March. 19th and running through Friday, March 20th across CBS, TNT, TBS, and True TV. Duke earned the number one overall seed and tops the East region, facing Sienna and a marquee opener Thursday at 2.50pm on CBS. Michigan leaves the Midwest as the number one seed there, and sits as the slight betting favor to claim the title over the Blue Devils. Fans are buzzing early with bracket challenges like Yahoo's offering a shot at $50,000, and printable versions are already circulating. Heavy hitters like Top Seated Arizona, Purdue, and Yukon also hit the core Thursday and Friday, setting up intense early drama. Play and speech are intriguing 16 versus 16 clashes, such as UMBC against Howard Tuesday at 6.40pm.

1:02And number 11 battles like Texas versus NC State. First round highlights include Michigan State over North Dakota State and Gonzaga facing Kennesaw State late Thursday. Expect nonstop action from 12.15pm starts building to 10pm, finishes each day as these games pave the way for regional semifinals and a wide open chase to the championship.