March Madness Elite 8: Who plays today, Saturday, March 28? Times, teams and how to watch
Two tickets to the March Madness Final Four are on the line in today’s games, as the NCAA tournament reaches the Elite Eight stage.
The first two tickets to the 2026 Final Four will be handed out this evening, as the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament - better known as March Madness - enters its Elite Eight round.
Held in San Jose and Houston, respectively, today’s West and South regional finals will feature three teams who are chasing their first ever national title. Of the quartet of contenders in action on the Elite Eight’s opening day, only the Arizona Wildcats, the No. 1 seed in the West, have been crowned NCAA tournament champions before.
Who’s playing in March Madness today, March 28?
- 6:09 p.m. ET: (3) Illinois vs (9) Iowa - Toyota Center, Houston, TX
In the day’s opening Elite Eight matchup, the South regional final pits the Illinois Fighting Illini against an Iowa team that has eliminated three higher seeds to reach the quarters - including the Florida Gators, the top-ranked defending champions.
Seeded at No. 9, the Hawkeyes set up today’s Illinois clash by beating the No. 4 seed, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 77-71 in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. March Madness runners-up once in its history, back in 1956, Iowa has not been to the Final Four since 1980.
Meanwhile, the Fighting Illini are chasing their first Final Four appearance since 2005, when they lost the championship game to the North Carolina Tar Heels. That’s the closest Illinois has ever been to winning the tournament. Seeded at No. 3 in the South region, Brad Underwood’s men defeated the No. 2 seed, 2025 runners-up the Houston Cougars, 65-55 in the Sweet 16.
- 8:49 p.m. ET: (1) Arizona vs (2) Purdue - SAP Center, San Jose, CA
In today’s second Elite Eight matchup, the West’s top two seeds go head to head in the regional final at SAP Center.
Seeded at No. 2, Purdue is aiming to clinch its second Final Four berth in three years; in 2024, the Boilermakers made it to the title decider - but missed out on a maiden championship when they lost 75-60 to the UConn Huskies. Matt Painter’s team clinched its Elite Eight spot with a 79-77 win over the Texas Longhorns in the Sweet 16.
Arizona, the No. 1 seed in the West, has progressed through the rounds in comprehensive fashion, winning its three games by a cumulative margin of 67 points. Bidding for a second NCAA title in program history, the 1997 national champions dispatched the Arkansas Razorbacks 109-88 in the Sweet 16 this midweek, to move one step away from a first Final Four appearance since 2001.
How to watch today’s March Madness action
In the U.S., both of this evening’s Elite Eight matchups will air on TBS and Trutv.
Who’s in action tomorrow in the Elite Eight?
- 2:15 p.m. ET: (1) Michigan vs (6) Tennessee - Midwest regional final
- 5:05 p.m. ET: (1) Duke vs (2) UConn - East regional final
When and where is the 2026 March Madness Final Four?
Held on April 4 and 6, the 2026 Final Four is to be hosted by Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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