March Madness

Who plays today? March Madness first round NCAA basketball games on Friday, March 20: Schedule, times and how to watch

The second half of the first round begins on Friday, with top seeds Arizona and Florida in action as 16 games are played throughout the day.

The second half of the first round begins on Friday, with top seeds Arizona and Florida in action as 16 games are played throughout the day.
Gregory Fisher
Andy Hall
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March Madness is back. The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball competition, the 87th edition of the tournament, tipped off Tuesday with the opening First Four round games in Dayton, Ohio between the lowest seeded teams: Howard Bison defeated UMBC 86-83 and Texas edged NC State 68-66. Prairie View A&M and Miami Redhawks booked their place in their First Round on Wednesday.

The First Round, a single-elimination bracket involving a 64-team field, got underway on Thursday with the first wave of 16 games.

This year’s field features several dominant contenders, including Duke, Michigan, Arizona and defending champion Florida, who earned the No. 1 seeds after standout seasons. But as always in March Madness, the tournament’s unpredictability means the spotlight can quickly shift once the first upset lands and an unheralded player emerges as a tournament star.

March Madness 2026 schedule - Friday, March 20:

  1. 12:15 p.m. ET: (7) Kentucky vs. (10) Santa Clara - CBS
  2. 12:40 p.m. ET: (5) Texas Tech vs. (12) Akron - truTV
  3. 1:35 p.m. ET: (1) Arizona vs. (16) Long Island University - TNT
  4. 1:50 p.m. ET: (3) Virginia vs. (14) Wright State - TBS
  5. 2:50 p.m. ET: (2) Iowa State vs. (15) Tennessee State - CBS
  6. 3:15 p.m. ET: (4) Alabama vs. (13) Hofstra - truTV
  7. 4:10 p.m. ET: (8) Villanova vs. (9) Utah State - TNT
  8. 4:25 p.m. ET: (6) Tennessee vs. (11) Miami (Ohio) - TBS
  9. 6:50 p.m. ET: (8) Clemson vs. (9) Iowa - TNT
  10. 7:10 p.m. ET: (5) St. John's vs. (12) UNI - CBS
  11. 7:25 p.m. ET: (7) UCLA vs. (10) UCF - TBS
  12. 7:35 p.m. ET: (2) Purdue vs. (15) Queens - truTV
  13. 9:25 p.m. ET: (1) Florida vs. (16) Prairie View A&M - TNT
  14. 9:45 p.m. ET: (4) Kansas vs. (13) Cal Baptist - CBS
  15. 10 p.m. ET: (2) UConn vs. (15) Furman - TBS
  16. 10:10 p.m. ET: (7) Miami (Fla.) vs. (10) Missouri - truTV

Who are the favorites to win March Madness 2026?

Duke is the bookmakers’ frontrunner to emerge victorious from the championship game early next month, with moneyline odds of +390, per Oddschecker. Michigan is the third favorite on +420, just behind the Arizona Wildcats, whose matchup against the Long Island University Sharks tips off at 1:35 p.m. ET.

March Madness 2026 schedule: When and where is the Final Four?

  • Round of 64: Mar. 19-20
  • Round of 32: Mar. 21-22
  • Sweet 16: Mar. 26-27
  • Elite 8: Mar. 28-29
  • Final Four: Apr. 4 & 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

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