The wait is over. The 2026 NCAA Males’s Basketball Event formally suggestions off Tuesday, March 17, with the First 4 in Dayton, Ohio. These eight groups are preventing for the ultimate 4 spots within the 64-team bracket, and the motion begins now.
Observe: All First 4 video games might be broadcast solely on truTV.
2026 First 4 TV Schedule
Right here’s the 2026 First 4 TV schedule for you. All the males’s video games for this spherical of the event are being proven on truTV.
Tuesday, March 17 – Opening Evening
The event begins with a battle of 16-seeds adopted by a high-stakes matchup between two “Energy 4” packages.
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Seed | Area | TV Channel |
| 6:40 PM | UMBC vs. Howard | 16 | Midwest | truTV |
| 9:10 PM* | Texas vs. NC State | 11 | West | truTV |
*Approximate tip-off time; recreation will begin 20 minutes after the conclusion of the primary recreation.
Wednesday, March 18 – The Remaining Spots
Wednesday options the ultimate two play-in video games to find out which 16-seed faces Florida and which 11-seed takes on Tennessee.
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Seed | Area | TV Channel |
| 6:40 PM | Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh | 16 | South | truTV |
| 9:10 PM* | Miami (Ohio) vs. SMU | 11 | Midwest | truTV |
*Approximate tip-off time; recreation will begin 20 minutes after the conclusion of the primary recreation.
What’s on the Line?
The winners of those video games transfer straight into the first bracket:
- UMBC/Howard winner advances to face (1) Michigan on Thursday.
- Texas/NC State winner advances to face (6) BYU on Thursday.
- Prairie View/Lehigh winner advances to face (1) Florida on Friday.
- Miami (OH)/SMU winner advances to face (6) Tennessee on Friday.
📥 End Your Bracket Earlier than Tip-Off!
Don’t get caught and not using a bracket when the primary ball is tipped in Dayton. Obtain the Official 2026 Males’s March Insanity Bracket Bundle (PDF) now.
Our bundle consists of:
- Excessive-Res 1-Web page Printable Bracket
- First 4 to Remaining 4 Monitoring Sheet
- 2026 Event TV Grid
The way to Watch truTV for the First 4
In case you don’t have cable, you may stream truTV on the next platforms:
- YouTube TV, Hulu + Dwell TV, and DIRECTV STREAM (All embrace truTV).
- Max (previously HBO Max): Subscribers can stream all TBS, TNT, and truTV video games reside by way of the B/R Sports activities Add-on.
- March Insanity Dwell App: Accessible on iOS, Android, and most related TV gadgets (requires supplier login).
