The 2021 NCAA Tournament made its grand return with an exciting slate of First Four games on Thursday, but Friday is what brings back what college basketball fans have been truly craving — the March Madness encompassing our whole day. The day will feature 16 first-round NCAA Tournament games, starting with No. 7 seed Florida taking on No. 10 seed Virginia Tech at 12:15 p.m. ET and running all the way through a 9:57 p.m. nightcap between No. 5 seed Villanova and No. 12 seed Villanova.
In between, there will be an untold number of dramatic finishes that produce new heroes and Cinderella stories as the Big Dance unfolds for the first time since 2019. You can get a bird’s eye view of all the action with our printable bracket, and we’ve got a full listing of the pairings, times and channels below.
There are some notable changes for this year’s Torneo de la NCAA amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For one thing, all the games are being played in Indiana to reduced the amount of travel required for the participants. But where casual fans will notice the most difference is in the dates of each round. Traditionally, the first round has started on Thursday with the second round being completed by Sunday.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the protocols in place to ensure a safe environment for all, the first round will run on Friday and Saturday instead of Thursday and Friday. That means the Sweet 16 won’t be set until Monday night. Regardless, the basics are the same: a lot of meaningful basketball in a short period of time as we get closer to finally crowning a champion.
Fill out your bracket now for your chance to win a brand new Nissan Rogue and a trip to the 2022 Final Four. Don’t wait, brackets lock soon!
Below you can find tip times and TV channels for every first round game slated to take place on Friday and Saturday.
Itching for more college hoops analysis? Listen below and subscribe to the Eye on College Basketball podcast where we take you beyond the hardwood with insider information and instant reactions, including our best bets for the opening round below.
Be sure to check in often as this story will update every single time the NCAA Tournament schedule is adjusted. Games will be aired on CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV — and as always, you can also watch every game in the tourney via March Madness Live.
2021 NCAA Tournament schedule, dates
First Four
Thursday, March 18 — Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall
| 5:10 p.m. | (16) Texas Southern 60, (16) Mount St. Mary’s 52 — Recap |
| 6:27 p.m. | (11) Drake 53, (11) Wichita St. 52 — Recap |
| 8:40 p.m. | (16) Norfolk State 54, (16) Appalachian State 53 — Recap |
| 9:57 p.m. | (11) UCLA 86, (11) Michigan State 80 (OT) — Recap |
First round
Friday, March 19, 2021 — Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium
| 12:15 p.m. | (7) Florida 75, (10) Virginia Tech 70 (OT) | Recap |
| 12:45 p.m. | (3) Arkansas 85, (14) Colgate 68 | Recap |
| 1:15 p.m. | (1) Illinois 78, (16) Drexel 49 | Recap |
| 1:45 p.m. | (6) Texas Tech 65, (11) Utah State 53 | Recap |
| 3 p.m. | (15) Oral Roberts vs. (2) Ohio State | CBS (ver en directo) |
| 3:30 p.m. | (16) Hartford vs. (1) Baylor | truTV (ver en directo) |
| 4 p.m. | (9) Georgia Tech vs. (8) Loyola Chicago | TBS (ver en directo) |
| 4:30 p.m. | (12) Oregon State vs. (5) Tennessee | TNT (ver en directo) |
| 6:25 p.m. | (13) Liberty vs. (4) Oklahoma State | TBS (ver en directo) |
| 7:10 p.m. | (9) Wisconsin vs. (8) North Carolina | CBS (ver en directo) |
| 7:15 p.m. | (15) Cleveland State vs. (2) Houston | truTV (ver en directo) |
| 7:25 p.m. | (13) North Texas vs. (4) Purdue | TNT (ver en directo) |
| 9:20 p.m. | (10) Rutgers vs. (7) Clemson | TBS (ver en directo) |
| 9:40 p.m. | (11) Syracuse vs. (6) San Diego State | CBS (ver en directo) |
| 9:50 p.m. | (14) Morehead State vs. (3) West Virginia | truTV (ver en directo) |
| 9:57 p.m. | (12) Winthrop vs. (5) Villanova | TNT (ver en directo) |
Saturday, March 20 — Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium
| 12:15 p.m. | (12) Georgetown vs. (5) Colorado | CBS |
| 12:45 p.m. | (13) UNC Greensboro vs. (4) Florida State | truTV |
| 1:15 p.m. | (14) Eastern Washington vs. (3) Kansas | TBS |
| 1:45 p.m. | (9) St. Bonaventure vs. (8) LSU | TNT |
| 3 p.m. | (16) Texas Southern vs. (1) Michigan | CBS |
| 3:30 p.m. | (12) UC Santa Barbara vs. (5) Creighton | truTV |
| 4 p.m. | (15) Iona vs. (2) Alabama | TBS |
| 4:30 p.m. | (11) Drake vs. (6) USC | TNT |
| 6:25 p.m. | (15) Grand Canyon vs. (2) Iowa | TBS |
| 7:10 p.m. | (10) Maryland vs. (7) UConn | CBS |
| 7:15 p.m. | (13) Ohio vs. (4) Virginia | truTV |
| 7:25 p.m. | (9) Missouri vs. (8) Oklahoma | TNT |
| 9:20 p.m. | (16) Norfolk St./Appalachian St. vs. (1) Gonzaga | TBS |
| 9:40 p.m. | (11) Michigan St./UCLA vs. (6) BYU | CBS |
| 9:50 p.m. | (14) Abilene Christian vs. (3) Texas | truTV |
| 9:57 p.m. | (10) VCU vs. (7) Oregon | TNT |
Second round
Sunday, March 21 — Noon start (CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV)
Monday, March 22 — Noon start (CBS, TBS, TNT, truTV)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium
Sweet 16
Saturday, March 27 — 2 p.m. start (CBS, TBS)
Sunday, March 28 — 1 p.m. start (CBS, TBS)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse
Elite Eight
Monday, March 29 — 7 p.m. start (CBS)
Tuesday, March 30 — 6 p.m. start (TBS)
Lucas Oil Stadium
Final Four
Saturday, April 3 — 5 p.m. start (CBS)
Lucas Oil Stadium
Campeonato Nacional
Monday, April 5 — 9 p.m. (CBS)
Lucas OIl Stadium
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