It was a long and arduous wait, but March Madness finally came back into our lives. We are just a few days away from the 2021 NCAA Tournament kicking off the festivities when one of the best sports shows in the world descends on Indiana with all 68 teams in tow. The selection board made its official selection on Sunday and now is the perfect time to meet who’s on Big Dance with our printing support. However, making choices doesn’t help if you don’t know when the games themselves are being played.
It has been almost two years since the last game of the NCAA Tournament, but that changes on March 18, when the First Four arrive and signify the beginning of the long-awaited return of Big Dance. After the COVID-19 pandemic swept through last year’s event, it will be a joyous occasion for diehard college basketball fans and casual observers alike.
With the world still at a dead end with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA moved all games to the state of Indiana to form a kind of bubble around the 68 teams involved in the tournament. Most games will be played near the capital, Indianapolis. In addition, the schedule has changed a bit, as the First Four will all be played on Thursday, as opposed to the traditional slot from Tuesday to Wednesday. And the first games of the weekend will take place from Friday to Monday instead of Thursday to Sunday.
Below you will find the schedule for this year’s NCAA Tournament. It has not yet been completed, as we still need to know the formal tip times, announcer times and TV assignments – but all of this will be announced on Selection Sunday at 6 pm ET on CBS. For now, let’s take a look at the programming of the First Four until the national title game.
Be sure to check back often, as this story will be updated whenever the NCAA Tournament schedule is adjusted. The games will be streamed on CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV – and as always, you can also watch all the games in the tournament via March Madness Live starting Thursday night with the First Four.
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NCAA 2021 tournament schedule, dates
First Four
Thursday, March 18 – Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall
| 17:10 | (16) Texas Southern vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s | truTV |
| 18h27 | (11) Drake vs. (11) State of Wichita | TBS |
| 8:40 pm | (16) Appalachian State vs. (16) Norfolk State | truTV |
| 21:57 | (11) UCLA vs. (11) State of Michigan | TBS |
First round
Friday, March 19, 2021 – Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium
| 12:15 pm | (10) Virginia Tech vs. (7) Florida | CBS |
| 12:45 pm | (14) Colgate vs. (3) Arkansas | truTV |
| 1:15 pm | (16) Drexel vs. (1) Illinois | TBS |
| 1:45 pm | (11) Utah State vs. (6) Texas Tech | TNT |
| 15:00 | (15) Oral Roberts vs. (2) State of Ohio | CBS |
| 3:30 pm | (16) Hartford vs. (1) Baylor | truTV |
| 4 pm | (9) Georgia Tech vs. (8) Loyola Chicago | TBS |
| 4:30 pm | (12) State of Oregon vs. (5) Tennessee | TNT |
| 18h25 | (13) Liberty vs. (4) State of Oklahoma | TBS |
| 7:10 pm | (9) Wisconsin vs. (8) North Carolina | CBS |
| 7:15 pm | (15) Cleveland State vs. (2) Houston | truTV |
| 19h25 | (13) North Texas vs. (4) Purdue | TNT |
| 21:20 | (10) Rutgers vs. (7) Clemson | TBS |
| 21:40 | (11) Syracuse vs. (6) State of San Diego | CBS |
| 21:50 | (14) State of Morehead vs. (3) West Virginia | truTV |
| 21:57 | (12) Winthrop vs. (5) Villanova | TNT |
Saturday, March 20 – Mackey Arena, Assembly Hall, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Lucas Oil Stadium
| 12:15 pm | (12) Georgetown vs. (5) Colorado | CBS |
| 12:45 pm | (13) UNC Greensboro vs. (4) State of Florida | truTV |
| 1:15 pm | (14) Eastern Washington vs. (3) Kansas | TBS |
| 1:45 pm | (9) St. Bonaventure vs. (8) LSU | TNT |
| 15:00 | (16) Mount St. Mary’s / Texas Southern vs. (1) Michigan | CBS |
| 3:30 pm | (12) UC Santa Barbara vs. (5) Creighton | truTV4 |
| 4 pm | (15) Iona vs. (2) Alabama | TBS |
| 4:30 pm | (11) Wichita St./Drake vs. (6) USC | TNT |
| 18h25 | (15) Grand Canyon vs. (2) Iowa | TBS |
| 7:10 pm | (10) Maryland vs. (7) UConn | CBS |
| 7:15 pm | (13) Ohio vs. (4) Virginia | truTV |
| 19h25 | (9) Missouri vs. (8) Oklahoma | TNT |
| 21:20 | (16) Norfolk St./Appalachian St. vs. (1) Gonzaga | TBS |
| 21:40 | (11) Michigan St./UCLA vs. (6) BYU | CBS |
| 21:50 | (14) Abilene Christian vs. (3) Texas | truTV |
| 21:57 | (10) VCU vs. (7) Oregon | TNT |
Second round
Sunday, March 21 – starts at noon (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 – 2pm start (CBS, TBS)
Sunday, March 28 – 1 pm (CBS, TBS)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse
Elite Eight
Monday, March 29 – 7 pm (CBS)
Tuesday, March 30 – 6 pm start (TBS)
Lucas Oil Stadium
Last four
Saturday, April 3 – 5 pm (CBS)
Lucas Oil Stadium
national Championship
Monday, April 5 – 9:00 pm (CBS)
Lucas OIl Stadium
Take each choice, each move, each turn and fill in your key with our help! Visit SportsLine now to see which teams will make and break your key and see who cuts the nets, all from the model that hit 15 out of 26 double-digit losses in the last four tournaments!