Mad in Indy: 2021 NCAA March Madness First Round TV Schedule
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. March Madness returns this year, albeit with a host of changes intended to mitigate the coronavirus threat.
The entire tournament will be played in the state of Indiana, with Indianapolis hosting games in Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, and Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Additional games are played at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
Download a printable tournament bracket here:
Players and team personnel will be physically distanced in housing, meals, meetings, transportation and practices. The NBA had success last fall with its playoff bubble in Orlando, Florida, but the NCAA will have a logistical challenge accommodating 68 teams in a relatively short time.
NCAA Tournament Schedule at a Glance
First Four March 18 (truTV)
First Round March 19-20 (CBS, TBS, TNT & truTV)
Second Round March 21-22 (CBS, TBS, TNT & truTV)
Regionals March 27-30 (CBS & TBS)
Final Four April 3 (CBS)
Championship Game April 5 (CBS)
The tournament schedule is also slightly adjusted this year. The field is announced on TBS March 14, and play begins Thursday, March 18, with the First Four on truTV. The first and second rounds are played from Friday, March 19, through Monday, March 22. All 67 tournament games will again be nationally televised across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, and stream on NCAA March Madness Live.
2021 NCAA MARCH MADNESS FIRST ROUND TV SCHEDULE
All Times Eastern.
NCAA First Four – Thursday, March 18
5:10 p.m.: (16) Texas Southern vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s, truTV
6:27 p.m.: (11) Drake vs. (11) Wichita St., TBS
8:40 p.m.: (16) Appalachian St. vs. (16) Norfolk St., truTV
9:57 p.m.: (11) UCLA vs. (11) Michigan St., TBS
First Round Games – Friday, March 19
12:15 p.m.: (10) Virginia Tech vs. (7) Florida, CBS
12:45 p.m.: (14) Colgate vs. (3) Arkansas, truTV
1:15 p.m.: (16) Drexel vs. (1) Illinois, TBS
1:45 p.m.: (11) Utah St. vs. (6) Texas Tech, TNT
3 p.m.: (15) Oral Roberts vs. (2) Ohio St., CBS
3:30 p.m.: (16) Hartford vs. (1) Baylor, truTV
4 p.m.: (9) Georgia Tech vs. (8) Loyola Chicago, TBS
4:30 p.m.: (12) Oregon St. vs. (5) Tennessee, TNT
6:25 p.m.: (13) Liberty vs. (4) Oklahoma St., TBS
7:10 p.m.: (9) Wisconsin vs. (8) North Carolina, CBS
7:15 p.m.: (15) Cleveland St. vs. (2) Houston, truTV
7:25 p.m.: (13) North Texas vs. (4) Purdue, TNT
9:20 p.m.: (10) Rutgers vs. (7) Clemson, TBS
9:40 p.m.: (11) Syracuse vs. (6) San Diego St., CBS
9:50 p.m.: (14) Morehead St. vs. (3) West Virginia, truTV
9:57 p.m.: (12) Winthrop vs. (5) Villanova, TNT
First Round Games – Saturday, March 20
12:15 p.m.: (12) Georgetown vs. (5) Colorado, CBS
12:45 p.m.: (13) UNC Greensboro vs. (4) Florida St., 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) Mount St. Mary’s/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) Wichita St./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
