2021 NCAA Tournament schedule: March Madness First Four, First Round TV, and more

Selection Sunday restored just a little bit more of the normalcy the sports world had been craving as the NCAA Tournament is officially back after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In total, 68 teams begin their dreams of competing for a national championship beginning Thursday with millions of fans attempting to be college basketball’s next Nostradamus as they clamor over their brackets. 

Those very same fanatics will likely see a severe dip in their productivity — whether that be at work or school — as the first few days of the tournament is more like a national holiday rather than a handful of basketball games. 

In total, 36 games will be played in the first phases of the NCAA Tournament over the first three days. Here is how you can catch all the action:

2021 NCAA Tournament First Four, First Round schedule, TV

First Four: Thursday, March 18

• (16) Texas Southern vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s, 5:10 p.m. ET, truTV
• (11) Drake vs. (11) Wichita State, 6:27 p.m., TBS
• (16) Appalachian State vs. (16) Norfolk State, 8:40 p.m., truTV
• (11) UCLA vs. (11) Michigan State, 9:57 p.m., TBS

First Round: Friday, March 19

• (7) Florida vs. (10) Virginia Tech, 12:15 p.m., CBS
• (3) Arkansas vs. (14) Colgate, 12:45 p.m., truTV
• (1) Illinois vs. (16) Drexel, 1:15 p.m., TBS
• (6) Texas Tech vs. (11) Utah State, 1:45 p.m., TNT
• (2) Ohio State vs. (15) Oral Roberts, 3 p.m., CBS
• (1) Baylor vs. (16) Hartford, 3:30 p.m., truTV
• (8) Loyola Chicago vs. (9) Georgia Tech, 4 p.m., TBS
• (5) Tennessee vs. (12) Oregon State, 4:30 p.m., TNT
• (4) Oklahoma State vs. (13) Liberty, 6:25 p.m., TBS
• (8) North Carolina vs. (9) Wisconsin, 7:10 p.m., CBS
• (2) Houston vs. (15) Cleveland State, 7:15 p.m., truTV
• (4) Purdue vs. (13) North Texas, 7:25 p.m., TNT
• (7) Clemson vs. (10) Rutgers, 9:20 p.m., TBS
• (6) San Diego State vs. (11) Syracuse, 9:40 p.m., CBS
• (3) West Virginia vs. (14) Morehead State, 9:50 p.m. truTV
• (5) Villanova vs. (12) Winthrop, 9:57 p.m., TNT

First Round: Saturday, March 20

• (5) Colorado vs. (12) Georgetown, 12:15 p.m., CBS
• (4) Florida State vs. (13) UNC Greensboro, 12:45 p.m., truTV
• (3) Kansas vs. (14) Eastern Washington, 1:15 p.m., TBS
• (8) LSU vs. (9) St. Bonaventure, 1:45 p.m., TNT
• (1) Michigan vs. (16) Mount St. Mary/TSU, 3 p.m., CBS
• (5) Creighton vs. (12) UC Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m., truTV
• (2) Alabama vs. (15) Iona, 4 p.m., TBS
• (6) USC vs. (11) Wichita St./Drake, 4:30 p.m., TNT
• (2) Iowa vs. (15) Grand Canyon, 6:25 p.m., TBS
• (7) UConn vs. (10) Maryland, 7:10 p.m., CBS
• (4) Virginia vs. (13) Ohio, 7:15 p.m., truTV
• (8) Oklahoma vs. (9) Missouri, 7:25 p.m., TNT
• (1) Gonzaga vs. (16) Norfolk St./App St., 9:20 p.m., TBS
• (6) BYU vs. (11) Michigan St./UCLA, 9:40 p.m., CBS
• (3) Texas) vs. (14) Abilene Christian, 9:50 p.m., truTV
• (7) Oregon vs. (10) VCU, 9:57 p.m., TNT

 

This first appeared on AMNY.com