March Madness is in full swing, and we’ve already seen one of the biggest upsets ever. No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson University, knocked off top seed Purdue 63-58 Friday night, marking just the second time in tournament history that a 16 seed beat a No. 1. That game followed another huge upset, on Thursday: No. 15 Princeton taking down No. 2 Arizona.
The second round of games, this weekend, could have more madness in store. It features the 32 teams that won on Thursday and Friday, including the two New Jersey Cinderellas, FDU and Princeton, all with a chance to advance in a single-elimination contest. The games continue all day and well into the night on CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV.
Joe Munden Jr. and the No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson Knights beat the No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Here’s everything you need to know to get in on the March Madness, from the Sweet 16 to the Final Four and the national championship game.
What is the March Madness TV schedule?
The schedule and channels for the second round games, this weekend, are listed below (all times Eastern).
Saturday, March 18
- No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 13 Furman (12:10 p.m.) CBS
- No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 5 Duke (2:40 p.m.) CBS
- No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 Arkansas (5:15 p.m.) CBS
- No. 7 Missouri vs. No. 15 Princeton (6:10 p.m.) TNT
- No. 1 Houston vs. No. 9 Auburn (7:10 p.m.) TBS
- No. 2 Texas vs. No. 10 Penn State (7:45 p.m.) CBS
- No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 7 Northwestern (8:40 p.m.) TNT
- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 Maryland (9:40 p.m.) TBS
Sunday, March 19
- No. 3 Xavier vs. No. 11 Pitt (12:10 p.m.) CBS
- No. 3 Kansas State vs. No. 6 Kentucky (2:40 p.m.) CBS
- No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 7 Michigan State (5:15 p.m.) CBS
- No. 4 UConn vs. No. 5 Saint Mary’s (6:10 p.m.) TNT
- No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 6 Creighton (7:10 p.m.) TBS
- No. 9 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 16 FDU (7:45 p.m.) TruTV
- No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 5 Miami (Fla.) (8:40 p.m.) TNT
- No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 6 TCU (9:40 p.m.) TBS
Here’s the remaining schedule, round by round:
- Second round: March 18-19
- Sweet 16: March 23-24
- Elite Eight: March 25-26
- Final Four: April 1
- NCAA championship game: April 3
What does the March Madness bracket look like now?
The March Madness bracket and matchups were revealed on Sunday, March 12. Alabama, Houston, Kansas and Purdue were listed as the top seeds in their respective regions. In a stunning upset, Purdue was eliminated in the first round by No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson, on Friday, March 17.
The full, updated bracket can be found on the NCAA’s website.
When did March Madness start?
With 68 teams invited to the Big Dance, the NCAA holds four play-in games to get the field down to 64. After that, the math works out to have four regional tournaments of 16 teams each. The winners of the four regional tournaments then advance to the Final Four, held this year in Houston.
March Madness began Tuesday, March 14, with two play-in games followed the next night by two more play-in matches. After those First Four games, the field of 64 was set and the tournament began in earnest with a full slate of games on Thursday and Friday, March 16 and 17. All 64 teams played and half were eliminated. This weekend features the winners of those games. Whoever triumphs moves on to the Sweet 16 next week.
How can I watch March Madness?
As in past years, the tournament is being shown across four channels: CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Only one remaining game is on TruTV, but it’s a big one: Sunday’s matchup between Florida Atlantic and Fairleigh Dickinson University, the team that knocked off Purdue.
If the last time you watched something on TruTV was last March, then you might need some assistance finding it for this year’s tournament. Here’s a handy guide for some of the major cable or satellite TV providers:
What channel is broadcasting the Final Four?
The Final Four and national championship game will air on CBS and stream on Paramount Plus.
Can I stream March Madness for free?
Go to the NCAA’s March Madness Live site or use its March Madness Live app and you’ll be able to watch games for free. You can watch March Madness Live on iOS and Android devices along with Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox One. The app also supports AirPlay and Chromecast.
As with most things that are free, there’s a catch. Without proving you’re a pay-TV subscriber, you get only a three-hour preview, after which point you’ll need to log in to continue watching.
What are my other streaming options?
You can use a live TV streaming service to watch March Madness. Three of the five live TV streaming services offer the four channels needed to watch every tournament game, but keep in mind that not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries CBS in your area.
You can also use Paramount Plus to watch some, but not all, of March Madness. Only the games shown on CBS are available on Paramount Plus.
Sarah Tew/CNET
YouTube TV costs $65 a month and includes CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area. Read our YouTube TV review.
Hulu
Hulu with Live TV costs $70 a month and includes CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Click the “View channels in your area” link on its welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your ZIP code. Read our Hulu with Live TV review.
Paramount Plus, CNET
Paramount Plus costs $10 a month for its Premium plan and will show March Madness games broadcast on CBS, including the Final Four. You can’t, however, watch the rest of the tournament shown on TBS, TNT or TruTV with Paramount Plus. Read our Paramount Plus review.
Fubo TV
FuboTV’s basic plan costs $75 a month and includes CBS but not TBS, TNT or TruTV. It isn’t the best choice for March Madness, but it’ll let you watch some early-round games, the Final Four and the championship game. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our FuboTV review.
Sling, CNET
Sling TV’s $40-a-month Blue plan includes TBS, TNT and TruTV. None of its plans include CBS, which means you can’t watch the culmination of March Madness on Sling. Read our Sling TV review.
All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.
