How to watch Thursday’s men’s March Madness first-round games: Schedule, odds and storylines
The Madness goes full tilt from the jump, with Thursday’s 16-game tourney slate starting around noon Eastern and running past midnight. Sensory overload? Perhaps. Sheer elation? Most definitely.
We begin the day with resilient Louisville tangling with Ryan Kalkbrenner’s Creighton. Purdue and Wisconsin get to show out for the Big Ten, while top-seeds Auburn and Houston tip off their respective title campaigns.
Later on, we can see Tennessee’s belligerent defense, and the decorated senior core of Kansas faces John Calipari’s Arkansas. The night run includes St. John’s (partying like it’s 1985), Michigan (feeling itself as conference tournament champ) and Texas Tech (getting buckets, so many buckets). Two of the five AP First Team All-Americans take the floor on Thursday — Braden Smith, Purdue’s dogged initiator, and Johni Broome, Auburn’s centrifugal force down low.
This first day back into tourney time can be particularly disorienting. Godspeed in the “quad box” broadcast set up, and good luck in all bracket endeavors.
How to watch every men’s NCAA Tournament Day 1 game
MatchupReg.Time (ET)TVStreamNo. 8 Louisville
No. 9 CreightonS12:15 p.m.CBSFubo (Try for Free)
Paramount+No. 4 Purdue
No. 13 High PointM12:40 p.m.truTVMaxNo. 3 Wisconsin
No. 14 MontanaE1:30 p.m.TNTMaxNo. 1 Houston
No. 16 SIU EdwardsvilleM2 p.m.TBSMaxNo. 1 Auburn
No. 16 Alabama StateS2:50 p.m.CBSFubo (Try for Free)
Paramount+No. 5 Clemson
No. 12 McNeeseM3:15 p.m.truTVMaxNo. 6 BYU
No. 11 VCUE4:05 p.m.TNTMaxNo. 8 Gonzaga
No. 9 GeorgiaM4:35 p.m.TBSMaxNo. 2 Tennessee
No. 15 WoffordM6:50 p.m.TNTMaxNo. 7 Kansas
No. 10 ArkansasW7:10 p.m.CBSFubo (Try for Free)
Paramount+No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 13 YaleS7:25 p.m.TBSMaxNo. 6 Missouri
No. 11 DrakeW7:35 p.m.truTVMaxNo. 7 UCLA
No. 10 Utah StateM9:25 p.m.TNTMaxNo. 2 St. John’s
No. 15 OmahaW9:45 p.m.CBSFubo (Try for Free)
Paramount+No. 5 Michigan
No. 12 UC San DiegoS10 p.m.TBSMaxNo. 3 Texas Tech
No. 14 UNC WilmingtonW10:10 p.m.truTVMax
NCAA Tournament odds
Links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Johni Broome: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
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The Madness goes full tilt from the jump, with Thursday’s 16-game tourney slate starting around noon Eastern and running past midnight. Sensory overload? Perhaps. Sheer elation? Most definitely.
We begin the day with resilient Louisville tangling with Ryan Kalkbrenner’s Creighton. Purdue and Wisconsin get to show out for the Big Ten, while top-seeds Auburn and Houston tip off their respective title campaigns.
Later on, we can see Tennessee’s belligerent defense, and the decorated senior core of Kansas faces John Calipari’s Arkansas. The night run includes St. John’s (partying like it’s 1985), Michigan (feeling itself as conference tournament champ) and Texas Tech (getting buckets, so many buckets). Two of the five AP First Team All-Americans take the floor on Thursday — Braden Smith, Purdue’s dogged initiator, and Johni Broome, Auburn’s centrifugal force down low.
This first day back into tourney time can be particularly disorienting. Godspeed in the “quad box” broadcast set up, and good luck in all bracket endeavors.
How to watch every men’s NCAA Tournament Day 1 game
MatchupReg.Time (ET)TVStreamNo. 8 Louisville
No. 9 Creighton
Paramount+
No. 4 Purdue
No. 13 High Point
No. 3 Wisconsin
No. 14 Montana
No. 1 Houston
No. 16 SIU Edwardsville
No. 1 Auburn
No. 16 Alabama State
Paramount+
No. 5 Clemson
No. 12 McNeese
No. 8 Gonzaga
No. 9 Georgia
No. 2 Tennessee
No. 15 Wofford
No. 7 Kansas
No. 10 Arkansas
Paramount+
No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 13 Yale
No. 6 Missouri
No. 11 Drake
No. 7 UCLA
No. 10 Utah State
No. 2 St. John’s
No. 15 Omaha
Paramount+
No. 5 Michigan
No. 12 UC San Diego
No. 3 Texas Tech
No. 14 UNC Wilmington
NCAA Tournament odds
Links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Johni Broome: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
