The monstrosity that is the NCAA Tournament is back.
In terms of sheer size and scope, nothing in the American sports lexicon can begin to approach March Madness, which in 2021 ranges 23 days from Selection Sunday on March 14 through the national title game on Monday, April 5.
Add in a plethora of TV networks and several streaming options for the 67-game tournament, and it can be a dizzying affair to keep up with — if Sporting News hadn’t gone through the trouble of noting every major date for the entire tournament.
Here’s everything you need to know for March Madness in 2021, including dates, times and TV information:
MORE: Get your printable March Madness bracket here
When does March Madness start?
- First Four: March 18
- Round 1: March 19
- Final Four: April 3-5
That depends on who you’re asking; it could be the NCAA Tournament selection show, which reveals the initial 68-team NCAA Tournament field. Or it could be the First Four, which helps set the final 64-team field. Or it could be the first round, which marks the start of the tournament proper. Or, for those casual fans who care only about the national championship, you could argue it starts with the Final Four.
Regardless, below is the full tournament schedule, from Selection Sunday to the national championship game:
MORE: Watch select NCAA Tournament games live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
NCAA Tournament schedule 2021
Selection Sunday
Sunday, March 14
| Time (ET) | TV |
| 6 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
First Four
Thursday, March 18
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 1: No. 16 Mount St Mary’s vs. No. 16 Texas Southern | 5:10 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 2: No. 11 Wichita State vs. No. 11 Drake | 6:27 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 3: No. 16 Norfolk State vs. No. 16 Appalachian State | 8:40 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 4: No. 11 Michigan State vs. No. 11 UCLA | 9:57 p.m. | TBS |
Round 1
Friday, March 19
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 5: No. 10 Virginia Tech vs. No. 7 Florida | 12:15 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 6: No. 14 Colgate vs. No. 3 Arkansas | 12:45 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 7: No. 16 Drexel vs. No. 1 Illinois | 1:15 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 8: No. 11 Utah State vs. No. 6 Texas Tech | 1:45 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 9: No 15 Oral Roberts vs. No. 2 Ohio State | 3 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 10: No. 16 Hartford vs. No. 1 Baylor | 3:30 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 11: No. 9 Georgia Tech vs. No. 8 Loyola Chicago | 4 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 12: No. 12 Oregon State vs. No. 5 Tennessee | 4:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 13: No. 13 Liberty vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State | 6:25 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 14: No. 9 Wisconsin vs. No 8 North Carolina | 7:10 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 15: No. 15 Cleveland State vs. No. 2 Houston | 7:15 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 16: No. 13 North Texas vs. No. 4 Purdue | 7:25 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 17: No. 10 Rutgers vs. No. 7 Clemson | 9:20 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 18: No. 11 Syracuse vs. No. 6 San Diego State | 9:40 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 19: No. 14 Morehead State vs. No. 3 West Virginia | 9:50 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 20: No. 12 Winthrop No. 5 Villanova | 9:57 p.m. | TNT |
Saturday, March 20
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 21: No. 12 Georgetown vs. No. 5 Colorado | 12:15 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 22: No. 13 UNC Greensboro vs. No. 4 Florida State | 12:45 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 23: No. 14 Eastern Washington vs. No. 3 Kansas | 1:15 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 24: No. 9 St. Bonaventure vs. No. 8 LSU | 1:45 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 25: No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s/Texas Southern vs. No. 1 Michigan | 3 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 26: No. 12 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 5 Creighton | 3:30 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 27: No. 15 Iona vs. No. 2 Alabama | 4 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 28: No. 11 Wichita State/Drake vs. No. 6 USC | 4:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 29: No. 15 Grand Canyon vs. No. 2 Iowa | 6:25 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 30: No. 10 Maryland vs. No. 7 UConn | 7:10 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 31: No. 13 Ohio vs. No. 4 Virginia | 7:15 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 32: No. 9 Missouri vs. No. 8 Oklahoma | 7:25 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 33: No. 16 Norfolk State/Appalachian State vs. No. 1 Gonzaga | 9:20 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 34: No. 11 Michigan State/UCLA vs. No. 6 BYU | 9:40 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 35: No. 14 Abilene Christian vs. No. 3 Texas | 9:50 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 36: No. 10 VCU vs. No. 7 Oregon | 9:57 p.m. | TNT |
Round 2
Sunday, March 21
Sunday’s second-round tip times will be announced after Friday’s games.
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 37 | Noon | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 38 | 2:30 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 39 | 5 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 40 | 6 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 41 | 7 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 42 | 7:30 p.m. | truTV |
| Game 43 | 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 44 | 9:30 p.m. | TBS |
Monday, March 22
Monday’s second-round tip times will be announced after Saturday’s games.
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 45 | Noon | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 46 | 2:30 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 47 | 5 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 48 | 6 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 49 | 7 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 50 | 7:30 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 51 | 8:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Game 52 | 9:30 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
Sweet 16
Saturday, March 27
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 53 | 2:30 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 54 | 5 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 55 | 7:15 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 56 | 9:45 p.m. | TBS |
Sunday, March 28
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 57 | 2 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 58 | 4:45 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |
| Game 59 | 7 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 60 | 9:45 p.m. | TBS |
Elite Eight
Monday, March 29
Tuesday, March 30
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 63 | 7 p.m. | TBS |
| Game 64 | 9:45 p.m. | TBS |
Final Four
Saturday, April 3
NCAA Tournament national championship game
Monday, April 5
| Game | Time (ET) | TV |
| Game 67 | 9 p.m. | CBS, fuboTV |