Michigan State will play North Dakota State in the first round of the men’s March Madness 2026 tournament. Michigan State earned the No. 3 seed in the East Region this year, finishing third in the Big Ten regular season standings. North Dakota State is entering the NCAA tournament at No. 14. They’ll tip off at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY, this Thursday at 4:05 p.m. ET.
For a list of key dates, teams, and how to watch every March Madness game, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a look at how to watch the entire NCAA tournament, from the First Round right up to the Championship Final.
How to watch Michigan State vs. North Dakota State in the first round of March Madness:
Dates: March 19, 2026
Time: 4:05 p.m.
TV channel: TNT
Streaming: DirecTV, HBO Max and more
When is the Michigan State vs. North Dakota State game?
The Michigan State vs. North Dakota State game is this Thursday, March 19. Tipoff is at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Where to watch the Michigan State vs. North Dakota State game:
Thursday’s Michigan State vs. North Dakota State game airs on TNT.
Where to stream March Madness games without cable:
Every game of the 2026 men’s March Madness Tournament that’s on TBS, TNT or truTV will stream on HBO Max. You’ll also be able to access the game on live TV services like DirecTV.
Which teams are competing in the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament?
The following is a breakdown of every First Round game schedule including who’s playing and how to watch.
All times Eastern
Thursday, March 19
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12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU (CBS)
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12:40 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy (TruTV)
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1:30 p.m.: No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida (TNT)
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1:50 p.m.: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point (TBS)
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2:50 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena (CBS)
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3:15 p.m.: No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese (TruTV)
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4:05 p.m.: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State (TNT)
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4:25 p.m.: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawaii (TBS)
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6:50 p.m.: No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU (TNT)
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7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 UMBC or Howard (CBS)
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7:25 p.m.: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas or NC State (TBS)
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7:35 p.m.: No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Texas A&M (TruTV)
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9:25 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn (TNT)
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9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis (CBS)
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10 p.m.: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State (TBS)
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10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho (TruTV)
Friday, March 20
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12:15 p.m.: No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara (CBS)
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12:40 p.m.: No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron (TruTV)
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1:35 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU (TNT)
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1:50 p.m.: No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State (TBS)
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2:50 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State (CBS)
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3:15 p.m.: No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra (TruTV)
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4:10 p.m.: No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State (TNT)
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4:25 p.m.: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio) or SMU (TBS)
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6:50 p.m.: No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa (TNT)
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7:10 p.m.: No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa (CBS)
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7:25 p.m.: No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 UCF (TBS)
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7:35 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens (TruTV)
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9:25 p.m.: No. 16 Prairie View A&M or Lehigh vs. No. 1 Florida (TNT)
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9:45 p.m.: No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist (CBS)
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10 p.m.: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman (TBS)
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10:10 p.m.: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Missouri (TruTV)
2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament schedule:
The schedule and locations for the men’s tournament:
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Selection Sunday: 6 p.m. ET Sunday, March 15 on CBS
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First Four: Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18
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First round: Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20
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Second round: Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22
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Sweet 16: Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27
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Elite Eight: Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29
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Final Four: Saturday, April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
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NCAA championship game: Monday, April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
