The Road to the Final Four Begins

The field of 68 teams for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is set, culminating a competitive Champ Week that determined all 31 automatic bids. The tournament action is already beginning with the First Four games, setting the stage for a month of thrilling competition.

First Four Matchups

The First Four games will determine the final four teams to complete the 64-team bracket. Here’s a look at the matchups:

• Tuesday: UMBC vs. Howard (Midwest Region)
• Tuesday: Texas vs. NC State
• Wednesday: Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh
• Wednesday: Miami (Ohio) vs. SMU

Winners of these games will advance to face higher-seeded opponents later in the tournament.

Key Tournament Details

The bulk of the tournament action begins on Thursday, with games scheduled throughout the day and evening. All games are available on the ESPN App and will be broadcast on ESPN networks.

Thursday/Friday Schedule Highlights

• TCU (#9) vs Ohio State (#8)
• Troy (#13) vs Nebraska (#4)
• South Florida (#11) vs Louisville (#6)
• High Point (#12) vs Wisconsin (#5)
• Siena (#16) vs Duke (#1)
• McNeese (#12) vs Vanderbilt (#5)
• North Dakota State (#14) vs Michigan State (#3)
• Hawai’i (#13) vs Arkansas (#4)
• VCU (#11) vs North Carolina (#6)
• UMBC/Howard (#16) vs Michigan (#1)
• Texas/NC State (#11) vs BYU (#6)
• Texas A&M (#10) vs Saint Mary’s (#7)
• Pennsylvania (#14) vs Illinois (#3)
• Saint Louis (#9) vs Georgia (#8)
• Kennesaw State (#14) vs Gonzaga (#3)
• Idaho (#15) vs Houston (#2)

Friday/Saturday Schedule Highlights

• Santa Clara (#10) vs Kentucky (#7)
• Akron (#12) vs Texas Tech (#5)
• Long Island (#16) vs Arizona (#1)
• Wright State (#14) vs Virginia (#3)
• Tennessee State (#15) vs Iowa State (#2)
• Hofstra (#13) vs Alabama (#4)
• Utah State (#9) vs Villanova (#8)
• SMU/Miami (Ohio) (#11) vs Tennessee (#6)
• Iowa (#9) vs Clemson (#8)
• Northern Iowa (#12) vs St. John’s (#5)
• UCF (#10) vs UCLA (#7)
• Queens University (#15) vs Purdue (#2)
• Lehigh/Prairie View A&M (#16) vs Florida (#1)
• California Baptist (#13) vs Kansas (#4)
• Furman (#15) vs UConn (#2)
• Missouri (#10) vs Miami (#7)

Conference Champions

Several teams secured their tournament berths by winning their conference championships. Among those are:

• SIU Edwardsville (Ohio Valley Conference)
• High Point (Big South)
• Lipscomb (Atlantic Sun)
• American University (Patriot League)

FAQ

What is the First Four?

The First Four consists of four games played between eight of the lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers and the last four at-large teams. The winners advance to the first round of the tournament.

Where can I watch the tournament?

All games are available on the ESPN App and will be broadcast on ESPN networks.