NCAA Men’s Tournament First Round Delivers Day-Long Thrills (Image Credits: Pexels)
Las Vegas – Basketball fever grips the city as the first round of the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament unfolds across multiple networks today, March 20. Viewers have access to a packed slate of college matchups, alongside NBA contests and NHL replays on local channels. National broadcasts dominate, with local radio stations offering talk and highlights throughout the day.[1][2]
NCAA Men’s Tournament First Round Delivers Day-Long Thrills
The marquee event begins early in Pacific Time, setting the tone for an action-packed Friday. Top seeds face determined underdogs in games broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. All times listed are in PT for Las Vegas viewers.
| Time (PT) | Matchup | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 9:15 a.m. | Santa Clara vs. Kentucky | CBS |
| 9:40 a.m. | Akron vs. Texas Tech | truTV |
| 10:35 a.m. | LIU vs. Arizona | TNT |
| 10:50 a.m. | Wright State vs. Virginia | TBS |
| 11:50 a.m. | Tennessee State vs. Iowa State | CBS |
| 12:15 p.m. | Hofstra vs. Alabama | truTV |
| 1:10 p.m. | Utah State vs. Villanova | TNT |
| 1:25 p.m. | Miami (Ohio) vs. Tennessee | TBS |
| 3:50 p.m. | Iowa vs. Clemson | TNT |
| 4:10 p.m. | Northern Iowa vs. St. John’s | CBS |
| 4:25 p.m. | UCF vs. UCLA | TBS |
| 4:35 p.m. | Queens vs. Purdue | truTV |
| 6:25 p.m. | Prairie View A&M vs. Florida | TNT |
| 6:45 p.m. | Cal Baptist vs. Kansas | CBS |
| 7:00 p.m. | Furman vs. UConn | TBS |
| 7:10 p.m. | Missouri vs. Miami (FL) | truTV |
These contests promise upsets and buzzer-beaters, keeping fans glued from morning through late night.[1]
Women’s NCAA Tournament Adds to the Excitement
Parallel action in the women’s bracket airs on ESPN networks, providing non-stop hoops. Key early games include College of Charleston vs. Duke at 11:30 a.m. PT on ESPN2 and UC San Diego vs. TCU at noon on ESPN. Later matchups feature Gonzaga vs. Ole Miss at 3:30 p.m. and Jacksonville vs. LSU at 6 p.m., both on ESPN2 and ESPN.
- Nebraska vs. Baylor, 2 p.m. PT, ESPN
- Missouri State vs. Texas, 4 p.m. PT, ESPN
- Holy Cross vs. Michigan, 5:30 p.m. PT, ESPN2
- Tennessee vs. NC State, 8 p.m. PT, ESPN
- Idaho vs. Oklahoma, 10 p.m. PT, ESPN
Coverage extends into the evening, offering variety for viewers flipping channels.[2]
NBA Action and Local Replays Keep Courtside Buzz Alive
NBA regular-season games provide prime-time entertainment amid the college chaos. Golden State Warriors visit Detroit Pistons at 4:30 p.m. PT on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and NBCS Bay Area. Boston Celtics head to Memphis Grizzlies at 5 p.m. PT, while Atlanta Hawks face Houston Rockets at 5 p.m. PT on NBATV and FanDuel Sports Network Southeast.
FanDuel Sports Network SoCal Las Vegas carries replays of LA Clippers at New Orleans Pelicans multiple times, including 3 a.m., 11 p.m., and overnight slots. These options cater to West Coast fans catching up on recent action.[2]
NHL Replays and Radio Coverage Round Out the Day
No live Vegas Golden Knights game appears today, with their next matchup set for March 21 at Nashville. However, NHL Network airs a taped Buffalo Sabres at San Jose Sharks at noon PT. Regional replays include Philadelphia Flyers at Los Angeles Kings on FanDuel Sports Network SoCal Las Vegas affiliates earlier in the day.
Radio enthusiasts turn to Las Vegas Sports Network stations for talk and highlights. ESPN Las Vegas (1100 AM, 100.9 FM) features shows like Cofield & Company from 3 p.m. Fox Sports 1340 AM and Raider Nation Radio 920 AM offer sports programming. Westwood One Sports carries NCAA tournament audio nationally.[3][4]
Key Takeaways:
- NCAA men’s first-round games span 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT on major networks.
- Women’s tournament fills ESPN channels all day.
- NBA live games start at 4:30 p.m. PT; local replays on FanDuel Sports Network.
As brackets fill and favorites advance, Las Vegas sports viewers face a marathon of must-watch moments. Which upset will steal the show? Share your predictions in the comments.
