2026-03-18
NCAA Men's Tournament on TV today: Full schedule, channels, and live streams
The first full day of the 2026 NCAA Men's Tournament is officially here. Thursday, March 19, marks the beginning of the Round of 64, with 16 high-stakes matchups across four regions. From top seeds like Duke and Michigan looking to avoid a historic upset to the classic 8-vs-9 battles in Greenville and Buffalo, the schedule is packed with wall-to-wall basketball from noon until nearly midnight. 2026 NCAA Tournament Schedule: Thursday, March 19 Coverage is split across CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV. Fans can catch every CBS game on Paramount+, while all Turner-network games (TNT/TBS/truTV) are available through Sling TV or the March Madness Live app. Matchup Time (ET) Channel Stream (8) Ohio State vs. (9) TCU 12:15 PM CBS Paramount+ (4) Nebraska vs. (13) Troy 12:40 PM truTV Sling TV (6) Louisville vs. (11) South Florida 1:30 PM TNT Sling TV (5) Wisconsin vs. (12) High Point 1:50 PM TBS Sling TV (1) Duke vs. (16) Siena 2:50 PM CBS Paramount+ (5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) McNeese 3:15 PM truTV Sling TV (3) Michigan St. vs. (14) NDSU 4:05 PM TNT Sling TV (4) Arkansas vs. (13) Hawai'i 4:25 PM TBS Sling TV (6) North Carolina vs. (11) VCU 6:50 PM TNT Sling TV (1) Michigan vs. (16) Howard 7:10 PM CBS Paramount+ (6) BYU vs. (11) Texas 7:25 PM TBS Sling TV (7) St. Mary's vs. (10) Texas A&M 7:35 PM truTV Sling TV (3) Illinois vs. (14) Penn 9:25 PM TNT Sling TV (8) Georgia vs. (9) Saint Louis 9:45 PM CBS Paramount+ (3) Gonzaga vs. (14) Kennesaw St. 10:00 PM TBS Sling TV (2) Houston vs. (15) Idaho 10:10 PM truTV Sling TV How to Watch CBS Games on Paramount+ Paramount+ is the home for every marquee matchup on CBS, including the Final Four. Subscribers to the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan can stream their local CBS station live to catch the Buckeyes, Blue Devils, and Wolverines in action today. Subscription Tiers Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ($13.99/mo) : Full live CBS streaming access for all tournament games, including the National Championship. Paramount+ Essential ($5.99/mo) : Live sporting events like March Madness are often included, making this a budget-friendly entry for the Round of 64. How to watch the rest of March Madness To follow the tournament through the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and into the final weekend, Sling TV provides the ultimate flexibility. Since games are spread across TNT, TBS, and truTV, Sling ensures you have access to every non-CBS game without a massive cable bill. Sling Orange: The Best Value for Tournament Fans The Sling Orange plan includes TNT, TBS, and ESPN, which is perfect for covering the bulk of the tournament's mid-week and weekend schedules. 1-Day Pass ($4.99) : The most affordable way to catch today's entire afternoon and evening slate on Turner networks. 3-Day Pass ($9.99) : Covers the first full weekend of the tournament, ensuring you see every second-round battle. 7-Day Pass ($14.99) : The total package for the first week-access every buzzer-beater from the First Round through the conclusion of the Round of 32.