Last week 68 teams started the 2026 NCAA Tournament with dreams of winning a national title. Just 11 short days later and only eight squads are left with a shot at accomplishing that goal.
Saturday’s games will whittle that field down even more, as two teams will punch their tickets to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
The day starts with two Big Ten teams facing off in the South Region final. No. 3 seed Illinois takes on No. 9 seed Iowa with the right to cut down the nets in Houston on the line (6:09 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV). The nightcap will see No. 2 seed Purdue — fresh off a thrilling win over No. 11 seed Texas — trying to add to the Big Ten flavor in Indianapolis when the Boilermakers take on No. 1 seed Arizona (8:49 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV).
Here is a full breakdown of the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Be sure to follow the live bracket throughout March Madness.
2026 NCAA Tournament bracket, scores
All times Eastern
East
FIRST ROUND
Thursday, March 19 — Greenville
- (9) TCU 66, (8) Ohio State 64
- (1) Duke 71, (16) Siena 65
Thursday — Buffalo
- (6) Louisville 83, (11) South Florida 79
- (3) Michigan State 92, (14) North Dakota State 67
Friday, March 20 — San Diego
- (5) St. John’s 79, (12) UNI 53
- (4) Kansas 68, (13) Cal Baptist 60
Friday — Philadelphia
- (7) UCLA 75, (10) UCF 71
- (2) UConn 82, (15) Furman 69
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, March 21 — Greenville
Saturday — Buffalo
- (3) Michigan State 77, (6) Louisville 69
Sunday, March 22 — San Diego
- (5) St. John’s 67, (4) Kansas 65
Sunday — Philadelphia
- (2) UConn 73, (7) UCLA 57
SWEET 16
Friday, March 25 — Washington, D.C.
- (1) Duke 80, (5) St. John’s 75
- (2) UConn 67, (3) Michigan State 63
ELITE EIGHT
Sunday, March 27 — Washington D.C.
- (1) Duke vs. (2) UConn | 5:05 p.m. | CBS
West
FIRST FOUR
Tuesday, March 17 — Dayton
- (11) Texas 68, (11) NC State 66
FIRST ROUND
Thursday, March 19 — Portland
- (12) High Point 83, (5) Wisconsin 82
- (4) Arkansas 97, (13) Hawaii 78
- (11) Texas 79, (6) BYU 71
- (3) Gonzaga 73, (14) Kennesaw State 64
Friday, March 20 — San Diego
- (1) Arizona 92, (16) LIU 58
- (9) Utah State 86, (8)Villanova 76
Friday — St. Louis
- (2) Purdue 104, (15) Queens 71
- (7) Miami (Fla.) 80, (10) Missouri 66
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, March 20 — Portland
- (11) Texas 74 (3) Gonzaga 68
- (4) Arkansas 94, (12) High Point 88
Sunday, March 21 — San Diego
- (1) Arizona 78, (9) Utah State 66
Sunday — St. Louis
- (2) Purdue 79, (7) Miami (FL) 69
SWEET 16
Thursday, March 26 — San Jose
- (2) Purdue 79, (11) Texas 77
- (1) Arizona 109, (4) Arkansas 88
ELITE EIGHT
Saturday, March 27 — San Jose
- (1) Arizona vs. (2) Purdue | 8:45 p.m. | TBS
Midwest
FIRST FOUR
Tuesday, March 17 — Dayton
- (16) Howard 86, (16) UMBC 83
Wednesday, March 18 — Dayton
- (11) Miami (Ohio) 89, SMU 79
FIRST ROUND
Thursday, March 19 — Buffalo
- (1) Michigan 101, (16) Howard 80
- (9) Saint Louis 102, (8) Georgia 77
Friday, March 20– St. Louis
- (7) Kentucky 89, (10) Santa Clara 84 (OT)
- (2) Iowa State 108, (15) Tennessee State 74
Friday — Tampa
- (5) Texas Tech 91, (12) Akron 71
- (4) Alabama 90, (13) Hofstra 70
Friday — Philadelphia
- (3) Virginia 82, (14) Wright State 73
- (6) Tennessee 78, (11) Miami (Ohio) 56
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, March 21 — Buffalo
- (1) Michigan 95, (9) Saint Louis 72
Sunday, March 22 — St. Louis
- (2) Iowa State 82, (7) Kentucky 63
Sunday — Tampa
- (4) Alabama 90, (5) Texas Tech 67
Sunday — Philadelphia
- (6) Tennessee 79, (3) Virginia 72
SWEET 16
Friday, March 27 — Chicago
- (1) Michigan 90, (4) Alabama 77
- (6) Tennessee 76, (2) Iowa State 62
Sunday, March 28 — Chicago
- (1) Michigan vs. (6) Tennessee | 2:15 p.m. | CBS
South
FIRST FOUR
Wednesday, March 18 — Dayton
- (16) Prairie View 67, (16) Lehigh 55
FIRST ROUND
Thursday, March 19 — Oklahoma City
- (4) Nebraska 76, (13) Troy 47
- (5) Vanderbilt 78, (12) McNeese 68
Thursday — Greenville
- (11) VCU 82 (6) North Carolina 78 (OT)
- (3) Illinois 105, (14) Penn 70
Thursday — Oklahoma City
- (10) Texas A&M 63, (7) Saint Mary’s 50
- (2) Houston 78, (15) Idaho 47
Friday, March 20 — Tampa
- (9) Iowa 67, (8) Clemson 61
- (1) Florida 114, (16) Prairie View A&M 55
SECOND ROUND
Saturday, March 21 — Greenville
- (3) Illinois 76 (11) VCU 55
Saturday — Oklahoma City
- (2) Houston 88 (10) Texas A&M 57
- (4) Nebraska 74, (5) Vanderbilt 72
Sunday, March 22 — Tampa
- (9) Iowa 73, (1) Florida 72
SWEET 16
Thursday, March 26 — Houston
- (9) Iowa 77, (4) Nebraska 71
- (3) Illinois 65, (2) Houston 55
Saturday, March 28 — Houston
- (3) Illinois vs. (9) Iowa | 6:09 p.m. | CBS
Final Four
Saturday, April 4 — 6:09 p.m. start (TBS)
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
National Championship
Monday, April 6 — 8:50 p.m. (TBS)
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
