Opening Games Hope To Deliver Early Drama As The Main College Basketball Tournament Begins
- Pre Game Sports
- Mar 16
- 2 min read

The road to the national championship tips off Tuesday with the first two play in games that officially launch college basketball’s biggest tournament, then the final two on Wednesday.
Tuesday
16 UMBC vs 16 Howard
11 Texas vs 11 NC State
Wednesday
16 Prairie View vs 16 Lehigh
11 Miami OH (only undefeated team in regular season) vs 11 SMU
These opening matchups will hopefully show exactly what fans expect this time of year, tight finishes, standout performances, and teams fighting to extend their seasons by just a few more days.
With the bracket now fully set, attention quickly shifts to Thursday’s massive slate featuring 16 games in one action packed day, where contenders, underdogs, and bracket busters all collide.
Thursday’s Full Slate: 16 Games and a Wall to Wall College Basketball Marathon
Thursday marks one of the most anticipated days of the entire year. From early in the day through late night, 16 games unfold across multiple regions, creating nonstop action for fans and plenty of opportunities for upsets.
Early Window
9 TCU vs 8 Ohio State
13 Troy vs 4 Nebraska
11 South Florida vs 6 Louisville
12 High Point vs 5 Wisconsin
Afternoon Matchups
16 Siena vs 1 Duke
12 McNeese vs 5 Vanderbilt
14 N Dakota St vs 3 Michigan St
13 Hawai'i vs 4 Arkansas
Late Afternoon
11 VCU vs 6 North Carolina
16 UMBC vs 16 Howard (winner) vs 1 Michigan
11 Texas vs 11 NC State (winner) vs 6 BYU
10 Texas A&M vs 7 Saint Mary's
Night Finales
14 Penn vs 3 Illinois
9 Saint Louis vs 8 Georgia
14 Kennesaw St vs 3 Gonzaga
15 Idaho vs 2 Houston
The Tournament Energy Is Just Getting Started
The opening games are all set up to decide the tone with intense, win or go home basketball early in the week. While later, starting Thursday a full day of 16 games is on deck, the tournament truly has begun.
Every year, the opening round produces unforgettable moments, buzzer beaters, Cinderella stories, and bracket chaos that define the early days of the tournament.


