March Madness 2021: TV Schedule, Full Bracket, How To Watch Michigan, MSU and Others
(CBS Local)- The field of 68 is finally here. The NCAA Division One Men's Basketball Selection Committee has revealed its full bracket for the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Coverage will span four networks, CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV with all games also streamed via NCAA March Madness Live. The tournament will be staged entirely in Indiana this year to limit travel amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and 55 of the 67 games will be played in Indianapolis.
The first game action begins on Thursday, March 18 with the First Four games being played on TBS and truTV.
The four top seeds in the tournament are Gonzaga, Baylor, Illinois, and Michigan with the Bulldogs being officially named the top overall seed. Here is how the bracket stacked up.
West Region
1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Norfolk State/Appalachian State
8 Oklahoma vs. 9 Missouri
5 Creighton vs. 12 UC Santa Barbara
4 Virginia vs. 13 Ohio
6 USC vs. 11 Wichita State/Drake
3 Kansas vs. 14 Eastern Washington
7 Oregon vs. 10 VCU
2 Iowa vs. 15 Grand Canyon
South Region
1 Baylor vs. 16 Hartford
8 North Carolina vs. 9 Wisconsin
5 Villanova vs. 12 Winthrop
4 Purdue vs. 13 North Texas
6 Texas Tech vs. 11 Utah State
3 Arkansas vs. 14 Colgate
7 Florida vs. 10 Virginia Tech
2 Ohio State vs. 15 Oral Roberts
Midwest Region
1 Illinois vs. 16 Drexel
8 Loyola Chicago vs. 9 Georgia Tech
5 Tennessee vs. 12 Oregon State
4 Oklahoma State vs. 13 Liberty
6 San Diego State vs. 11 Syracuse
3 West Virginia vs. 14 Morehead State
7 Clemson vs. 10 Rutgers
2 Houston vs. 15 Cleveland State
East Region
1 Michigan vs. 16 Mount St. Mary's/Texas Southern
8 LSU vs. 9 St. Bonaventure
5 Colorado vs. 12 Georgetown
4 Florida State vs. 13 UNC Greensboro
6 BYU vs. 11 Michigan State/UCLA
3 Texas vs. 14 Abilene Christian
7 UConn vs. 10 Maryland
2 Alabama vs. 15 Iona
On Friday, March 19, and Saturday, March 20, the First Round begins with coverage starting at 12 p.m. ET with games airing across TBS, CBS, TNT, and truTV. The Second Round follows on Sunday, March 21, and Monday, March 22.
Once the field is cut to the Sweet 16, CBS and TBS will air each of those eight games on Saturday, March 27, and Sunday, March 28.
The Elite 8 games will be split between TBS and CBS with each being played in primetime. CBS games will air Monday, March 29 starting at 7:00 p.m. ET and TBS games will air on Tuesday, March 30 beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET.
CBS has the coverage of the Final Four on Saturday, April 3 with the National Championship game set for Monday, April 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The pregame coverage for Saturday's Final Four games will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET with tip-off in the first game set for 5:00 p.m. ET.
The pregame, halftime, and postgame shows for all games will come from studios in New York City and Atlanta.
The full breakout of the programming schedule is below. All times are Eastern.
Thursday, March 18th FIRST FOUR
Game 1- 16 Mount St. Mary's vs. 16, Texas Southern 5:10 p.m. truTV
Game 2- 11 Wichita State vs. 11 Drake, 6:27 p.m. TBS
Game 3- 16 Norfolk State vs. 16 Appalachian State, 8:40 p.m. truTV
Game 4- 11 Michigan State vs. 11 UCLA, 9:57 p.m. TBS
Friday, March 19 FIRST ROUND
Game 5- 7 Florida vs. 10 Virginia Tech, 12:15 p.m. CBS
Game 6- 3 Arkansas vs. 14 Colgate, 12:45 p.m. truTV
Game 7- 1 Illinois vs. 16 Drexel, 1:15 p.m. TBS
Game 8- 6 Texas Tech vs. 11 Utah State, 1:45 p.m. TNT
Game 9- 2 Ohio State vs. 15 Oral Roberts, 3:00 p.m. CBS
Game 10- 1 Baylor vs. 16 Hartford, 3:30 p.m. truTV
Game 11- 8 Loyola Chicago vs. 9 Georgia Tech, 4:00 p.m. TBS
Game 12- 5 Tennessee vs. 12 Oregon State, 4:30 p.m. TNT
Game 13- 4 Oklahoma State vs. 13 Liberty, 6:25 p.m. TBS
Game 14- 8 North Carolina vs. 9 Wisconsin, 7:10 p.m. CBS
Game 15- 2 Houston vs. 15 Cleveland State, 7:15 p.m. truTV
Game 16- 4 Purdue vs. 13 North Texas, 7:25 p.m. TNT
Game 17- 7 Clemson vs. 10 Rutgers, 9:20 p.m. TBS
Game 18- 6 San Diego State vs. 11 Syracuse, 9:40 p.m. CBS
Game 19- 3 West Virginia vs. 14 Morehead State, 9:50 p.m. truTV
Game 20- 5 Villanova vs. 12 Winthrop, 9:57 p.m. TNT
Saturday, March 20 FIRST ROUND
Game 21- 5 Colorado vs. 12 Georgetown, 12:15 p.m. CBS
Game 22- 4 Florida State vs. 13 UNC Greensboro, 12:45p.m. truTV
Game 23- 3 Kansas vs. 14 Eastern Washington, 1:15 p.m. TBS
Game 24- 8 LSU vs. 9 St. Bonaventure, 1:45 p.m. TNT
Game 25- 1 Michigan vs. 16 Mount St. Mary's/Texas Southern, 3:00 p.m. CBS
Game 26- 5 Creighton vs. 12 UC Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m. truTV
Game 27- 2 Alabama vs. 15 Iona, 4:00 p.m. TBS
Game 28- 6 USC vs. 11 Wichita State/Drake, 4:30 p.m. TNT
Game 29- 2 Iowa vs. 15 Grand Canyon, 6:25 p.m. TBS
Game 30- 7 UConn vs. 10 Maryland, 7:10 p.m. CBS
Game 31- 4 Virginia vs. 13 Ohio, 7:15 p.m. truTV
Game 32- 8 Oklahoma vs. 9 Missouri, 7:25 p.m. TNT
Game 33- 1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Norfolk State/Appalachian State, 9:20 p.m. TBS
Game 34- 6 BYU vs. 11 Michigan State/UCLA, 9:40 p.m. CBS
Game 35- 3 Texas vs. 14 Abilene Christian, 9:50 p.m. truTV
Game 36- 7 Oregon vs. 10 VCU, 9:57 p.m. TNT
Sunday, March 21st SECOND ROUND
Game 37- 12 p.m. CBS
Game 38- 2:30 p.m. CBS
Game 39- 5:00 p.m. CBS
Game 40- 6:00 p.m. TNT
Game 41- 7:00 p.m. TBS
Game 42- 7:30 p.m. truTV
Game 43- 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 44- 9:30 p.m. TBS
Monday, March 22nd SECOND ROUND
Game 45- 12 p.m. CBS
Game 46- 2:30 p.m. CBS
Game 47- 5:00 p.m. TBS
Game 48- 6:00 p.m. TNT
Game 49- 7:00 p.m. CBS
Game 50- 7:30 p.m. TBS
Game 51- 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 52- 9:30 p.m. CBS
Saturday, March 27th SWEET 16
Game 53- 2:30 p.m. CBS
Game 54- 5:00 p.m. CBS
Game 55- 7:15 p.m. TBS
Game 56- 9:45 p.m. TBS
Sunday, March 28th SWEET 16
Game 57- 2:00 p.m. CBS
Game 58- 4:45 p.m. CBS
Game 59- 7:00 p.m. TBS
Game 60- 9:30 p.m. TBS
Monday, March 29th ELITE 8
Game 61- 7:00 p.m. CBS
Game 62- 9:45 p.m. CBS
Tuesday, March 30th ELITE 8
Game 63- 7:00 p.m. TBS
Game 64- 9:45 p.m. TBS
Saturday, April 3 FINAL FOUR
Game 65- 5:00 p.m. CBS
Game 66- 8:30 p.m. CBS
Monday, April 5 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Game 67- 9:00 p.m. CBS
The broadcast crews for the coverage have been announced. The team of Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery, and Tracy Wolfson lead the coverage and will have the call of the Final Four and National Championship games on CBS.