Since 2011, the NCAA Tournament has kicked off with the First Four, where a total of eight teams – the four lowest ranked automatic qualifiers and at-large teams – play to make it into the final field of 64.
The games have always been played on the Tuesday and Wednesday following Selection Sunday, but that won't be the case this week thanks to logistical issues with COVID.
This year, all four opening games will be played on Thursday, beginning at 4 p.m. ET. Here is the complete schedule of games and what they will air on:
Game 1: No. 16 Mount Saint Mary's vs. No. 16 Texas Southern, 5:10 ET, truTV, winner faces No. 1 seed Michigan
Game 2: No. 11 Wichita State vs. No. 11 Drake, 6:27 ET, TBS, winner faces No. 6 seed USC.
Game 3: No. 16 Norfolk State vs. No. 16 Appalachian State, 8:40 ET, truTV, winner faces No. 1 seed Gonzaga.
Game 4: No. 11 Michigan State vs. No. 11 UCLA, 9:57 ET, TBS, winner faces No. 6 seed BYU
BRACKET TIPS? AT YOUR SERVICE:
- Meet the 68: In-depth capsules with info on every team
- Expert picks: From early upsets to the Final Four and champion
- Don't count on 'em: These are teams to avoid picking to go far
- Smartest first-round upsets: These are the teams to keep your eye on
- Every first-round upset: Easy list of our experts' first-round upset picks
- Stay informed: Our newsletter will offer bracket tips every day. Sign up here!
With the entire tournament taking place in the state of Indiana, this will also be the first time the First Four is not played at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
Games one and three will be played at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, home of the Indiana Hoosiers. Games two and four will be played at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, home of the Purdue Boilermakers.
The first round of the tournament will begin the following day. All First Four winners will play on Saturday.
Contact Jordan Mendoza at [email protected] or on Twitter @jord_mendoza
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