March Madness 2026 First Four: UMBC vs Howard & Texas vs NC State TONIGHT in Dayton — Full Preview & Predictions

March Madness is officially HERE! The NCAA Tournament begins with the First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. (The New York Times) Tonight is the night fans have been waiting for — four teams will fight for their lives just to earn a spot in the main bracket!

🏀 Tonight's First Four Games — Tuesday March 17

Game 1: (16) UMBC vs. (16) Howard — 6:40 PM ET on truTV

Game 2: (11) Texas vs. (11) NC State — 9:10 PM ET on truTV (The New York Times)

📅 Wednesday March 18 Games

Game 3: (16) Prairie View A&M vs. (16) Lehigh — 6:40 PM ET

Game 4: (11) Miami (Ohio) vs. (11) SMU — 9:10 PM ET (The New York Times)

📺 How to Watch

Games will air across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV, with the Final Four and national championship game exclusively on TBS. (The New York Times)

Game

Time ET

Channel

UMBC vs Howard

6:40 PM

truTV

Texas vs NC State

9:10 PM

truTV

🔍 Game Preview: UMBC vs Howard

The First Four features four No. 16 seeds and four No. 11 seeds facing off against each other. The winner of these four games advances to the Round of 64. (The Guardian)

UMBC is no stranger to March Madness history — they famously became the first No. 16 seed to ever beat a No. 1 seed when they upset Virginia in 2018. Howard is riding momentum after qualifying for their third NCAA Tournament appearance since 2023.

Prediction: UMBC wins — experience matters in Dayton!

🔍 Game Preview: Texas vs NC State

Two bubble teams desperate to prove they belong. Texas (18-14) squeaked in as one of the last teams selected, while NC State (20-13) is looking to recapture the magic of their 2025 Cinderella run.

Prediction: NC State wins — the Wolfpack knows how to win in March!

⚠️ Upset Alert: Historical Trends

No. 1 seeds own a 158-2 all-time record against No. 16 seeds. Only UMBC in 2018 and FDU in 2023 have ever pulled off the upset. (Variety)

The 12-vs-5 matchup is historically volatile — No. 12 seeds have beaten No. 5 seeds roughly 35% of the time, one of the most common upset spots in the tournament. (Variety)

📍 Location: Dayton, Ohio — "The Home of March Madness"

The First Four games take place at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio — home of the University of Dayton Flyers and the traditional host of the First Four since 2011. (The Guardian)

🗓️ What Comes Next

After the First Four, first and second rounds follow in Buffalo, Greenville, Oklahoma City, Portland, Philadelphia, San Diego, St. Louis, and Tampa. (Daily Mail)

The road to the Final Four in Indianapolis begins TONIGHT! 🏆

Who are you picking to win it all? Drop your Final Four below! 🏀👇