Over the course of three weeks, it’ll all come down to a men’s and women’s national champion.
WASHINGTON — March Madness is underway, marking the start of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournament.
Sixty-eight men’s and women’s teams will face off this month for a chance at the national championship trophy. The teams were announced on Selection Sunday, March 15, this year.
On Sunday, the NCAA selection committee announced the 31 automatic bids to the tournament, as well as the 37 at-large bids that are given to teams that are selected based on performance metrics throughout the season.
March Madness: When are the first games?
The play-in games for the tournament, also known as the First Four, will tip off in Dayton, Ohio, on March 17 and 18.
After the First Four, the first- and second-round games will be played March 19 through 22 in Buffalo, New York; Greenville, South Carolina; Oklahoma City; Portland, Oregon; Philadelphia; San Diego; St. Louis; and Tampa, Florida.
Sweet 16 games will be played March 26 and 27 in Houston (South), Washington (East), Chicago (Midwest) and San Jose, California (West). The Elite Eight games are from March 28 through March 29.
The Final Four is Saturday, April 4, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the title game the night of Monday, April 6, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
When is the women’s March Madness tournament?
As for the women’s tournament, the First Four games are played March 18 and March 19.
The second week of the tournament will take place March 22 and March 23 at two sites: Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, California. The Sweet 16 matchups will take place March 27 and 28, with regional finals March 29 and 30.
The Final Four in Phoenix on Friday, April 3, begins at 7 p.m. Eastern, and the championship game begins at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, April 5.
How many teams in March Madness?
There are 68 teams in the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments.
The women’s field expanded to 68 teams in 2022 after a comprehensive gender equity review commissioned after backlash driven by social media of disparities in the men’s and women’s 2021 tournaments, including weight rooms and other facilities.
March Madness: How to watch the NCAA tournament
Every game of the men’s tournament will be aired — here is a schedule that will be updated with matchups — on CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV and their digital platforms, including Paramount+. TBS will broadcast the Final Four and national title game this year. The NCAA will also stream games via its March Madness Live option.
Every game of the women’s tournament will be aired — here is a schedule that will be updated with matchups — on ESPN’s networks and streaming services. The championship game will be aired on ABC for a fourth straight season.