UMBC, Texas and More Set for March Madness First Four Showdowns in Dayton

The wait is finally over—March Madness 2026 has officially tipped off, and the energy is sky-high as the NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins with the much-anticipated First Four in Dayton, Ohio. The annual college basketball spectacle, beloved by fans and bracketologists alike, kicked off with Selection Sunday on March 15, when the 68-team field was revealed and the road to the Final Four in Indianapolis was set. Now, all eyes turn to UD Arena, where the First Four play-in games will determine which teams grab the last coveted spots in the main 64-team bracket.

Tuesday, March 17 marks the beginning of the tournament’s action, with back-to-back games that set the tone for the madness to come. At 6:40 p.m. ET, No. 16 seeds UMBC and Howard face off in a battle of conference champions, each hungry to keep their postseason dreams alive. Later in the evening, at 9:15 p.m. ET, No. 11 seeds Texas and NC State clash in a high-stakes matchup between two storied programs eager for a shot at redemption after rocky finishes to their regular seasons.

These First Four tilts aren’t just about surviving to Thursday—they’re about seizing the moment and launching potential Cinderella runs. As Parade notes, "Tonight features two of those games at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, with two more on Wednesday." The winners from Tuesday’s contests will advance to face higher-seeded opponents in the first round: the UMBC-Howard victor will take on No. 1 seed Michigan in Buffalo, while the Texas-NC State winner will meet No. 6 BYU in Portland. The stakes? Nothing less than a shot at basketball immortality.

UMBC, of course, knows a thing or two about making history. The Retrievers etched their name in tournament lore back in 2018 by becoming the first No. 16 seed ever to topple a No. 1, stunning Virginia 74-54 in an upset that still echoes through March Madness highlight reels. Now, led by graduate transfer DJ Armstrong Jr., UMBC is riding high on a 12-game winning streak and fresh off an America East championship clinched on March 15. Armstrong has been the catalyst, averaging 13.2 points per game and earning America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after dropping a career-high 33 points—including seven three-pointers—in the title game. As Parade points out, "He’s averaging 13.2 points per game and has been the driving force behind UMBC’s 12-game winning streak."

Howard, meanwhile, enters the fray as one of the nation’s most prominent HBCUs, having captured its third MEAC title in four years. The Bison, led by MEAC Player of the Year Bryce Harris, are still chasing their first-ever NCAA tournament win. Harris has been a force all season, averaging 17.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest, while junior guard Cedric Taylor III has averaged 19.2 points over the last ten games. The Bison are hoping that 2026 is finally the year they break through on the national stage.

The nightcap features Texas and NC State, two programs with plenty of pedigree but each looking to prove they belong among the nation’s elite this March. Texas, under the guidance of head coach Sean Miller, finished the regular season with an 18-14 record but struggled down the stretch, going 1-6 to close out conference play. Dailyn Swain, the Longhorns’ junior forward and Xavier transfer, has been their rock—leading the team with 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Swain’s all-around play is crucial if Texas hopes to advance, and as Parade highlights, "He followed head coach Sean Miller from Xavier to Austin and has been the team’s most reliable option all season."

NC State, meanwhile, enters the First Four with a 20-13 record, rebounding from a late-season slump by winning a key conference tournament game over Pitt. Their offense, ranked 20th nationally in efficiency, is orchestrated by senior point guard Quadir Copeland, who scored 28 points the last time these two teams met in November—a 102-97 Texas win at the Maui Invitational. Alongside Copeland, sharpshooter Paul McNeil has drained 102 three-pointers this season, just three shy of the program’s all-time record. If the Wolfpack’s perimeter game heats up, Texas could be in for a long night.

Wednesday, March 18 brings two more play-in games to UD Arena: No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 16 Lehigh at 6:40 p.m. ET, followed by No. 11 Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 11 SMU at 9:15 p.m. ET. The format—introduced in 2011 when the tournament expanded to 68 teams—features the four lowest-ranked No. 16 seeds and the final four at-large selections (usually No. 11 seeds) battling for the last four spots in the main bracket. As USA TODAY Sports explains, "The First Four features the four lowest-ranked No. 16 seeds and the final four at-large inclusions (usually No. 11 seeds) playing each other across four games to see who gets to advance to the 64-team portion of the NCAA tournament."

Fans won’t have to miss a minute of the action, with every First Four game airing nationally on truTV and available for streaming via HBO Max, DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and the official March Madness Live app. Coverage is wall-to-wall, with CBS Sports, TNT Sports, and TBS also set to broadcast games once the main tournament field is finalized. The robust streaming options mean that, whether you’re glued to your TV or sneaking a peek on your phone at work, you can catch every buzzer-beater and bracket-busting upset as it happens.

What’s next? The winners of these First Four games will be thrust straight into the thick of March Madness, with the first round tipping off Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20. The tournament then barrels ahead through the second round, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and ultimately the Final Four—scheduled for April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The national championship game will crown a new champion on April 6, also in Indianapolis, bringing the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball season to a dramatic close.

For now, though, all eyes are on Dayton. The First Four is more than just an appetizer—it’s a proving ground for programs like UMBC, Howard, Texas, and NC State, each hoping to write their own chapter in March Madness history. With star players, high drama, and a national spotlight, the next two nights promise to deliver the kind of unforgettable moments that make this tournament so special.

As the opening games get underway, the excitement is palpable and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Will UMBC conjure more magic? Can Texas or NC State catch fire and make a run? One thing’s for sure: the madness has just begun, and every team in Dayton believes their Cinderella story is only getting started.