When is March Madness 2021? Dates, TV schedule, locations, odds & more for the NCAA Tournament

For the first time in almost two calendar years, we may have March Madness.

The 2021 NCAA Tournament, the single-greatest postseason occasion in organized sports activities, will happen beginning on Thursday, March 18; this, after it was the first main sporting occasion to be canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic final season. And, whilst the pandemic hovers over the sports activities world, it appears the NCAA and host venues are higher ready to truly host the match this yr.

Better late than by no means, proper?

MORE: Watch select March Madness games live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

While there shall be a number of modifications to the 2021 NCAA Tournament, one fixed is the reality solely a handful of elite groups are anticipated to win the complete factor. That begins this season with Baylor and Gonzaga, each of which stay undefeated as of Feb. 19. They are clear No. 1 seeds, and can seemingly command the high two seeds of the match. And whereas there are a bunch of “good” groups on this yr’s subject, they’re nonetheless a distance behind the Bulldogs and Bears.

Just one other alternative for a Cinderella to make historical past in what shall be a historic match merely for being performed.

Sporting News has you lined on easy methods to watch March Madness 2021, together with begin and finish dates, TV schedule, streaming choices, venues, up to date betting odds and more.

When is March Madness 2021?

• Start date: Thursday, March 18 (First Four)
• End date: Monday, April 5 (nationwide championship sport)

The 2021 NCAA Tournament — comprised of the First Four, Rounds 1 and a pair of, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and nationwide championship sport — will start Thursday, March 18 and conclude on Monday, April 5.

Here is the full schedule for March Madness 2021:

Where is March Madness 2021?

The 2021 NCAA Tournament shall be held entirely in the state of Indiana, with the majority of video games going down in the better Indianapolis space. That’s a part of an effort to reduce journey by groups and hold a constant protocol in place for COVID-19 testing.

That begins with the First Four, which is able to happen in Mackey Arena and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall; these venues will characteristic alongside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum and Lucas Oil Stadium (all in Indianapolis) in the first and second rounds. Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Hinkle Fieldhouse will function Sweet 16 venues.

Lucas Oil Stadium concludes the match in the Elite Eight, Final Four and nationwide championship rounds. Each venue will characteristic two courts to play video games.

Below is a full rundown on the websites and areas of the NCAA Tournament:

*Indicates venue will host solely first-round video games

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NCAA Tournament schedule 2021

When is Selection Sunday 2021?

Selection Sunday, the day on which the 68-team subject is unveiled, will happen on Sunday, March 14. The hour-long present will start at 6 p.m. ET.

When is the First Four?

The 2021 First Four video games will all happen on March 18, versus its earlier two-day format. Eight groups — the 4 lowest-seeded automated and at-large bids — will participate in the play-in video games, which grants entry to the match correct.

When is the Final Four?

The 2021 NCAA Tournament ends with the Final Four and nationwide championship on April 3 and 5, respectively. All video games will happen in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Unlike earlier tournaments — which featured regional finals in 4 separate cities earlier than groups convened for the Final Four host metropolis — the ultimate three rounds will all happen in the similar stadium.

How to look at March Madness 2021 reside

2021 NCAA Tournament TV schedule

CBS and Turner Sports stations (TBS, TNT and truTV) will break up broadcast duties of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, with Turner Sports airing 43 video games (20 for TBS, 12 for TNT and 11 for truTV) to CBS’ 24.

CBS has broadcast rights for each the Final Four and nationwide title sport, regardless of the reality Turner Sports could not broadcast these rounds in 2020 resulting from the match’s cancellation (a 2016 contract permits the stations to separate the Final Four and nationwide championship rights on an every-other-year rotation).

CBS and Turner Sports have but to launch their announcer pairings for the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

2021 NCAA Tournament streaming choices

Every sport in the 2021 NCAA Tournament will be streamed by way of NCAA March Madness Live; different streaming choices embrace CBS’ streaming service, which is able to rebrand as Paramount+ on March 4, and fuboTV, which affords a 7-day free trial.

Odds to win March Madness 2021

While 64 groups have an equal probability to win the NCAA Tournament at its begin, solely a handful of groups could make a reliable run to the nationwide championship. Those groups, as of Friday, Feb. 19, are led by Gonzaga and Baylor; each lead the pack at +300 odds. Michigan (+700) and Villanova (+1100) have the third- and fourth-best odds, respectively.

Below are the groups most wish to win the 2021 NCAA Tournament (as of Friday, Feb. 19):

• Baylor (+300)
• Gonzaga (+300)
• Michigan (+700)
• Villanova (+1100)
• Houston (+1400)
• Ohio State (1+400)
• Texas (+1400)
• Florida State (+1600)
• Illinois (+1800)
• Iowa (+1800)
• Alabama (+2000)
• Texas Tech (+2000)
• Virginia (+2000)
• Wisconsin (+2000)

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Future March Madness areas, host websites

Assuming the COVID-19 pandemic comes beneath management by the begin of March Madness 2022, it would happen throughout a number of cities over the course of the NCAA Tournament. Each match over the subsequent a number of years may have new venues for the Final Four and nationwide championship video games.

Here are the future websites and areas for future Final Fours:

NCAA Tournament 2021 tickets

The NCAA on Feb. 19 announced it might permit 25 p.c capability for NCAA Tournament video games, together with gamers, coaches, important workers, visiting relations and a diminished variety of followers.

“We continue to use the knowledge we have gained over the season on how to conduct games in a safe environment,” NCAA president Mark Emmert mentioned in. a press release. “I want to thank our host universities and conferences, the Indiana State Health Department, and the leaders in the Marion, Monroe and Tippecanoe county health departments as they help make that possible.”

The NCAA has but to launch ticket information concerning March Madness 2021.

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Need a repair on March Madness content material earlier than the 2021 NCAA Tournament? Sporting News has you lined:

NCAA Tournament winners

UCLA leads all males’s school basketball applications with 11 nationwide championships, adopted by blue bloods Kentucky, North Carolina and Duke.

Virginia is the final staff to win the NCAA Tournament, securing its first title in program historical past in 2019. No staff claims the 2020 nationwide championship.