The 2024 NCAA Tournament is finally here. March Madness action gets underway Tuesday night with the beginning of the First Four play-in games in Dayton, Ohio. And there's more intrigue than usual with this year's First Four.
After an incredible run of bid-stealers during conference championship week and a loaded group of tournament bubble teams, this year's First Four is one of the strongest ever. For the first time ever, there are 10-seeds in the First Four. Multiple teams that were thought to have been well above the cutline ended up in Dayton.
The First Four has been an impactful event throughout it's history. Nearly every season, a team from the First Four has gone on to win at least one more game in the NCAA Tournament. Last year we saw 16-seed Fairleigh-Dickinson advance from the First Four and then upset 1-seed Purdue.
These games mean plenty. So how can you watch them?
How to watch the 2024 NCAA Tournament First Four games
Here is the full schedule for the 2024 First Four games in Dayton, including game times, TV broadcast, and matchup notes...
All games available for streaming via the NCAA March Madness Live app.
Tuesday Night
16-seed Wagner (16-15) vs 16-seed Howard (18-16)
5:40 pm CT on truTV
Wagner is in their first NCAA Tournament since 2003. They won the NEC Tournament by upsetting each of the league's top-3 seeds. Howard is making their second-straight NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history after winning the MEAC Tournament, and they are favored over Wagner by 3.5. The winner will face 1-seed North Carolina on Thursday.
10-seed Colorado State (24-10) vs 10-seed Virginia (23-10)
8:10 pm CT on truTV
Colorado State is making their second tournament appearance in the last three years after finishing sixth in the Mountain West and reaching the semifinals of their conference tournament. Virginia, who's appeared in 10 of the last 12 NCAA Tournaments, finished third in the ACC and reached the ACC semifinals. CSU is favored by 2.5, and the winner will face 7-seed Texas on Thursday.
Wednesday Night
16-seed Grambling State (20-14) vs 16-seed Montana State (17-17)
Grambling State is making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history after winning both the SWAC regular season and conference tournament titles. Montana State is appearing in their third-straight NCAA Tournament after upsetting rival Montana in the Big Sky Tournament championship. MSU is favored by 3.5, and the winner will go on to face 1-seed Purdue on Friday.
5:40 pm CT on truTV
10-seed Colorado (24-10) vs 10-seed Boise State (22-10)
8:10 pm CT on truTV
Colorado is in their first NCAA Tournament since 2021 after finishing third in the Pac-12 and reaching the Pac-12 Tournament final. Boise State is in their third-straight NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history after finishing second in the Mountain West and losing their first conference tournament game. Colorado is favored by 2.5, and the winner will face 7-seed Florida on Friday.