How to Watch the ‘First Four’ NCAA Tournament Games Live For Free on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Mobile
The field of 68 NCAA Tournament teams is set — but we have to get down to 64 before we can really start dancing. On Thursday, March 18, eight teams play for their postseason lives and learn who will slot into the “First Four” slots.
How to Watch The “First Four” NCAA Tournament Games
- When: Thursday, March 18 starting at 5:10 p.m. ET
- TV: truTV & TBS
- Stream: Watch with 5-Day Free Trial of DIRECTV STREAM
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The “First Four” consists of four play-in games. The winners slot into the bracket and continue their postseason dreams, while the losers go home empty-handed. Below is the full slate of games, what time they begin, and on which station you can find them.
Matchup | Time | Station |
---|---|---|
(16) Texas Southern vs. (16) Mount St. Mary’s | 5:10 p.m. | truTV |
(11) Drake vs. (11) Wichita State | 6:27 p.m. | TBS |
(16) Appalachian State vs. (16) Norfolk State | 8:40 p.m. | truTV |
(11) UCLA vs. (11) Michigan State | 9:57 p.m. | TBS |
The first matchup sees Texas Southern battle Mount St. Mary’s on truTV, where the winner must face Michigan in their opening round contest. Later, the Drake Bulldogs and Wichita State Shockers play on TBS for the right to battle USC. The third game between Appalachian State and Norfolk State will decide who plays the overall number one-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs, while the nightcap between perennial powerhouses UCLA and Michigan State will decide who plays BYU.
Your options to watch the games include DIRECTV STREAM, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV.
DTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Free Trial | Free Trial | Get a Free Trial | Free Trial | Get $10 Off | Sign Up | |||
$79.99 | $91.99 | $76.99 | $25 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
truTV | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | $6 | ✓ | ✓ | |
TBS | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
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Price: $79.99
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Price: $40
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