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2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule

Photo of a chalk board with a bracket drawn in chalk. College

The 68-team NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket is out and March Madness is officially here. UConn, North Carolina, Houston and Purdue earned No. 1 seeds in their respective regions with the Huskies claiming the overall top seed. 

The First Four games begin Tuesday, March 19 at the University of Dayton Arena and the Round of 64 will start Thursday, March 22. The 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four is scheduled for April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz., and the Championship Game will follow on April 8. 

Start planning now to see your team in the Big Dance with NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets from TicketSmarter.    

A Closer Look at the Bracket

UConn is the top seed in the East Region with Big 12 Tournament champion Iowa State as its No. 2 seed. The Huskies will face Stetson in their opening game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. North Carolina, who snagged the top seed in the West will face the winner of Howard and Wagner. Purdue, the top seed in the Midwest, will face the winner of the other playing game between Montant Astate and Grambling. Houston, the final No. 1 seed and Big 12 regular season champion, will face Longood at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

Other host sites for the first two rounds include Charlotte, N.C., Indianapolis, Ind. Omaha, Neb., Pittsburgh, Pa., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Spokane, Wash. Regional sites for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight include Boston, Dallas, Detroit and Los Angeles.

March Madness History

Oregon defeated Ohio State in the first NCAA men’s basketball tournament which was held in 1939. Teams played collegiate basketball prior to 1939, but that year the tournament was created by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. As of 2022, UCLA is the most decorated team of the NCAA era with 11 national championships. That includes a string of seven consecutive titles from 1967 to 1973. The Bruins won most recently in 1995. 

Kentucky ranks second with eight titles, North Carolina is third with six, Duke, Indiana and UConn are tied with five and Kansas has four. UConn is the defending champion entering the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. In 2023, UConn defeated San Diego State 76-59 to win the title. Overall, there are 15 teams with multiple national championships and only four schools that have won in back-to-back seasons.  

TicketSmarter Partners in the Tournament

TicketSmarter wants to congratulate our partners who earned bids to the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Teams include Stetson, Morehead State, Wagner, Longwood, McNeese and Samford.

2024 March Madness Schedule

Tuesday, March 19 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

  • No. 16 Wagner vs. No. 16 Howard
  • No. 10 Colorado State vs. No. 10 Virginia

Wednesday, March 20 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

  • No. 16 Grambling vs. No. 16 Montana State
  • No. 10 Colorado vs. No. 10 Boise State

Thursday, March 21 (Round of 64)

  • No. 8 Mississippi State vs. No. 9 Michigan State
  • No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Duquesne
  • No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 14 Akron
  • No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 15 Long Beach State
  • No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Wagner
  • No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Morehead State
  • No. 6 South Carolina vs. No. 11 Oregon
  • No. 7 Dayton vs. No. 10 Nevada
  • No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Colorado State
  • No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Oakland
  • No. 5 Gonzaga vs. No. 12 McNeese
  • No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 South Dakota State
  • No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Saint Peter’s
  • No. 6 Texas Tech vs. No. 11 NC State
  • No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 Samford
  • No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 10 Drake

Friday, March 22 (Round of 64)

  • No. 8 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 9 Northwestern
  • No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Colgate
  • No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 UAB
  • No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Western Kentucky
  • No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Stetson
  • No. 6 Clemson vs. No. 11 New Mexico
  • No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Yale
  • No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Colorado
  • No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Texas A&M
  • No. 4 Duke vs. No. 13 Vermont
  • No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Grambling
  • No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 College of Charleston
  • No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Longwood
  • No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 James Madison
  • No. 8 Utah State vs. No. 9 TCU
  • No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon

Saturday, March 23 (Round of 32)

  • No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 7 Dayton
  • No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 5 Gonzaga
  • No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Michigan State
  • No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 7 Washington State
  • No. 11 NC State vs. No. 14 Oakland
  • No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Texas
  • No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 Duquesne
  • No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 11 Oregon

Sunday, March 24 (Round of 32)

  • No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 10 Colorado
  • No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 8 Utah State
  • No. 4 Duke vs. No. 12 James Madison
  • No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 6 Clemson
  • No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon
  • No. 1 UConn vs. No. 9 Northwestern
  • No. 1 Houston vs. No. 9 Texas A&M
  • No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 13 Yale

Thursday, March 28 (Sweet 16)

  • No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 6 Clemson
  • No. 1 UConn vs. No. 5 San Diego State
  • No. 1 North Carolina vs. No 4 Alabama
  • No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 3 Illinois

Friday, March 29 (Sweet 16)

  • No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 11 NC State
  • No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Gonzaga
  • No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Duke
  • No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 Creighton

Saturday, March 30 (Elite 8)

  • No. 1 UConn vs. No. 3 Illinois
  • No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 6 Clemson

Sunday, March 31 (Elite 8)

  • No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 2 Tennessee
  • No. 4 Duke vs. No. 11 NC State

Saturday, April 6 (Final Four)

  • No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 11 NC State
  • No. 1 UConn vs. No. 4 Alabama

Monday, April 8 (National Championship Game)

  • No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 1 UConn

Future Final Four Sites

  • 2025 – Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
  • 2026 – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
  • 2027 – Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
  • 2028 – Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. 
  • 2029 – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. 
  • 2030 – AT&T Stadium in North Texas

2024 March Madness Tickets

As your team advances, it becomes harder and harder to find tickets. Secure your seat now with 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tickets to see who cuts down the nets in Houston. Also, make sure to check TravelPlanner for exclusive travel deals throughout March Madness.