It's about time to fill out your bracket.
March Madness is quickly approaching, with conference tournaments soon seamlessly transitioning into the Selection Sunday show that sets the field of 68.
Once fans find out where the teams are headed and what the first-round matchups look like, a season of hope will begin. Anything can happen in March, and last year's Final Four without a single top-3 seed serves as a reminder that fans who saw their school slip up more than a few times during the regular season should still keep the faith.
UConn, Purdue and Houston are set to enter the tournament as the title favorites, but as history shows, that will only mean so much when the ball is tipped.
Here's what you need to know about Selection Sunday, including the date, time and how to watch the selection show.
MORE: Watch select NCAA Tournament games with Sling TV
When is Selection Sunday 2024?
- Date: Sunday, March 17
- Time: 6 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. PT
The NCAA Tournament selection show will air on Sunday, March 17 at 6 p.m. — or following the conclusion of the Big Ten championship game if it runs past 6 p.m.
Greg Gumbel and the rest of the show's panel will reveal the field of 68 region-by-region, showcasing every team's first-round matchup and more.
What channel is March Madness selection show on?
- TV channel: CBS
- Live stream: NCAA March Madness Live | Paramount+
Selection Sunday will continue to air on CBS in 2024, but there are several ways to view the selection show without cable. That includes the NCAA March Madness Live App and CBS' dedicated streaming site Paramount+.
NCAA Tournament 2024 selection format
While talk of tournament expansion is rampant, the format for the tournament remains unchanged in 2024.
The NCAA Tournament will once again use a selection format that hands out 32 automatic bids to conference tournament champions, plus 36 at-large bids. The highest-seeded teams will have a chance to be placed in a region geographically closest to their school.
March Madness bracket predictions
Bracketologists have been forecasting the NCAA Tournament field for months — in some cases, since the preseason. Sporting News' Bill Bender has been among those keeping tabs on the projected field of 68 leading up to the tournament.
Below are his projected top 16 teams along the 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-seed lines:
- 1-seeds: UConn, Purdue, Houston, Tennessee
- 2-seeds: North Carolina, Arizona, Marquette, Iowa State
- 3-seeds: Baylor, Duke, Creighton, Kansas
- 4-seeds: Illinois, Alabama, Kentucky, San Diego State
Here is his latest full bracket prediction.
PRINTABLE: Get your 2024 March Madness bracket here
NCAA Tournament schedule 2024
- Start date: Tuesday, March 19 (First Four)
- End date: Monday, April 8 (national championship)
The 2024 NCAA Tournament consists of the First Four, first round, second round, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and national championship game.
The tournament begins on Tuesday, March 19, with the first round starting on Thursday, March 21. The madness will conclude with the national championship on Monday, April 8.
Here is the full schedule for March Madness 2024:
| Round | Date |
| First Four | March 19-20 |
| Round 1 | March 21-22 |
| Round 2 | March 23-24 |
| Sweet 16 | March 28-29 |
| Elite Eight | March 30-31 |
| Final Four | April 6 |
| National championship | April 8 |
When is the First Four?
- Date: March 19-20
- Time: 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET
- TV channel: TruTV
- Live stream: NCAA March Madness Live, Sling TV
The First Four will take place on Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20.
Eight teams will take the floor in the First Four: the four lowest-seeded at-large teams selected and the four lowest-seeded automatic bids. That means four teams will see their hopes dashed before the start of the first round.
Teams who land in the First Four have reason for hope. Two (VCU in 2011 and UCLA in 2021) have reached the Final Four after playing in the First Four. A First Four team has also advanced past the first round in each of the last three tournaments, including both No. 11 Pittsburgh and No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson last year.
When is the Final Four?
- Date: Saturday, April 6, and Monday, April 8
- Time: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET (Final Four), 9 p.m. ET (national championship)
- TV channel: CBS
- Live stream: NCAA March Madness Live, Sling TV
The 2024 NCAA Tournament ends in Phoenix, where the Final Four on Saturday, April 6 sets up the national championship game between the nation's two finalists on Monday, April 8.
