If you just Googled "who plays March madness today" and it’s currently January 13, 2026, I have some news that might sting a little. You aren’t going to find a bracket. You won’t see any "First Four" matchups on TruTV tonight.
Honestly, the name gives it away, right? March Madness.
We are still deep in the grind of the regular season. But—and this is a big "but"—the games happening tonight are basically the DNA of what the tournament will look like two months from now. If you want to know who is "playing" for their tournament life, you have to look at the conference battles happening right now in arenas across the country.
Tonight isn't about cutting down nets. It’s about Quad 1 wins and avoiding the "bad loss" that haunts a resume come Selection Sunday.
The Big Matchups on the Board Tonight
While it isn't the Big Dance yet, the schedule for Tuesday, January 13, 2026, is actually loaded with teams that are virtual locks for the tournament. If you're looking for the high-stakes feel of March, look toward Lawrence, Kansas.
#2 Iowa State at Kansas
This is the headliner. Iowa State is currently sitting at #2 in the AP Poll with a perfect 16-0 record. They are a juggernaut. They travel to Allen Fieldhouse tonight to face a Kansas team (11-5) that is uncharacteristically scrappy this year.
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For Iowa State, this is about protecting a #1 seed trajectory. For Kansas, a win tonight is a massive "resume booster" that helps them climb out of the middle-of-the-pack seeding projections.
Saint Mary’s at San Francisco
If you like mid-major drama, this is your game. Saint Mary’s (16-2) is currently #30 in the NET rankings. San Francisco is desperate for a Quad 1 win to prove they belong in the at-large conversation. It’s a late-night tip on ESPN2, and in terms of "who plays March Madness today" energy, this is as close as it gets. These are the teams that usually pull off the 12-over-5 upsets in the first round.
Other Notable D-I Action Tonight:
- Maryland at USC: A Big Ten clash in Los Angeles. USC is 13-3 and looking strong, while Maryland is struggling at 7-9 and desperately needs to play spoiler to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.
- Seton Hall at UConn: Always a physical battle. UConn is almost always a Final Four threat lately, and Seton Hall loves to play the role of the bracket-buster early.
- Michigan State at Indiana: Classic Big Ten basketball. Both these teams are usually tournament staples, but their seeding is often decided by these Tuesday night January tilts.
When Does the Real March Madness Start?
If you’re strictly looking for the tournament itself, mark your calendars. The 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament officially kicks off on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
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It starts with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. That’s the "play-in" round where the 68-team field gets whittled down to 64. The real chaos—the kind where you call out of work and sit on the couch for 48 hours straight—begins on Thursday, March 19.
Key Dates for the 2026 Tournament:
- Selection Sunday: March 15, 2026
- First Four: March 17-18 (Dayton, OH)
- First & Second Rounds: March 19-22 (Locations like Buffalo, Portland, and San Diego)
- Sweet 16 & Elite Eight: March 26-29 (Houston, San Jose, Chicago, Washington D.C.)
- Final Four: April 4 (Indianapolis, IN)
- National Championship: April 6 (Lucas Oil Stadium)
The January Myth: "These Games Don't Matter"
A lot of casual fans think college hoops doesn't start until the conference tournaments in March. That's a mistake.
The Selection Committee uses the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool). It’s an algorithm that looks at who you beat, where you beat them, and how much you beat them by. A loss tonight for a team like Tennessee or Houston might seem small, but in March, it could be the difference between being a 2-seed in a local bracket or a 4-seed stuck in a "Region of Death" across the country.
Basically, if you want to know who plays March Madness today, you should be watching the teams on the "bubble." These are the schools like Maryland or San Francisco. They aren't just playing a regular season game; they are playing for the right to exist in the bracket.
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Where to Watch the Games Tonight
Since the tournament hasn't started, you won't find the games on the usual CBS/TBS rotation yet. Tonight’s action is spread across several networks:
- ESPN/ESPN2: Look here for the Iowa State vs. Kansas game and the Saint Mary's matchup.
- FS1: This is where you'll find the Big Ten matchups like USC vs. Maryland.
- ESPN+: This is the home for smaller conference games, like Central Michigan at Miami (Ohio).
Actionable Steps for the College Hoops Fan
If you're trying to get ahead of the curve before the bracket drops in March, here is how you should spend your time today:
- Check the NET Rankings: Go to the official NCAA website and look at the NET rankings. Don't just look at the Top 25; look at teams ranked 30-50. Those are the teams playing for their lives tonight.
- Follow "Bracketologists": Start checking in with Joe Lunardi (ESPN) or Jerry Palm (CBS). They update their "bracket projections" almost daily in January. It makes watching these Tuesday night games way more interesting when you know a team is "First Four Out."
- Watch the Big 12: It is arguably the toughest conference this year. Almost every game in that conference is a "Tournament-quality" game. Tonight’s Iowa State/Kansas game is a prime example.
- Plan Your Travel: If you want to see the tournament live, tickets for the 2026 sites (like Philadelphia or St. Louis) are already on sale through "On Location," the NCAA's official partner.
The "Madness" isn't a three-week event in March. It’s a four-month gauntlet that just happens to end in March. The teams playing tonight are laying the groundwork for the Cinderella stories you'll be talking about in two months.