For the first time since 2022, the Ohio State men’s basketball team will play a game in the NCAA Basketball tournament. The eighth-seeded Buckeyes will square off against No. 9 TCU in the first game of the tournament proper. There has been a palpable energy growing around this team since it knocked off No. 8 Purcue on March 1, and I am excited to see how that translates to March Madness.
How to watch the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Selection Sunday
- When: Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 12:15 p.m. ET
- TV: CBS
- Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Bill Raftery and Grant Hill (analysis), Tracy Wolfson (reporting)
- Stream: Watch with up to a 21-day free to YouTube TV or on Paramount+.
Best Streaming Option for All March Madness Games:
YouTube TV | Up to a 21-Day Free Trial
When it comes to checking
out both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, you are going to have a lot of options, as CBS, TNT, TBS, and truTV are carried on many live TV streaming services, not to mention Paramount’s flagship on-demand platform, Paramount+ and Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max. However, whether you only want to watch Ohio State’s first-round game, or you want to check out the entire tournament, I would recommend watching with YouTube TV.
Not only does the world’s largest live TV streamer carry all of the channels airing games in both the men’s and women’s Big Dances, but it is also currently offering a three-week free trial to select users. Now, YouTube TV is known for having different trial offers for users, based on certain criteria, so when you go through the sign-up process, make sure that you are paying attention to what the offer is.
Regardless of how long your free trial ends up being, once it is over, you will be able to get your first two months for just $60 apiece. That is a total of $46 off during those two months.
And the final reason to go with YouTube TV during March Madness is the platform’s Multiview feature. Being able to watch up to four tournament games at a time is a game-changer (no pun intended)!
Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Wisconsin Game:
- DIRECTV MySports: This sports-specific skinny bundle is just $70 per month, following a five-day free trial. It carries every channel you would need to watch both the men’s and women’s tournaments in their entirety. And, it comes with access to the new ESPN streaming service at no extra cost.
- Hulu + Live TV: This is more expensive than DIRECTV’s MySports Genre Pack, at $89.99 per month, but there are some substantial benefits. Hulu + Live TV comes with all of the channel options as DIRECTV’s Signature packages, but it also offers the complete Disney Bundle, so you won’t have to pay more for Disney+, Hulu, or the new ESPN Unlimited streaming service.
- Fubo: $84.99 per month, with at least a one-day free trial. However, keep in mind that Fubo doesn’t carry any stations owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, so the tournament games airing on TBS, TNT, and truTV will not be available.
- Paramount+ Premium: If you are only interested in streaming this game and absolutely nothing else, then Paramount+ is a solid option. You can get any of its subscription plans for just $2.99 per month for your first two months, and when you sign up for the Premium tier, you get access to your local CBS affiliate. Normally, the plan costs $12.99 monthly, but for just $6, you will only be able to watch every March Madness game airing on the network with no problems.
