4 things to know for Friday’s March Madness action after a wild first day
4 things to know for Friday’s March Madness action after a wild first day
Kyle Feldscher, CNNFri, March 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC
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Luke Skaljac of the Miami (OH) Redhawks celebrates a win over the SMU Mustangs during the First Four on Wednesday. - Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
The first day of March Madness was chock full of upsets and quite a few nailbiters that make this tournament so great. And the best part? There’s more coming on Friday.
Here are four things to look out for on the second day of the men’s NCAA tournament and the first day of the women’s NCAA tournament.
Miami (Ohio) looking to make a point
The RedHawks went 31-0 in the regular season and then promptly lost their first game of the MAC tournament. Any Power 5 conference team with their record would have been a shoo-in for a berth in the round of 64 but their weak schedule relegated them to the First Four.
A victory over SMU puts them in the Big Dance now and they’re eyeing Tennessee as their proving ground.
The first day of the tournament was all about mid-major teams beating Power 5 schools, making a point that mid-majors are not nearly as dead as some would have them believe. Perhaps High Point head coach Flynn Clayman said it best after his team upset Wisconsin, telling CBS: “Looks pretty obvious to me that high-majors need to play mid-majors early in the season. Because they said we didn’t play nobody. We played somebody now.”
Miami is definitely bringing that same energy to the tournament and it’s looking to prove that its season wasn’t the product of a weak schedule but instead proof of a team full of winners. They take on Tennessee at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Top seeds are on notice
Maliq Brown of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball against Siena Saints during the first half of their game Thursday. - Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Listen, Florida and Arizona are going to be a lot of people’s picks to win the whole thing. They’ll be expecting their games against Prairie View A&M and Long Island University, respectively, to go relatively smoothly as they get ready for tougher roads ahead.
But if the experience of Duke and Michigan on Thursday are any indication, the top teams will not be easing into the round of 32.
While Michigan eventually pulled away from Howard – they won 101-80 but led by only four at halftime – and Duke eventually got past Siena after trailing for much of the game, both of the No. 1 seeds that played on Thursday were tested.
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There are no real cakewalks in March and – as Thursday proved – upsets are always on the cards. The Gators and Wildcats better be locked in from the start.
Alabama takes the court without a star
Aden Holloway of the Alabama Crimson Tide shoots a layup during the first half of the game against the Tennessee Volunteers in February. - Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images
The Crimson Tide seemed prime for a strong run in the tournament after a season full of controversies. Instead they are now dealing with the loss of a top star after a shocking legal revelation.
Aden Holloway was arrested on Monday, just after the Crimson Tide received a 4-seed in the Big Dance and a matchup with No. 13 Hofstra. He’s accused of being in possession for more than two pounds of marijuana and he was immediately suspended by the team while the legal process plays out. He’s facing up to 10 years in prison.
Holloway started 27 games for the Tide and averaged nearly 17 points per game and was their top shooter from beyond the arc.
It was a truly shocking development and one that tosses the Crimson Tide’s tournament future into doubt. The CAA champion Hofstra Pride are another mid-major looking to make a big statement in the tournament and the Tide will have a lot of work to do to make up for Holloway’s shooting prowess.
National title contenders get started
The women’s tournament tips off and there are some top teams who are expecting to go all the way to the desert for the Final Four.
Texas, Michigan, LSU all get going on their quest to get to Phoenix. The Longhorns are especially considered to be one of the national title favorites and Michigan and LSU are both dark horses to go deep in the tourney.
The SEC champions are a favorite to go to the Final Four and largely have a clear path until a potential matchup with second-seeded Michigan in the Elite Eight. They play Missouri State at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Men’s games scheduled for Friday -
No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Santa Clara at 12:15 p.m. ET on Friday in St. Louis (CBS)
No. 5 Texas Tech vs. No. 12 Akron at 12:40 p.m. ET on Friday in Tampa, Florida (truTV)
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 Long Island University at 1:35 p.m. ET on Friday in San Diego (TNT)
No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Wright State at 1:50 p.m. ET on Friday in Philadelphia (TBS)
No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Tennessee State at 2:50 p.m. ET on Friday in St. Louis (CBS)
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 13 Hofstra at 3:15 p.m. ET on Friday in Tampa (truTV)
No. 8 Villanova vs. No. 9 Utah State at 4:10 p.m. ET on Friday in San Diego (TNT)
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 11 Miami (Ohio)at 4:25 p.m. ET Friday in Philadelphia (TBS).
No. 8 Clemson vs. No. 9 Iowa 6:50 p.m. ET on Friday in Tampa (TNT)
No. 5 St. John’s vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday in San Diego, California (CBS)
No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 University of Central Florida 7:25 p.m. ET on Friday in Philadelphia (TBS)
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Queens at 7:35 p.m. ET on Friday in St. Louis (truTV)
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M at 9:25 p.m. ET Friday in Tampa (TNT).
No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 13 California Baptist University 9:45 p.m. ET on Friday in San Diego (CBS)
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman 10 p.m. ET on Friday in Philadelphia (TBS)
No. 7 Miami (Florida) vs. No. 10 Missouri 10:10 p.m. ET on Friday in St. Louis (truTV)
Women’s games scheduled for Friday -
No. 3 Duke vs. No. 14 Charleston at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2
No. 3 TCU vs. No. 14 UC San Diego at noon ET on ESPN
No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
No. 6 Baylor vs. No. 11 Nebraska at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN
No. 6 Washington vs. No. 11 South Dakota State at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS
No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 Murray State at 3 p.m. ET on ESPNU
No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Gonzaga at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Missouri State at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 15 Holy Cross at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 13 Western Illinois at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS
No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jacksonville at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN
No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Green Bay at 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Colorado State at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS
No. 7 NC State vs. No. 10 Tennessee at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Villanova at 8:30 p.m. ET ESPNU
No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Idaho at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN
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Source: “AOL Sports”
