Tuesday is the first day of the 2019 NCAA tournament. There are two games on the schedule as the action gets underway in Dayton, Ohio, with the First Four. Get the daily schedule, game times and how to watch information here.
Today's schedule includes two of the last four automatic bids squaring off before two of the last four at-large selections meet.
2019 NCAA tournament: Tuesday schedule, game times, how to watch
Fairleigh Dickinson and Prairie View A&M play in the first game of the tournament, with the winner facing off against No. 1 Gonzaga as the No. 16 seed in the West Region.
Later, Temple and Belmont play to set up a meeting against No. 6 Maryland as the No. 11 seed in the East Region.
| Game | Time | Watch Live | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson vs. No. 16 Prairie View A&M | 6:40 p.m. ET | truTV | |
| No. 11 Temple vs. No. 11 Belmont | 9:10 p.m. | truTV |
2019 NCAA tournament: March Madness schedule
NCAA tournament: Bracket
First Four preview
Fairleigh Dickinson-Prairie View A&M
Fairleigh Dickinson and Prairie View A&M tip off at 6:40 p.m. ET on Tuesday in the first game of the NCAA tournament.
The winner becomes the No. 16 seed to play top-seeded Gonzaga in the West Region on Friday.
Prairie View A&M (22-12) is on a roll, as the Panthers have gone 21-1 since a 1-11 start to the season. They've lost only once since Dec. 29. They clinched the SWAC auto bid by beating Texas Southern 92-86 in the final. Gary Blackston and Dennis Jones both scored 17 points in the win. It's the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 1998.
MARCH MADNESS: The 2019 interactive bracket
Fairleigh Dickinson (20-13) is a little more familiar to the tournament stage — it's their second in four years. Last time, FDU lost to Florida Gulf Coast in a First Four game.
The NEC champion Knights beat St. Francis (PA) on the Red Flash's home court to earn the bid. Darnell Edge, Kaleb Bishop and Jahlil Jenkins combined for 61 points.
Temple-Belmont
In the late game, 11 seeds Belmont and Temple play for the spot to face No. 6 Maryland in the East Region.
BELMONT: Bruins look to prove themselves after getting at-large spot
This is Belmont's eighth NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2015. The Bruins (26-5) got in as an at-large, as they lost to Murray State in the OVC title game. Coach Rick Byrd is in his 33rd season as the Bruins' coach.
As for Temple (23-9), this is coach Fran Dunphy's final run. Dunphy is retiring at the end of the season. This trip is his 17th (he had nine at Penn before making seven NCAAs with Temple).
Both the Bruins and the Owls are in as at-large teams. Temple has proven to be a giant killer this season, as it is one of only two teams to beat 31-3 Houston this season.
