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March Madness is back! The 2024 NCAA men’s basketball championship began with the First Four on Tuesday (March 19).
Keep reading for the schedule and ways to watch and stream March Madness games.
March Madness Schedule
March Madness officially started during Selection Sunday on March 17. The First Four in the men’s tournament will be held from March 19-20 with four games scheduled: Wagner vs. Howard at 6:40 p.m. ET on truTV, Colorado State vs. Virginia at 9:10 p.m. ET on truTV, Grambling vs. Montana State at 6:40 p.m. ET on truTV and Colorado vs. Boise State at 9:10 p.m. ET on truTV.
Friday’s games will broadcast across CBS, truTV, TBS, TNT and ESPN. Game day begins with Florida Atlantic vs. Northwestern airing Friday at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Baylor vs. Colgate is scheduled for 12:40 p.m. ET on truTV, San Diego State vs. UAB at 1:45 p.m. on TNT, Marquette vs. Western Kentucky at 2 p.m. ET on TBS, and UConn vs. Stetson at 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS.
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The men’s Final Four is slated for April 6.
Sacred Heart and Presbyterian College will kick off the First Four women’s games on Wednesday (March 20) at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. The women’s basketball schedule includes Vanderbilt vs. Columbia at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU on Wednesday. Thursday’s schedule will feature Auburn vs. Arizona at 7 p.m. on ESPNU and Holy Cross vs. UT Martin at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.
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North Carolina vs. Michigan State, Ohio State vs. Maine, LSU vs. Rice, Virginia Tech vs. Marshall, South Carolina vs. Sacred Heart/Presbyterian are on the schedule for Friday. This week’s women’s games will air across ESPN, ABC, ESPNU and ESPN2.
The women’s Final Four championship will take place on April 5.
How to Watch March Madness Games Without Cable
Whether you’re watching March Madness on your computer, phone or TV, streaming gives you plenty of variety and the ability to watch from anywhere.
Sports fans who already have access to ESPN, TNT, TBS, truTV, ABC and CBS through cable, satellite, internet (or an HD antenna for local channels), can watch March Madness games live, but for those who haven’t settled on a TV streamer, we’ve put together a few different options that are actually worth the money.
Fans can watch and stream March Madness games through DirecTV and other platforms that provide live television such as Hulu+ Live TV, Fubo, Sling TV and Max.
New customers can join DirectTV for just $69.99/month when you subscribe for 24 months. DirecTV is a good option because it offers cable channels and local channels including ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, alongside TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU.
Subscribe to Max and stream NCAA games for as low as $5.83 per month when you prepay for a year. This is the first time that the steamers has offered access to all 2024 NCAA Division Men’s Basketball Championship games live in addition to studio coverage airing on TBS, TNT and truTV, including the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Semifinals and the 2024 Men’s National Championship.
This is the first time that Max will stream all the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship live games and studio coverage airing on TBS, TNT, and truTV — including the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four® National Semifinals and the 2024 Men’s National Championship. All tournament games on Max will be available to stream in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
In addition to game coverage, Max will debut the sports programs Max Bracket Breakdown on Thursday and Max Daily Replay on Friday. The tournament games will be available to stream on Max in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
The limited offer save you over 40% off Max streaming plans and applies to new, returning and existing customers.
Interested in more streaming deal? Sling TV starts at just $20 for the first month, and streamers like Fubo and DirecTV Stream offer free trials for up to a week.
With Sling, you can stream dozens of channels including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, TBS, FS1, FX and more. Furthermore, Sling’s Ultimate Basketball Offers will save you $40 over four months.
Thinking about joining Philo? Unfortunately, channels like CBS, TNT and TBS are not available on Philo, but subscribers can stream 60+ channels for just $25/month and a free trial for 7-days.
You can stream select March Madness games and other CBS programs with Paramount+ with Showtime for $11.99/month after a free trial for the first week (click here for ways to land free Paramount+ for more than a week).
Watch TV shows, movies and more including Paramount+ Originals such as Halo, The Family Stone, Star Trek Picard, Special Opps: Lioness, 1883, Mayor of Kingstown, and CBS shows such as Ghosts, NCIS, CBS Mornings and Survivor.
In addition to movies and TV shows, documentaries, concert specials and CBS, Paramount+ subscribers can also watch other live sports such as soccer. And if you’re an Amazon Prime member, Paramount+ with Showtime is available on Prime Video.
Can you watch March Madness games on ESPN+? Although you won’t find the NCAA March Madness tournament on ESPN+, there are plenty of college sports games available including basketball, football, soccer and more.
Streaming internationally? Use ExpressVPN or NordVPN to access CBS, TBS, TNT, ESPN, Paramount+ and other platforms from outside the U.S.
March Madness Merch & Tickets: Where to Buy
And now, it’s time to talk merch. If you’re looking for March Madness merchandise you can find lots of gear at retailers such as Fanatics, FansEdge, Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods and the NCAA Shop.
You can find tickets available at StubHub, Vivid Seats, StubHub and Gametime.
Click here for the full 2024 NCAA men’s March Madness schedule and here for the women’s schedule.
Need a March Madness bracket? Download a printable bracket here.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The men’s college basketball postseason is upon us, with March Madness kicking off next week.
The First Four play-in games are set to take place Tuesday (March 19) in Dayton, Ohio, while the Final Four games will see the last remaining quartet of teams go head-to-head at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., April 6-8. Cord-cutters don’t have to hunt for their nearest sports bar to watch March Madness live: For a limited time, Sling TV is offering up to 50% off the first month with access to all the 2024 March Madness games.
Selection Sunday takes place this weekend, on March 17, to determine the 68 teams competing in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Once the bracket has been revealed, March Madness will commence with teams competing across the U.S. in cities including Brooklyn, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Omaha, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Spokane and Memphis.
Keep reading to learn when and how to livestream March Madness 2024 on Sling TV.
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When Does March Madness 2024 Start?
After Selection Sunday, March Madness will start on Tuesday (March 19) with two play-in games. Then the 64-team tournament games begin Thursday (March 21) and go until the Final Four games that begin on Saturday (April 6). See below for the full breakdown of the schedule.
First Four games: March 19-20
First Round (round of 64): March 21-22
Second Round (round of 32): March 23-24
Sweet 16 (regional semifinals): March 28-29
Elite Eight (regional finals): March 30-31
Final Four (national finals and championship): April 6, 8
How to Watch March Madness 2024 on Sling TV
Sling TV offers a variety of affordable streaming options that will allow you to stream March Madness 2024 live online. The live TV streaming platform is offering a limited-time promotion on eligible plans that will earn you up to half-off the first month, saving you as much as $20. Click here or the button below to start your subscription.
Sling TV has three different sports packages to choose from: Sling Orange, NBA League Pass and Sling Orange + NBA League Pass. With Sling Orange, you’ll receive a discount of 50% off for the first month, dropping the price down to $20 (reg. $40); national coverage on ESPN, TNT and more channels; access to ABC through ESPN3; and up to 50 hours of DVR storage. After your first month is up, you’ll be charged the regular subscription price of $40/month.
For even more basketball, NBA League Pass is slashing $5 off the first month, which takes the price down to a wallet-friendly $10. You’ll be able to watch all the out-of-market games (subject to local blackouts), more than 400 channels of free movies and TV shows through Sling Freestream, a $5 Sling credit toward your first month and 24/7 access to NBA TV.
And, if you want both plans, you can bundle the two together with Sling TV + NBA League Pass, which is on sale for only $50 for the first month (reg. $55).
Drake’s son Adonis Graham had the opportunity to meet one of his favorite hoopers when the Charlotte Hornets visited the Toronto Raptors. While his father is on the road for tour, Adonis pulled up to the Scotiabank Arena’s visiting locker room on Sunday (March 3) to spend some time with Hornets star LaMelo Ball, who […]
It’s rare for Travis Scott to be in Iowa, but women’s basketball phenom Caitlin Clark tends to bring the stars out. With Clark breaking the all-time NCAA scoring record for men and women on Sunday (March 3), La Flame had to be in the building to see the historic moment himself from a courtside view. […]
Latto is bringing her “Big Energy” to the court. The Grammy-nominated rapper is set to be headlining this year’s Super Saturday Concert presented by AT&T, which will take place on April 6 in Cleveland, Ohio, the night before the NCAA’s Women’s Final Four Division I Championship Game. The event is free to the public, with the […]
The odds of anyone making it into the NBA are slim to none. You have to be one of the world’s most skilled individuals to even dream about being drafted into the league — so when pro basketball players turn out to have additional talents on top of their sport, it’s almost not fair.
And yet, such is the case for Memphis Grizzlies teammates Brandon Clarke and Jaren Jackson Jr., who both release music under rap alter-egos, as well as the Denver Nuggets’ Zeke Nnaji, who just so happens to be a gifted pianist. These athletes are just three of several b-ballers with a penchant for the artform, carrying on an unofficial tradition of music in the NBA that’s lasted decades.
A 27-year-old Vancouver native, Clarke records music under the alias BCVS and dropped a pair of albums over the summer, the latter of which is a 14-track set titled Ride the Lightning. Jackson, 24, features on one of the LP’s songs, “How U Know?” under his stage name, Trip J. His newest album arrives Friday (Feb. 16), and he proudly tells Billboard that it’s his “best project to date.”
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Then there’s Nnaji, who’s been playing piano since he was first-grader. While his colleagues see music as a separate entity from their basketball careers, the 23-year-old power forward finds a surprising harmony between the two.
Ahead of 2024’s All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Billboard caught up with Clarke, Jackson and Nnaji about their musical pursuits off the court. See what they had to say below.
How long have you been a musician?
Brandon Clarke: I’ve been making music for about 2.5 years now. I got involved with it from just messing around in the studio with my teammate, Jaren [Jackson Jr.], a while back.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: I have been making music for over five years, but it all started in high school and college when I would rap with some of my friends and teammates. Early in my career in Memphis, I met one of my now producers who showed me the ins and outs of music engineering and how you can find your sound.
Zeke Nnaji: I’ve been playing piano since I was six years old. Growing up, I had a little toy piano I’d play a lot. My parents saw how much I enjoyed playing on that, so around the age of six, they enrolled me in piano lessons. From then on, I’ve been playing on my own and teaching myself new things.
How would you describe the music you make?
Brandon Clarke: The music is just me having fun and storytelling. I try not to take it too seriously, but it’s just fun to do.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: I would describe my music as effortless and authentic. It’s very versatile. You can listen to it while riding in the whip, walking around with your headphones in or at the house.
Zeke Nnaji: I like playing different genres of music, from ragtime to classical, jazz to modern music. I just like being able to hear a song, and if I enjoy that song, sit down and learn how to play it on piano. I do also compose some of my own music as well, I’ve been doing that since I was in fourth grade — it started off as little one-note songs here and there, and as I’ve gotten older, the songs become more complex and intricate.
How do you make time for music in your busy schedule as an athlete?
Brandon Clarke: It’s become something I love doing. It’s my No. 1 hobby outside of hoops. I have a studio inside of my house now, and I’m good friends with my engineer. I love to be able to find pockets of time to sit down and make a couple of songs. I listen to beats and write lyrics all the time on flights to and from cities we play in.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: When I first started making music, it used to take a lot longer. As I’ve developed in my career, I have gotten to a point where music feels effortless. Typically, it takes me around 15-30 minutes to make one song. I also find that I don’t have a ton of time on my hands during the NBA season. A lot of my work is done in the off-season.
Which artists are you most inspired by?
Brandon Clarke: Favorite musicians are Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert, and they are definitely who I take inspiration from. I love the careless vibe of their music.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: Some of my favorite artists and influences in my career are Ken Carson, Baby Smoove, ICYTWAT and Midwxst. Living in Memphis defines a lot of my style and how I view making music. I’ve been fortunate to work with incredible artists that I have helped identify and put on, including Daicia, RAGEHARAJUKU and Fububanks.
What music goals do you have currently?
Brandon Clarke: I dropped a couple of albums in the summer, both just for fun! I don’t really care to advertise it much, the drop is just for me and the real locked-in fans, really. I’m currently not really working on any project, I’m just having fun discovering new sounds and seeing what I can create. Music-wise, I hope to just keep adding to my range of music I can make. I almost wanna start making some rock songs. I love rock, so that would be dope.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: Personally, I want to continue to find my sound and continue to get better in the space. I have learned so much in five years and know I will keep learning as time goes on. Aside from my personal goals, I also want all of my artists that I support to get record deals and awards and truly be the best they can be. The music industry is all about getting better and I want to continue growing with those who have been around me since day one.
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How, if at all, does your music overlap with your basketball career?
Brandon Clarke: For me, it’s just a great hobby. I try not to take it seriously like I take basketball, or else I start to lose the fun in it a little bit. I am my favorite artist really, so whenever I make new songs, it’s new music for me to bump.
Jaren Jackson Jr.: Making music is a huge stress reliever for me but also something I keep separate from my basketball career. I try not to let the two blend into one another.
Zeke Nnaji: Early on, I noticed a lot of correlations between practicing piano and playing basketball — the same dedication, the same practice that you have to put into your craft. The same hours of repetition you put on the keys to master a song can be applied to basketball when you’re trying to craft your shot. I noticed that the same kind of discipline I had on the piano, I could apply to basketball. It made both of them that much easier, being able to see how each helps the other.
50 Cent and Lil Wayne have been mentoring rappers for decades, and now, they’ll exchange a microphone for a basketball and put their hoops knowledge to the test.
The pair of hip-hop icons will line up on opposing sidelines, as the NBA announced on Wednesday (Feb. 7) that they’ll serve as assistant coaches in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
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Kicking off NBA All-Star weekend, the Celebrity Game is set for next Friday (Feb. 16) at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, when the Association will take over Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.
50 will be coaching Team Shannon, which is led by NFL legends Shannon Sharpe and Peyton Manning. Weezy is slated to assist ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith and WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson.
“I’m coaching, you know my team is gonna win. @liltunechi is probably gonna get high and not show up ! LOL,” 50 joked in his Instagram caption, while fans voiced their hopes he’ll be mic’d up for the game.
Participants in the Celebrity Game include streamer Kai Cenat, SiR, Anuel AA, Metta World Peace, Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons, actor Quincy Isaiah, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and more.
Lil Wayne will be on double duty, as he’ll be taking the stage during All-Star weekend, which will be filled with performances from Weezy, T-Pain, Zedd and Keith Urban as part of the NBA Crossover Concert Series.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic and more NBA stars are coming to Indiana for the main event, where the NBA All-Star Game tips off Sunday, Feb. 18.
The league has enlisted Babyface to sing the national anthem prior to the ASG, while Jennifer Hudson will provide entertainment as the halftime performer.
Find the full rosters for the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game below.
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Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty / Udonis Haslem
Miami Heat’s legendary enforcer Udonis Haslem shook the sports table with comments about the late Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell.
Udonis Haslem has never been one to bite his tongue about anyone or anything, so his latest comments shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
On a recent episode of The OG’s podcast, Haslem’s former teammate, center Bam Adebayo, shared a story about a 2022 pregame speech Haslem gave before the Heat took on the Celtics where he expressed his full disdain for his Eastern Conference rival.
Per NBC Sports Boston:
“We playing Boston, so you know his feelings,” Adebayo said. “So we’re in the huddle. Cap (Haslem) come in there, he gave his pregame speech, and you know they retired Bill Russell’s jersey for everybody in the league. So they got 6 in our rafters. And he ends his pregame speech like, ‘F— Bill Russell, too.’ I said, ‘This man dead, OG!”
Haslem tried to explain his stance, explaining he meant no disrespect, noting he was more upset about the fact a Russell’s Boston Celtics jersey was hanging in the Kaseya Center’s rafters, an honor Haslam says will never be given to a Heat player.
The NBA paid respect to Russell by retiring his jersey across the league following his passing in July 2022. LeBron James switched his number from 6 to 23 to honor the legendary big man.
“Tell me when you’re going to see a Miami Heat jersey hanging in Boston,” Haslem said. “I had to repent that, I love Bill. No disrespect to Bill,” Haslem stated. “He just caught that stray. Respect to Bill Russell.”
He continued, “The s— that comes out of people’s mouths to us when we playing there (in Boston)? I might not take back what I said, now that I think about it.”
As you can imagine, the NBA X, formerly known as NBA Twiter, was not feeling his comments, mainly because he didn’t have the same smoke for Michael Jordan’s jersey hanging up in the Kaseya Center’s rafters.
Boston Celtic all-star Jaylen Brown liked a tweet bringing that fact up.
Interesting.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty
2. Yes, please
8. Bam Adebayo cleaing things up
Ice Cube has earned plenty of plaudits during his nearly four-decade career, from a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with N.W.A. and BET Hip-Hop Awards hardware. But on Tuesday (Nov. 14) the rap legend was humbled when the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the inaugural Ice Cube Impact Award.
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“Basketball has had a positive impact on my life in so many ways. Thank you to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for establishing the ‘Ice Cube Impact Award,’ which will honor those who work to improve their community by using basketball as a tool to help kids,” tweeted Cube, the founder of the BIG3 basketball league, which pits former NBA and international ballers against each other in fast-paced 3-on-3 competitions. “I’m honored,” added Cube.
In another tweet, Cube wrote that the league — which he launched in 2017 with music manager and business partner Jeff Kwatinetz — was created for basketball fans like him who were tired of the long, hot summers after the end of the NBA finals. “Never in a million years did I think my efforts would land me in the BHOF. Honored & humbled. Thank you,” wrote the lifelong Lakers fan who grew up playing ball at the Inglewood YMCA.
The Hall of Fame said in a statement that the unique collaboration with Cube is aimed at honoring the rapper’s “extraordinary contributions to the world of basketball, his unparalleled passion for the game, and his unwavering commitment to encouraging crucial dialogues surrounding inclusivity, equal opportunity, and racial and social justice while contributing to initiatives focused on education and community development.”
The Cube Impact Award will be permanently housed at the HOF museum in a dedicated exhibit of each year’s winner featuring “in-depth storytelling about honorees who use basketball as a platform for good works in their own communities.”
“Ice Cube’s unquestionable passion for the game and his desire to see it utilized as a catalyst for positive impact on communities are unwavering,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the basketball HOF in a statement. “His sphere of influence in both the entertainment industry and in the professional sports arena brings remarkable authenticity and value to this award. We are delighted to join hands with Ice Cube as he leverages his love of the game to inspire others. The Ice Cube Impact Award will stand as a testament to the power of basketball and the profound impact it can have on communities worldwide.”
Cube also got major props from his son, actor O’Shea Jackson Jr., who tweeted about his dad’s legendary grind. “You can not stop him! You can only hope to contain him! I’m so shook right now dude this is amazing news,” Jackson Jr. wrote. “Y’all don’t understand what he goes through man. The grind this dude has is just unreal. Dad I can’t wait to hug you man. Yo this is so incredible. What you do, not only for us as a family, but for others as well is so admirable. I really do have the greatest dad in the world. This man scores one triple double with his friends. And now he landed in the BHOF lol.”
Junior thanked the Naismith HOF for honoring his dad’s contributions to the game we all love. “I cant wait to see the future winners of this award,” he said. “As his son, i am overwhelmed with joy. As a fan of basketball, I am relieved that positive growth for the game is acknowledged.”
The Ice Cube Impact Award will be presented to Cube at the Naismith HOF on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15) in Springfield, Massachusetts.
See Cube’s tweet and the props from his son and fellow hip-hop icons below.
Basketball has had a positive impact on my life in so many ways. Thank you to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for establishing the “Ice Cube Impact Award,” which will honor those who work to improve their community by using basketball as a tool to help kids. I’m honored. pic.twitter.com/qlIpRBN39B— Ice Cube (@icecube) November 15, 2023
I started the BIG3 for the fans of basketball like myself who were tried of suffering through the summer after the NBA Finals were over. Never in a million years did I think my efforts would land me in the BHOF. Honored & humbled. Thank you. https://t.co/0cAzjUPtXQ— Ice Cube (@icecube) November 14, 2023
You can not stop him! You can only hope to contain him! I’m so shook right now dude this is amazing news. Y’all don’t understand what he goes through man. The grind this dude has is just unreal. Dad I can’t wait to hug you man. Yo this is so incredible. What you do, not only for… https://t.co/dYgqSavSu7— O’Shea Jackson Jr (@OsheaJacksonJr) November 14, 2023
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The 2023 WNBA Finals was thought to be a slugfest between two elite squads that would potentially go for the entire length of the series. However, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces are up 2-0 in their best-of-five series against the New York Liberty after a lopsided win on Wednesday (October 11).
Led by A’Ja Wilson, who notched a double-double with 26 points and 15 rebounds, the Aces routed the Liberty 104-76 despite hope that New York’s star players would likely bounce back from the Game 1 loss on Sunday (October 8). As it stands, the Aces are one game away from repeating as the WNBA champions and would be the first team since the 2001-02 Los Angeles Sparks to win back-to-back titles.
Aces head coach Becky Hammon expressed admiration for her team’s execution and play in toppling the Liberty with relative ease.
“The character of this team and their absolute buy-in to the person to the left or right’s success is authentic,’ Hammon said in a postgame press conference as reported by the Associated Press. “And it’s tough to deal with when you share the ball and people are skilled and competitive. They were good tonight. They don’t leave me speechless very often, but they executed defensively, offensively shared it – everything we’ve been asking them to do.”
Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello congratulated the Aces on their win.
“Vegas is playing their best basketball at the moment,” Sandy Brondello said. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence, you see the chemistry that they have. And for us, we haven’t taken the steps forward, we haven’t shown it. We’re disappointed, very disappointed, because we’re a way better team [than] what we showed.”
Game 3 of the WNBA Finals heads back to New York on Sunday (October 15) with the Liberty hoping to extend the series and snatch back momentum. To do so, the team will need more heavy lifting from stars Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart.
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Photo: Ethan Miller / Getty