Michigan State vs North Dakota State: March Madness TV Channel, Start Time

The Spartans and Bison face off in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament

Mar. 19, 2026 at 10:04am

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The Michigan State Spartans, a 3-seed, will take on the 14-seed North Dakota State Bison in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19. The game is scheduled to tip off at 4:05 p.m. ET and will be televised on TNT, with streaming options available on Sling TV.

Why it matters

This first-round matchup between Michigan State and North Dakota State is an intriguing one, as the Spartans look to make a deep run in the tournament after finishing tied for second in the Big Ten regular season. North Dakota State, meanwhile, is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 after winning the Summit League.

The details

Michigan State, a 3-seed, finished the regular season tied for second in the Big Ten and fell to a No. 3 seed after a quarterfinals loss to UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament. North Dakota State, a 14-seed, finished the season 27-7 overall and 14-2 in Summit League play to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

  • The game is scheduled to tip off at approximately 4:05 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

The players

Michigan State Spartans

A 3-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the Spartans finished tied for second in the Big Ten regular season and are looking to make a deep run in the tournament.

North Dakota State Bison

A 14-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the Bison won the Summit League with a 14-2 conference record and are making their first tournament appearance since 2019.

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What’s next

The winner of the Michigan State-North Dakota State matchup will advance to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This first-round clash between the Spartans and Bison promises to be an exciting start to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, as Michigan State looks to make a deep run while North Dakota State aims to pull off an upset as a 14-seed.