2026 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Tip-Off Times and TV Channels Announced

Saturday's Elite Eight matchups set for Houston and San Jose

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:40am

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The tip-off times and television channels have been announced for the two Elite Eight games in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, which will take place on Saturday. The South Region game between No. 9 Iowa and the winner of No. 2 Houston/No. 3 Iowa will tip off at 6:09 p.m. ET on TBS/truTV in Houston. The West Region game between No. 2 Purdue and the winner of No. 1 Arizona/No. 4 Arkansas will tip off at 8:49 p.m. ET on TBS/truTV in San Jose.

Why it matters

The Elite Eight round is a crucial step on the road to the Final Four, and these matchups will determine which teams advance to compete for the national championship. Fans are eager to see which teams will punch their tickets to the next round of the tournament.

The details

CBS announced the tip-off times and television channels for the two Elite Eight games on Saturday. The South Region game in Houston will tip off at 6:09 p.m. ET, while the West Region game in San Jose will tip off at 8:49 p.m. ET. Both games will be televised on TBS and truTV.

  • The Elite Eight games will take place on Saturday, March 27, 2026.

The players

Iowa

The No. 9 seed in the South Region.

Houston

The No. 2 seed in the South Region.

Purdue

The No. 2 seed in the West Region.

Arizona

The No. 1 seed in the West Region.

Arkansas

The No. 4 seed in the West Region.

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What’s next

The winners of the Elite Eight games will advance to the Final Four, which will take place on April 4 and 6, 2026.

The takeaway

The 2026 NCAA Tournament has reached the Elite Eight, and basketball fans are eagerly anticipating the matchups on Saturday. These games will determine which teams will compete for the national championship.