No. 1 Duke Faces No. 16 Siena in March Madness Opener

The top overall seed looks to avoid an early upset in the NCAA Tournament's first round.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 2:50pm

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The 2026 NCAA Tournament tips off on Thursday afternoon with the No. 1 overall seed Duke Blue Devils taking on the No. 16 Siena Saints. Duke, fresh off an ACC title and led by star freshman Cameron Boozer, enters as a heavy favorite against the Saints, who are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010.

Why it matters

A potential first-round upset would shake up the March Madness bracket, while a Duke victory would keep the tournament's top overall seed on track for a deep run and potential national championship. The game also marks the start of the NCAA Tournament, one of the most exciting events in sports.

The details

Duke (32-2) is the tournament's No. 1 overall seed and one of the most dominant teams in the country this season. Siena (23-11) earned its tournament berth by winning the MAAC Conference Tournament. The winner of this game will advance to face either No. 8 Ohio State or No. 9 TCU in the second round on Saturday.

  • The game tips off at 2:50 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
  • The NCAA Tournament's first round runs from March 19-20.

The players

Duke Blue Devils

The No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Duke is led by star freshman Cameron Boozer and is one of the favorites to win the national championship.

Siena Saints

The No. 16 seed in the tournament, Siena punched its ticket by winning the MAAC Conference Tournament and is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010.

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What’s next

The winner of the Duke-Siena game will advance to face either No. 8 Ohio State or No. 9 TCU in the second round on Saturday, March 21.

The takeaway

This first-round matchup between the tournament's top overall seed and a Cinderella hopeful kicks off the excitement of March Madness, with Duke looking to avoid an early upset and Siena aiming to pull off one of the biggest surprises in NCAA Tournament history.