when does arizona play in the ncaa tournament

Arizona’s men’s team opens the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 20, 2026, at 1:35 p.m. ET against No. 16 seed LIU, with the game televised on TNT.

Quick Scoop: When does Arizona play in the NCAA Tournament?

Arizona’s next game: time, date, channel

• Matchup: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 LIU (Long Island).

• Date: Friday, March 20, 2026.

• Tip time: 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time (10:35 a.m. Arizona time).

• TV/stream: TNT and March Madness Live.

• Region/site: West Region, Viejas Arena in San Diego.

Arizona earned a No. 1 seed after winning the 2026 Big 12 Tournament, so they headline one of Friday’s early windows in the Round of 64.

Mini-view: What happens after this game?

If Arizona beats LIU, they advance to the Round of 32 on Sunday at the same San Diego site, with exact time set after Friday’s results. This is standard for No. 1 seeds, who get a quick turnaround between the first and second rounds.

Short forum-style note

Fans on message boards are already talking like this is a business-trip opener: survive LIU on Friday afternoon, then lock in for a harder Sunday matchup in San Diego before the long road to Indianapolis.

TL;DR: Arizona plays its NCAA Tournament opener vs. LIU on Friday, March 20, 2026 at 1:35 p.m. ET on TNT in San Diego.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.