Breaking down best March Madness 2026 games today: Saturday’s top contests

A look at the key March Madness 2026 games to watch Saturday:

(9) Saint Louis vs. (1) Michigan

12:10 p.m., CBS

This will be a major step up for the Wolverines, who easily disposed of Howard in the second half after leading by only four at halftime.

Saint Louis, a mid-major that cracked the AP Top 25 during the season, became the second team to top 100 points in this tournament — with Dion Brown’s 18 points leading the offense.

(6) Louisville vs. (3) Michigan State

2:45 p.m., CBS

The Cardinals survived one game without leading scorer Mikel Brown Jr., taking down a USF team many considered a potential Cinderella. But can they do it again — and replicate their 52 percent clip from beyond the arc? Remember, this is Tom Izzo in March, and the Spartans cruised in their first-round game, as Carson Cooper dropped 20 points and Coen Carr contributed 17.

(9) TCU vs. (1) Duke

5:15 p.m., CBS

So … about those Blue Devils. The No. 1 overall seed nearly joined Virginia in March Madness infamy before surviving Siena. Was that a fluke, or a glimpse at a crack in the foundation of what seemed to be an invincible roster led by Cameron (22 points Thursday) and Cayden (19 points) Boozer?

Their path to a national title will next have to go through a TCU team that has won 10 of its last 12 games after surviving a thriller against Ohio State.

(11) Texas vs. (3) Gonzaga

7:10 p.m., truTV

The Bulldogs managed to advance past No. 14 seed Kennesaw State despite hitting just 3 of 18 shots from beyond the arc. They also remain without injured star Braden Huff. And now they’ll run into a Texas group that defeated NC State in Dayton and then upset BYU behind Matas Vokietaitis’ 23 points.

(11) VCU vs. (3) Illinois

7:50 p.m., CBS

VCU did classic VCU things with its first-round upset of North Carolina, erasing a 19-point deficit and causing some bracket chaos. But Illinois was the other team to top 100 points on the first day of March Madness, reaffirming it is a contender to be reckoned with in this field. This could come down to whether Illinois’ David Mirkovic (29 points Thursday) or VCU’s Terrence Hill Jr. (34 points) scores more.

(12) High Point vs. (4) Arkansas

9:45 p.m., truTV

One of the most entertaining games of the third day might be the last one. The Panthers became the latest team to pull off a 12-over-5 upset, toppling Wisconsin on a late Chase Johnston layup. Arkansas poured in 97 points in a blowout win over Hawaii. Can John Calipari go 2-for-2 in reaching the Sweet 16 since joining the Razorbacks?