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

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

10 Santa Clara vs. 7 Kentucky

12:15 p.m., CBS

After an up-and-down regular season, could this be the third first-round exit in five years for the Wildcats?

Or could they make it to the second weekend of the tournament for the second time under Mark Pope?

Senior guard Otega Oweh, averaging 18.2 points, will be the catalyst for any run, but first they have to get past a Santa Clara team dancing for the first time since 1996.

10 Miami (Ohio) vs. 6 Tennessee

4:25 p.m., TBS

So, after all that, the RedHawks dazzled in Dayton and now have a chance to upset a Tennessee team that has been a Sweet 16 regular in recent years — but always seems to stall. Nate Ament and Ja’Kobi Gillespie will be tasked with ensuring that doesn’t happen again.

10 UCF vs. 7 UCLA

7:25 p.m., TBS

Regardless of what happens, Bruins head coach Mick Cronin might have an epic rant in the postgame presser. His UCLA team, which has constructed deep March runs before, will have to slow down a UCF group that loves to shoot the 3 and possesses Quad 1 wins against Kansas and Texas Tech.

16 Prairie View A&M vs. 1 Florida

9:25 p.m., TNT

This is the chance to watch the defending champs try to avoid the trap that Duke encountered Thursday against a No. 16 seed. Todd Golden’s group — which has a chance to join UConn as recent repeat champions — stumbled in the SEC Tournament, but they’re as dangerous as anyone in the field behind Thomas Haugh’s 17.1 points per game and Alex Condon’s 15.0 points.

15 Furman vs. 2 UConn

10 p.m., TBS

St. John’s fans will want to pay attention to this one, as the Huskies could be an Elite Eight opponent if both advance that far. Alex Karaban has a chance to win a third national title with UConn. Furman, though, has caused chaos before, most notably upsetting Virginia as a No. 13 seed in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

10 Missouri vs. 7 Miami

10:10 p.m., truTV

The Hurricanes could become an easy team for fans to root for given their one-year turnaround, as they won 24 games in the regular season under first-year head coach Jai Lucas after dropping 24 last year. But Missouri could make that difficult.

The Tigers, led by guards Mark Mitchell and Jayden Stone, are a No. 10 seed, sure, but defeated Florida, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.