The first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament kicks off in earnest on Thursday with 16 games. Even for the most dedicated basketball junkies, that’s a lot of games to watch and keep track of.
If you’re a fan of the Utah Jazz, what you’re likely most interested in are the collegiate players that could end up on the Jazz roster after draft night.
If the Jazz keep their lottery pick, it’ll be a top-8 selection. With that in mind, here’s a watch guide for the first day of March Madness — games that feature players who could be top-8 draft picks.
All games are on Thursday, March 19, and all times are MDT.
Louisville (6) vs. South Florida (11) — 11:30 a.m.
This one depends on the Thursday morning injury report. If Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. plays, Jazz fans will want to pay attention. He’s been progressing from a re-aggravated back injury, and his status isn’t certain.
Brown is projected to be a top-10 NBA pick, so if the Jazz end up with the eighth pick, he could be in range.
Duke (1) vs. Sienna (16) — 12:50 a.m.
Duke’s Cameron Boozer is the highlight in this game. He’s a 6-foot-9 freshmen and he’s likely to win national player of the year honors. His twin brother, Cayden, is also on the Blue Devils squad, but Cameron Boozer could end up being a top-3 pick in the upcoming draft.
Even if you doubt the Jazz landing a top-3 pick in the 2026 draft lottery, Boozer is one of the best players in the country and he was born in Salt Lake City when his father, Carlos Boozer, played for the Jazz, so there are local ties to root for.
Arkansas (4) vs. Hawaii (13) — 2:25 p.m.
The Razorbacks roster features Darius Acuff Jr., one of the best, if not the best point guard in the country.
He’s all but guaranteed to be a lottery selection in the upcoming draft and could be a top-8 pick.
BYU (6) vs. Texas/NC State — 5:25 p.m.
If you haven’t had a chance to watch BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, now’s the time to jump on board.
The Cougars’ standout freshman is in the mix to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He’s one of the most athletic and dominant players that will be featured in the tournament.
Illinois (3) vs. Penn (13) — 7:25 p.m.
Keaton Wagler is the 6-foot-6, high-scoring, sharp-shooting point guard that leads that Illini.
He’s a consensus top-10 pick, most people have him projected to go in the top-6 and there are some that believe he would be worth taking with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Houston (2) vs. Idaho (15) — 8:10 p.m.
The Houston Cougars have two players who project to be top-15 NBA picks. But it’s Kingston Flemings who Jazz fans will want to watch in the final game of the day.
Flemings is projected to be a top-5 pick, which his teammate Chris Cenac Jr. is slated to get picked just outside the lottery. It’s the perfect pairing to watch to finish off the first day of the tournament.