March Madness 2018: Schedule, TV Coverage, Latest Odds for NCAA Tournament

March Madness has, technically speaking, already begun as the play-in games have already taken place, but Thursday is the opening day of the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament. In other words, this is where chaos ensues.

While it's unlikely any of the No. 1 seeds will be bounced by a No. 16 seed, it's not impossible—although it hasn't happened before. What is guaranteed, however, is that there will be unforgettable moments, unbelievable comebacks and some of the most entertaining basketball you will see all year.

Here's a rundown of the latest odds from the top contenders in this year's tournament with the complete first-round schedule for Thursday and Friday's action.

2018 March Madness Championship Odds

1. Villanova Wildcats: +550 (bet $100 to win $550)

2. Virginia Cavaliers: +550

3. Duke Blue Devils: +750

4. Michigan State Spartans: +800

5. Purdue Boilermakers: +1,200

6. Kansas Jayhawks: +1,400

7. Cincinnati: +1,500

T-7. Arizona Wildcats: +1,500

9. Michigan Wolverines: +1,600

T-9. Xavier Musketeers: +1,600

11. North Carolina Tar Heels: +1,800 

Odds are courtesy of OddsShark. 

First Round

Thursday, March 15

Matchup: (10) Oklahoma vs. (7) Rhode Island​

​Region: West

Time: Noon ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (14) Wright St. vs. (3) Tennessee​

​Region: South

Time: 12:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

Matchup: (13) UNCG vs. (4) Gonzaga​

​Region: West

Time: 1:20 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (16) Penn vs. (1) Kansas

​Region: Midwest

Time: 1:50 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (15) Iona vs. (2) Duke​

​Region: Midwest

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (11) Loyola of Chicago vs. (6) Miami​

​Region: South

Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

Matchup: (12) S. Dakota St. vs. (5) Ohio St.​

​Region: West

Time: 3:50 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (9) NC State vs. (8) Seton Hall

​Region: Midwest

Time: 4:20 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (16) Radford vs. (1) Villanova

​Region: East

Time: 6:45 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (12) Davidson vs. (5) Kentucky​

​Region: South

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (11) San Diego St. vs. (6) Houston​

​Region: West

Time: 7:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (14) SFA vs. (3) Texas Tech

​Region: East

Time: 7:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

​Matchup: (9) Alabama vs. (8) Virginia Tech​

​Region: East

Time: 9:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (13) Buffalo vs. (4) Arizona

​Region: South​

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (14) Montana vs. (3) Michigan

​Region: South

Time: 9:45 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (11) St. Bonaventure vs. (6) Florida​

​Region: East

Time: 9:55 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

Friday, March 16

Matchup: (10) Providence vs. (7) Texas A&M​

Region: West

Time: Noon ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (15) CSU Fullerton vs. (2) Purdue​

​Region: East

Time: 12:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

Matchup: (13) Marshall vs. (4) Wichita St.​

​Region: East

Time: 1:20 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (15) Georgia St. vs. (2) Cincinnati​

​Region: South

Time: 1:50 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (15) Lipscomb vs. (2) UNC​

​Region: West

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (10) Butler vs. (7) Arkansas​

​Region: East

Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

Matchup: (12) Murray St. vs. (5) West Virginia​

​Region: East

Time: 3:50 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (10) Texas vs. (7) Nevada

​Region: South

Time: 4:20 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (9) Kansas St. vs. (8) Creighton​

​Region: South

Time: 6:45 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (14) Bucknell vs. (3) Michigan St.​

​Region: Midwest

Time: 7 p.m. ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (16) Texas Southern vs. (1) Xavier​

​Region: West

Time: 7:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (13) Charleston vs. (4) Auburn​

​Region: Midwest

Time: 7:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

Matchup: (16) UMBC vs. (1) Virginia​

​Region: South

Time: 9:15 p.m. ET

TV channel: TNT

Matchup: (11) Syracuse vs. (6) TCU​

​Region: Midwest

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: CBS

Matchup: (9) Florida St. vs. (8) Missouri

​Region: West

Time: 9:45 p.m. ET

TV channel: TBS

Matchup: (12) New Mexico St. vs. (5) Clemson​

​Region: Midwest

Time: 9:55 p.m. ET

TV channel: TruTV

Thursday's Game to Watch 

Elsa/Getty Images

(9) NC State vs. (8) Seton Hall 

For the average college basketball fan, it's understandable if you haven't seen much of NC State or Seton Hall play this season. But don't be fooled—both teams can be dangerous in the tournament, especially the latter. 

One thing Seton Hall brings to the table is an abundance of offense from different sources. And while many teams, such as Duke, boast some young, scoring talents, they are a far cry from the consistency of Seton Hall's trio of Desi Rodriguez, Angel Delgado and Khadeen Carrington, who are all 1,000-point-plus scorers in program history. 

Seton Hall could easily be one of those teams that takes down some of the giants of the Midwest Region, but it all starts with a win over a tough NC State.

The No. 9 seed out of the ACC doesn't do much that could scare Seton Hall in this one, but they do have the ability to light up the scoreboard from the perimeter in ways that even the Pirates can't. 

The Wolfpack have five players who average at least 16 minutes per game and who shoot at a rate of 36.8 percent from deep or better, including three players who shoot 41.7 or better from beyond the arc.

NC State will need good looks for its shooters to execute on the perimeter, but they'll have no choice but to live or die by the three against a well-rounded team such as Seton Hall to see another day in the tournament. 

Friday's Game to Watch 

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

(9) Florida St. vs. (8) Missouri

All eyes will be on this game on Friday and not just because it's a showdown between two evenly matched teams—it's also an opportunity to see how Michael Porter Jr. responds after a subpar performance last week on his return from injury.

Now with some time to get his feet under him in the practice gym and get closer to 100 percent, it's possible we get to see the best version of Porter since his high school days when he drew comparisons to NBA All-Star Kevin Durant.

Missouri will have no choice but to give Porter the rock and rely on him to produce as the Tigers will be without the services of leading scorer Jordan Barnett. 

Even without Barnett and a less-than-100-percent Porter, though, there is another Porter on this Missouri team who can't be overlooked. Michael's younger brother, Jontay, is as talented as they come, albeit still raw with room to grow.

The 18-year-old averages 10.8 pointer and 6.8 rebounds per game, but he has come on as of late scoring 24, 19 and 20 points in his last three outings, shooting at least 54.5 percent from the field in each contest.

It will be the Porter brothers show on Friday against the Seminoles, and it will be can't-miss television.