Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

Get ready to serve as your own television programmer for March Madness.

On Thursday, CBS Sports and Turner Sports will release their joint television schedule for this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and here is the big selling point: All of the games will be available live in their entirety across four national networks: CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV.

The expanded 68-team tournament tips off in prime time on truTV on Tuesday, March 15, with a set of games being called the “First Four.” The opening game airs at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by a game at 9 p.m. That schedule will be repeated the next day on truTV.

The two First Four winners will advance to what is now known as the second round. The scheduled start times for these games on March 17 and 18 are as follows: noon (CBS), 12:30 p.m. (truTV), 1:30 p.m. (TBS) and 2 p.m. (TNT). The second set of games begin at 2:30 p.m. (CBS), 3 p.m. (truTV), 4 p.m. (TBS) and 4:30 p.m. (TNT).

Then we get to prime time. TBS opens the coverage with a 6:45 p.m. tip-off followed by games at 7 p.m. (CBS), 7:15 p.m. (TNT and truTV). The final games of the night begin at 9:15 p.m. (TBS), 9:30 p.m. (CBS), 9:45 p.m. (TNT), and 9:55 p.m. (truTV).

The staggered start times mean viewers can toggle between games, as well as get added pre- and postgame show commentary from CBS and Turner talent. (Turner Sports is in partnership with SI.com and runs the site’s business operations.)

Last month, CBS and Turner announced that studio programming for halftime and postgame shows will originate from both New York and Atlanta, with the main anchor chair shared daily by CBS veteran Greg Gumbel and longtime TNT host Ernie Johnson. TNT’s Inside the NBA analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith will provide analysis throughout the tournament from the CBS studios in New York alongside Gumbel or Johnson. CBS analyst Greg Anthony will also be part of the New York-based studio show. The networks will share universal graphics, musical beds and unique camera angles.
WRITTEN BY  Richard Deitsch & FULL STORY HERE