March Madness: Where in Royal Oak Will You be Watching?

It's official, March Madness is here – especially with three Michigan teams playing in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament Friday.

Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit Mercy lineup:

• Michigan vs. Ohio — 7:20 p.m. (TNT)
• MSU vs. LIU-Brooklyn — 9:20 p.m. (TBS)
• UDM vs. Kansas — 9:57 p.m. (TruTV)

If the teams win Friday, they will play again Sunday.

5 local places to watch basketball

If you like the company of other fans when you cheer on Michigan teams, there are plenty of local bars with the game turned on.

: The popular, group-friendly downtown Royal Oak spot will have the games on, of course. Basketball fans will compete with St. Patrick's Day revelers, as BlackFinn has "St. Practice Day" specials planned for Friday and green beer and Irish whiskey specials on Saturday for the Irish holiday. Email Maria@BlackFinnRoyalOak.com to book a March Madness party.

: The March Madness tournaments will be shown at the dueling piano bar, which offers a wide selection of food and drink. The venue has about 10 TVs on the lower level and upper level.

This downtown Irish American grill and bar is a favorite spot for sports fans with plenty of TVs. Grab a group of friends and try the Power Towers of beer.

This huge mainstay on Main Street is built for sports fans. "Watch all your favorite sports games in full HD and enjoy great daily and nightly specials," it shouts from its website. Mr. B's boasts more than 42 flat screen TVs and two big screens so you won't miss a play.

: The bar will have food and drink specials going on for the entire month of March including 50 cent wings, 22-ounce glasses of beer for $2.50; coneys for $1.50; and a large pizza with two toppings and a pitcher of beer for $15.99. The Hide Out has nine smaller TVs and one big screen.