DAYTON — The University of Dayton Arena is ready to host the First Four of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
>>Matchups and times announced for this year’s First Four in Dayton
News Center 7 was there when crews at the UD Arena flipped the floor to host this year’s First Four.
Scott DeBolt, senior associate athletics director for the UD Arena, said it has hosted more tournament game than any other venue in the country, thanks to the fans.
“If you follow Dayton Basketball, either on the men’s or women’s side,” he said. “You know the crowds we get, and the past two years, we’ve sold out the season before it even began. So huge a following here, very knowledgeable basketball fans in the region. So, we like to call ourselves the “Epicenter of College Basketball,’ and we’re just kind of expanding that with all the other basketball that we do.”
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The First Four will tip-off Tuesday night.
- No. 16 Texas A&M Corpus Christi vs No .16 Southeast Missouri State, 6:40 p.m.
- No. 11 Mississippi State vs No. 11 Pittsburgh, 9:10 p.m.
Wednesday’s games are:
- No. 16 Texas Southern vs No. 11 Fairleigh Dickinson, 6:40 p.m. Wednesday
- No. 11 Arizona State vs No. 11 Nevada, 9:10 p.m. Wednesday
>>Free open practices to take place for First Four in Dayton
More information on purchasing First Four tickets can be found here.
The teams will hold public practice sessions at the UD Arena.
The first session will be Monday, March 13, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and the second session is Tuesday afternoon from 12 p.m.-3 p.m.
Admission and parking is free.
Complete information can be found on The Big Hoopla’s website here.
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