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Why is the First Four always in Dayton? What to know about the NCAA tournament games

haadiza ogwude, cincinnati enquirer
·3 min read

One of the biggest competitions in sports returns this week.

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, known as March Madness, begins March 19 and lasts through April 8. Stadiums and arenas across the country will host tournament games. And UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, will host the First Four, held March 19-20.

But why is the First Four always in Dayton? Here's a look.

When is the First Four 2024?

The First Four games will be held March 19-20.

Where is the First Four played?

The First Four games of March Madness will be held at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
The First Four games of March Madness will be held at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

The First Four games are at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

What is the First Four?

The First Four are the four games played before the Round of 64 in March Madness. The four winners essentially win their way into the field.

Why is the First Four always in Dayton?

Dayton hosted its first play-in game in 2011 after winning a bid from the NCAA, per Front Office Sports. The Ohio city, approximately 54 miles north of Cincinnati, has hosted the First Four almost every year since it began in 2011, the same year the men's tournament was expanded to 68 teams. The only year Dayton didn't host the First Four was 2021, when it was held at Indiana University and Purdue University.

The First Four games are slated to be held in Dayton until 2026.

Who plays in the men's First Four?

The First Four typically consists of eight underdog teams — the four lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-seeded at-large teams. Here are the men's First Four teams this year:

  • Tuesday, March 19, 6:40 p.m. ET: Wagner (16-15) vs. Howard (18-16) for the No. 16 seed in the West. The winner will face No. 1 North Carolina on Thursday, March 21.

  • Tuesday, March 19, 9:10 p.m. ET: Colorado State (24-10) vs. Virginia (23-10) for the No. 10 seed in the Midwest. The winner will face No. 7 Texas on Thursday, March 21.

  • Wednesday, March 20, 6:40 p.m. ET: Grambling State (20-14) vs. Montana State (17-17) for the No. 16 seed in the Midwest. The winner will face No. 1 Purdue on Friday, March 22.

  • Wednesday, March 20, 9:10 p.m. ET: Colorado (24-10) vs. Boise State (22-10) for the No. 10 seed in the South. The winner will face No. 7 Florida on Friday, March 22.

What were the first teams to play in the NCAA First Four?

The 2011 First Four featured the following teams: the University of Texas at San Antonio, Clemson University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Virginia Commonwealth University, Alabama State University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Southern California.

VCU was the first team in history to go from the First Four to the Final Four. The second team to do it was UCLA in 2021.

How to watch men's First Four 2024

The 2024 First Four games will be broadcast live on TruTV, with Spero Dedes handling the play-by-play, Jim Spanarkel handling the analysis and Jon Rothstein reporting. Fans can also stream them on the NCAA March Madness Live app, or through ncaa.com/march-madness-live/watch.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: March Madness: Why is the First Four always in Dayton?