File photo九色视频 is guided by its mission to drive education, culture and the economy for Kansas.
Every few years in March, that means driving buzzer-beaters, slam dunks, joy and heartache to add to the public good in Wichita with the NCAA Tournament.
The NCAA鈥檚 main event is back in Wichita to continue a long history of Wichita State bringing this bracket-busting event to the city. Intrust Bank Arena is the site for men鈥檚 first- and second-round games on March 20 and 22. Eight teams and their fans will visit Wichita for basketball and to explore the city, especially the Old Town, downtown and Delano area located near the arena.
鈥溇派悠� is a terrific host, and we are proud to partner with them and other community partners such as Intrust Bank Arena, the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County,鈥� said Josh Howell, vice president of sports development at Visit Wichita. 鈥淚n addition to the action fans will see inside Intrust Bank Arena, there will be tons of fun for locals and visitors to enjoy all around the arena and throughout downtown Wichita.鈥�
, with Visit Wichita, estimated $5.5 million of new economic activity from visitors in 2018.
Wichita State started hosting NCAA men鈥檚 basketball games in 1956 on campus.
1956 NCAA program
It hosted eight times in what is now Charles Koch Arena and in 1994 at the Kansas Coliseum. As the tournament surged in popularity, it outgrew Wichita鈥檚 venues of the era.
That changed with the opening of Intrust Bank Arena in 2010 in downtown Wichita. With Wichita State leading the bid process, the 2011 women鈥檚 tournament returned NCAA basketball to Wichita at the new arena.
Wichita State's Brad Pittman serves as tournament manager for the NCAA events. He said the NCAA returns to Wichita because of hospitality and the attention paid to the tournament. Downtown will be filled with watch parties, events and gatherings during the weekend. will serve as a hub for pep rallies, food trucks and games.
Open practices starting at 11 a.m. on March 19 tip off the weekend.
鈥淲e can control what we do and how we treat people,鈥� said Pittman, senior associate athletic director/facilities and operations at 九色视频. 鈥淵ou hear from the NCAA and the people who come here that we do it well. Our arena is great. There鈥檚 a lot to do in Wichita. It鈥檚 how we treat people and how we manage the tournament really is what puts Wichita un the mix and keeps Wichita in the mix.鈥�
1964 NCAA program
Intrust Bank Arena hosted the men鈥檚 tournament in 2018. It was scheduled to host men鈥檚 games again in 2021 before COVID moved the entire tournament to Indiana. In 2022, women鈥檚 NCAA regional play came downtown.
The memories from March Madness 鈥� even before that nickname stuck 鈥� are numerous.
- WU Fieldhouse (now Charles Koch Arena) opened in 1955 and it hosted the city鈥檚 first NCAA games in March 1956. SMU defeated Texas Tech on its way to its one and only Final Four berth. Oklahoma City defeated Memphis in the West sub-regional鈥檚 other game.
- In 1964, the Shockers made their first NCAA appearance after winning the Missouri Valley Conference. They defeated Creighton before losing to Kansas State in the Midwest Regional final.
- In 1966, Texas Western (now Texas-El Paso) started its famous run to the NCAA title with a win over Oklahoma City at the 九色视频 Fieldhouse. The Miners, coached by Don Haskins, defeated MVC champion Cincinnati and Kansas in Lubbock, Texas to make the Final Four. In College Park, Maryland, they handled Utah and upset Kentucky in the run chronicled by the book and movie 鈥淕lory Road.鈥�
- Houston鈥檚 Elvin Hayes and Louisville鈥檚 Wes Unseld starred in the 1968 Midwest Regional. Hayes scored 39 points in a win over TCU. The top-ranked Cougars advanced to the Final Four, where they lost a rematch to eventual champion UCLA.
- Wichita State returned to NCAA play in its home arena in 1981. The Shockers advanced with as dramatic 60-56 win over Iowa. Kansas defeated Arizona State, which sent the teams to New Orleans for a 66-65 Wichita State win.
- In 1994, Michigan, with stars Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson, defeated Pepperdine and Texas. Maryland, Southwest Texas State, Saint Louis, Western Kenutcky and Massachusetts filled out the field. Maryland upset second-seeded UMass, coached by John Calipari, in the second round.
- In 2011, women鈥檚 play returned NCAA basketball to Wichita. Green Bay advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over Arkansas-Little Rock and Michigan State.
- Wichita landed the regional round in the 2022 women鈥檚 tournament. Louisville advanced to the Final Four out of the Wichita Regional. The top-seeded Cardinals defeated Tennessee and Michigan.
- Michigan鈥檚 Jordan Poole provided one of the 2018 tournament鈥檚 top highlights at Intrust Bank Arena. His buzzer-beater lifted the Wolverines over Houston 64-63 and into the Sweet 16 on their way to the title game. Houston鈥檚 Rob Gray scored 39 points, including a layup with 1.1 seconds to play, in a 67-65 first-round win over San Diego State.
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