Wanna go to March Madness? These games are within driving distance of Cincinnati🏀

Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer
·3 min read

College basketball fans in Cincinnati have a few options to get up close to the action this year.

The 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, kicks off this week in Dayton, Ohio. Games will also take place in Columbus, Ohio, and Louisville, Kentucky, later this month.

Here's what to know about March Madness games near Cincinnati and how to get tickets.

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No. 16. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi plays No. 16 Southeast Missouri State in the NCAA Tournament's First Four round at the University of Dayton Arena on Tuesday.
No. 16. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi plays No. 16 Southeast Missouri State in the NCAA Tournament's First Four round at the University of Dayton Arena on Tuesday.

First Four in Dayton

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament starts Tuesday with the First Four, played at the University of Dayton Arena.

March 14:

  • No. 16 Southeast Missouri State vs. No. 16. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 6:30 p.m.

  • No. 11 Pittsburgh vs. No. 11 Mississippi State at 9 p.m.

March 15:

  • No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson vs. No. 16 Texas Southern at 6:30 p.m.

  • No. 11 Nevada vs. No. 11 Arizona State at 9 p.m.

How to buy tickets:

Get tickets to the game on Ticketmaster, StubHub and Vivid Seats, or through the NCAA's ticket exchange.

What to know about the arena:

  • Cashless options are accepted at concessions stands and the team store.

  • Pets, outside food and drink, strollers, noisemakers, bags larger than 16”x16”x8” and more are prohibited.

  • Learn more at daytonflyers.com.

Arena parking lots A, B, C and D will be available for the First Four, according to the school's website. Lot O will not be available, and there will be no shuttle bus service.

Purchase parking passes here.

Multiple first and second round games for the NCAA Tournament will take place at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Multiple first and second round games for the NCAA Tournament will take place at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

First and second rounds in Columbus

Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, will host first and second round games Friday and Sunday.

First round matchups on March 17:

  • No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 USC at 12:15 p.m.

  • No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Vermont at 2:45 p.m.

  • No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Texas Southern/Fairleigh Dickinson at 6:50 p.m.

  • No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic at 9:20 p.m.

Second round games on March 19:

Michigan State or USC will face the winner of Marquette vs. Vermont on Sunday. Purdue or Texas Southern/Fairleigh Dickinson will take on either Memphis or Florida Atlantic.

How to buy tickets:

Tickets for the games are available on Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub.

What to know about the arena:

Pay for parking in advance here.

South Region games in Louisville

It's not yet known which teams will play in the South Region's Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games, but tickets are on sale now. The KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, will host the matchups March 24 and 26.

Find tickets online at Ticketmaster, StubHub and Vivid Seats.

What to know about the arena:

  • Cashless options are accepted.

  • Bags cannot be larger than 14”x14”x6” and are subject to search.

  • Backpacks, including fanny packs and drawstring bags, are prohibited, as well as outside food and drink, pets and more.

  • Learn more at kfcyumcenter.com.

Guests can park at the multilevel garage located under the facility and can pay in advance online to reserve a spot.

Get your printable 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket

Looking for a bracket to print out? Find one from USA Today Sports here.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: March Madness 2023: These games are are a short drive from Cincinnati