College basketball season will tip off on November 3 in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with a special six–game feature split between the two locations.

The Field of 68 is partnering with Visit York County at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center and Sanford Sports and the Sanford Pentagon for “The Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon,” a six-game, all-day event featuring three showcase games in each venue.

“We are honored to be involved in this event, which has some of the elite programs in the country that exist outside the sport’s traditional power structure,” Field of 68 founder Rob Dauster said. “This is a great opportunity for us to be able to provide more coverage for these teams that frankly don’t get enough. What we do at the Field of 68 is try and give teams at all levels the coverage they deserve.”

The games in Rock Hill include Queens vs. Winthrop (8 a.m. ET), Bradley vs. St. Bonaventure (11 a.m.) and High Point vs. Furman (6:30 p.m.).

“Visit York County is excited to partner with the Field of 68 Media Network to host six top collegiate basketball programs, including our very own Winthrop Eagles,” said Andy Clinton, president of Visit York County. “It’s very rewarding to see a relationship built with Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster a few years ago evolve into a national event to kick off the college basketball season. Visiting teams and spectators will stimulate our local economy while York County will also be in the national spotlight for three intriguing matchups on the Field of 68 Media Network.”

The games in Sioux Falls will be Murray State vs. Omaha (1:30 p.m. ET), Drake vs. Northern Arizona (4 p.m.) and South Dakota State vs. Merrimack (9 p.m.)

“We are excited to welcome the Field of 68 Opening Day Showcase back to the Sanford Pentagon,” said Jesse Smith, vice president of Sanford Sports. “Last year’s inaugural event was a tremendous success featuring great teams and matchups… The Field of 68 has done an incredible job growing this event and we can’t wait to tip off another college basketball season.”

The games will be broadcast on The Field of 68’s YouTube Channel and the network’s After Dark show will be broadcast live with a set at both venues.

The Summit League’s men’s and women’s basketball tournament championships will remain in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, through 2029 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

The upcoming 2026 championships is the final installment of the current deal and will mark the 11th season the postseason tournaments have been held in the venue. The Summit League Basketball Championships will surpass the two-decade mark being held in the city with the 2029 event marking the 21st straight year the community has hosted the games.

“Sioux Falls and the Denny Sanford Premier Center have been tremendous hosts for our Basketball Championships for over a decade and we are thrilled to announce this extension,” said Summit League Commissioner Josh Fenton. “We are grateful for the partnerships with the city and Premier Center along with the support shown by our passionate fans and broader corporate community.”

During its initial 10-year run at the Premier Center, more than 600,000 fans attended the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The women’s basketball championship game attendance of 8,417 in 2024 trailed only the Big 10, SEC and ACC among all DI conferences. This past year, the women’s tournament topped 30,000 for the second consecutive season and the men’s hit that mark for the ninth time in 10 tournaments.

“We are beyond excited to be welcoming the Summit League and its fans back to Sioux Falls for three more years,” said Sioux Falls mayor Paul TenHaken. “This is an incredible sporting event that puts Sioux Falls in a national spotlight. We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our city and are grateful to the league and schools for trusting us with this event.”

Baltimore will continue to host the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men’s and women’s basketball tournaments through 2029, building on a five-year run for the most popular HBCU tournament in the United States.

The CIAA basketball tournament made its Baltimore debut in 1951 before officially relocating there in 2021. In 2023, it announced an extension through 2026. From 2022 to 2025, the CIAA Tournament has generated $109 million in total economic impact for Baltimore, including $4.8 million in direct spending with minority-owned businesses and $9.9 million in state and local tax revenue.

“Baltimore’s leadership continues to demonstrate the importance of the CIAA to its community and culture,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams Parker. “They understand and value the event’s impact, one that extends far beyond the game. It’s inspiring to be seen, heard and celebrated at such a pivotal time. We look forward to the continued opportunity to showcase our incredible talent and member schools in Charm City through 2029.”

This marks the first long-term partnership since the tournament’s move from Charlotte, where it had been held for over a decade. The CIAA previously held the tournament in Washington, D.C.; Norfolk and Richmond, Virgina; and Raleigh and Greensboro, North Carolina.

Events such as Education Day, the Career Expo and Fan Fest will remain central to tournament week.

“We are incredibly grateful to the university presidents and chancellors for choosing to extend the CIAA Tournament’s run in Baltimore through 2029,” said Maryland Governor Wes Moore. “The CIAA is more than a basketball tournament; it’s a cultural institution that celebrates excellence in education, community, and athletics.”

The decision to continue hosting the championship in Baltimore follows an extensive bid process. The 2025 tournament generated a total economic impact of $27.4 million and had a direct spending impact of $19.8 million during its five-day run in Baltimore.

“We’re beyond honored that the CIAA has chosen to continue to build a new legacy of Black excellence in Baltimore,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “This tournament isn’t just basketball games. It’s a celebration of Black culture, Black history and Black excellence. We are proud to serve as its home and to welcome the thousands of fans, alumni and students who make it unforgettable every year to Baltimore during Black History Month.”

Baltimore along with Maryland, Visit Baltimore and the Local Host Committee, made a $1.6 million donation to the CIAA General Scholarship Fund that supports the conference’s 13 member institutions.

“This tournament has had a tremendous impact on our hospitality industry, generating significant impact both economically and culturally, and helps bring visitors and vibrancy to the city during a traditionally slow season for the year,” said Al Hutchinson, president and chief executive officer of Visit Baltimore. “The entire city of Baltimore is excited to welcome the tournament back through 2029 and continue showing why Baltimore is the best home for the CIAA.”

Rapid City, South Dakota, will host a Division II basketball preseason showcase in 2027 with eight teams in men’s and women’s divisions coming for an exhibition series at  the Summit Arena at The Monument.

“This is a huge win for Rapid City,” said Domico Rodriguez, Executive Director at Rapid City Sports Commission. “We’re excited to bring this caliber of basketball to the Summit Arena and to provide student-athletes with a state-of-the-art facility and unforgettable experience.”

Teams from three NCAA conferences, including the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, will compete in the showcase. Additional details, including participating teams and game schedules, will be announced later

“We’re excited to bring together programs from across the country to compete in this high-level basketball tournament,” said Allen Hardison, Division II CCA External Relations Chair and California Collegiate Athletic Association Commissioner. “Events like this not only provide preseason preparation, but also promote sportsmanship, travel and exposure to new destinations.”

The bid was submitted in January 2025 between the Rapid City Sports Commission and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

“Our goal is to highlight our local athletes that are playing college basketball in the region and allow them to play in their hometown,” Rodriguez said.

The NCAA has announced that the 2026 and 2027 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament semifinals and finals will be in Wichita, Kansas, at Charles Koch Arena on the Wichita State University campus.

This will be the first year that Wichita will host the final WBIT games. The city most recently hosted women’s basketball tournament games when it was the site for a March Madness regional in 2022.

“Visit Wichita is honored to host, in partnership with Wichita State University, the 2026 and 2027 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, bringing even more high-level women’s sports to Wichita,” said Josh Howell, vice president of sports development at Visit Wichita. “We are very excited to welcome — for the first time — this tournament that showcases some of the best in women’s basketball and delivers high-energy matchups that fans won’t want to miss. In addition to the positive local economic impact and national TV exposure, this is a great competition for basketball fans in the region to experience in person.”

The 2026 semifinals will take place on March 30, with the championship on April 1. The 2027 semis will be on March 29, with the title game on March 31.

“We are delighted to bring the WBIT to Wichita,” said Lynn Holzman, NCAA vice president of women’s basketball. “Since the first WBIT in 2024, the postseason event has been a tremendous success for women’s basketball programs. With women’s basketball thriving, we are eager to build on this momentum in Wichita. The Wichita community has consistently supported NCAA basketball, twice hosting successful Division I women’s basketball tournament rounds. Its central location and accessibility make it an ideal location to continue growing this event.”

This will be the third year of the WBIT, with Minnesota taking home the WBIT trophy in 2025 and Illinois winning in 2024.

“Wichita State is excited and honored to be selected as the host of the WBIT finals in 2026 and 2027,” said Brad Pittman, Wichita State senior associate athletics director. “We strive to provide memorable championship experiences both in our city and on our campus and have had the opportunity to host many successful external events over the last few years. We are excited to showcase the city of Wichita and our campus on a national stage, and to show the rest of the country the passion for women’s basketball that exists in Wichita.”

Birmingham, Alabama, and Tampa will host the next three American Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.

The 2026 Championships will be held at Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham. The 2027 and 2028 championships will take place at the Yuengling Center in Tampa. Both venues will host the championships for the first time.

Legacy Arena at the BJCC is an 18,000-capacity venue that underwent a $125 million modernization in 2021. Most recently, the venue hosted the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Regionals and the 2025 SEC Women’s Gymnastics Championships. The arena previously hosted the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds and will host that event again in 2028.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome the American Athletic Conference to Legacy Arena,” said Tad Snider, executive director and CEO of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. “With the recent NCAA Women’s Regionals, the 2023 men’s first and second rounds, and another set of men’s rounds scheduled for 2028, Birmingham has firmly established itself as a premier destination for championship basketball. We’re proud to showcase our vibrant city and world-class venue, and we look forward to delivering an unforgettable experience for student-athletes, fans, and the entire American Athletic Conference community.”

The Yuengling Center includes a 10,500-seat arena and has undergone more than $43 million in renovations since 2000. The Tampa Bay area has hosted the 1999 NCAA Men’s Final Four, four NCAA Women’s Final Fours (2008, 2015, 2019, 2025), NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds (1983, 2003, 2008, 2011) and NCAA Men’s Regional Semifinals and Finals (1998).

“Tampa Bay has a rich tradition for hosting amazing college basketball events and this announcement in tandem with our friends at the American Athletic Conference is an exciting next chapter for us,” said Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. “Coming off the heels of our record-setting fourth NCAA Women’s Final Four in April and in anticipation of hosting the 2026 NCAA Men’s First and Second Rounds next March, our community is ready to roll out the red carpet for the members of the American Athletic Conference for an exciting run of men’s and women’s championship basketball.”

The American’s membership in men’s and women’s basketball includes UAB, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, UTSA, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State.

“We are thrilled to bring our basketball championships to Birmingham and Tampa,” said American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti. “Our top priority when we began this bid process was to deliver the best possible experience for our student-athletes. The ability of Birmingham and Tampa to accommodate both championships and the year-round support that we will receive from their respective local committees will help to make these events an unforgettable experience for our players and fans.”

The Indiana men’s basketball program will travel to Puerto Rico for an exhibition tour that includes three games from August 6–11 in the capital city of San Juan, including a game against a Puerto Rican All-Star team to open the tour.

“Discover Puerto Rico is thrilled to welcome the Indiana men’s basketball team to our Island, in partnership with Complete Sports Management,” said Carlos Deliz, sports tourism director, Discover Puerto Rico. “We look forward to showcasing our world-class facilities, warm hospitality and vibrant culture. We’re proud to create an unforgettable experience for athletes, loyal fans and our community at the premier sports destination in the Caribbean.”

After the opening game against the Puerto Rico All-Star team, Indiana will play a pair of games on August 9 and August 11 against Mega Superbet, a professional club based out of Belgrade, Serbia, that competes in the Adriatic Basketball Association. The club was founded in 1998 and has produced 16 players drafted into the NBA since 2014, including three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

“We are excited for this opportunity to play three high-level games in Puerto Rico this summer,” said Indiana head men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries. “This trip will allow us to bond both on and off the court as we prepare for the 2025-26 season.”

All games will be played at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. The week-long tour will be organized by sports events and marketing agency Complete Sports Management.

“CSM is excited to partner with Puerto Rico in bringing Indiana men’s basketball to their beautiful island,” said Lea Miller-Tooley, president of Complete Sports Management. “As a basketball-loving culture, they are sure to embrace one of college basketball’s premier programs and their passionate fans.”

The Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship has extended its partnership to host the event at Henrico Sports & Events Center in Henrico, Virginia, through 2029, continuing a relationship that started in 2024.

The Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship was played at the Henrico Sports & Events Center for the first time in 2024, with over 16,000 people attending the five-day event. The extension through 2026 guarantees three years for the A-10 in the 3,500-seat venue, which opened in 2023.

“This extension is a testament to the success we’ve built together and the high-caliber events the Henrico Sports & Events Center was designed to host,” said Dennis Bickmeier, executive director of the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority. “The Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship has delivered tremendous energy and economic benefit to our community, and we’re proud to continue welcoming the A-10 family to Henrico for March Madness.”

Henrico offers a location in the middle of the conference’s geographic footprint, with Richmond and VCU both in the city of Richmond and George Mason and George Washington about 100 miles away. The Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, in partnership with Richmond Region Tourism, originally submitted the bid to bring the championship to Henrico in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

“Following successful A-10 Women’s Basketball Championships in 2024 and 2025, and with excitement building for the upcoming 2026 championship, we are thrilled to share in the announcement that the Richmond region will continue to host this premier event for an additional three years,” said Jerrine Lee, vice president of sales at Richmond Region Tourism. “No one does March Madness better than our community and we can’t wait to continue cheering on the incredible athletes and teams competing in the championship. We’re extremely proud to work alongside our partners at the Henrico Sports & Events Center to keep the event in the region.”

The Henrico Sports & Events Center features amenities tailored for championship play including same hardwood floor used during the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball South Regional. Since opening in December 2023, the venue has elevated Henrico’s sports tourism reach and impact, with annual estimated economic contributions expected to surpass $100 million.

“The Henrico Sports & Events Center has been an exceptional host for the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship and we are excited to extend this true partnership through 2029,” stated A-10 Commissioner Bernadette McGlade. “From a first-class venue for our student-athletes and coaches to the fan experience and overwhelming support from Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority and Richmond Region Tourism, HSEC will continue to be an outstanding home for the Atlantic 10 championship.”

Defending national champions Florida, Arizona, BYU and Villanova will be the four men’s basketball teams competing in the 2025 Hall of Fame Series Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena on November 3.

The Hall of Fame Series, organized by Position Sports in partnership with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, is in Las Vegas for the third consecutive year. For the second year in a row, the event will showcase a reigning national champion, following last season’s appearance by the South Carolina women’s team.

The doubleheader will spotlight Florida as the Gators take on Arizona. In the second matchup, BYU — featuring consensus No. 1 incoming recruit A.J. Dybansta and former Las Vegas prep standout Xavion Staton — will face Villanova to tip off the 2025–2026 college basketball season.

“We’re thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as the Hall of Fame Series returns to Las Vegas and T-Mobile Arena for a third consecutive year,” said Melissa Meacham-Grossman, president of Position Sports.

“Opening Night promises to deliver a tremendous start to the season, with defending national champion Florida tipping off their title defense and both games airing across TNT Sports’ national platforms. It’s an exciting way to showcase Las Vegas and celebrate the Hall of Fame’s impact on college basketball.”

The Wildcats and Gators have split their four all-time matchups, with the most recent clash happening in 2012. Villanova holds a 2–1 edge in the all-time series against BYU, but this will be the first matchup between the schools since 1984.

“Opening the season in the Hall of Fame Series against a team like Florida in Las Vegas is a tremendous opportunity for our program and our fans,” said Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd. “I know T-Mobile Arena will be rocking that night and we look forward to competing against one of the best teams in the country on opening night.”

The Hall of Fame Series features top collegiate basketball programs in non-conference matchups. Past stops have included Baltimore (2024), Charlotte (2023), Las Vegas (2023–2024), New York (2024), Phoenix (2023–2024), San Antonio (2023) and Toronto (2023).

Butler and Northwestern will join the field at the fourth annual Indy Classic presented by Indiana Sports Corp, in conjunction with Pacers Sports & Entertainment and Russ Potts Productions, Inc., joining the previously announced matchup of Purdue and Auburn.

Auburn and Purdue face off for the fifth time, following last season’s meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, where the Tigers won 87-69. Butler returns to the Indy Classic for the second consecutive year aiming to close the gap in their all-time series against Northwestern, which stands at 16-12 in favor of the Wildcats.

“The Indy Classic has continued to grow into one of the most exciting events of the non-conference season,” said Indiana Sports Corp President Patrick Talty. “We are thrilled to welcome these four incredible programs to Indianapolis for a championship-level experience for their players, coaches, and fans.”

The Indy Classic returns to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 20. Ticket information and tip-off times will be announced at a later date.

“We are excited to once again tip off this fan-favorite college basketball doubleheader at Gainbridge Fieldhouse,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Mel Raines said. “We look forward to welcoming these four teams and supporting the Indiana Sports Corp and their mission to elevate our communities through the power of sports.”