Mar 21, 2024 - Sports

Purdue men, IU women start March Madness at home

The play-in games are over, the field is set, and the best four days in sports start now.

Why it matters: There are nearly 100 basketball games Thursday through Monday.

First-round games of the men's tournament will be played Thursday and Friday, with the second round playing out Saturday and Sunday.
The women's tournament starts one day later.
There will be upsets, heartbreak, drama, and slam dunks. What more do you want?

What's happening: The road to the NCAA basketball championship starts this weekend, and for Purdue's men, it begins in Indy.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse is hosting first-round games Friday and second-round games Sunday.

Here's what you need to know:

Doors for the first session open at 12:30pm.

The first game starts at 2pm, pitting No. 2 Marquette against No. 15 Western Kentucky.
At 4:30, No. 7 Florida takes the floor against No. 10 Colorado.
Tickets start at $75 but you may find cheaper resale prices.

The second session opens at the end of the first.

At 7:25pm, No. 1 Purdue takes on No. 16 Grambling State.
The Boilermakers are the obvious favorite but no one knows better than them that you can't take 16 seeds for granted.
No. 8 Utah State takes on No. 9 TCU at 9:55pm.
If you want to go, you must brave the secondary market, where resale tickets start at $200.

💭 Our thought bubble: Unless you're a diehard Boilermaker fan, resale tickets for the second session of Round 1 are going to be cost-prohibitive.

The first session, though, will still let you look at a team capable of making a deep tournament run (Marquette), see a second game that should be a fun, competitive watch, and get home at a decent hour. #selfcare

What's next: The winners of Session 1 and 2 will face each other, respectively, in Round 2 on Sunday.

The women's tournament starts a day later.

Here's what you need to know:

Assembly Hall is hosting first and second-round games.

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