2019 NCAA Tournament sites and history

There’s a lot of excitement about this year’s Kentucky basketball team, and many experts say there’s a good chance the Wildcats will be cutting down the nets in early April.

If that’s the case, you’re going to want to know when and where they’ll be doing that, and where all their other games could be.

From the First Four all the way to the Final Four, here’s a look at the hosting sites for the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

First Four

• March 19-20
• University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, Ohio

Dayton has been an opening round host since 2001, having hosted the first weekend in 2001, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2018 and now 2019.

First and Second Rounds

• March 21/23: XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford hasn’t served as a host site for the NCAA Tournament in two decades. If UCONN manages to somehow turn the program around and make the tournament this year, they won’t be eligible to play in their own building, per NCAA rule.

• March 21/23: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City has hosted the NCAA Tournament six times since 2000. They hosted the first weekend in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2013 and 2017. They also hosted the Regional in 2010.

• March 21/23: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines hosted the first weekend in 2016.

• March 21/23: Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville has hosted the first weekend three times in the last 12 years, as the city hosted in 2006, 2010 and 2015.

• March 22/24: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa has hosted the NCAA Tournament twice in this decade, as the city was home to the first weekend in 2011 and 2017.

• March 22/24: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio

This will be the fifth time Columbus has hosted since 2004. Columbus was the home to the first weekend in 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2015.

• March 22/24: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina

This is the first time since 1970 that Columbia has hosted the NCAA Tournament.

• March 22/24: SAP Center, San Jose, California

San Jose has been a frequent host of the NCAA Tournament lately. They hosted the first weekend in 2010 and 2013, and the Regional in 2002, 2007 and 2017.

South Regional

• March 28/30: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky

The South Regional host site will look a bit more barren this year as the Cardinals strip away the proof of a title that never was (1986 was a really long time ago), and one team will emerge from their arena looking to secure some championship hardware of their own. Louisville hosted the first weekend in 2012 and 2015, and hosted the Regional in 2016.

West Regional

• March 28/30: Honda Center, Anaheim, California

Anaheim has been a regular stop on the West Coast for the NCAA Tournament. The city hosted the first weekend in 2008, as well as the Regional in 2001, 2003, 2011, 2014 and 2016.

East Regional

• March 29/31: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

Our nation’s capital has been the host of the NCAA Tournament five times since 2002, hosting the first weekend in 2002, 2008 and 2011, as well as the Regional in 2006 and 2013.

Midwest Regional

• March 29/31: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri

This is the second time in three years that Kansas City is hosting the Regional. Prior to hosting the regional in 2017, the city also hosted the first weekend in 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2013.

Final Four

• April 6 (National Championship April 8): U.S. Bank Stadium Minneapolis, Minnesota

This will be the first time NCAA Tournament games are played in the new home of the Minnesota Vikings. The city has previously hosted the tournament five times since 2000, hosting the first weekend in 2000 and 2009, the Regional in 2003 and 2006, and the Final Four in 2001.