Tournament Guide · Men's Basketball
March Madness in Dayton kicks off the tournament. The NCAA Opening Round is played on March 16 and 17 at University of Dayton Arena, known as UD Arena, in Dayton, Ohio.
March Madness 2027 in Dayton kicks off the tournament. The NCAA Opening Round (formerly the First Four) is played on March 16 and 17, 2027, at University of Dayton Arena, known as UD Arena, in Dayton, Ohio. The University of Dayton is the host, and Dayton shares the round with Wichita, Kansas, as the field grows to 76 teams.
Which teams play in March Madness Dayton will not be known until Selection Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Opening Round
Dayton hosts six Opening Round games, three on each day, and the 12 winners across Dayton and Wichita move on to the 64-team First Round. Tip-off times and TV networks are announced after Selection Sunday.
| Round | Dates | Arena | Host |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Round (3 games) | Tuesday, March 16, 2027 | UD Arena, Dayton, OH | University of Dayton |
| Opening Round (3 games) | Wednesday, March 17, 2027 | UD Arena, Dayton, OH | University of Dayton |
The First Round follows on March 18 and 19, at other sites on the March Madness 2027 locations list.
Venue Guide
UD Arena is the most-used venue in NCAA men's tournament history, with 143 tournament games through 2026.
Address: 1801 Edwin C. Moses Blvd., Dayton, OH 45417, on the University of Dayton campus.
Host: the University of Dayton, which owns the arena and is home to the Dayton Flyers.
Capacity: about 13,400 for basketball. Seating for NCAA games is typically lower, because of the tournament court and media setup.
Tournament history: the arena opened in 1969 and has hosted the tournament's opening games since 2001, first as the play-in game, then as the First Four from 2011.
Getting there: parking and shuttle details for the 2027 Opening Round are set by the NCAA and the host, so check NCAA.com closer to March.
UD Arena1801 Edwin C. Moses Blvd., Dayton, OH 45417
Get Directions →How to Watch
On TV and streaming. CBS and TNT Sports show every tournament game across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV, with live streaming on March Madness Live. The 2026 First Four aired on truTV, but the network for each 2027 Opening Round game is set after Selection Sunday, so check the bracket reveal.
In person. Official tickets for the Opening Round in Dayton are sold through the NCAA Ticket Portal at NCAATickets.com, and Ticketmaster lists Dayton Opening Round events too. Tickets are available for each day or as an all-sessions package for March 16 and 17. Prices and on-sale dates can change, so confirm on the official page before you buy.
More Sites
Answers
The Opening Round games in Dayton are on Tuesday, March 16 and Wednesday, March 17, 2027. Selection Sunday is March 14.
At University of Dayton Arena (UD Arena), 1801 Edwin C. Moses Blvd., Dayton, Ohio. Wichita's INTRUST Bank Arena hosts the other Opening Round games.
Through the NCAA Ticket Portal at NCAATickets.com or Ticketmaster. Teams and tip-off times are announced after Selection Sunday, so check the official page for current availability.
