NCAA March Madness is coming to Wichita. Here’s what to know about games & more
In a week’s time, the men’s NCAA tournament will make a stop in Wichita, the first time in seven years the city has gotten a taste of March Madness.
But Wichita is no stranger to hosting large sporting events. Intrust Bank Arena most recently hosted the NCAA women’s tournament in 2022, and earlier this year, the arena hosted the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Now that we know what teams will play in Wichita, here’s how you can join the basketball action Thursday, March 20 and Saturday, March 22 at Intrust Bank Arena.
What teams are playing in Wichita?
Wichita State University is hosting three sessions at Intrust Bank Arena, with two games each session.
The first-round session games will be held March 20, while the second-round sessions will be March 22.
SIU Edwardsville will play Houston at 1 p.m. March 20, while Georgia and Gonzaga will play that same day at 3:35 p.m.
Drake will play Missouri at 6:35 p.m., and UNCW and Texas Tech will play at approximately 9:10 p.m.
Saturday’s games and times will be announced.
The public is also invited to an open practice where they can watch the teams for free Wednesday, March 19. People can come and go throughout the day, and all seating is general admission.
The open practice schedule, from Intrust Bank Arena’s website, is as follows:
- 11 a.m.: Game 1 Lower Seed
- 11:45 a.m.: Game 1 Higher Seed
- 12:30 p.m.: Game 2 Lower Seed
- 1:15 p.m.: Game 2 Higher Seed
- 2 p.m.: Game 3 Lower Seed
- 2:45 p.m.: Game 3 Higher Seed
- 3:30 p.m.: Game 4 Lower Seed
- 4:15 p.m.: Game 4 Higher Seed
In addition to the open practice, there are also slated fan events for people of all ages around the city during NCAA’s stop in Wichita.
Wichita is holding a fan fest March 20-22 at Naftzger Park, and people can watch the games, listen to a live DJ, eat at food trucks, enjoy family friendly activities and join in on pep rallies.
What is the full March Madness schedule?
Wichita isn’t the only city hosting games for March Madness. In fact, it’s only one out of 14 cities hosting this year’s tournaments.
Here’s the full list of host cities, from NCAA’s website:
- Dayton, Ohio: First four Tuesday, March 18 and Wednesday, March 19
- Lexington, Ky.: First/second rounds March 20-22
- Providence, R.I.: First/second rounds March 20-22
- Seattle: First/second rounds March 20-22
- Wichita: First/second rounds March 20-22
- Cleveland: First/second rounds Friday, March 21 to Sunday, March 23
- Denver: First/second rounds March 21-23
- Milwaukee, Wis.: First/second rounds March 21-23
- Raleigh, N.C.: First/second rounds March 21-23
- Newark, N.J.: East Regional Thursday, March 27 to Saturday, March 29
- San Francisco: West Regional March 27-29
- Atlanta: South Regional Friday, March 28 to Sunday, March 30
- Indianapolis: Midwest Regional March 28-30
San Antonio, Texas, is slated to host the Final Four Saturday, April 5 and the championship game Monday, April 7.
Can I buy tickets for March Madness basketball in Wichita?
Tickets are on sale for all three sessions at Select A Seat.
Ticket prices start at $67.50 for the first two sessions and $150 for the third session. For major basketball fans there are VIP tickets available to purchase through the NCAA.
Starting at $225, the championship gift ticket includes a game ticket and an NCAA championship giftbox shipped to your home. Starting at $625, the fan experience gives you tickets for all the sessions in your city, as well as a meet and greet, an off-day watch party, two drink tickets and tailgate-inspired appetizers.
This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
