Fun Fact: UD Arena has hosted more NCAA® Tournaments than any other venue in the nation!
There's no denying it, Dayton is a basketball mecca! March is here and that means basketball madness returns to Dayton. In 2025, Dayton will proudly welcome and host the NCAA® First Four® Tournament (March 18 & 19), the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Girls Basketball State Tournament (March 14-15) and the OHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament (March 21-22), as well as community events coordinated by The Big Hoopla and held in conjunction with the NCAA® First Four® games.
Read on to learn more about all these exciting events and how you can be part of March Madness in Dayton!
NCAA® First Four®
The Dayton region is the Epicenter of College Basketball, and fans from around the country know that THE ROAD STARTS HERE™! March Madness is alive and well in Dayton - we look forward to welcoming the NCAA® First Four® Tournament back to UD Arena this year AND to hosting the tournament through 2026!
There will be two games in each session (night), on March 18 & 19, and the winners of each game will advance on the road to the Final Four®. We can guarantee the games will played in front of packed houses at UD Arena, where the energy is always electric!
Tuesday, March 18
Teams and time TBD
Wednesday, March 19
Teams and time TBD
Get your game tickets now, because the First Four® tournament will sell out!
The Big Hoopla
In Dayton, college basketball holds a special place in our hearts; get ready for the The Big Hoopla to return to Dayton in 2025. Since 2012, The Big Hoopla has showcased Dayton’s collaborative spirit, basketball unity and affinity for our military heroes serving locally and around the world. The First Four® NCAA® Basketball Tournament presents a tremendous opportunity to come together as a community, and as a country, to celebrate the great things that can be accomplished with teamwork, dedication, and a shared goal. Join in on the fun by participating in these community activities.
Hoopla 4 Miler
Here in Dayton, it's about more than just basketball, it’s four full days of activities and the first of all those events is the Big Hoopla 4 Miler. On Selection Sunday, March 16, the day begins with a 4-mile run that starts and finishes at the Wright State University Union.
All participants receive a super soft tech tee, a custom finisher medal, free race photos, tons of post-race food. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m., and the race starts at 10 a.m. The Top 3 overall male and female runners will receive a CASH PRIZE and two (2) tickets to the NCAA First Four® at UD Arena on either March 18 or March 19! The top 3 finishers in each age group will also receive two (2) tickets to the NCAA First Four® at UD Arena on either March 18 or March 19! Register online for the race.
Hoopla STEM Challenge
Ready to learn and have fun - all for free?! Do your kids wanna shoot some hoops? On Sunday, March 16, bring your family to participate in a FREE basketball ‘hot shot’ and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education contest with prizes awarded for each shot made! The event is open to boys and girls grades K–8 and will take place at the Wright State University Student Union.
The event ties together the excitement and passion for college basketball to the power of STEM education. More details coming soon! Registration is free, and more information will be posted on the event site.
OHSAA Basketball State Tournaments
As if the NCAA® First Four® Tournament Tournament wasn't exciting enough, Dayton and UD Arena will also host the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Girls and Boys Basketball State Tournaments in March! The state's high school basketball elite will battle it out on the hallowed floor of UD Arena to see who will be named OHSAA Girls & Boys State Basketball Champion! Don't miss the action.
2025 OHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament, March 14-15
Friday, March 14
Division III: 1 p.m.
Avon Lake vs Cincinnati Purcell Marian
Division IV: 4:15 p.m.
Bellevue vs Kettering Archbishop Alter
Division II: 7:30 p.m.
Whitehouse Anthony Wayne vs Cincinnati Winton Woods
Saturday, March 15
Division V: 10:45 a.m.
Creston Norwayne vs Portsmouth
Division VI: 2 p.m.
Rootstown vs Columbus Grove
Division VII: 5:15 p.m.
Waterford vs Fort Loramie
Division I: 8:30 p.m.
Pickerington Central vs Cincinnati Princeton
Girls basketball all-session reserved tickets are $100 each, while premium seat tickets are $130 each. Single-session general admission tickets for the Girls Basketball State Tournament games are $16 for adults and $10 for students. All tickets may be purchased at the OHSAA ticketing website.
2025 OHSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament, March 21-22
Friday, March 21
Division III:1 p.m.
Division IV: 4:15 p.m.
Division II: 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 22
Division V: 10:45 a.m.
Division VI: 2 p.m.
Division VII: 5:15 p.m.
Division I: 8:30 p.m.
Boys basketball all-session reserved tickets are $100 each, while premium all-session tickets are $130 each. Single-session tickets for the Boys Basketball State Tournament are $16 for adults and $10 for students. All tickets may be purchased at the OHSAA ticketing website.
All ticket prices include parking fees. The University of Dayton Arena is a cashless facility. Tailgating and overnight parking are not permitted.
Destination Dayton encourages you to get out and enjoy March Madness in person - there's nothing like the energy and excitement of a live sporting event! Check back here and on the First Four® page of our website for additional information and updates.
If you're traveling to Dayton from out of town for the tournaments, you can find hotel and restaurant listings on our website to help plan your stay. Be sure to also check out the calendar of events, attractions and things to do sections of our website, so that you can explore and make the most of your time in Dayton! You can also download our FREE Destination Dayton App and Destination Dayton Visitors Guide, to have all this information right at your fingertips! Feel free to call us at 937-226-8211 (Monday-Friday) if you have questions about planning your March Madness visit.
