Wichita State University is guided by its mission to drive education, culture and the economy for Kansas.

Every few years in March, that means driving buzzer-beaters, slam dunks, joy and heartache to add to the public good in Wichita with the NCAA Tournament.

The NCAA’s main event is back in Wichita to continue a long history of Wichita State bringing this bracket-busting event to the city. Intrust Bank Arena is the site for men’s first- and second-round games on March 20 and 22. Eight teams and their fans will visit Wichita for basketball and to explore the city, especially the Old Town, downtown and Delano area located near the arena.

“Wichita State University is a terrific host, and we are proud to partner with them and other community partners such as Intrust Bank Arena, the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County,” said Josh Howell, vice president of sports development at Visit Wichita. “In addition to the action fans will see inside Intrust Bank Arena, there will be tons of fun for locals and visitors to enjoy all around the arena and throughout downtown Wichita.”

A survey by WSU's Center for Economic Development and Business Research, with Visit Wichita, estimated $5.5 million of new economic activity from visitors in 2018.

Wichita State started hosting NCAA men’s basketball games in 1956 on campus.

It hosted eight times in what is now Charles Koch Arena and in 1994 at the Kansas Coliseum. As the tournament surged in popularity, it outgrew Wichita’s venues of the era.

That changed with the opening of Intrust Bank Arena in 2010 in downtown Wichita. With Wichita State leading the bid process, the 2011 women’s tournament returned NCAA basketball to Wichita at the new arena.

Wichita State's Brad Pittman serves as tournament manager for the NCAA events. He said the NCAA returns to Wichita because of hospitality and the attention paid to the tournament. Downtown will be filled with watch parties, events and gatherings during the weekend. Fan Fest at Naftzger Park will serve as a hub for pep rallies, food trucks and games.

Open practices starting at 11 a.m. on March 19 tip off the weekend.

“We can control what we do and how we treat people,” said Pittman, senior associate athletic director/facilities and operations at Wichita State University. “You hear from the NCAA and the people who come here that we do it well. Our arena is great. There’s a lot to do in Wichita. It’s how we treat people and how we manage the tournament really is what puts Wichita in the mix and keeps Wichita in the mix.”

Intrust Bank Arena hosted the men’s tournament in 2018. It was scheduled to host men’s games again in 2021 before COVID moved the entire tournament to Indiana. In 2022, women’s NCAA regional play came downtown.

The memories from March Madness – even before that nickname stuck – are numerous.

• WU Fieldhouse (now Charles Koch Arena) opened in 1955 and it hosted the city’s first NCAA games in March 1956. SMU defeated Texas Tech on its way to its one and only Final Four berth. Oklahoma City defeated Memphis in the West sub-regional’s other game.
• In 1964, the Shockers made their first NCAA appearance after winning the Missouri Valley Conference. They defeated Creighton before losing to Kansas State in the Midwest Regional final.
• In 1966, Texas Western (now Texas-El Paso) started its famous run to the NCAA title with a win over Oklahoma City at the WSU Fieldhouse. The Miners, coached by Don Haskins, defeated MVC champion Cincinnati and Kansas in Lubbock, Texas to make the Final Four. In College Park, Maryland, they handled Utah and upset Kentucky in the run chronicled by the book and movie “Glory Road.”
• Houston’s Elvin Hayes and Louisville’s Wes Unseld starred in the 1968 Midwest Regional. Hayes scored 39 points in a win over TCU. The top-ranked Cougars advanced to the Final Four, where they lost a rematch to eventual champion UCLA.
• Wichita State returned to NCAA play in its home arena in 1981. The Shockers advanced with as dramatic 60-56 win over Iowa. Kansas defeated Arizona State, which sent the teams to New Orleans for a 66-65 Wichita State win.
• In 1994, Michigan, with stars Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson, defeated Pepperdine and Texas. Maryland, Southwest Texas State, Saint Louis, Western Kenutcky and Massachusetts filled out the field. Maryland upset second-seeded UMass, coached by John Calipari, in the second round.
• In 2011, women’s play returned NCAA basketball to Wichita. Green Bay advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over Arkansas-Little Rock and Michigan State.
• Wichita landed the regional round in the 2022 women’s tournament. Louisville advanced to the Final Four out of the Wichita Regional. The top-seeded Cardinals defeated Tennessee and Michigan.
• Michigan’s Jordan Poole provided one of the 2018 tournament’s top highlights at Intrust Bank Arena. His buzzer-beater lifted the Wolverines over Houston 64-63 and into the Sweet 16 on their way to the title game. Houston’s Rob Gray scored 39 points, including a layup with 1.1 seconds to play, in a 67-65 first-round win over San Diego State.

Listen to WSU's Brad Pittman discuss bringing NCAA basketball to Wichita on the Roundhouse podcast

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