What you need to know about March Madness at Viejas Arena this week

A player who could be the top pick in this year’s NBA draft, two Hall of Fame coaches and one of the NCAA Tournament‘s top seeds are all coming to San Diego State University this week as it hosts first- and-sound games at Viejas Arena.

It’s the sixth time Viejas Arena has hosted opening rounds of March Madness, and the fourth time since 2014. The lineup this year includes Darryn Peterson — a Kansas guard in the running to be the Number 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft. His head coach, Bill Self, and St. Johns head coach Rick Pitino add to the star power on display March 20 and 22.

Friday’s slate of first-round games in San Diego begins with No. 1-seed Arizona against No. 16-seed Long Island University at 10:35 am, followed by a tight matchup between No. 8-seed Villanova and No. 9-seed Utah State (who knocked SDSU out of the dance this weekend),at 1:10 pm.

The afternoon session begins with a 4:10 pm tip between No. 5-seed St. John’s and No. 12-seed Northern Iowa, and concludes with a 6:45 game between No. 4-seed Kansas and No. 13-seed California Baptist.

The winners will face off in second round matchups at Viejas on Sunday. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster per session — the two early Friday games in session 1, the two late Friday games in session 2 and the Sunday matchups in session 3.

But that’s not the only way to take in San Diego’s role as a March Madness host site this week.

All of the teams playing here have an practice session at the arena on Thursday that is free and open to the public.

Each team has a 40-minute practice session. LIU begins at 11 a.m., followed by Arizona at 11:45 am, Utah State at 12:30 pm, Villanova at 1:15 pm, Northern Iowa at 2 pm, St. John’s at 2:45 pm, California Baptist at 3:30 pm and Kansas at 4:15 pm.

Viejas Arena previously hosted first- and second-round games in 2001, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

SDSU was selected in 2020 to host the 2026 tournament. It was recognized for what was then described as its ability to deliver a top-tier championship experience for student-athletes and fans.

“Hosting the NCAA tournament is an important opportunity to serve the greater San Diego community while showcasing San Diego State University on a national stage,” the university said in a statement.

The tournament brings significant visibility to the region, welcoming visitors, media and fans from across the country.

“As a host institution, SDSU is proud to help highlight San Diego as a premier destination for major events.”

The bidding process for 86 of the NCAA’s 90 championships began in August 2019, drawing more than 3,000 applications. Each sport committee, by division, chose the sites it felt would provide the best experience, resulting in more than 450 total championship events being awarded.

Across all divisions, more than 50,000 student-athletes compete annually in NCAA championships, underscoring the scale and national visibility of events like those coming to Viejas Arena.

According to the university, San Diego State Athletics worked closely with the NCAA to meet hosting requirements, including facility availability, seating capacity, equipment and venue space, and access to full-service hotels for teams, officials and media.

SDSU students and alumni do not receive discounted tickets, with NCAA Tournament session passes sold at full price. On the secondary market, tickets for first-and second-round sessions are currently listed starting around $471.

“Games at our venue have been well-attended, and tournament events at Viejas Arena consistently sell out. SDSU also has a record of strong administrative performance each year we host,” the statement said.