Overview
- Xfinity Mobile Arena hosted four NCAA men’s first-round games Friday, marking the tournament’s return to Philadelphia after several years.
- Thousands of traveling and local fans filled the venue, with jerseys visible from participating teams and from schools not playing there.
- Virginia advanced with an 82-73 win over Wright State as Jacari White scored 26 points on 10-for-12 shooting.
- Hometown favorite Villanova was eliminated earlier in a close loss to Utah State, a result fans described as a heartbreaker.
- Organizers and attendees pointed to continued weekend games, with two more scheduled for Sunday and steady foot traffic benefiting nearby businesses.