Overview
- The NCAA announced on Thursday that Wichita and Dayton will each host six opening-round games in 2027 and 2028 as part of the move to a 76-team men's bracket.
- The opening round will be staged as tripleheaders on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, scheduled for March 16 and 17, 2027, at UD Arena in Dayton and InTrust Bank Arena in Wichita.
- Those 12 games will feature the 24 lowest seeds in the field: the 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams.
- The Division I men's basketball committee voted to remove the rule that barred host schools from playing at sites where they serve as hosts, and it adjusted the Wins Above Bubble baseline to account for a larger at-large pool; full selection and seeding procedures will be released later.
- Dayton has been the traditional First Four host since 2001, and adding Wichita was driven by its central location, larger arena capacity, hotel infrastructure and a strong local fan base, which officials say should reduce travel strain and allow earlier game windows for fans and broadcasters.