Best Guess/Hope for Kentucky's NCAAT Site?

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Because some of our worst losses this season came in hostile arenas, I'm very interested to see how Kentucky handles the neutral courts of the SEC and NCAA tournaments. That got me wondering about our most likely sites. I know it's hard to predict while we're floating between a three and a four seed, but where would you guess or hope that UK will end up? Surely, the committee won't let us play in Rupp. The nearest, most driveable first-round sites, then, would be Dayton, Cleveland, and Raleigh (with Duke, rolleyes). Presumably, the Ohio sites would get a huge Kentucky turnout. Outside of those sites, I think most folks would fly and our travel turnout will be diminished somewhat. So, matchups aside, just going by location, what site do you like best for UK for the first and second rounds? (Atlanta and Indianapolis would obviously be great regional sites.)

2025 March Madness: Men's NCAA tournament schedule, dates

Here is the schedule for March Madness 2025, which begins with Selection Sunday on March 16 and ends with the Final Four and the national championship on April 5 and 7.

www.ncaa.com

First/Second	Lexington, KY	Rupp Arena	March 20 -22	University of Kentucky
First/Second	Providence, RI	Amica Mutual Pavilion	March 20 - 22	Providence College
First/Second	Seattle, WA	Climate Pledge Arena	March 21 - 23	University of Washington
First/Second	Wichita, KS	Intrust Bank Arena	March 20 - 22	Wichita State University
First/Second	Cleveland, OH	Rocket Arena	March 21 - 23	Mid-American Conference
First/Second	Denver, CO	Ball Arena	March 20 - 22	Mountain West Conference
First/Second	Milwaukee, WI	Fiserv Forum	March 21 - 23	Marquette University
First/Second	Raleigh, NC	Lenovo Center	March 21 - 23	North Carolina State University

 

[JonathanW]

I think a lot of the UK fans at NCAA-T games are BBN that live near that location (say within 4-6hr drive). Like 2 years ago I drove from Raleigh to Greensboro to watch those 2 games.

 

[blue cincy]

There are about 2500 fans that will travel pretty much anywhere. Then the rest are us regular folks that pounce on losing teams tickets to hopefully get a look at the team. UK will probably get Cleveland or Wichita is my guess. We will probably get West is my guess as well as Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee will all get the preferential treatment having better years. Someone has to go West, I would guess Bama and Kentucky or Bama and Mizzou. Something like that. They know UK fans will travel well.

I would like Indy for the regional if we make it. Should be easy to pick up tickets to that regional. 2.5 hours away form Lexington, my companies corporate office is in Columbus Indiana. If not Indy then Catlanta. Again we have to take care of business next week and hopefully win 2 games or so. Then go into NCAA playing some really good ball. Hope to keep guys healthy, if we play 4 back to back nights that could be hard on Carr's back or Butler shoulder. You know someone will try to rough our guys up. Next week will be harder than NCAA as you have a days rest between games. This year the early round games will worry me more than say sweet 16. Pope left tourney early last year as a 6 seed IIRC just like UK left early. He has at least the knowledge of what it takes to move on now. Lets see how he does getting guys ready for Thursday night and go from there. GO BIG BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ukwild#41]

Milwaukee is looking like the most likely now that UK has passed Wisconsin and others. I’d say if UK wins on Thursday then Milwaukee is a near lock, if they Thursday lose it could be Providence or Denver.

 

[WeWant9]

As someone out in Denver, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Cats land the 3 seed out here.

 

[FitchandMurray29]

Just go through a process of elimination of sorts.
Lexington- Auburn and Bama
Raleigh- Duke and Florida
Cleveland- Michigan St and Tennessee
Wichita- Houston
Providence- St Johns

Wichita likely to be filled with the second place B12 team

That leaves a spot in Providence, two spots in Milwaukee, two in Denver, and two in Seattle.

IF we are a 3 seed and they place us in the most geographically reasonable location, then Milwaukee is probably the betting favorite.

Wisconsin is a team to keep your eye on for getting that Milwaukee site. If they passed us they’d obviously get preference and then it would just take 1 other random team that could be above us, say Iowa St to fill that site. In that case we’d probably go to Providence with Rick. But it’s so far I’m not sure the committee would feel that different about Providence and Denver.

IF we win Thursday I’d lean towards Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is a Friday/Sunday site while Providence(and Denver) are Thursday/Saturday

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

We beat Gonzaga and Duke in “Neutral” courts

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

If Kentucky wins Thursday I think they are a lock for Milwaukee. If they lose then providence, Denver, Wichita, and Seattle are come into play. If they were to win the SEC tourney then I think the 2 seed in Cleveland comes into play

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Just go through a process of elimination of sorts.
Lexington- Auburn and Bama
Raleigh- Duke and Florida
Cleveland- Michigan St and Tennessee
Wichita- Houston
Providence- St Johns

Wichita likely to be filled with the second place B12 team

That leaves a spot in Providence, two spots in Milwaukee, two in Denver, and two in Seattle.

IF we are a 3 seed and they place us in the most geographically reasonable location, then Milwaukee is probably the betting favorite.

Wisconsin is a team to keep your eye on for getting that Milwaukee site. If they passed us they’d obviously get preference and then it would just take 1 other random team that could be above us, say Iowa St to fill that site. In that case we’d probably go to Providence with Rick. But it’s so far I’m not sure the committee would feel that different about Providence and Denver.

IF we win Thursday I’d lean towards Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is a Friday/Sunday site while Providence(and Denver) are Thursday/Saturday

Yesterday’s loss to penn state put Kentucky back in front of Wisconsin or it should have. Thats a very bad loss for Wisconsin. As long as Kentucky wins Thursday I think they are looking at Milwaukee

 

[jwphelps]

Because some of our worst losses this season came in hostile arenas, I'm very interested to see how Kentucky handles the neutral courts of the SEC and NCAA tournaments. That got me wondering about our most likely sites. I know it's hard to predict while we're floating between a three and a four seed, but where would you guess or hope that UK will end up? Surely, the committee won't let us play in Rupp. The nearest, most driveable first-round sites, then, would be Dayton, Cleveland, and Raleigh (with Duke, rolleyes). Presumably, the Ohio sites would get a huge Kentucky turnout. Outside of those sites, I think most folks would fly and our travel turnout will be diminished somewhat. So, matchups aside, just going by location, what site do you like best for UK for the first and second rounds? (Atlanta and Indianapolis would obviously be great regional sites.)

2025 March Madness: Men's NCAA tournament schedule, dates

Here is the schedule for March Madness 2025, which begins with Selection Sunday on March 16 and ends with the Final Four and the national championship on April 5 and 7.

www.ncaa.com

First/Second	Lexington, KY	Rupp Arena	March 20 -22	University of Kentucky
First/Second	Providence, RI	Amica Mutual Pavilion	March 20 - 22	Providence College
First/Second	Seattle, WA	Climate Pledge Arena	March 21 - 23	University of Washington
First/Second	Wichita, KS	Intrust Bank Arena	March 20 - 22	Wichita State University
First/Second	Cleveland, OH	Rocket Arena	March 21 - 23	Mid-American Conference
First/Second	Denver, CO	Ball Arena	March 20 - 22	Mountain West Conference
First/Second	Milwaukee, WI	Fiserv Forum	March 21 - 23	Marquette University
First/Second	Raleigh, NC	Lenovo Center	March 21 - 23	North Carolina State University

Historically the SEC tournament is not a hostile site for UK as Cat fans flock to the game, and we travel well to regional sites as well.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Historically the SEC tournament is not a hostile site for UK as Cat fans flock to the game, and we travel well to regional sites as well.

Yes, that’s what I’m hopeful about. Nothing quite like the arenas at Athens or Clemson. I’d wish for a closer first round site than Milwaukee, but the analysis in the thread tells me that may just be wishful thinking.

 

[rick64]

Hoping for the Midwest region. Regional in Indy at Lucas Oil. 👍

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

Hoping for the Midwest region. Regional in Indy at Lucas Oil. 👍

If Kentucky could somehow make it to Indy or Atlanta, man, my hopes would be sky high.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

If Marquette is our 6, it wont be Milwaukee. If St. Mary's is, it will be.

UL and Ole Miss should be out for our 6 seed.

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

If Marquette is our 6, it wont be Milwaukee. If St. Mary's is, it will be.

The thought of meeting Marquette in the tournament just made my eye twitch a little. PTSD.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

The thought of meeting Marquette in the tournament just made my eye twitch a little. PTSD.

Agreed.

 

[CastleRubric]

As someone out in Denver, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Cats land the 3 seed out here.

Promise to be loud

(And yet polite)

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

If Marquette is our 6, it wont be Milwaukee. If St. Mary's is, it will be.

UL and Ole Miss should be out for our 6 seed.

Thsi is purely a guess but it’s just vibes right now. Kentucky is 3 seed in Milwaukee with Michigan vs drake as the 6vs11