We're just one day into the 2022 NCAA men's college basketball tournament, and it's already brought the chaos with multiple overtime nail-biters, millions of exploded brackets, huge on-court performances from players you've never heard of and of course a plethora of upsets – including a rare 15-seed beating a two-seed, a blue-blood, major conference postseason mainstay at that with Kentucky.
And it's only going to get more chaotic on day two – especially here in Milwaukee where March Madness is back for the first time since 2017, and for the first time at Fiserv Forum.
With eight teams – including one particularly familiar one in the Wisconsin Badgers – six total games, two days, an estimated $6.5 million impact, more than 18,000 attendees and a whole lot of hope, dreams and excitement, it's going to be madness alright. And to help make the most out of this most wonderful time of the year, here's a guide to who's playing, where and when you can watch – either in person or on TV – and, perhaps most important of all, where you can fuel up in and around the games.
Who's playing
In the day's first matchup, the three-seed Purdue Boilermakers from the Big Ten Conference will play the 14-seed Yale Bulldogs from the Ivy League. On Sunday, the winner of that spat will play the winner of the second afternoon session game between the sixth-seed Texas Longhorns out of the Big 12 and the 11-seed Virginia Tech Hokies from the ACC.
As for the night session, the evening will start with another 6-11 matchup – this time between the LSU Tigers of the SEC and the Iowa State Cyclones out of the Big 12. On Sunday, they'll play the winner of the Friday's final game: the three-seed hometown Wisconsin Badgers from the Big 10 against the Colgate Raiders, automatic qualifiers out of the Patriot League.
When are they playing
Here's when each of the four Milwaukee NCAA tournament games will tip off at Fiserv Forum:
- Yale vs. Purdue – 1 p.m.
- Virginia Tech vs. Texas – 3:30 p.m.
- Iowa State vs. LSU – 6:20 p.m.
- Colgate vs. Wisconsin – 8:50 p.m.
For those headed to the games, the doors of the arena open for the day at 11:30 a.m. These times are subject to change depending on when earlier games end.
Meanwhile the times and teams for Sunday's second-round games at Fiserv Forum are to be determined.
Where can I watch them
Obviously you can watch the four Milwaukee-set March Madness games at Fiserv Forum – and there are still tickets available through the NCAA Fan Experience and the NCAA Ticket Exchange. But in case you can't get in to see the games live for whatever reason, all four games will be broadcast on TBS and available to stream on the NCAA's March Madness website.
Where can I eat around Fiserv Forum
If you're headed down to the game(s) on Friday, you're surely gonna work up an appetite from all the cheering and chaos unfolding on the court. For a comprehensive list to all the places around Fiserv Forum and Deer District to grab a bite, check out our guide to dining around the arena – complete with walk times and organized by types of food. For other food recommendations a little further out from Fiserv Forum, our Downtown dining guide, East Side dining guide, Third Ward dining guide, Walker's Point dining guide and Bay View dining guide can help get you to slam-dunk snacks and suppers in nearby neighborhoods.
Where can I drink around Fiserv Forum
No matter if your team is the day's Cinderella or your team turns into a pumpkin, you're gonna want a drink at some point on Friday – and luckily, considering this is Brew City, it's not hard to find one in and around March Madness. Especially with the help of our Deer District bar guide, featuring all of the bars within a close walk around the arena whether on the former Old World Third Street, the Brewery District and elsewhere. Looking for a buzz beyond the shadow of Fiserv Forum? We also have our Bay View bar guide, sports bar guide, East Side bar guide and Brady Street bar guide. And if you're going without alcohol, Brew City has plenty of bars and restaurants with delicious mocktail options as well.
And if you're lucky to be watching the games in person inside the arena rather than outside, Fiserv Forum will serve alcohol inside the arena. But head's up: While there will be beer and wine, they won't be selling liquor. For more information about Fiserv Forum policies, click here.
And with that, you're ready to make the most out of March Madness in Milwaukee. Get out there – and good luck to your bracket. (Though it's probably already busted – thanks a lot, Saint Peter's.)
As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.
When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.