Fansided

25 NCAA basketball bucket list items every fan must experience before they die

By Mike Phillips

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 07: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs during the first half of their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 07, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 07: The Duke Blue Devils mascot performs during the first half of their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 07, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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NCAA basketball bucket list
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

20. Attend the First Four in Dayton

This one is a bit of a cheat since it gets the diehard college basketball fan a trip to Dayton, which features one of the most beautiful arenas in the country. This stop also will give you a taste of NCAA Tournament action with the First Four, a relatively new invention.

Prior to 2011, the NCAA Tournament was a 65-team affair, with the two lowest seeds in the field playing an opening-round game at the University of Dayton. The winner would advance to get pummeled by a one seed, but Dayton’s love of college basketball made it a logical choice to host action when the field expanded to 68.

The play-in game concept was expanded to the First Four, which takes place over two days and features two games a day. One contest has a pair of 16-seeds, reminiscent of the original opening-round games, while the other spotlights two of the last four at-large teams to make the field.

Coming just two days after the brackets are revealed, the First Four is the country’s first true glimpse of March Madness. The stakes are high since the losers are done, creating some drama with every dribble of the basketball.

The First Four is one of college basketball’s most underrated experiences and it should be a part of any fan’s life at least once. Kicking off the NCAA Tournament from Dayton is a no-doubt lock for the ultimate college basketball bucket list.