The field is set for the 2023 Men’s Final Four in Houston, Texas, and it is full of captivating Cinderella stories. Florida Atlantic, San Diego State, Miami and UConn are the last teams standing after a chaotic first two weekends that saw all four No. 1 seeds fall.
They will compete in the semifinals on April 1 and winners will advance to the national championship on April 3 at NRG Stadium. Make your plans now to see who cuts down the nets and celebrates their “One Shining Moment” with NCAA Men’s Final Four tickets.
No. 9 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 5 San Diego State
On Saturday, the FAU Owls advanced from the East Regional with a 79-76 victory against Kansas State at Madison Square Garden. This is the program’s second tournament appearance and first Final Four bid. FAU carries a program-best 35-3 record, including the Owls’ first Conference USA title and tournament victories against No. 8 Memphis, No. 16 Fairleigh-Dickinson, and No. 4 Tennessee.
San Diego State sealed a one-point victory at the free throw line to defeat No. 6 Creighton in the South Regional and earn its first bid to the national semifinals. The Aztecs upset top-seeded Alabama in the Sweet 16, and defeated No. 12 College of Charleston and No. 13 Furman in the earlier rounds. San Diego State (24-13) is the first Mountain West Conference team to play in the Final Four.
No. 5 Miami vs. No. 4 UConn
Miami is also making its first trip to the Final Four, coming out of the Midwest Regional. The Hurricanes knocked off the top two seeds in their bracket defeating No. 1 Houston in the Sweet 16 and No. 2 Texas in the Elite Eight. They overcame a 13-point second-half deficit against the Longhorns. The Hurricanes carry a 29-7 record into the national semifinals with additional tournament victories against No. 12 Drake and No. 4 Indiana.
UConn, is the highest remaining seed in the tournament and only team with a national championship. The Huskies are in the Final Four for the first time since 2014, when they won the title. They routed No. 3 Gonzaga to win the West Regional where they also defeated No. 13 Iona, No. 5 Saint Mary’s and No. 8 Arkansas. The Huskies (29-8) won their first four tournament games by 15 or more points.
March Madness Music Festival
In addition to all the action on the court, the 2023 Men’s Final Four will bring big names like Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, Tim McGraw and Keith Urban to Houston for the March Madness Music Festival. Megan Thee Stallion is the headliner for Friday’s AT&T Block Party, which will also include performances by Omar Apollo and J.I.D. On Saturday, fans can catch Lil Nas X and Maggie Rogers at Move by Coca-Cola. Sunday’s Capital One Jamfest will feature a powerful country lineup of McGraw, Urban, Little Big Town and Mickey Guyton.
The March Madness Music Festival is free for guests 16 years of age or older, but requires pre-registration. It will be held at Discovery Green in downtown Houston, which is next to the George R Brown Convention Center and about 20 minutes away from NRG Stadium.
Men’s Final Four Fan Fest
Basketball fans should also plan a stop at the Men’s Final Four Fan Fest, which will be held Friday through Monday at the George R Brown Convention Center. The Fan Fest will be open from noon to 8 p.m. every day except Saturday. The gates open at 10 a.m. on Saturday. This exciting addition to the tournament experience includes interactive games, celebrity and athlete appearances and pep rallies for each participating team.
2023 Women’s Final Four
The 2023 Women’s Final Four will be held at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Louisiana State (LSU), Iowa, Virginia Tech and defending champion South Carolina will compete for the title.
This year, the Division I, Women’s Division II and Division III Championships will all be held at the same location. The DIII title game is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and the DII Championship will follow at 2:30 p.m. CT on April 1. The Division I national championship game is slated for 2:30 p.m. on April 2.
Similar to the Men’s Final Four, the 2023 Women’s Final Four will invite fans to Tourney Town at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. Tourney Town and Party on the Plaza, at PNC Plaza outside the American Airlines Center, are free and open to the public.
2023 Men’s Final Four Tickets
Whether your team is still in contention for a title, or you are just soaking up the atmosphere with other fans, you can still get 2023 Men’s Final Four tickets from TicketSmarter. Make sure to review your options like All Sessions or single-session passes. The All-Sessions pass will get you in the door for both the semifinals and the championship. Single-session tickets will work for one or the other. For exclusive travel deals in Houston or Dallas, check HotelPlanner.
