SAN DIEGO – San Diego State University and Viejas Arena will host open practices on Thursday for all eight teams that will be playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament the following day. Admission for all practices is open to the public and free.
The Aztecs' first round game against Creighton, which tips off at 4:27 p.m. PT, will be shown on the Viejas Arena jumbotron.
Each team will have a 40-minute practice and then there will be a five-minute gap in between practices. After the first four teams practice, there will be a 90-minute break before the next team goes. Full practice schedule listed below.
The Montana State Bobcats will be the first to practice, taking the court at 11 a.m. The Bobcats, the Big Sky regular season and tournament champs, are in their first NCAA Tournament since 1996.
TCU is next, beginning at 11:45 a.m. The Horned Frogs won a school record eight Big 12 games.
Texas Tech, the No. 3 seed in the West region, starts practice at 12:30. The Red Raiders went 12-6 in the Big 12 and advanced to their conference championship game where they lost to No. 1 seed Kansas.
Alabama will close out the morning session, practicing from 1:15 to 1:55 p.m. The Crimson Tide finished tied for fifth in the talented SEC.
Arizona, the No. 1 seed in the South region, kicks off the second session with a 3:25 p.m. practice. The Wildcats were the regular season and Pac-12 tournament champions under first year head coach Tommy Lloyd.
Seton Hall, winner of their final five regular season games, practices at 4:10 p.m. The No. 9 seed Pirates play No. 8 TCU in the first round.
The final two practices will feature teams who are in play-in games Wednesday evening in Dayton, Ohio. The winner of No. 16 seeds Wright State and Bryant will practice at 4:55 p.m. and the final practice of the day will be the winner of Rutgers and Notre Dame at 5:40 p.m.
Open Practice Schedule (All times are Pacific)
Viejas Arena – San Diego, Calif. (Free admission)
Montana State – 11 – 11:40 a.m.
TCU – 11:45 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.
Texas Tech – 12:30 – 1:10 p.m.
Alabama – 1:15 – 1:55 p.m.
Arizona – 3:25 – 4:05 p.m.
Seton Hall – 4:10 – 4:50 p.m.
Wright St./Bryant – 4:55 – 5:35 p.m.
Rutgers/Notre Dame – 5:40 – 6:20 p.m.
2022 NCAA Tournament San Diego Site COVID Policies:
All guests age two and older are required to present either proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccine series or a negative COVID-19 test.
If guests choose to enter Viejas Arena by showing a negative COVID-19 test result, please note that SDSU requires COVID-19 tests be taken within one day prior to the event in order to comply with state and county guidelines. Guests age 18 and over will also need to provide a matching photo ID with their proof of vaccination or negative test results. Guests may present either written reports of COVID-19 testing conducted by a laboratory or a photo of a home test.
Guests who will be providing negative test results for entry will need to test within one day of the event and will need two separate tests if attending on both Friday and Sunday, in accordance with requirements from the California Department of Public Health. Individuals testing on Thursday can use their test results for admittance into Open Practice Day and Friday game day.
Masking: Effective March 7 on the SDSU campus, for individuals who are fully vaccinated and boosted (if they are eligible), facial coverings are recommended, but not required. If not fully vaccinated or booster eligible (and not boosted), facial coverings are required.
Viejas Arena Hosting NCAA Open Practices Thursday
