Downtown Indianapolis transforms into a basketball fan’s fantasy during the month of March. Between the Big Ten Basketball Tournaments, Indiana Pacers, NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Championship - Midwest Regional and IHSAA Basketball Finals, March is jam-packed with opportunities to cheer on your favorite teams. No ticket, no problem. With more than 250 restaurants and 50 taverns, Downtown is the place to catch every minute of the action. Use this information as your guide to optimize your basketball experience Downtown.
With more than 70,000 parking spaces, Downtown has a spot for everyone! You can find parking, arrive at your destination on time and enjoy all the excitement if a few simple tips are followed.
Prepare:
- Plan your driving and walking route into and through Downtown ahead of time.
- Use interstates to travel to and leave Downtown.
- Enter Downtown from the side on which you plan to park.
- Allow plenty of extra travel time to Downtown.
- Be aware that travel through Downtown will be limited to streets away from the core area.
- Relax during peak exit times.
- Wear comfortable shoes, park once and enjoy the walk.
- Carpool or use IndyGo if possible. Please visit www.indygo.net for more details or to download a bus schedule.
Park:
- Downtown parking is abundant. There are more than 70,000 parking spaces Downtown.
- Log onto www.indydt.com for Downtown maps with attraction and parking information. Print out the map and bring it with you.
- Select a couple of parking alternatives before you leave home.
- Plan to use a garage or lot. Most meters near the event sites are restricted during this time.
- Some parking facilities and lots may not be open to the public.
Don’t have a ticket to the game? Don’t worry, there are plenty of sports-fan friendly restaurants and taverns Downtown that will gladly welcome you. Big screens, cold beer and chicken wings are just a few of the things on the menu for March. Here’s a few of our favorite spots to catch the game:
With so many great games going on in March, you’ll need a schedule to keep up with them all! We’ve got you covered.
Big Ten Basketball Tournaments:
- March 5 – 8 -- Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament (Conseco Fieldhouse)
Session 1 (First Round)
Game 1: Thursday, March 5, Noon - No.7 Seed vs. No.10 Seed
Game 2: Thursday, March 5, 2:30 p.m. - No.6 Seed vs. No.11 Seed
Game 3: Thursday, March 5, 5 p.m. - No.8 Seed vs. No.9 Seed
Session 2 (Quarterfinals)
Game 4: Friday, March 6, 11:30 a.m. - No.2 Seed vs. Game 1 Winner
Game 5: Friday, March 6, 2 p.m. - No.3 Seed vs. Game 2 Winner
Session 3 (Quarterfinals)
Game 6: Friday, March 6, 6 p.m. - No.1 Seed vs. Game 3 Winner
Game 7: Friday, March 6, 8:30 p.m. - No.4 Seed vs. No.5 Seed
Session 4 (Semifinals)
Game 8: Saturday, March 7, 6 p.m. - Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner
Game 9: Saturday, March 7, 8:30 p.m. - Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner
Session 5 (Championship)
- March 8, 3:30 - 5 p.m. -- Women's Pep Rally (Entry Pavilion/Conseco Fieldhouse)
- March 12 -15 -- Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament (Conseco Fieldhouse)
Session 1 (First Round)
Game 1: Thursday, March 12, Noon - No. 8 Seed vs. No. 9 Seed
Game 2: Thursday, March 12, 2:30 p.m. - No. 7 Seed vs. No. 10 Seed
Game 3: Thursday, March 12, 5 p.m. - No. 6 Seed vs. No. 11 Seed
Session 2 (Quarterfinals)
Game 4: Friday, March 13, Noon - No. 1 Seed vs. Game 1 Winner
Game 5: Friday, March 13, 2:30 p.m. - No. 4 Seed vs. No. 5 Seed
Session 3 (Quarterfinals)
Game 6: Friday, March 13, 6:30 p.m. - No. 2 Seed vs. Game 2 Winner
Game 7: Friday, March 13, 9 p.m. - No. 3 Seed vs. Game 3 Winner
Session 4 (Semifinals)
Game 8: Saturday, March 14, 1:40 p.m. - Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner
Game 9: Saturday, March 14, 4:05 p.m. - Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner
Session 5 (Championship)
Game 10: Sunday, March 15, 3:30 p.m. - Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner
- March 13, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. -- Big Ten Conference Career Expo (Union Station)
The event pairs the talents of Big Ten students and alumni with the staffing needs of elite and industry-leading employers. Full-time jobs and internships will be available. To register and see a list of participating employers, visit www.bigtencareerexpo.com today.
- March 15, 11 a.m. – Big Ten Hoops Day 5K (Downtown Indianapolis)
Start championship Sunday with a lap around downtown Indianapolis. Support your school by wearing your school colors. For the competitive and the casual runners. For more information, including how to register, www.tuxbro.com .
- March 15, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Men’s Pep Rally (Ober Parking Lot/Conseco Fieldhouse)
IHSAA Basketball State Finals:
- March 7, 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m. – IHSAA Girls State Basketball Finals (Lucas Oil Stadium)
- March 28, 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m. – IHSAA Boys State Basketball Finals (Conseco Fieldhouse)
NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Championship - Midwest Regional:
- March 26, noon - 4 p.m. – The NCAA ® Division I Men's Basketball Championship - Midwest Regional will hold open practices the day before the regional semifinals. The practices are FREE and open to the public. The open practices offer a unique opportunity to see the teams firsthand and how Lucas Oil Stadium will look for the 2010 NCAA Men's Final Four.
- March 27 – NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Championship - Midwest Regional (Lucas Oil Stadium)
- March 29 – NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Championship - Midwest Regional (Lucas Oil Stadium)
Indiana Pacers regular season:
- March 1, 7 p.m. – Indiana Pacers vs. Denver Nuggets (Conseco Fieldhouse)
- March 10, 7 p.m. – Indiana Pacers vs. Utah Jazz (Conseco Fieldhouse)
- March 18, 7 p.m. – Indiana Pacers vs. Portlant Trailblazers (Conseco Fieldhouse)
- March 20, 7 p.m. – Indiana Pacers vs. Dallas Mavericks (Conseco Fieldhouse)
- March 25, 7 p.m. – Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat (Conseco Fieldhouse)
- March 29, 7 p.m. -- Indiana Pacers vs. Washington Wizards (Conseco Fieldhouse)
- March 31, 7 p.m. – Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls (Conseco Fieldhouse)
For a complete calendar of events, a Downtown parking map and hotel and travel information call Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. at 237.2222 or visit www.indydt.com .
