Xavier to host The Basketball Tournament regional again this summer
CINCINNATI (WKRC) – The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all event, announced on Friday that Xavier University will once again host a TBT regional this summer.
Zip ‘Em Up, the Xavier alumni team, will serve as the host team for the 2023 Xavier Regional taking place at Cintas Center July 21-24.
“We are excited to play in the Cintas Center once again this summer,” said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “We have been blown away by the energy and enthusiasm of Xavier Basketball fans from the moment an alumni team first entered in 2020. Xavier University has been great to work with. We know we can grow this regional into something special.”
This summer will mark Zip ‘Em Up’s third year competing in TBT, and their second consecutive summer hosting. Led by J.P. Macura, Trevon Bluiett, and Semaj Christon, Zip ‘Em Up won their first and second round games in 2022 before eventually falling to Florida TNT.
Macura, Bluiett, Christon, and Dee Davis are once again slated to join the Zip ‘Em Up roster for 2023.
Davis and Rick Carter will continue to serve as the team’s general managers, and Carter will once again be the team’s head coach.
"Last year’s TBT Regional at Xavier was embraced by our fans,” said Xavier senior associate athletic director for external relations Brian Hicks. “We are always looking for ways to engage our fans during the summer months leading up to a new season. Bringing the excitement of the TBT back to Cintas Center is a great way to stay connected to our fans and introduce Cintas Center to all area basketball fans."
Also returning to the Xavier Regional this year will be Nasty Nati, the University of Cincinnati alumni team.
Since TBT began in 2014, it has awarded more than $12M in prize money, and has been viewed in more than 180 countries around the world. Alumni teams have won TBT’s championship the past four summers, with teams representing Ohio State, Marquette, Syracuse, and the University of Buffalo taking home the $1M prize between 2019-2022.
TBT is also the home of the Elam Ending, the alternate ending to games where teams play to a target score. The Elam Ending was adopted by the NBA for its All-Star Game beginning in 2022, and is now being used in G League games as part of their overtime format.
Tickets for the Xavier Regional will go on sale on May 1 to members of TBT’s ticket waitlist, and on sale to the general public beginning May 4.
For more information on this year’s TBT or the Xavier Regional, visit TheTournament.com.
