It’s one of the most beloved tournaments in all of sports. Everyone is talking about it: March Madness! We are on to the Sweet 16 tournament, and Thursday night, four teams are set to take the court in Boston.
Though your bracket may be busted, the March Madness excitement is only getting more intense, especially Thursday in Boston.
Four of the teams in the Sweet 16 are set to play Thursday night at the TD Garden — and one of those teams is from New England.
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UConn will go head-to-head with San Diego State University, a rematch of last year's national championship game. Followed by the University of Illinois against Iowa State University.
The three days of games from Thursday to Saturday are expected to generate as much as $17 million in economic impact, with spending on things like hotels and restaurants, according to Meet Boston, formerly the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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Plus, Boston will be featured on TVs in living rooms around the country during the games.
"We find that people love the experience here," said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston. "It's a very accessible city, it's easy to get around and it's just very welcoming. We have the right type of venues for people to experience when they come here."
UConn is the number one seed and less than a two-hour drive from North Station, making them a favorite beyond that top seed.
"I think you're gonna get a lot of people from Connecticut up here for the games," said Damon Cerrone, who's going to the games.
"I'm super excited to play in Boston," said Alex Karaban, a Southborough resident who plays for UConn. "I think it's probably the only chance I get to play with UConn in Boston, so definitely [it'll] be special."
Karaban native will play in the first game that tips off at 7:40 p.m. Thursday.
The winners advance to the Elite 8 on March 30.
