Minneapolis is getting NCAA Tournament basketball in March 2027. The first and second rounds of the men’s tournament are coming to Target Center, with the University of Minnesota as host. If you want to be in the building, or simply in town for it, the time to think about a room is now, not the week of Selection Sunday.
When is the NCAA Tournament at Target Center in 2027?
According to the host committee’s event page, play is on Friday, March 19 and Sunday, March 21, 2027. Friday has two sessions of two games each, and Sunday has one session of two games. The page says all-session tickets are on sale through AXS, and the arena’s event calendar lists the tournament as March 19 to 21.
The teams will not be known until the bracket is announced in March, so there is no matchup to plan around yet. Minneapolis was named one of eight first- and second-round host cities, as KSTP reported when the sites were announced.
What else is at Target Center around then?
The arena’s calendar has a few other dates that make good reasons to visit between now and spring:
- Fri., Jan. 1, 2027, 7:00 p.m.: Harlem Globetrotters
- Sat., Jan. 30, 2027, 7:30 p.m.: Dancing with the Stars: Live!
- Mon., Feb. 15, 2027, 7:00 p.m.: Greta Van Fleet
- Sat., March 27, 2027, 7:30 p.m.: Def Leppard and Goo Goo Dolls, with special guest The Struts
The Def Leppard and Goo Goo Dolls show falls the Saturday after the tournament weekend, so a long March trip could take in both. For the nearer shows, see our guide to Target Center in December and our roundup of Armory and Fillmore concerts.
Why stay at 300 Clifton for a tournament weekend?
300 Clifton is the Eugene J. Carpenter Mansion, a National Register landmark in Loring Park with some of the finest Georgian architecture in Minnesota. It is a boutique bed and breakfast, not a chain hotel, and each room has its own character, from the Crystal Mansion and Georgian Room to the Grand Edwardian.
After a long day of basketball, the house has a few ways to wind down: a four-season garden hot tub, and a movie room with heated reclining seats. We have not measured the exact trip from the house to Target Center, so use a map app for your route and timing on game day.
What do you get when you book direct?
Every guest who books directly receives a $20 Pillsbury Club dining voucher and a $20 Minneapolis Trolley voucher per stay. Terms are on our vouchers page: direct bookings only, no cash value, and valid only during your stay. The Pillsbury Club is a dining and cocktail destination in the Charles S. Pillsbury Mansion, and it is the departure point for the trolley, so it makes an easy second stop on a weekend away from the arena.
How do you book?
March is months away, which is exactly why now is a good moment to look at dates. Visit 300clifton.com to choose a room and book directly, and we will see you in Loring Park.
Keep reading: Where Should You Stay for Handel’s Messiah at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis? Dec. 18 and 19, 2026