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State Boys Basketball FAQ -- info on TV, tickets, parking, schedules, & WSN's coverage

03/01/2021, 7:30pm CST
By Travis Wilson

Here's some general information and frequently asked questions about the WIAA Boys State Basketball Tournament. 

When is the tournament and when are the games? 
The tournament is held over three days, this Thursday through Saturday. Below is the schedule for the tournament:

2021 Boys State Basketball Championships
March 4-6 - La Crosse Center & Menominee Nation Arena

Thursday, March 4

9:05 a.m. -  #1 Hustisford (16-3) vs. #4 Wauzeka-Steuben (16-2) -- La Crosse Center
12:35 p.m. - #2 McDonell Central Catholic (16-4) vs. #3 Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran (16-10) -- La Crosse Center
7:05 p.m. - Division 5 Championship -- La Crosse Center

Friday, March 5

9:05 a.m. - #1 The Prairie School (23-3) vs. #4 Luther (19-1) -- La Crosse Center
10:45 a.m. - #1 Racine Saint Catherine's (26-1) vs. #4 Wrightstown (24-4) -- Menominee Nation Arena
12:25 p.m. - #2 Lourdes Academy (23-5) vs. #3 Edgar (23-2) -- La Crosse Center
2:10 p.m. - #2 Lake Country Lutheran (25-1) vs. #3 Saint Croix Central (23-2) -- Menominee Nation Arena
6:35 pm -  Division 4 Championship -- La Crosse Center
8:30 pm - Division 3 Championship -- Menominee Nation Arena

Saturday, March 6

9:05 a.m. - #1 Onalaska (18-0) vs. #4 Xavier (23-4) -- La Crosse Center
10:45 am. - #1 Kimberly (24-2) vs. #4 DeForest (16-5) -- Menominee Nation Arena
12:25 p.m. - #2 Pewaukee (25-3) vs. #3 Lake Mills (23-5) -- La Crosse Center
2:10 p.m. - #2 Wauwatosa East (21-3) vs. #3 River Falls (21-2) -- Menominee Nation Arena
6:35 p.m. - Division 2 Championship -- La Crosse Center
8:30 p.m. - Division 1 Championship -- Menominee Nation Arena

Where is the state tournament held? 
This year, the tournament will be held in two different locations: the La Crosse Center in downtown La Crosse, and Menominee Nation Arena in Oshkosh. For information on the La Crosse Center location, including parking, arena map, facility guidelines, and more, please click here. For information on the Menominee Nation location, including parking, arena map, facility guidelines, and more, please click here.

How much are tickets and where can I get them? Tickets for admission will first be offered to qualifying schools, beginning on Sunday, Feb. 28.  Unsold tickets will be offered to the general public beginning Wednesday, March 3 at 8 a.m. Codes for each specific game will be required to purchase tickets. Check the WIAA Boys Basketball Tournament webpage for codes and links once they are released. All general public ticket questions should be directed to Ticketmaster at 1-800-653-8000. Ticket price is $13 plus processing and service fees per session.

GATE SECURITY PROCEDURES:  Masking is required at both locations per the Governor's order. Expect that bags will be checked and there may be additional security protocols at each location as well. Doors will open approximately 30 minutes prior to game time. Items that are prohibited include: face paint, selfie sticks, food or beverage, backpacks or bags larger than 8.5"x11", artificial noisemakers, weapons, alcohol/drugs, large signs, laptop computers, laser pointers, strollers, and potentially more. 

Where can I find coverage of the tournament? 
TV - The State Tournament will be televised live on WKOW-TV in Madison, WAOW-TV in Wausau, WXOW-TV in La Crosse, WQOW-TV in Eau Claire, WYOW-TV in Eagle River, WMOW-TV in Crandon, WMLW-TV in Milwaukee, KBJR-MY9 in Duluth/Superior and WCWF W-14 in Green Bay and the Fox Valley. The Wisconsin Division of Quincy Media, Inc., will produce the coverage. The championships will also be streamed on the statewide network station websites. Also, download the Magic of March app for live streaming video, scores, highlights and more about the WIAA State basketball tournaments. Live coverage of the tournaments on iOS or Android phones and tablets are also available on the app.

WKOW will be streaming the games live on their website:  wkowtv.com 

In addition, the post-game media conferences will be shown live without subscription on the WIAA.tv portal of the NFHS Network immediately following each game.

RADIO - Yes, there are many radio stations that will carry the games. Check your local listings.  

ONLINE - WisSports.net is your home for the most complete coverage. WSN Boys Basketball Editor Mark Miller will be publishing some great articles previewing the outstanding teams and players headed to state this weekend. Last but not least our staff, including Mark Miller, Travis Wilson, Dick Knapinski, and Colton Wilson will be writing some great articles and telling the stories of the 2021 state tournament. Travis and Colton will be taking in the action at the La Crosse Center, while Mark and Dick will be providing updates from the Menominee Nation Arena.

SOCIAL MEDIA - You can follow the action and join in the discussion with the #wisbb hashtag on Twitter. Include the hashtag in your tweets and add it to your search items. Be sure to follow @WisBBYearbook, @travisWSN, @wissportsnet, and @basketballWSN for updates.

THREE-POINT CHALLENGE: The Three-Point Challenge is canceled for this year.

Where can I find results from the games? 
Follow all the games on our site, including the Scoreboard page.

Where can I find information about the teams? 
Mark Miller will be publishing preview articles this week so be sure to check WisSports.net. Be sure to check our Playoff Central page as well for loads of info. 

Where can I eat? 
Both locations will have concessions available, but many fans choose to venture out between games or sessions. There are numerous places to eat surrounding the La Crosse Center or Menominee Nation Arena within walking or short driving distance.

Where can I park? 
At the La Crosse Center, Lot A of the La Crosse Center Lot ramp has been reserved for boys basketball fans, but it is first come, first served. Parking can be reserved ahead of time at https://app.parkmobile.io/venue/la-crosse-center/events. In Oshkosh, street parking is free, or the parking lot is available at a cost of $7.

Where can I find swag?
The souvenir programs for the 2021 winter State culminating events are available online and available to download and print at no cost. The State Boys Basketball Tournament program with rosters of qualifying teams, history, records and schedule information can be accessed the afternoon of Tuesday, March 2 at: https://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Publications/Programs/2021boysbasketball.pdf

WIAA licensed apparel is available online for the 2021 State Boys Basketball Tournament. To browse and purchase branded merchandise, visit the WIAA Store at: https://wiaagbbstate21.itemorder.com/sale. Online purchases will be shipped after the online store closes on Wednesday, March 10 prior to midnight.

Who has the best coverage of the Boys state basketball tournament? 
We here at WisSports.net are your home for all things basketball, including the boys state tournament. We'll have full coverage leading up to the games, and full coverage from the games. Look for Twitter updates from WSN staff, game articles, results, and much more.

Follow the official WisSports.net account -- @wissportsnet
Follow WSN Boys Basketball Writer Mark Miller -- @WisBBYearbook
Follow WSN Content Manager Travis Wilson -- @travisWSN
Follow the WSN scores account -- @basketballWSN


About the Author

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

Tag(s): News Archive  BBB News  Travis Wilson  Boys Hoops Playoffs