Midnight Madness 2022: Schedule for Top NCAA Basketball Teams
College campuses around the country are buzzing now that football season is in full swing. But it won't be long before the basketball action picks up, too.
Men's and women's college basketball seasons will begin in November. However, October will feature plenty of events building up to that point. And that includes the traditional midnight madness nights that are held throughout the nation.
Many of the top programs use these events to generate hype for the upcoming season. The men's and women's teams typically have scrimmages or participate in drills, and sometimes there are even noteworthy musical performances.
Here's some early information about how several top basketball schools will kick off the road to the 2022-23 season.
Kansas: Late Night in the Phog
When: Oct. 14 at TBD
Where: Allen Fieldhouse
Kansas will kick off its basketball season with its 38th annual "Late Night in the Phog" event. It's the 33rd time that the women's team will also be involved in the festivities.
"'Late Night' is a fun event," women's junior forward Ioanna Chatzileonti said, per Matt Tait of KUsports.com. "Everybody's coming. I mean, we get to like play in front of a packed Allen Fieldhouse, and that's crazy. Last year, when we played, I was nervous. I couldn't even do anything. I was so excited there were that many people in the stands, but it's so fun because I have fun with my teammates playing and making jokes and stuff, so we kind of get loose and just perform."
The Jayhawks' men's and women's teams will hold scrimmages and entertain the fans, as Chatzileonti alluded to. But this year's event could be even more special than usual.
That's because the Kansas men's team won a national title last season, so it's possible the championship banner will be unveiled for the first time on this night.
Kentucky: Big Blue Madness
When: Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Rupp Arena
Kentucky's basketball season will get underway Oct. 14. But for students who want to attend the "Big Blue Madness" event, they'll need to acquire tickets a bit earlier than that.
Tickets will be available at 9 a.m. ET on Oct. 2, both online and at the Memorial Coliseum ticket windows on Avenue of Champions. It's long been a tradition for fans to camp out the night before, and the school announced they can do so no earlier than Oct. 1 at 5 a.m. ET.
"It is part of what makes UK Basketball special," Wildcats men's basketball head coach John Calipari tweeted about the campout back in July.
The Kentucky men's and women's basketball teams will both take part in this event and participate in practice drills.
Michigan State Madness
When: Oct. 7 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Where: Breslin Center
Many schools brought back their midnight madness basketball events last year after having to cancel them the previous season due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Michigan State Madness" did not return, however.
But the Spartans' men's and women's hoops teams will get back to having this event this year, marking the first one since the 2019-20 season. Both teams will participate in scrimmages, but they'll begin the night by signing autographs for the fans.
There will also be performances by the marching band and drumline, the cheerleaders and the dance team.
Other Events
While not every school has announced a ton of details regarding their kickoff events, here are a few more to know about heading into the 2022-23 season:
North Carolina: Live Action with Carolina Basketball
When: Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Dean E. Smith Center
Indiana: Hoosier Hysteria
When: Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
Gonzaga: Kraziness in the Kennel
When: Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. ET
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center
Duke: Countdown to Craziness
When: Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium