By: TST Staff
TBT and Cincinnati alumni team Nasty Nati to host regional for first time at Fifth Third Arena
CINCINNATI, Feb. 16, 2024 – The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all event, today announced that the University of Cincinnati and Fifth Third Arena will serve as a host site for one of TBT’s regional events in 2024. Nasty Nati, the Cincinnati alumni team, will be the host team in the eight-team regional event to take place July 19-24.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hey Cincy, you asked for this…<br><br>TBT IS COMING TO CINCINNATI TO PLAY AT FIFTH THIRD ARENA JULY 19-24‼️🐾<a href="https://twitter.com/NastyNati_TBT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NastyNati_TBT</a> dominated “across town” last summer & now they’ll get to play AT HOME in front of the <a href="https://twitter.com/GoBearcatsMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GoBearcatsMBB</a> fans!<br><br>Ticket Waitlist: <a href="https://t.co/qFJbGhryeF">https://t.co/qFJbGhryeF</a> <a href="https://t.co/9AoUdLX4wM">pic.twitter.com/9AoUdLX4wM</a></p>— TBT (@thetournament) <a href="https://twitter.com/thetournament/status/1758505731991507408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>This will be the first time Fifth Third Arena has held a TBT regional since the event started playing in Cincinnati in 2022.
Nasty Nati, who will be competing in TBT for the third straight year, advanced all the way to TBT’s quarterfinals in Dayton last year, knocking off Floyd Mayweather’s The Money Team and Xavier alumni team Zip ‘Em Up along the way.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TBT is coming to Fifth Third Arena! 👀<br><br>Welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/NastyNati_TBT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NastyNati_TBT</a> back home this summer! Tickets on sale soon. <br><br>🎟️ waitlist: <a href="https://t.co/vdck2WOhGq">https://t.co/vdck2WOhGq</a> <a href="https://t.co/yjsR8AjNTg">pic.twitter.com/yjsR8AjNTg</a></p>— Cincinnati Bearcats (@GoBEARCATS) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoBEARCATS/status/1758506888897925322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>“My staff and I are excited to have Nasty Nati as a regional host,” said Cincinnati men’s basketball head coach Wes Miller. “Our alumni are passionate about this place, so the chance to play on their home floor in the pursuit of a title will be an awesome thing to see. I know our fans will be thrilled to see some of their favorite faces back in Fifth Third Arena and give them incredible support.”
“Last year’s Nasty Nati team was exciting to watch,” said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “The Cincinnati fan support was equally as impressive, as they showed out at both Cintas Center and UD Arena. That’s why we are rewarding them with home court advantage this summer in partnership with the University of Cincinnati. We can’t wait to experience the environment at Fifth Third!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING NEWS: TBT 2023’s top scoring duo is OFFICIALLY BACK FOR TBT 2024‼️<br><br>- Jarron Cumberland (22.8ppg)<br>- Jacob Evans (19.5ppg)<a href="https://twitter.com/GoBearcatsMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GoBearcatsMBB</a> legends back on their home court in front of their fans with <a href="https://twitter.com/NastyNati_TBT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NastyNati_TBT</a>🫡<br><br>Ticket Waitlist: <a href="https://t.co/qFJbGhryeF">https://t.co/qFJbGhryeF</a> <a href="https://t.co/nMegxeIQVv">pic.twitter.com/nMegxeIQVv</a></p>— TBT (@thetournament) <a href="https://twitter.com/thetournament/status/1758520090293588417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Jacob Evans and Jarron Cumberland, Nasty Nati’s two leading scorers in 2023, have both committed to the team for 2024. Kevin Johnson will also return as the team’s general manager.
“I’m incredibly excited for TBT to come to the University of Cincinnati and Fifth Third Arena,” said Nasty Nati GM Kevin Johnson. “None of this would be possible without the Bearcats fan base, who helped propel us to the quarterfinals last year. We’ll need everyone to pack Fifth Third this summer and help us bring the $1 million prize back to Cincinnati.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jacob and Jarron at Fifth Third Arena once again‼️<br><br>Tickets to see <a href="https://twitter.com/NastyNati_TBT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NastyNati_TBT</a> compete in <a href="https://twitter.com/thetournament?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thetournament</a> July 19-24 are on sale soon. <br><br>🎟️ waitlist: <a href="https://t.co/HBhsYJEccJ">https://t.co/HBhsYJEccJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/KEzayjKZuF">pic.twitter.com/KEzayjKZuF</a></p>— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoBearcatsMBB/status/1758520273786044478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Additional roster and staff announcements will be made in the coming months through the team’s X account, @NastyNati_TBT.
Since TBT began in 2014, it has awarded more than $13M in prize money, and has been viewed in more than 180 countries around the world. Alumni teams have won TBT’s championship the four of the past five 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 from 2020-23, and is now being used in G League games as part of their overtime format.
Tickets for the 2024 Cincinnati Regional will go on sale at a later date. To be the first to secure tickets for the event, fans can sign up for TBT’s waitlist at thetournament.com/tbt/tickets/.
For more information on this year’s TBT or Nasty Nati, visit TheTournament.com.