Fifth Third Arena to Host TBT Regional

For immediate release:

CINCINNATI – 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.
 
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.
 
"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!"
 
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."
 
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.