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Bellarmine to host 2013 DII Men’s Elite Eight

The NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Committee has selected Bellarmine University and Louisville, Ky., to host the 2013 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Elite Eight.

The games will be played March 28 and 30 in historic Freedom Hall, which has hosted six NCAA Final Fours.

“The Division II Men’s Basketball Committee is excited to bring the Elite Eight back to Louisville, a historic site for college basketball,” said committee chair Eric Schoh, director of athletics at Winona State. “Louisville has proven success in hosting basketball events, and given the tradition of Freedom Hall, we are looking forward to a great experience for the student-athletes.”

Bellarmine, which won the 2011 Division II men’s basketball championship, and the city of Louisville hosted the Division II Elite Eight from 1995 to 2000 when the event was held at the International Convention Center downtown.

“After being fortunate enough to have played in the last two Elite Eights, the entire Bellarmine community knows what a great event it is, and we’re thrilled to be hosting once again,” said Bellarmine Director of Athletics Scott Wiegandt. “The added bonus of playing in a great and storied venue such as Freedom Hall will provide lifelong memories for all the student-athletes who get to participate.”

In addition to hosting the Men’s Final Four in 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1967 and 1969, Freedom Hall was the site of NCAA tournament games in four other seasons, with Midwest Regional games in 1976 and 1983 and Southeast Regional games in 1987 and 1991.

The NCAA is celebrating the 75th Division I Men’s Basketball Championship in 2013. As part of the celebration, all three men’s basketball championships (Divisions I, II and III) will be played in the same city and weekend. The Division II national championship game will be played April 7 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, a week after the quarterfinal and semifinal games in Freedom Hall. CBS Sports Network will air the semifinals live on March 30 at noon and 2:30 p.m. ET, with CBS airing the championship game live at 4 p.m. ET on April 7.