Midnight Madness: Your Guide to 2017's Preseason Parties
It’s been 46 years since Charles “Lefty” Driesell sent his Maryland basketball team out for a one-mile run three minutes after the clock struck midnight, unintentionally birthing what became an annual event across the country and the unofficial start of college hoops season. Most commonly known as “Midnight Madness,” the event has taken on many different names and forms as individual schools put their own spin on the occasion: in Lexington, it’s “Big Blue Madness”; in Lawrence, it’s “Late Night in the Phog.”
Midnight Madness events have brought plenty of entertainment over the years, whether it was Drake in the layup line at Rupp Arena, that time Billy Donovan pretended he dropped the Gators’ real national championship trophy or anticipation over how Tom Izzo will make his next grand entrance. Under the glitz and flashiness, the night is also an opportunity for schools to introduce the men’s and women’s basketball teams and create hype for the season by giving fans a sneak peek via the likes of scrimmages and slam dunk contests. But the event has turned into a major recruiting tool as well, with programs competing to secure the attendance of top recruits and pull out all the stops to impress them.
This year, a number of schools will host Midnight Madness-style events. Many fall on the traditional Friday night that the NCAA practice window used to officially begin on—Oct. 13 this year—but others will be held a week or so later, or even as early as Sept. 30. We’ve rounded up some of the main ones below.
Midnight Madness 2017 Events
Kansas (Late Night in the Phog)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Notable Recruits Scheduled to Attend: Zion Williamson (2018), James Wiseman (2019), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (2019), Chandler Lawson (2019), Jalen Suggs (2020), R.J. Hampton (2020), N'faly Dante (2020)
Where Can I Watch? Spectrum Sports, Jayhawk TV, ESPN3
Marquette (Marquette Madness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
Where Can I Watch? Spectrum Sports
Gonzaga (Kraziness in the Kennel)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 7 at 4 p.m.
Notable Recruits Scheduled to Attend: Andrew Nembhard (2018)
Kentucky (Big Blue Madness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.
Notable Recruits Scheduled to Attend: Bol Bol (2018), Darius Garland (2018), Jalen Johnson (2020)
Where Can I Watch? SEC Network
North Carolina (Late Night with Roy Williams)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Special Notes: The Tar Heels will raise their 2017 national championship banner.
Notable Recruits Scheduled to Attend: Romeo Langford (2018)
Where Can I Watch? ACC Network Extra
Georgetown (Hoya Madness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13, 10 p.m.
Special Notes: Meek Mill will be performing
Harvard (Crimson Madness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.
Where Can I Watch? Ivy League Network
Iowa State (Hilton Madness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.
Florida State (Jam With Ham)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13, 6:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh (Courtside at the Cathedral)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m.
Special Notes: The event will be held outdoors on Bigelow Boulevard.
Duke (Countdown to Craziness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m.
Notable Recruits Scheduled to Attend: Zion Williamson (2018), Vernon Carey (2019), Matthew Hurt (2019), Armando Bacot (2019)
Where Can I Watch? Blue Devil IMG Sports Network
Arizona (McDonald's Red-Blue Game)
Date: Friday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m.
Where Can I Watch? Pac-12 Network
Xavier (Musketeer Madness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.
Syracuse (Orange vs White Scrimmage)
Date: Friday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m.
Michigan State (Michigan State Madness)
Date: Friday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 p.m.
Maryland (Maryland Madness)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Indiana (Hoosier Hysteria)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Notable Recruits Scheduled to Attend: Romeo Langford (2018), Darius Garland (2018)
Where Can I Watch? Big Ten Plus
Virginia (Pepsi Blue-White Scrimmage)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 22 at 3 p.m.
Wisconsin (Red/White Scrimmage)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 22 at 4 p.m.
Alabama (Tide Tip Off)
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.
Texas A&M (Maroon Madness)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
