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Midnight Madness: Your Guide to College Basketball's 2019 Preseason Parties

Midnight Madness events are a staple every October as the college basketball nears. Is your school hosting one in 2019?

SI Staff

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A tradition was born in the world of college basketball when Maryland coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell sent his team out for a one-mile run just after the clock struck midnight on the unofficial start of the college hoops season in 1971. Over the last 47 years, Maryland's midnight run evolved into an annual event across the country, with each university finding its own ways to celebrate the new season. In Lexington, it’s “Big Blue Madness”; in Lawrence, it’s “Late Night in the Phog.” Indiana is home to "Hoosier Hysteria," while other schools opt for celebratory scrimmages or slam dunk contests to introduce their players to their fans and create hype for the upcoming season. Many schools even make the event a part of Homecoming weekend, with entertainment and extravagance at the center of the chaos.

The event has turned into a major recruiting tool as well, with programs competing to secure the attendance of top recruits and pulling out all the stops to impress them. Snoop Dogg will be making an appearance at Allen Fieldhouse this year, while John Legend will perform at Providence's Late Night Madness and T-Pain will be at Marquette Madness.

With the NCAA practice window officially open as of Tuesday, Sept. 24, teams and fans alike are now getting ready for the 2019–20 season. A few schools, such as UNC (which featured Roy Williams showing off his dance moves), Memphis, Arizona and Nebraska, have even already held a Midnight Madness-style event this year, while others will hold theirs this weekend and still others will be wait until well into October.

Here are the biggest events happening before the season (all times listed are local times):

Kansas (Late Night in the Phog)

Date: Friday, Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m.

Streaming: ESPN+

Special Notes: Snoop Dogg will appear at Allen Fieldhouse

Marquette (Marquette Madness)

Date: Friday, Oct. 4 at 9 p.m.

Special Notes: T-Pain will perform at the event

Cincinnati (Bearcats Madness)

Date: Friday, Oct. 4 at 11:30 p.m.

Special Notes: The event will be held after the Bearcats' football game vs. UCF

Indiana (Hoosier Hysteria)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m.

Streaming: BTN+

Villanova (Hoops Mania)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.

Gonzaga (Kraziness in the Kennel)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m.

Providence: Late Night Madness

Date: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Special Notes: John Legend and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie will both perform. Halftime show favorite Red Panda will also appear.

Maryland (Midnight Mile)

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 11:15 p.m.

Special Notes: Maryland isn't holding its traditional Madness event this year, but is reprising last year's Midnight Mile, which is open for students to run and for fans to watch.

Kentucky (Big Blue Madness)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.

TV Channel: SEC Network

Virginia (Pepsi Blue-White Scrimmage)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. ET (women) 3 p.m. ET (men)

Georgetown (Hoya Madness)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 12

Wisconsin (Red/White Scrimmage)

Date: Sunday, Oct. 13 at Noon

Duke (Countdown to Craziness)

Date: Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

Streaming: ACC Network Extra

Xavier (Musketeer Madness)

Date: Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

Harvard: Crimson Madness

Date: Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

Alabama: Tide Tip-Off

Date: Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

Michigan State (Michigan State Madness)

Date: Friday, Oct. 25

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