University of Pittsburgh Athletics
University of Pittsburgh to Host The Basketball Tournament (TBT) Regional for 2024
2/19/2024 10:35:00 AM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all event, announced today that the University of Pittsburgh and Petersen Events Center will host a TBT regional for the first time in 2024. The regional will be headlined by Pitt alumni team Zoo Crew, whose roster will feature former Panthers legends Jamel Artis, and Jamarius Burton.
"We are excited to host the TBT at the Petersen Events Center this summer," said Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. "TBT is an outstanding summer event that all basketball fans will enjoy. The competitive environment and quality of competition will be exceptional which will lead to a memorable gameday experience at the Pete."
Pittsburgh Regional games will be played at Petersen Events Center from July 20-24.
"TBT has been a great summer basketball event that unites and engages alumni groups and fan bases," said head coach Jeff Capel. "The Zoo Crew has trained at the Petersen Events Center each of the past two summers in preparation for the TBT and it has been terrific for our program to have them around. We look forward to hosting the Zoo Crew and the other teams at our home venue this summer."
After a several year hiatus, Zoo Crew returned to TBT last year to compete in the West Virginia Regional.
"We are excited to partner with the University of Pittsburgh to bring a TBT regional to the Peterson Events Center," said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar.
The team will be joined in the regional by seven other teams hoping to emerge one step closer to TBT's $1M grand prize. The Pittsburgh Regional is set to include Best Virginia, the West Virginia alumni team, as well as Happy Valley Hoopers, the Penn State alumni team.
Artis, a member of two NCAA Tournament teams during his time at Pitt from 2013-17, spent one season with the Orlando Magic before embarking on a seven-year career in the G League and overseas. Artis currently plays in Lebanon.
Burton, who played at Pitt from 2021-23, started 58 of 64 career games for the Panthers. As a graduate student, Burton earned First Team All-ACC accolades while leading the Panthers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven seasons. He currently plays in Belgium.
Pitt basketball's director of player and alumni development Gilbert Brown will serve as the team's general manager. Additional roster and staff announcements will be made over the coming months via Zoo Crew's social media pages, @ZooCrewTBT.
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 in 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 and featured by the NBA for its All-Star Games from 2020-23, and is now being used in G League games as part of their overtime format.
Tickets for the 2024 Pittsburgh 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 www.thetournament.com/tbt/tickets/.
For more information on this year's TBT or Zoo Crew, visit TheTournament.com.
Media Contact:
Jake Pavorsky (TBT): jake@thetournament.com or 856-357-2455
About The Basketball Tournament
The home of the Elam Ending®, The Basketball Tournament has grown from a unique idea among friends to one of the most exciting and engaging events on the summer sports calendar, with national exposure, social media buzz and regional championships across the country - culminating in a winner-take-all $1 million game. Every year it attracts some of the best players in the world. For more information on TBT's tenth season, visit www.thetournament.com
About Pitt Athletics
The University of Pittsburgh's intercollegiate athletics history dates to 1869, when the university began to field a baseball team. Today, Pitt sponsors 19 varsity sports—nine men's teams and 10 women's programs—with more than 500 student-athletes vying for conference, regional and national honors. All varsity sports teams compete as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Panthers' rich athletics history includes national championships in football (nine) and basketball (two). Pitt also boasts Olympic gold-medal performances in track, and silver and bronze medals in diving and basketball.
About Petersen Events Center
Opened in 2002, the 12,508-seat basketball and multi-purpose Petersen Events Center serves as the home for the men's and women's basketball programs, as well as numerous campus events, graduation ceremonies, concerts and modern recreational and fitness facilities. Prior to the 2019-20 season, the interior of the venue underwent significant rebranding with a new court design, new high resolution LED video boards. Since 2021, enhancements include the additions of the I.C. Light Baseline Club and Platinum Club, and extensive renovations to the GBU Life Campus View Club.
