Come Support Your HBCU Team!
The Great 48 teams love to be joined by HBCU alumni, parents, family and friends to cheer them on. Here are all the particulars to come witness this incredible show of HBCU brainpower.
How the National Championship works
The 48 teams competing are divided into 8 divisions of 6 teams each. In each division, named for a noted African American, each teams plays all other teams in their division. After 15 rounds of play, the top 2 teams advance to the "Sweet 16" Playoffs.
The first round of the single-elimination playoffs determines which 8 teams advance to the finals. The final games are streamed live here at HCASC.com starting at 12 noon Eastern/11 am Central/9am Pacific on Monday, April 10th.
Schedule
Saturday, April 8
Teams travel in, register, get settled in. They attend rules briefings and a Team Welcome Dinner. Those events are not open to the public.
Sunday, April 9
This is the day to come visit! The round robin schedule is:
Audience |
Round |
Time |
| #1 | 1 | 8:30 am |
| 2 | 9:15 am | |
| 3 | 10:00 am | |
| 4 | 10:30 am | |
| 5 | 11:00 am | |
| #2 | 6 | 12:30 pm |
| 7 | 1:00 pm | |
| 8 | 1:30 pm | |
| 9 | 2:00 pm | |
| 10 | 2:30 pm | |
| 11 | 3:00 pm | |
| #3 | 12 | 4:00 pm |
| 13 | 4:30 pm | |
| 14 | 5:00 pm | |
| 15 | 5:30 pm | |
| Round of 16 Playoff | 6:30 pm | |
Times are approximate and depend on |
||
Monday April 10
The finals 8 teams in the tournament compete
in a single-elimination playoff. The final 2 teams then play a best-2-out-of-3 for the 2017 National Championship.
Where is the tournament held?
The preliminaries take place at the Torrance South Bay Marriott:
3635 Fashion Way (across the street from the DelAmo Mall)
Torrance, CA
90503
Once you arrive at the hotel, signage in the lobby directs you to the game play rooms in the hotel.
Please note that we are unable to provide meals for guests. However there are various options nearby to grab lunch. Chipotle and Denny's are within walking distance, one block away. A short driving distance from the hotel there are many food establishments up and down Hawthorne Blvd.
When does my team compete?
The game schedule is not announced until the teams arrive in Los Angeles. The team schedules vary. All teams play their first game in rounds 1-4, with the balance of their games being spread throughout the day. Once you arrive at the hotel, you may pick up a team-specific schedule at the HCASC Info Desk adjacent to the Ballroom on lobby level.
May I come to the finals?
Due to space limitations, we are only able to accommodate the teams and official representatives from the HBCUs which traveled in. We hope that you will tune in to the live stream of the games.
How else can I support my team?
Coming in March is an HCASC Facebook Great Album where you can like your team's photo. While you're there, write a message of support and encouragement! The teams with the most likes and comments receive special gift cards.