The University of Arizona’s men’s basketball team takes on Long Beach State in the first game of the NCAA Tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 21, and while that might seem a little early for basketball, bars in Main Gate are ready to rock.

Here is a compiled list of  bars and restaurants on University Boulevard where fans can watch not only the men but the women’s basketball team, who take on Auburn at 4 p.m. Thursday in the play-in round.

Illegal Pete’s, 876 E. University, usually opens at 11 a.m. but opening for a basketball game is a new thing.

“Things were a madhouse here last year, but I’m not sure how many people will show up Thursday morning,” said Sergio Molina, assistant general manager at Illegal Pete’s.

Meanwhile, next door at Frog and Firkin, at 874, E. University, fans can get a $4 Miller Lite or $6 Rumple Minzes to go with their hoops.

“If the men go all the way then I’ll buy everyone a round,” said Travis Wisk, a bartender at Frog and Firkin.

No Anchovies, at 870 E. University, will have its signature slices ready by the 11 a.m. tipoff, while Gentle Ben’s, 865 E. University, open a half-hour early to accommodate the game.

“We’ll be opening the deck upstairs for everyone. When things get crazy we usually tell people to sit where they want,” said Anna Steinberg, a bartender at Gentle Bens.  “I’ve been here for about two years and this is where most people come to watch, so it gets crazy,”

While its neighbors are flipping burgers and baking pizzas, Fuku Sushi, 940 E. University Blvd., is rolling sushi and pairing it with sake bombs as the games blast on its half-dozen flatscreens.

This is the third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance for the UA men’s team and the fourth for the women’s team.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.

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