Las Vegas to be site of new college basketball tourney in March

A new single-elimination college basketball tournament for 16 teams that don't make the NCAA Tournament will be played in Las Vegas in late March.

Called "Vegas 16," the event will be played March 26-30 at Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus. The teams will be housed at hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, according to marketing firm bd Global, which will manage the event.

The tournament field and seeding will be announced shortly after the NCAA Tournament field is revealed. Organizers say most, if not all, of the event's games will be televised nationally.

There are currently seven men's and women's conference tournaments played in Las Vegas.

Lexington, Kentucky-based bd Global manages two basketball events at the MGM Grand Garden arena: the Men Who Speak Up Main Event, an eight-team Thanksgiving week tournament, and the MGM Grand Showcase, which is played in December.