First Night Hoop Festivities Back at UConn

STORRS, CT — The First Night festivities featuring the University of Connecticut women's and men's basketball teams are returning after a one-year hiatus.

The squads will tip-off their 2018-19 campaigns with the return of First Night on Friday at Gampel Pavilion. The event is being presented by 97.9 ESPN Hartford and the Connecticut National Guard.

Traffic patterns have changed on campus since the end of last season and a portion of Jim Calhoun Way is closed between Separatist Road and the I Lot (adjacent to Freitas Ice Forum) for construction. Gampel Pavilion and the I Lot will remain accessible from Hillside Road and Alumni Drive. The upper entrance to the South Garage will be accessible via Hillside Road while the lower entrance will be accessible via Alumni Drive to Jim Calhoun Way.

The event is open to the public, with free admission and doors opening at 5:30 p.m.

Promotions, on-court entertainment, and the pre-show party will begin at 6 p.m. with First Night officially beginning at 7 p.m.

Event parking in the North and South garages will be available for $5. Fans are encouraged to arrive as early as possible to avoid congestion due to on-campus construction. Access to campus via Separatist Road – Jim Calhoun Way is not possible. There is directional signage for all other routes through campus.

Some First Night favorites make a return: an exclusive poster, the first 300 fans to sign up at the south entrance can participate in a "selfie session" with both teams, a drumline performance, additional giveaways, contests, and more.

Both the men's and women's players will once again be divided into Blue and White teams. A new feature for this year is a score that will be kept between both teams throughout the entire night, including all skills challenges and scrimmages. When fans arrive, they can pick which team they think will win by selecting either a Blue or White raffle ticket. Each fan who picks the winning team will receive a door prize when exiting the arena and also be entered to win one of the grand prizes – a pair of season tickets to both men's and women's basketball, a UConn Bookstore gift pack, or a new TV.

New for First Night 2018 is a 3-versus-3 scrimmage featuring men's action, women's action, and combined action. Ayo & Teo, a music duo known best for the hit "Rolex," will perform for students from 6:10to 6:40 p.m.

In addition, the players will participate in a three-point contest, half-court shot challenge, and a dance-off. The entertainment is starting earlier with a pre-show party beginning at 6 p.m.

The UConn Athletics bag policy will be in effect. Backpacks and bags larger than 12-by-12-by-6 will not be permitted in Gampel Pavilion.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors will be closed when Gampel reaches capacity.

In order to monitor capacity, free admission tickets will be distributed outside of the Gampel entrances which will be scanned upon entry into the arena.

Students should enter through north and east entrances only. The general public can enter through the North, East and South entrances.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel

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