Photo: Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin men's basketball team (25-9) received the No. 8 seed in the East Region and will face ninth-seeded Virginia Tech (22-10) in the opening round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament on Thursday at approximately 8:40 p.m. (CT) on CBS in Buffalo, New York. The game time will be announced later Sunday evening.
Wisconsin is making its 19th-consecutive trip to The Big Dance, the fourth-longest active streak and the fifth-longest in the history of the NCAA tournament.
UW and Virginia Tech have played just once previously when the Badgers pulled off a 74-72 win in Blacksburg, Virginia, in the 2008 Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Wisconsin is making its 23rd all-time NCAA tournament appearance, owning a program record of 36-21 (.630) in the tournament. The Badgers have reached the Sweet 16 or better in each of the last three seasons, the nation's only team to make that claim. Wisconsin's 11 NCAA tournament wins over the last three seasons are also tops in the NCAA.
Overall, the Badgers have also advanced to the Sweet 16 or better in five of the last six years and nine times since 2000.
The winner of the opening-round matchup will face the winner of a game between No. 1 seed Villanova and No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary's or New Orleans in the round of 32 on Saturday, March 18.
Virginia Tech is making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007. This will be the Hokies' ninth appearance, owning a record of 6-8 in The Big Dance.
For more on Wisconsin: