This Is Minneapolis's 4th Time Hosting Final Four
Minneapolis (WCCO) – While the Final Four is still here in Minneapolis and fans are coming in to celebrate, Minneapolis has a history with the basketball tournament.
The Final Four has come to Minneapolis three times previously before -- in 1951, 1992 and 2001.
In 1951 the championship game was hosted in Williams Arena with Kentucky going against Kansas State. Kentucky beat Kansas State 68 to 58, now Kentucky has eight championships with their last one coming in 2012.
The championship came back to Minneapolis in 1992 at the Metrodome, featuring Duke and Michigan. Duke won 71 to 51 becoming the first back to back champions since the 1970s.
Nine years later, the championship once again came back to the Metrodome with Duke going against Arizona in 2001. Duke had won yet again with the scoring of 82 to 72.
This year, the championship game is on Apr. 8 at the US Bank Stadium. Connor Sports, of Chicago, created the hard maple court which is made up of 397 4-by-7 panels, each weighing 188 pounds. Over the past five months, the wood has been conditioned and tested. The same company that made this court makes the floors for the entire NCAA tournament, and also the NBA.
