College Basketball in Milwaukee
No sport combines tradition, passion, action and energy quite like college basketball, and no place does it quite like Milwaukee. We’re home to Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, two proud NCAA Division I programs. You can join the excitement in so many places, whether in person at the arenas or at tons of popular hot spots across the city. Here’s how you can be a part of the citywide celebrations of our college hoops teams.
Campus Pride & College Spirit
Marquette University, located just west of downtown Milwaukee, is known throughout the college basketball world for its storied history and tradition of success. Longtime hoops fans will remember when colorful coach Al McGuire led Marquette to the 1977 national championship.
Top coaches like Tom Crean, Buzz Williams and current head coach Shaka Smart have ensured Marquette is a perennial NCAA tourney team and Big East championship contender. As a member of the Big East Conference, the Golden Eagles play against some of the country’s toughest competition, keeping fans on the edge of their Fiserv Forum seats as they chant “We Are Marquette!”
The university also has a standout women’s basketball program that has frequently floated into the top 25 in recent years and has become a consistent presence in the NCAA Tournament over the decades. The Golden Eagles women’s team began competing in the 1970s and has since earned 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently during the 2023-2024 season. They compete at the Al McGuire Center and continue to build on a strong legacy with multiple conference championships and postseason successes.
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, or UWM, sits a few minutes north of downtown, and its residential neighborhood campus is just a short walk from Lake Michigan. Known as a world-class research university, UWM has also carved out a reputation for itself as a successful mid-major college basketball program.
The men’s team splits games between the raucous Klotche Center on campus and the historic UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena downtown, the site of the Milwaukee Bucks’ first championship in 1971. Nationally renowned coaches Bo Ryan and Bruce Pearl got their starts here, and Pearl brought UWM its first NCAA Sweet 16 berth in 2005. Current coach Bart Lundy became the school’s first Division 1 men’s basketball coach to post 20-win seasons in his first three years.
UWM’s women’s basketball program brings its own proud history to the court as well. The Panthers have competed at the Division I level since 1990 and have earned multiple conference titles, including NCAA Tournament appearances in 2001 and 2006. The team plays at the Klotsche Center and maintains a strong presence in the Horizon League under longtime head coach Kyle Rechlicz.
Milwaukee’s collegiate spirit doesn’t end there; the region is home to several other colleges and universities that contribute to the city’s dynamic campus atmosphere.
College Basketball Stadiums
Whether you prefer your arenas to be steeped in history or practically new, Milwaukee has you covered. Since first opening its doors in 2018, Fiserv Forum has hosted Marquette’s men’s basketball team and its loyal fanbase, and you won’t find a better place to watch a ballgame. All 17,000-plus seats offer great sightlines, and most are in the arena’s lower bowl, giving you the feeling of being right on top of the action.
Marquette’s Al McGuire Center is a state‑of‑the‑art athletic complex, featuring a 3,700‑seat arena that hosts women’s basketball and women’s volleyball. Opened in 2003, the facility also houses a full‑size practice gym, intercollegiate athletics offices, and essential student‑athlete resources, including strength and conditioning spaces, sports medicine suites and academic support services.
Just a block away, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena has hosted basketball games since 1950, including when it was known as the MECCA and home to the Milwaukee Bucks. Renovations through the years have maintained its old-school charm and intimate fan experience while adding state-of-the-art technology and conveniences. Fitting 10,783 fans, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house.
Located on the UWM campus, the Klotsche Center is a 3,500‑seat multi‑purpose arena that has supported Panther athletics since its opening in 1977. It is home to Milwaukee women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and track and field and serves as a major practice facility within the greater UWM Pavilion complex.
Popular Pregame & Postgame Spots
Before and after the game, celebrate the moment at one of the many great bars and pubs near these venues, which are about a block apart from each other. Major Goolsby’s is just across the street from UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, and fans have flocked there since 1972 for great drinks and food, more than 60 TVs and walls shrouded in Milwaukee sports history.
More bars and restaurants are found along Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. in the Old World Third Street Entertainment downtown. Oak Barrel Public House features a tantalizing selection of craft beers, whisky and comfort food like pizza and burgers. As the name implies, Milwaukee Brat House is the go-to choice for delicious, old-world style sausage and ice-cold beers to wash them down. And Uncle Buck’s pairs the great views of a dynamic rooftop bar with Northwoods chill and high-end pub fare.
Nearby in the Deer District, Tom’s Watch Bar brings a high‑energy sports‑viewing experience with wall‑to‑wall 360° screens, elevated game‑day fare and prime proximity to the plaza outside of Fiserv Forum. The New Fashioned adds a playful twist with a 50‑tap pour wall, classic Wisconsin comfort foods like butter burgers and cheese curds and locally-inspired games like dartball, bowling and all-season curling. And next door, Drink Wisconsinbly Pub celebrates local culture with Wisconsin‑made beverages and a relaxed, tailgate‑style atmosphere.
You can also enjoy the games from afar at more great sports bars. Steny’s Tavern is known for serving great wings and award-winning Bloody Marys in an old-school tavern atmosphere. Nomad World Pub offers more than 120 beers and expansive patios to enjoy them on.
Jack’s American Pub brings a two‑story sports‑bar atmosphere to Brady Street, with 30 HD TVs, including two massive 200‑inch screens, and a menu known for wings and specialty burgers. And Who’s on Third provides a classic sports‑bar setting with plenty of TVs, cold beer, and a spirited downtown crowd.
Make Every Game Count
Whoever you cheer for and however you like to do it, Milwaukee is a top spot to soak up the passionate culture of college basketball. Packed arenas and time‑honored traditions, pregame and postgame rituals, all showcase a city where the love for the game runs deep. Make your plans for your slam-dunk trip today.