They traveled from across the country to the heart of the Ocean State for one of sport's greatest traditions. March Madness officially kicked off Thursday with first round games. New England once against playing host for the tournament with some of the best in college basketball hitting the court in Providence,

The NCAA men's basketball tournament opening-round games are downtown on March 20 and 22. According to Jonathan Walker, senior director of sports sales for the Rhode Island Sports Commission, over 4,600 hotel rooms in the region have already booked out for March Madness weekend.

Madness has arrived here in Providence with the first round games of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. No one covers Rhode Island's sports scene − from college to high school − better than the team in The Providence Journal sports department.