The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will take over Moncton’s Avenir Centre for the Atlantic Slam basketball tournament this week.

NCAA games have been played in Canada before, but this is the first time Atlantic Canada will play host to a Division 1 basketball tournament.

“We are known for successfully welcoming some of the largest sporting organizations in the world, Adding an NCAA Division 1 event to our list is phenomenal and a testament to the city’s commitment to large events,” said Moncton’s Deputy Mayor Shawn Crossman.

The teams playing include:

• Yale University Bulldogs, Connecticut (Ivy League)
• Garner-Webb University Runnin’ Bulldogs, North Carolina (Big South)
•  Weber State University Wildcats, Utah (Big Sky)
• Colgate University Raiders, New York (Patriot League)

“Kids get exposed to another level of sports is a way to help them find another way to love the game they play,” said Nate Horsman, a coach with Basketball New Brunswick.

“Even if people don’t recognize the teams, after this weekend, those teams will have new fans for a long time.”

The tournament begins on Thursday and runs through Sunday. The full schedule can be found by clicking here.