MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Auburn, Virginia, Michigan State and Texas Tech have arrived in Minneapolis for the Final Four.
Teams will practice on Thursday and hold open-to-the-public workouts on Friday. The national semifinals are on Saturday, when Auburn faces Virginia and Michigan State takes on Texas Tech. The championship game is on Monday.
The last time Minneapolis hosted the Final Four was in 2001, when Duke beat Arizona for the title at the Metrodome. That stadium was torn down in 2014 to make room for U.S. Bank Stadium, the $1.1 billion building that opened in 2016.
Michigan State was in the Final Four in 2001, too, one of 10 times the Spartans have made it. Virginia is making its third appearance. Auburn and Texas Tech are first-timers.
----------
Fans at the Final Four in Minneapolis will find a special food item in honor of each team. Aramark, the concessionaire for U.S. Bank Stadium, announced the signature snacks for the games this weekend.
For Auburn, there are "Tiger Paw Pork Skins," fried and topped with spicy mayonnaise and green onion.
For Michigan State, there's the "Spartan Coney Dog," an all-beef dog with onions, mustard and savory sauce.
For Texas Tech, there's the "Big Tex Nacho," a bowl of nachos topped with chili, sour cream, guacamole and salsa.
And for Virginia, there are "Wahoo Shrimp and Grits," with a creamy red sauce.
