INDIANAPOLIS — After a few days off, downtown Indy is back to basketball and the NCAA tournament this weekend.
The bracket has just 16 teams left standing, including the Loyola Chicago Ramblers. As an 8-seed, they're hoping to continue another fairytale run toward the Final Four with two Hoosiers along for the ride.
For most of the coaches and players in town, Indianapolis is just the site of the NCAA tournament. But for Loyola's Tate Hall and Will Alcock, Indy is also home. As lifelong Colts fans, getting to practice inside Lucas Oil Stadium holds a little extra meaning.
"Being in Indy, I love being in Indy. Really comfortable here," guard/forward Hall said. "Been here my whole life, so being in the NCAA tournament here, it's been awesome."
Hall played his high school ball at Greenfield-Central and started his college career at UIndy.
Meanwhile, forward Alcock is a former Zionsville Eagle.
"Me and Tate actually talked about when they announced the Final Four would be here how awesome it would be to be at that, then when they announced the whole tournament would be here, we're like 'Oh, we have to have some part in that.'"
The guys may be back at home — their hotel is just 30 minutes away from their respective cities — but like everyone else, they're stuck inside the bubble, unable to see anyone.
"My parents have walked by the morning of games to give me a wave from below the hotel," Alcock said. "My brother works on the east side, so I keep bugging him to bring me some coffee or something to drop off."
Hall said he usually tries to find his family during warmups.
"That kind of puts me at ease. These games have a lot of pressure and stress going into these big games. So once I see them, I'm at ease."
Even though they have to keep the distance, Hall and Alcock say they're still feeling the love from their communities.
"Zionsville's been great," Alcock said. He said he's been getting tweets, texts, emails from all around.
"Our athletic director, he's really reached out to me, made sure the whole town of Greenfield is witnessing this," Hall said.
Loyola is heading to the Sweet 16 this weekend — a trip made even sweeter for the two Indy natives in their own backyard.
"Everyone in the state of Indiana would love to go as far as they can in the tournament, but to have it here makes it even that much more special," Alcock said. "And at all these sites I grew up going to games, whether it be Hinkle or Bankers Life or Lucas Oil, but that's an added bonus to this all."