RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is set to kick-off basketball season with UTRGV Madness, presented by Visit South Padre Island, on Friday at 9 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
 
Pre-Party Madness will take place outside the UTRGV Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.
 
Current UTRGV students coming from Brownsville can catch a ride on a bus, courtesy of RGV Tours, by registering at GoUTRGV.com/Bus. All bus riders are guaranteed a UTRGV Madness t-shirt.
 
Additionally, the first 1,000 current UTRGV students at Pre-Party Madness will get a UTRGV Madness t-shirt. The t-shirt giveaway, along with lawn games, bubble party and inflatable photo opportunity space, will be located on the walkway in between EHPE 1 and EHPE 2.
 
UTRGV Madness is the first opportunity for the campus and community to get a look at the UTRGV basketball teams. Both squads will be introduced to the fans and players will take part in 3-point, free throw and slam dunk contests. During the free throw contest, random students will be selected to compete with the players for the chance to win a prize from Vaquero Outfitters. Additionally, the head coaches will take part in a putt-putt contest with each coach representing half of the fieldhouse. The side represented by the winning coach will get a t-shirt toss.
 
UTRGV Madness also features the annual student organization dance competition, with six cash prizes being provided by Texas Regional Bank for the best choreography, best music mix, most creative attire, best rookie organization, best Greek organization, and the people's choice award winner.
 
Fans will also have the chance to win prizes during UTRGV Madness, as in addition to the free throw contest, there will be a game of musical chairs to win a weekend on South Padre Island, courtesy of Visit South Padre Island, two $50 gift cards to Wing Barn, and Beats headphones from UTRGV Campus Stores.
 
UTRGV students can also enter to win an iPad, courtesy of UTRGV Campus Stores, that will be raffled off at the end of UTRGV Madness.
 
Pre-Party Madness features a performance by Ricky J and the Desert Bloom in Schlotzsky's Vaquero Village from 7-to-9 p.m. Fans can also win money in the Texas Regional Bank cash machine.
 
For more information, visit UTRGV.edu/Madness.

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