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Why is the First Four in Dayton?

The First Four (and the play-in games before it) have all been in Dayton. But why?

There is NCAA Tournament basketball being played tonight in perhaps an unlikely location: Dayton, Ohio. Sure, they're the play-in games, or the First Four, but that's still a meaningful of the bracket.

But why do we have play-in games to begin with? Let's blame New Mexico. Or praise them, if you're into this sort of thing.

Back in 1999, the behemoth that was the WAC split, with half the teams electing to start their own conference, the Mountain West Conference.