It’s TSSAA high school basketball tournament time in Middle Tennessee, and MTSU once again is making a few temporary parking and traffic changes to accommodate its guests and neighbors.

The TSSAA Division I High School Basketball Tournaments are set March 10-13 for the girls and March 17-20 for the boys inside Murphy Center’s Hale/Earle Arena on the northwest corner of the MTSU campus.

As a result, motorists traveling around and on campus should be aware of some factors affecting MTSU roads and parking.

• MTSU’s Rutherford Boulevard entrance will be the most convenient campus entry point during the tournament, university officials said.

• The Greenland Drive parking lot will be reserved for TSSAA ticket holders during both tournaments. Students and faculty who use the Greenland Drive lot should prepare now to find alternative parking on campus, including the Tennessee Livestock Pavilion lot off Greenland Drive and the Rutherford Boulevard and MTSU parking lots.

MTSU and the TSSAA are limiting attendance at the tournaments to follow state COVID-19 capacity restrictions. Participating high schools are distributing game tickets first to the athletes and their families; public ticket information will be available at TSSAASports.com.

University officials are encouraging motorists to allow extra time to reach their destinations while passing by or traveling to campus because of tournament traffic congestion. Campus motorists also should use the university’s perimeter parking lots and the Raider Xpress shuttle service during the tournaments.

MTSU mascot Lightning strides across East Main Street in this file photo. Lightning and the rest of the university will be welcoming the 2021 TSSAA Division I high school basketball tournaments to campus March 10-13 and March 17-20. (MTSU file photo by Kimi Conro/photo illustration by News and Media Relations)

MTSU students will have a study day Friday, March 12, during the first TSSAA tournament, and no classes will be held. University offices will be open regular hours during the tournaments.

During the TSSAA tournaments March 10-13 and March 17-20, the Raider Xpress shuttles will be operating, but the “Green Route” will not serve the Greenland Drive parking lot.

Other events scheduled on campus during the tournaments will have first-come, first-served parking in any of MTSU’s free lots, based on availability. Visitors will need parking passes on class days.

A searchable campus map is available here.

For more information about MTSU traffic, parking and road closures, call the MTSU Parking and Transportation Services Office at 615-898-2850 or visit www.mtsu.edu/parking. For more information about the TSSAA state tournaments, visit www.tssaa.org or call 615-889-6740.

— Gina E. Fann (gina.fann@mtsu.edu)