Pit to host men's tourney games in 2012

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - University Arena, better known as The Pit, will play host to first- and second-round games for the 2012 NCAA men's basketball championship.

Four games are scheduled for March 15, 2012, and two on March 17, 2012, according to a news release from the University of New Mexico.

This will be the first time since 2005 that The Pit will host games in the men's tournament.

Paul Krebs, the university's vice president for athletics, said the games will bring in $2 million to $3 million to the Albuquerque area economy.

"This would not have happened without the commitment from Gov. (Bill) Richardson and the state Legislature," Krebs is quoted as saying in the news release. "The NCAA men's basketball tournament was not coming back to The Pit without the renovations that are currently being made, so the return on the investment is already being seen."

The Pit just began $60 million in renovations.