The Minnesota boys basketball state tournament arrived a week later than usual in March because the Gophers had Williams Arena reserved for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

Now the girls state high school basketball tournament has new scheduling challenges, too.

The Gophers have reserved Williams Arena again for the first and second rounds of the 2027 NCAA women’s tournament beginning March 17, and it’s the same week the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) will hold the 2027 girls basketball state tourney, March 17-20.

Adding to the MSHSL’s difficulties, the NCAA, back in 2024, picked Minneapolis to host the first two rounds of the 2027 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. That will be that same crowded weekend (March 19-21), at Target Center.

“The current projection is that the NCAA first round in the women’s tournament would conflict with our girls tournament next year,” MSHSL executive director Erich Martens told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “So, we’re working on that right now.”

The MSHSL approved its full 2026-2027 activity schedule Tuesday, April 7, with the boys basketball state tournament in a familiar position, on March 24-27, one week after the girls state tournament. The MSHSL has not yet listed a host venue for the boys tournament.

The MSHSL could need a change of venue for the girls state tournament, with Target Center and Williams Arena booked on the same weekend. One new option is the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena on the St. Thomas campus in St. Paul.

The MSHSL didn’t hold a basketball game at Anderson Arena in March, but it did house one of the boys hockey section finals — Rosemount over St. Thomas Academy in Class 2A, Section 3— at Anderson Arena last month. In March, the MSHSL held girls state tournament games at Williams Arena, Maturi Pavilion and Concordia University-St. Paul’s Gangelhoff Center.

“We’ve had to make more adjustments, maybe than we prefer, but I think we generally do it well,” Martens said.

Other MSHSL state tournament dates finalized for the 2026-27 school year included:

• Girls volleyball: Nov. 11-13 at Grand Casino Arena
• Prep Bowl: Nov. 27-28 at U.S Bank Stadium
• Girls hockey: Feb 24-27 at Grand Casino Arena
• Wrestling: March 3-6 at Grand Casino Arena
• Boys hockey: March 10-13 at Grand Casino Arena

Finding venues for the 2027 girls and boys basketball state tournaments aren’t the only actions on the MSHSL’s to-do list. League officials plan to make as many as six site visits in April to choose a new state cross-country course, with the University of Minnesota trying to sell Les Bolstad Golf Course. The MSHSL wants to pick a new venue in May with approval expected at the June 2 board meeting.