CLEVELAND -- They could have been sent to sunny Tucson, Ariz., or to relatively nearby Worcester, Mass. But they weren't.
Instead the Penn men's basketball team will play its first NCAA Tournament game in Cleveland -- the city of the Indians, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and, of course, The Drew Carey Show.
So if you're planning on making the over 400-mile trek across Pennsylvania to watch the Quakers in their opening round game against Boston College, here is how you can spend your time in Ohio:
Today
If you're planning on driving to Cleveland, make sure you leave early, as the trip down the Pennsylvania Turnpike takes around seven hours to complete. It behooves you to bring your iPod, CDs or books on tape for the drive, as the trip can be rather tedious.
There's not much to see on the drive. The highlights are definitely the tunnels through the Allegheny Mountains and a great shot of Three Mile Island, which is on your left as you pass the exits for Harrisburg.
Be sure to bring two singles, as the Ohio Turnpike does not accept EZ Pass.
For fans who are flying to the city, take the Regional Transit Authority train from the airport to downtown Cleveland. Buy an all-day pass for $3, since a one-way trip costs $1.50.
Fans that arrive early should head over to the Wolstein Center, host site of the NCAA Tournament, to watch Penn practice from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Then return to the arena at 3:10 p.m. to scout BC during their open practice.
The rest of the afternoon is a perfect time to head over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum located on the shore of Lake Erie. Currently, the museum is showcasing a special exhibit, "The Genius of Ray Charles."
Ever wonder why the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is located in Cleveland? It's because local DJ Alan Freed hosted the first ever rock concert in the city in 1952. Freed is credited with coining the term "rock and roll."
If the museum puts you in a musical mood, walk to Fat Fish Blue -- a Creole restaurant featuring live blues artists every day of the week except for Mondays. Tonight, local legend Robert Lockwood, Jr., will be playing with his eight-piece band. The show starts at 8 p.m.
Tomorrow
It's Tournament time. A ticket to Penn's game gets you into the arena at noon, where No. 5 Alabama will take on No. 12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Quakers will take on the Eagles 30 minutes after that game ends. It is predicted that Penn will tip off at 2:55 p.m.
To celebrate a Penn upset or to drown your sorrows after a BC victory, head over to Alice Coopers'town, on the corner of East 9th Street and Bolivar Avenue. The sports bar -- located near the Wolstein Center, as are Jacobs Field and Gund Arena -- is run by legendary rocker Alice Cooper (also of Wayne's World fame).
If you've got deep pockets, you can try to scalp tickets to the night games in Cleveland. No. 2 Wake Forest will play No. 15 Chattanooga at 7:10, followed by No. 7 West Virginia against No. 10 Creighton.
And if you're looking to totally escape from basketball, try and get tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld. He's doing stand-up at Playhouse Square Center -- the nation's second-largest performing arts complex -- tomorrow night.
Friday
Win or lose, Penn is definitely not playing a game Friday. If you don't want to stay in your hotel room and watch basketball games on TV all day, you could take the hour-long trip south to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Hey, how many other times are you going to be in Ohio with nothing to do?
Even if the Quakers lose and you want to head home on Friday, you can make the stop in Canton on your way. It will only make the trip slightly longer.
At 7 p.m., if you're missing Philadelphia, head over to Gund Arena to watch Lebron James and the Cavaliers take on Allen Iverson and the Sixers.
Saturday
If you're still in Ohio on Saturday, that probably means that Penn is still alive in the Tournament. If so, spend your morning at Tower City Center, which features better shopping than any place in Center City, Philadelphia. The mall is also hosting the 29th Annual Cleveland International Film Festival this week.
Penn's second round game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Students who purchased tickets to the Quakers' opening round matchup are guaranteed tickets to this game if Penn wins. That ticket is also good for the winners of the Wake Forest/Chattanooga and West Virginia/Creighton matchup.
After the game, visit the Velvet Dog in the trendy Warehouse District. The three-story dance club comes highly recommended. There you can celebrate Penn's shocking run to the Sweet 16 or at least take satisfaction in the team's first-round upset.
Sunday
If you're lucky, you'll be booking a trip to Chicago for Penn's third game of the Tournament. The Quakers would play their Sweet 16 game on March 24 at DePaul's Allstate Arena.
Either way, you'll be heading back to Philadelphia on this day. Say goodbye to Ohio because you'll probably not be coming back for quite some time.
