LAS VEGAS, Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year, Las Vegas hosts the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue launch featuring two days of parties and special events. Earlier today, cover girl Kate Upton, along with the other stunning ladies of the special issue offered a salute to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball conference championships with a fun photo opportunity at the iconic "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign that saw them turn in their bikini tops for athletic jerseys.

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Widely known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas is also a top sports destination, hosting a multitude of professional and collegiate events throughout the year, including four college basketball championships next month. Showing off their best jump shot and dressed in jerseys representing schools from the participating NCAA conferences, which include Pac-12, Mountain West Conference, West Coast Conference and Western Athletic Conference, the swimsuit beauties paid homage to Sports Illustrated's historic college basketball reporting and the destination's devoted basketball roots.

Joining the Sports Illustrated models was the University of Nevada, Las Vegas mascot Hey Reb! Under an oversized "Only-Vegas" hoop, Hey Reb! countered the models with his best half-court shot.

The annual college basketball frenzy will tip off next month. From viewing parties to the conference championships taking place in Las Vegas, LasVegas.com is a one-stop destination for information and tickets.

Journalists and news organizations can access hi-resolution photos and HD video of current Las Vegas events at www.thenewsmarket.com/LVCVA.

ABOUT THE LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center.  With 151,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and 10.6 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area.  For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.LasVegas.com.

SOURCE The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)