Amanda Knapp
March Madness is the annual college basketball tournament hosted by the NCAA. The tournament spans from mid-March to early April and has been held since 1939, when Oregon beat Ohio State to take home the first-ever tournament title. The term March Madness was first used in the world of basketball by Henry V. Porter, assistant executive secretary of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), in a 1939 issue of the IHSA magazine, Illinois High School Athlete. The phrase, however, did not become associated with the NCAA Tournament until 1982, when CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger used it during his coverage of the tournament.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Mid-March to early April |
| History | The term was first used in 1939 by Henry V. Porter, an Illinois high school athletics administrator, in reference to the annual statewide high school basketball tournament. In 1982, CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger used the term during his coverage of the NCAA Tournament, and it has been associated with the tournament ever since. |
| Teams | 68 teams compete in the tournament, with 8 teams participating in play-in games to make the official first-round field of 64. |
| Structure | The tournament is single-elimination, with teams advancing through rounds such as the First Four, Sweet 16, Elite 8, and Final Four, until a national champion is crowned. |
| Terminology | Bracketology: The practice of predicting and tracking the process of elimination among sequentially paired opponents in a tournament. Cinderella: A team that performs much better than expected, especially if they are a low-seeded team. BPI: College Basketball's Power Index, a statistic that measures a team's performance and projects their future success. |
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What You'll Learn
The origins of the phrase 'March Madness'
The origins of the phrase "March Madness" can be traced back to the 1900s, when it was used to describe "a form of madness or uncharacteristic behaviour said to affect people in March", according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). The phrase is thought to be connected to the older expression "mad as a March hare", which may have originated from the erratic and tempestuous weather of the season or the behaviour of hares during this time.
In the sports world, the phrase "March Madness" is synonymous with the annual college basketball tournament hosted by the NCAA, which usually takes place from mid-March to early April. The tournament began in 1939 with eight teams, and Oregon beat Ohio State to become the first-ever tournament champion.
However, the term "March Madness" was not associated with the NCAA Tournament until 1982, when CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger used it during his coverage of the tournament. Musburger first encountered the term while covering Illinois state high school basketball tournaments, where it had been in use since the 1940s. The phrase was coined by Henry V. Porter, an assistant executive secretary of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and a former teacher and coach. In a March 1939 issue of the IHSA magazine, Porter wrote about how fans eagerly anticipated the annual statewide high school basketball tournament, stating that "a little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel". In 1942, he further elaborated on this idea in a poem titled "Basketball Ides of March".
The NCAA eventually trademarked the phrase and now uses it as an official term to refer to and promote the tournament, which has become known for its exciting and unpredictable games.
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The Selection Committee
The selection process typically begins in Indianapolis, where the committee undergoes an orientation process that includes a scaled-down selection, seeding, and bracketing exercise. This preparatory step helps new committee members especially, gain a practical understanding of the upcoming tasks. The committee then moves to New York City, where the intense selection process unfolds over five days. During this period, the committee members cast hundreds of ballots and engage in vigorous debates to determine the final bracket of 68 tournament teams.
Selection Sunday is a highly anticipated day for basketball fans and marks the culmination of the committee's efforts. On this day, the committee announces the full NCAA tournament bracket, revealing all the teams and their seeds. The announcement generates excitement and speculation among fans, who eagerly fill in their brackets and make predictions. The selection process for the women's tournament has evolved, with selections now announced on Sunday evening after the men's announcement.
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Bracketology
The annual college basketball tournament hosted by the NCAA, March Madness, is a highly anticipated event that spans from mid-March to early April. The tournament features 68 teams playing in a single-elimination format, with fans eagerly filling out brackets to predict the outcomes. This practice of predicting the field, seeding, and outcomes for all games in the tournament is known as "Bracketology."
The Selection Committee, a 10-member group of school and conference administrators, plays a crucial role in March Madness. They are responsible for selecting, seeding, and bracketing the field for the tournament. The committee takes into account a range of statistics and terms, such as KPI, BPI, SOS, and SOR, to make informed decisions.
BPI, or College Basketball's Power Index, is a significant factor in bracketology. It measures a team's performance relative to the average, projecting their potential success. The index considers both offensive and defensive strengths, providing valuable insights for analysts and fans alike.
While bracketology is a fun and engaging aspect of March Madness, it is also a challenging endeavour. The unpredictable nature of the tournament, with its Cinderella stories and bracket busters, makes it exciting for fans. The anticipation and suspense of each game keep viewers on the edge of their seats, contributing to the "madness" of the season.
In summary, Bracketology is an integral part of the March Madness experience, combining statistics, analysis, and fan enthusiasm to create a highly anticipated annual event in the world of college basketball.
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Cinderella teams
March Madness is the annual college basketball tournament hosted by the NCAA, spanning from mid-March to early April. The term "March Madness" was first associated with the tournament in 1982 when CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger used it during his coverage.
March Madness has become synonymous with Cinderella stories and underdog teams making deep runs in the tournament. A "Cinderella team" is one that achieves much more success than expected, mirroring the fairy tale story of Cinderella. These teams capture the imaginations of fans and create memorable moments in the tournament's history.
- Saint Peter's Peacocks (2022): The 15th-seeded Saint Peter's Peacocks became the first team at that seed to reach the Elite Eight, shocking higher-ranked opponents like Kentucky along the way.
- George Mason (2006): As an 11th seed, George Mason's journey to the Final Four in 2006 is considered one of the greatest Cinderella stories in March Madness history. They defeated several highly-ranked programs, including Michigan State, North Carolina, and top-seeded Connecticut.
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) (2011): VCU became the first team to advance from the "First Four" to the Final Four, winning five consecutive games, four of them by double-digit margins.
- Oral Roberts (2022): The 15th-seeded Oral Roberts pulled off an upset win over Ohio State and then narrowly lost to Arkansas in the Sweet 16, capturing the essence of a Cinderella story.
- Villanova (1985): Although details are scarce, Villanova's 1985 championship run is mentioned as an example of a Cinderella story, as they became the lowest-seeded team to win the title.
These Cinderella teams embody the unpredictable and thrilling nature of March Madness, where upsets and dramatic victories captivate fans and create lasting memories in the world of college basketball.
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The First Four
Historically, the tournament format included 64 teams, but in 2011, the NCAA expanded it to 68 teams, necessitating the creation of the First Four round to narrow the field for the first round. The First Four has provided opportunities for Cinderella stories, with teams like VCU in 2011 and UCLA in 2021 advancing from the First Four to the Final Four.
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Frequently asked questions
March Madness is the annual college basketball tournament hosted by the NCAA, which spans from mid-March to early April.
The term March Madness was first used in the world of basketball by Henry V. Porter, assistant executive secretary of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), in 1939.
The term became associated with the NCAA Tournament in 1982 when CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger used it during his coverage of the tournament.
The selection process for March Madness involves the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Committee selecting, seeding, and bracketing the field for the tournament. The committee consists of 10 members, including school and conference administrators who serve five-year terms.
Currently, 68 teams participate in March Madness, with eight teams competing in play-in games to make it into the official first-round field of 64.
