Andrew Pace
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is an annual event that pits 64 teams against each other in a single-elimination format for a $1 million grand prize. The 2023 edition, which was the 10th anniversary of the tournament, saw several upsets and surprises, with no dominant men's team emerging. The women's tournament also showcased newfound parity, with surprises of its own. The men's and women's tournaments truly lived up to the March Madness nickname. The 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament began on March 14, 2023, and concluded with the UConn Huskies defeating the San Diego State Aztecs in the championship game on April 3. The women's Final Four included Iowa, LSU, and the eventual champion, South Carolina.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Tournament | NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament |
| No. of Teams | 68 |
| Nicknames | March Madness, The Big Dance |
| Teams Remaining | 16 |
| Top Contenders | Duke, Auburn, Houston, Florida |
| Previous Winner | Florida Gators |
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What You'll Learn
The 16 teams left in the Men's NCAA Tournament
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The 68-team format was adopted in 2011, with four teams being eliminated in the opening round, leaving 64 teams for the first round.
- Duke, who are currently the top team in the country and have the best adjusted offensive efficiency of any team since 1997.
- Auburn, who are one of the four favourites and are still in contention.
- Houston, who also remain in the tournament and were one of the four favourites.
- Florida, who are the third favourite and have an efficient offence, although their defence has shown some vulnerability.
- Kentucky, who have the emerging talent of Collin Chandler, a freshman from Utah, who has scored 15 points in two tournament games.
- Tennessee, who play a slower style of basketball, with a focus on half-court play rather than creating transition opportunities.
- Maryland, who Florida may face before the Final Four.
- Texas Tech, who Florida may also face before the Final Four.
These teams, along with the other eight remaining teams, are all tough competitors and have a legitimate shot at winning the tournament.
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The Basketball Tournament (TBT)
The tournament uses a modified version of the NCAA men's basketball rules. Some of the notable exceptions include playing in 9-minute quarters instead of 20-minute halves, and players fouling out after their 6th personal foul instead of the 5th. TBT has attracted the participation of several current and former NBA and WNBA players, such as Hakim Warrick, Jason Williams, Dahntay Jones, Mike Bibby, Nikki Teasley, and Greg Oden.
The championship prize money has varied over the years, starting at $500,000 in 2014 and increasing to $1 million in 2015. From 2016 to 2019, the prize money was $2 million, before returning to $1 million in 2020. The prize money is awarded to the winning team's personnel, and there are also prizes for fans who submit the top-scoring bracket entries.
TBT 2025, marking the 12th year of the tournament, is expected to feature exciting host sites and competitive teams. The tournament will be played across eight regions around the country from July 18 to August 3, with tickets going on sale on May 6. Featured teams include Best Virginia (West Virginia University alumni) in the West Virginia Regional, AfterShocks (Wichita State alumni) in the Wichita Regional, and JHX Hoops (Kansas University alumni) in the Kansas City Regional. Returning players include Sean McDermott for Butler’s alumni team and Montrezl Harrell for Louisville’s alumni team.
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NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament that determines the champion of Division I, the highest level of play in the NCAA. The media often describes the winner as the national champion of college basketball. The first NCAA tournament was organized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 1939, with Oregon defeating Ohio State in the championship game. From 1939 to 1950, the NCAA tournament consisted of eight teams, each selected from a geographical district.
The 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament that determined the NCAA Division I men's basketball national champion for the 2022-23 season. This was the 84th edition of the tournament. Connecticut emerged as the champion, defeating San Diego State in the final. Interestingly, this was the first NCAA tournament in which none of the top seeds made it to the Elite Eight.
The 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was also a single-elimination tournament, crowning the NCAA Division I men's college basketball national champion for the 2024-25 season. This was the 86th edition of the tournament. Out of 355 eligible Division I teams, 68 participated in the tournament. The teams came from 35 states and the District of Columbia, with 31 automatic bids awarded to conference tournament winners and the remaining 37 bids issued "at-large."
Over the years, the NCAA Tournament has undergone various changes, such as allowing multiple teams per conference starting in 1975 and barring universities from playing in other tournaments like the NIT if they were invited to the NCAA Tournament from 1971. The tournament has also faced controversies, including the Syracuse University athletics scandal and the 2013 championship won by Louisville, which was later vacated due to a sex scandal.
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NCAA tournament rules and selection
The NCAA Basketball Tournament, also known as "March Madness", is the annual centerpiece of the college basketball championship season. 68 men's teams and 68 women's teams compete in knockout brackets for the national title. The selection process for these teams is shrouded in secrecy, with many calling for greater transparency.
Currently, 31 teams gain automatic entry by winning their conference championships. The remaining 37 teams are selected by the NCAA selection committee, made up of athletic directors and conference commissioners. This committee also selects four additional teams, the "First Four Out", who do not qualify for the tournament but are placed as top seeds in the National Invitation Tournament.
The selection process involves various factors, including the quality of wins and losses, how teams perform on the road and at neutral courts, strength of conference and schedule, and record against other selected tournament teams. The NCAA uses a quadrant system to classify individual wins and losses, taking into account the location of the game and the ranking of the opponent in the NET (initially adopted for men's basketball and later for women's).
While the specific criteria for seeding teams remain largely unknown, the committee considers regional brackets and seeding, taking into account geographical regions and potential matchups. They also factor in how the teams were ranked in the voting process. The selection process primarily takes place on Selection Sunday and the days leading up to it, with brackets and seeds released to the public.
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History of the NCAA tournament
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The tournament, which usually takes place in March, consists of 68 teams and was first held in 1939. The idea for the tournament was conceived by Ohio State coach Harold Olsen, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches operated the first tournament for the NCAA.
The first tournament in 1939 featured eight teams, and Oregon emerged as the champion, beating Ohio State 46-33 in the final. From 1939 to 1950, the tournament consisted of eight teams, with each selected from a geographical district. The tournament expanded to 16 teams in 1951, doubled to 32 teams in 1975, and then to 64 teams in 1985. In 2001, an opening-round game was introduced, bringing the total number of teams to 65. The tournament expanded once more in 2011, adding three more games to the opening round for a total of 68 teams.
The term "March Madness" was first used in reference to basketball by an Illinois high school official, Henry V. Porter, in 1939. However, it did not become associated with the NCAA tournament until Brent Musberger used it during the coverage of the 1982 tournament. The NCAA introduced a new "NCAA March Madness" logo in 2016 for tournament-wide branding, which included bespoke tourney-exclusive courts at each venue.
The NCAA tournament has become a significant part of American popular culture, with bracket contests awarding prizes for correctly predicting game outcomes. The tournament is also known for its upsets of favoured teams, with lower-ranked teams occasionally defeating higher-ranked opponents.
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Frequently asked questions
The final four teams in the 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament were Florida Atlantic, Wichita State, San Diego State, and Miami (FL).
The final four teams in the 2023 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament were Iowa, LSU, Connecticut, and the University of Miami.
The UConn Huskies won the 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, defeating the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 in the championship game.
The final was held at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
