Amanda Knapp
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament that determines the top college basketball team in the US. The tournament has been held annually since 1939, except in 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent champion is Connecticut, with consecutive wins in 2023 and 2024. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been the most successful college in the tournament's history, winning 11 national titles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | April 5 and 7, 2025 |
| Location | Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas |
| Previous Winners | Connecticut (2023 and 2024), Florida (2025) |
| Most Successful College | UCLA with 11 national titles |
| Second-Most Titles | Kentucky with 8 titles |
| Tied for Third-Most Titles | North Carolina and Connecticut with 6 titles each |
| Tournament Frequency | Annual since 1939, except for 2020 (cancelled due to COVID-19) |
| Number of Teams | 68 |
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What You'll Learn
NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is a single-elimination tournament that determines the top-level champion in NCAA Division I and is often described as the national champion of college basketball. The tournament has been held annually since 1939, except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The field has expanded over time, from eight teams initially to 65 by 2001, and 68 teams as of 2011. Teams can gain entry by winning a conference championship or receiving an at-large bid from a 10-person committee.
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been the most successful college in the tournament's history, winning 11 national titles. Ten of UCLA's championships came in a 12-year stretch from 1964 to 1975, including seven consecutive championships from 1967 to 1973. Kentucky is the second-most successful college with eight titles, followed by North Carolina and Connecticut with six each, and Duke and Indiana with five championships apiece. Connecticut are the reigning champions, having defeated San Diego State in 2023 and Purdue in 2024.
The 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, began on March 16 with Selection Sunday and concluded with the Final Four and National Championship game on April 5 and 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. CBS Sports and Turner Sports broadcast all 67 games of the tournament across their networks and digital platforms.
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Most successful colleges in the NCAA Tournament
UCLA has had the most success in the NCAA Tournament, with 11 titles, including a record-breaking streak of seven in a row from 1964 to 1975. During this period, the Bruins had an overall record of 335-22, a win percentage of .938.
Other successful colleges include Duke, with five championships, and Kentucky, with four. Indiana has won two championships, with the first coming in the second-ever national championship game in 1940. Florida has also had success, with three titles, including back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007, becoming the first repeat champions since Duke in 1991 and 1992.
Connecticut has had the most success this century, with five championships. Villanova has also won three championships, with their first title in 1985 coming as the lowest-seeded team to ever win the tournament.
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Previous winners of the NCAA Tournament
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament for men's college basketball teams in the United States. The winner is considered the national champion of college basketball. The tournament has been held annually since 1939, except in 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oregon won the inaugural tournament, defeating Ohio State 46-33 in the championship game. In the early years, the NCAA Tournament was considered less important than the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), a New York City-based event. Teams could compete in both tournaments, and three teams that did so—Utah in 1944, Kentucky in 1949, and the City College of New York (CCNY) in 1950—won the NCAA Tournament. Notably, the 1949-50 CCNY team won both tournaments, becoming the only college basketball team to achieve this double. By the mid-1950s, the NCAA Tournament had surpassed the NIT in prestige, and in 1971, the NCAA barred universities from participating in other tournaments.
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been the most successful college in the tournament's history, winning 11 national titles. Ten of these championships came in a dominant 12-year stretch from 1964 to 1975, including seven consecutive championships from 1967 to 1973. Kentucky is the second-most successful college, with eight titles, followed by North Carolina and Connecticut with six championships each. Duke and Indiana have each won five titles.
The most recent champions as of 2024 are Connecticut, who won consecutive tournaments in 2023 and 2024, defeating San Diego State and Purdue, respectively.
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Teams that have won both the NCAA Tournament and the National Invitation Tournament
The 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game determined the national champion for the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The game was played between the San Diego State Aztecs and the Connecticut (UConn) Huskies, with UConn claiming their fifth national championship title. UConn has been to six championship games and has won every time.
In the women's game, LSU claimed their first-ever women's basketball championship.
In the early years of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, teams often competed in both the NCAA tournament and the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). This was because each conference could only have one bid, and conference champions were excluded due to the 8-district system before 1950. The City College of New York won both tournaments in 1950, after which the NCAA banned teams from participating in both tournaments.
Therefore, the only team to have won both the NCAA Tournament and the National Invitation Tournament is the City College of New York in 1950.
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The Final Four
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament is a prestigious annual event, with the winner being considered the national champion of college basketball. The tournament has a rich history, dating back to its inception in 1939, organised by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Only twice has there been no national champion: in 2013, due to a scandal, and in 2020, when the tournament was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tournament is a single-elimination format, with 68 teams participating. Teams can secure their place by winning a conference championship or receiving an at-large bid from a 10-person committee. The semifinals, also known as the Final Four, are held in a different city each year, with Indianapolis, the NCAA's base, hosting the event once every five years.
In the lead-up to the Final Four, the teams undergo rigorous training and tactical analysis of their opponents. Coaches play a pivotal role, devising game plans and making strategic adjustments to counter their rivals. The starting lineups are carefully selected, taking into account factors such as player performance, match-ups, and team chemistry.
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Frequently asked questions
The most recent champions are Connecticut, with consecutive wins against San Diego State in the 2023 tournament final and Purdue in 2024.
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been the most successful college in the NCAA Tournament, winning 11 national titles.
Oregon won the inaugural tournament, defeating Ohio State 46-33 in the first championship game.
March Madness 2025 began with Selection Sunday on March 16 and ended with the Final Four and the National Championship game on April 5 and 7.
