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The 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness, saw the UConn Huskies defeat the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 in the championship game. This was UConn's fifth national championship in five appearances, and they remain unbeaten in national title games. The Huskies' Jordan Hawkins was the highest-ranked player in the Final Four, and UConn's Adama Sanogo was named Most Outstanding Player.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 2025 |
| Winners | Florida Gators |
| Defeated | Houston Cougars |
| Number of National Titles | 3 |
| Tournament Name | NCAA March Madness |
| Number of Teams | 68 |
| Tournament Format | Single-elimination |
| First Tournament | 1939 |
| First Winner | Oregon |
| Number of Tournaments | 81 (including 2025) |
| Cancelled Tournaments | 2020 (due to COVID-19) |
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What You'll Learn
Who won the 2025 NCAA March Madness tournament?
The 2025 NCAA March Madness tournament was an 86-year tradition that began on March 18, 2025, and concluded on April 7 with the championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The tournament was a single-elimination format to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball national champion for the 2024–25 season.
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) broke the record for the most bids earned to the tournament, with 14 of the 16 teams qualifying. Each regional final game had an SEC team playing. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), on the other hand, had a record low with only four teams earning bids, the smallest percentage since the tournament expanded in 1975. Big South champion High Point, Big West champion UC San Diego, Ohio Valley champion SIU Edwardsville, and Summit League champion Omaha all made their tournament debuts.
The March Madness app, which supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, provided coverage of the tournament. The tournament also aired on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, with access requiring TV Everywhere authentication through the provider.
The championship game was between Florida and Houston, with Florida defeating Houston 65–63 to claim its third title and its first since 2007. Florida's win marked the third consecutive game in the tournament that the Gators had come back from a deficit in the second half. Florida's coach, Todd Golden, became the youngest coach to win a national championship since NC State's Jim Valvano in 1983.
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What is the NCAA March Madness tournament?
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament, often referred to as March Madness, 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 of the tournament as the national champion of college basketball.
The NCAA Tournament has been held annually since 1939, except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament has grown from eight teams initially to sixty-five by 2001, and as of 2011, sixty-eight teams participate. Teams can gain entry by winning a conference championship or receiving an at-large bid from a 10-person committee.
The semifinals, known as the Final Four, are held in a different city each year, along with the championship game. The host city for the Final Four rotates every year, with Indianapolis, the NCAA's home base, hosting the event once every five years until 2040.
The winning university receives a rectangular, gold-plated, wooden trophy. Oregon won the first NCAA tournament, defeating Ohio State 46-33 in the championship game. Notable winners include Utah in 1944, Kentucky in 1949, and the City College of New York (CCNY) in 1950, which is the only college basketball team to win both the NCAA Tournament and the NIT in the same year.
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How many teams participate in the tournament?
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, branded as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of Division I. The tournament has been held annually since 1939, except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of teams participating in the tournament has varied over the years. The first tournament in 1939 started with eight teams, and by 1951, the number of teams had increased to 16. The tournament size continued to fluctuate, ranging from as few as eight to as many as 53 teams, until 1985 when the number was fixed at 64.
In 2001, the addition of the Mountain West Conference brought the total number of participating teams to 65. Then, in 2011, the current format was adopted, expanding the tournament to 68 teams. This format includes the "First Four" round, where the first four teams are eliminated, leaving 64 teams for the subsequent knockout rounds.
A total of 333 teams have appeared in the NCAA tournament since its inception in 1939. The selection process for the participating teams involves a committee evaluating various statistics and rankings, with invitations based on winning conference championships or receiving at-large bids.
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How often is the tournament held?
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, often branded as March Madness, is held annually. The tournament first took place in 1939, except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tournament is a single-elimination format and takes place across seven rounds. It has grown from eight teams initially to 65 teams by 2001, and since 2011, 68 teams have competed. Teams can gain entry by winning a conference championship or receiving an at-large bid from a 10-person committee.
The semifinals, known as the Final Four, are held in a different city each year, along with the championship game. The NCAA is based in Indianapolis, and the city will host the Final Four every five years until 2040.
The tournament has become part of American popular culture, with bracket contests awarding money and other prizes for correctly predicting game outcomes. It is estimated that 60 to 100 million brackets are filled out each year.
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Which teams have won the most championships?
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The tournament was first conducted in 1939 and has been held annually since, except for 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UCLA holds the record for the most NCAA Division I men's basketball championships, winning ten titles, including seven in a row from 1967 to 1973. Kentucky is close behind with eight championship wins, the second-most. North Carolina and Connecticut are tied for third place, with six championships each. Duke and Indiana follow with five wins each.
The 2023 and 2024 championships were won by Connecticut, making them the most recent champions. The 2013 championship, initially awarded to Louisville, was vacated by the NCAA after a sex scandal involving recruits.
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Frequently asked questions
The Florida Gators won the 2025 March Madness tournament, defeating the Houston Cougars to take their third national title.
The 2020 March Madness tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has won the most tournaments, claiming 11 national titles.
John Wooden has won the most tournaments, with 10 NCAA men's basketball national championships.
