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The 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament saw 68 teams compete in a single-elimination format to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball national champion for the 2022-23 season. The tournament began on March 14, 2023, and concluded with the UConn Huskies defeating the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 in the championship game on April 3. This tournament was notable for its lack of highly touted high school prospects, with no former McDonald's All-American players participating in the Final Four for the first time since 1979.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Tournament | NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament |
| Nicknames | March Madness, The Big Dance |
| Year of First Tournament | 1939 |
| Winner of First Tournament | Oregon |
| Number of Teams in First Tournament | 8 |
| Year Tournament Expanded to 64 Teams | 1985 |
| Year Tournament Expanded to 65 Teams | 2001 |
| Year Tournament Expanded to 68 Teams | 2011 |
| Most Recent Winner | UCLA |
| Team With Most Wins | UCLA (11) |
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What You'll Learn
- Who won the first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament (Oregon, 1939)?
- Which school has won the most championships (UCLA, 11 titles)?
- How many teams participate in the tournament 68 since 2011?
- What is the tournament branded as (March Madness or The Big Dance)?
- Which team won the 2013 championship (Louisville, but the title was vacated in 2018)?
Who won the first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament? (Oregon, 1939)
The first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was played in 1939, with eight teams participating. Oregon emerged as the inaugural champion, beating Ohio State 46-33 in the final game. This win marked Oregon's only national championship in men's college basketball.
The 1939 NCAA tournament was the first time a college basketball national champion was crowned. The championship game was held on March 27, 1939, at Patten Gymnasium in Evanston, Illinois, and it determined the national champion for the 1938-39 NCAA men's basketball season.
Oregon, coached by Howard Hobson, faced the Ohio State Buckeyes, champions of the Big Ten Conference. The game was a close contest, with Oregon ultimately claiming victory by a score of 46-33. This win capped off a successful season for Oregon, as they had also won the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) that year.
The 1939 NCAA tournament was a significant milestone in the history of college basketball, and it set the stage for the annual tradition of "March Madness," a term first used in reference to basketball by an Illinois high school official, Henry V. Porter, in the same year as the tournament's inception. Over time, the tournament expanded, and the format evolved, but the 1939 championship remains a landmark moment, with Oregon claiming the honour of being the first-ever NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament champion.
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Which school has won the most championships? (UCLA, 11 titles)
UCLA holds the record for the most men's college basketball championships, with 11 titles. The school's basketball team, the Bruins, achieved this feat with an incredible run of nine championships in 10 years, and 10 in 12 years, from 1964 to 1975. During this period, they had an overall record of 335-22, a win percentage of .938.
UCLA's success in the 1960s and 1970s is considered one of the greatest dynasties in college basketball history. The foundation for this success was laid by the legendary coach John Wooden, who joined UCLA in 1949. Coach Wooden's "'Pyramid of Success' philosophy emphasised the importance of honesty, integrity, and loyalty, and resulted in four undefeated seasons and 10 national championships.
UCLA's historic run began in the 1964 NCAA tournament, where they defeated the Duke Blue Devils in both teams' first national title game appearance. Notable players from that game included UCLA's Walt Hazzard, who was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and Duke's Jeff Mullins, who was the tournament's leading scorer with 116 points.
The Bruins continued their dominance in 1965, winning their second consecutive national championship. They defeated the Michigan Wolverines 91-80, with Gail Goodrich leading the team with 42 points. This victory was part of a remarkable stretch of seven consecutive championships from 1967 to 1973.
UCLA's athletic programme stands out as one of the most impressive in the nation, with a total of 124 NCAA team championships across various sports. The school's commitment to excellence and well-rounded approach to athletics and academics have contributed to its remarkable success in men's college basketball.
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How many teams participate in the tournament? 68 since 2011
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also known as March Madness or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion. The tournament consists of 68 teams, a format that was adopted in 2011. Before that, the number of teams in the tournament varied, with as few as 8 teams and as many as 53 teams participating. The tournament first began in 1939 with a varying number of teams until it expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
Since its inception, the tournament has undergone several changes. Initially, the tournament was restricted to conference champions until 1975 when at-large bids were introduced, allowing multiple teams per conference to participate. The NCAA tournament has become the major post-season tournament for college basketball, with conference champions and the majority of the top-ranked teams taking part.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the NCAA to cancel the 2020 tournament for the first time in its history. The 2021 tournament was then held in a single state, Indiana, to reduce travel for the participating teams.
UCLA holds the record for the most NCAA men's college basketball championships with 11 titles, followed by Kentucky with eight, and North Carolina and UConn with six each.
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What is the tournament branded as? (March Madness or The Big Dance)
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament is branded as both March Madness and The Big Dance. The tournament is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the Division I level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The tournament was first conducted in 1939 and was won by Oregon.
The phrase "March Madness" was first used in 1939 by Henry V. Porter, the assistant executive secretary of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), when he referred to the annual IHSA basketball tournament by that name. The nickname "The Big Dance" is believed to have originated with Marquette basketball coach Al McGuire, who wore a bright blue blazer throughout Marquette's winning season and told a reporter in 1977 that "you gotta wear the blue blazer when you go to the big dance." The term "March Madness" is now widely used in NCAA tournament branding, with the NCAA introducing a new logo for "NCAA March Madness" in 2017.
The tournament consists of 68 teams competing in seven rounds of a single-elimination bracket. Thirty-two teams automatically qualify for the tournament by winning their conference tournament, and thirty-six teams qualify by receiving an at-large bid based on their performance. The tournament has become a significant part of American popular culture, with bracket contests awarding money and other prizes for correctly predicting game outcomes. The tournament is broadcast by CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV under the program name "NCAA March Madness", with the broadcasters paying $891 million annually for the rights.
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Which team won the 2013 championship? (Louisville, but the title was vacated in 2018)
The 2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament championship game was played on April 8, 2013, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game featured the Midwest Regional Champion, #1-seeded Louisville, and the South Regional Champion, #4-seeded Michigan. Louisville won the game 82-76 and celebrated a national title. However, on June 15, 2017, the NCAA vacated Louisville's title due to a sex scandal involving players and potential recruits. The decision was upheld on February 20, 2018, and Louisville's wins and records for the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15 seasons were vacated. This meant that Louisville removed the wins from its record, but the other schools were not credited with a win. As a result, there is no recognised national champion for the 2012-13 season.
Louisville's road to the championship game began in the second round, where they easily defeated North Carolina A&T 79-48. In the third round, Russ Smith's 27 points helped Louisville cruise to an 82-56 victory over Colorado State. In the Sweet 16, Russ Smith again starred with 31 points as Louisville beat Oregon 77-69 to advance to the Elite Eight. The Cardinals then overcame Kevin Ware's injury to beat Duke 85-63 and secure their place in the Final Four. In the semifinal, Louisville faced a surprising Wichita State team, winning 72-68 to advance to the championship game.
In the championship game, Louisville faced Michigan, who had defeated Syracuse 61-56 in the other semifinal. With 3:27 left in the game, Luke Hancock made a three-pointer to give Louisville a 76-66 lead. Michigan mounted a comeback, reducing the deficit to 80-76 with 14 seconds remaining. However, Siva made two free throws to seal the win for Louisville, 82-76. Luke Hancock was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, becoming the first non-starter to earn this title.
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Frequently asked questions
Oregon won the first tournament in 1939.
The tournament currently consists of 68 teams, but this number has varied over the years.
UCLA holds the record with 11 titles.
Yes, the tournament was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
