March Madness is one of the most renowned tournaments in the United States. Ask a handful of basketball fans what they are most looking forward to in March, and the majority will likely say March Madness. The first men’s game was played in 1939, and the first women’s game was played in 1982. This NCAA Division I basketball tournament is a way for players to prove themselves on the big stage, for coaches to prove they have what it takes to win, and for fans to participate in the Bracket Challenge and potentially win big.
In 2020, the NCAA had to do something they likely never envisioned themselves doing — cancel March Madness due to the pandemic that shook the nation. The decision was not cheap and ended up costing the association hundreds of millions of dollars. This highly touted tournament is set to make its return in 2021 with changes being implemented to ensure the safety of all involved.
In 2020, the NCAA had to do something they likely never envisioned themselves doing — cancel March Madness due to the pandemic that shook the nation. The decision was not cheap and ended up costing the association hundreds of millions of dollars. This highly touted tournament is set to make its return in 2021 with changes being implemented to ensure the safety of all involved.
Here are just a few of the men’s teams to watch out for:
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Starting Thursday, March 18, 68 teams will compete in the 2021 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, and only one will stand as the victor on Monday, April 5. The 2021 NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament will be underway on March 21. 64 teams will be competing for the national title until it is down to two on April 4 for the championship game.
March Madness fun facts
- The University of Connecticut (UConn) is the only school whose men’s and women’s team have both been national champions in the same year, and they have done it twice. The first time was in 2004, and the second time was ten years later in 2014.
- The term ‘March Madness’ did not start being associated with the NCAA’s tournament until 1982. It was coined by an Illinois high school official, Henry V. Porter, in 1939.
- On March 7, 1970, Notre Dame shooting guard Austin Carr scored 61 points, setting the record for most points in a March Madness game. In 51 years, that record has yet to be broken.