March Madness: what to know about the 2025 NCAA tournament, including where to watch
No matter how much you know about US college basketball, here are some key things to know about the annual men’s and women’s tournaments
The college basketball season is winding down, which means March Madness is upon us.
The annual men’s and women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments are among the most closely watched sporting events in the US.
No matter how much you know about college basketball – if you are looking to follow the fun, make your own bracket, or even just understand what all the fuss is about – here are some key things to know.
What is March Madness?
It is the basketball world’s term to reference the upsets, chaos, remarkable plays and historic moments that are sure to happen in postseason tournaments.
It all starts with teams playing a tournament against the other schools in their conference, which is the division that a school competes in during the regular season. One slip-up there and a team could find itself “on the bubble”, or at risk of missing the ensuing NCAA tournament.
And it ends with the ultimate prize: a school being crowned the champion as “One Shining Moment” is played over the airwaves.
The first tournament in 1939 consisted of only eight men’s teams. Today, it is a 68-team bracket that includes multiple single-elimination rounds.