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What Are The Rounds of March Madness Called?
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There are six official rounds of March Madness and a four-team play-in to begin the tournament. The names of each round can be seen below:
| Round # | Name of Round |
|---|
| Play-In | First Four |
| 1 | Round of 64 |
| 2 | Round of 32 |
| 3 | Sweet 16 |
| 4 | Elite Eight |
| 5 | Final Four |
| 6 | National Championship |
Table of Contents
- First Four
- Round of 64
- Round of 32
- Sweet 16
- Elite Eight
- Final Four
- National Championship
- FAQ
First Four
The first four is a group of eight teams that consists of the four lowest-seeded conference champions and the four lowest-seeded at-large bids. They each play a single play-in game, with the winners of these four games making up the last four spots in the Round of 64.![]()
The teams that win in the First Four are ranked as either an 11 or 16 seed for the Round of 64.
Round of 64
The round of 64 is the first round of the March Madness tournament. There are 64 teams in the tournament, and all 64 teams play in the first round. There are 32 matchups in the first round. Since the field is divided into four regions, there are 16 teams in each region during the Round of 64. The round of 64 is the only round where the seeds of the teams playing are guaranteed:
- 1 vs. 16
- 2 vs. 15
- 3 vs. 14
- 4 vs. 13
- 5 vs. 12
- 6 vs. 11
- 7 vs. 10
- 8 vs. 9
This means that if a team is the 1 seed in their respective region, they will play the 16 seed from the same region. Seeds are assigned to teams on Selection Sunday.
The Round of 64 takes place on the first and second day of March Madness. The Round of 64 often has the least competitive games, as the 1 seed vs. 16 seed games tend to be blowouts.
Only once has a 16 seed beaten a 1 seed. This happened on March 16, 2018, when the UMBC Retrievers upset the Virginia Cavaliers.
Round of 32
The second round of March Madness is known as the Round of 32. There are 16 games played in the second round, and 32 teams. In each of the four regions, there are four games played between eight teams. The Round of 32 takes place on the third and fourth day of March Madness.
Sweet 16
The third round of the March Madness tournament is called the Sweet 16. Many teams dream of making the Sweet 16, and for good reason. The Sweet 16 is a highly competitive round that produces two teams in each region to eventually face-off in the Elite 8.
There is a five-day break between the Round of 32 and the Sweet 16, resulting in a lot of anticipation for the Sweet 16.
Elite Eight
The fourth round of March Madness is referred to as the Elite 8. The Elite 8 is also known as the regional championship.
During this stage of the tournament, there are four games played, one in each of the regions (North, East, West, and South) of the tournament. The winners of the Elite 8 games are crowned regional champions and advance to the Final Four.
Final Four
The fifth round of March Madness is known as the Final Four. By this point in the tournament, each remaining team has a legitimate chance to win the highly coveted National Championship.
Of the four 1-seeded teams that began in the tournament, typically one or two will advance to the Final Four. A lower-seeded team often makes a run to the Final Four. The most recent such case was UCLA in 2021, who reached the Final Four as an 11 seed. Only a few squads get the honor of participating in the Final Four each year, and only two are lucky enough to advance to the National Championship.
National Championship
The sixth and final round of the March Madness bracket is the National Championship. This round consists of only one game, for all the marbles.
Both teams competing in the National Championship have survived five grueling rounds of elimination basketball. The National Championship is typically the most watched college basketball game of the year. The 2015 Duke vs. Wisconsin National Championship stands as the highest-rated college basketball game ever: Turner Sports recorded over 28 million viewers.
FAQ
How Many Rounds Are There In March Madness?
There are six rounds of March Madness, not including one play-in round that occurs before the Round of 64. A team has to win six consecutive games (or seven if they are in the play-in round) to win the March Madness Tournament, outlasting 63 other teams.
What Is The Play-In Round?
The play-in round, also known as the First Four, is a round of basketball that takes place before the Round of 64. The teams competing in the First Four are made up of the teams receiving the four lowest at-large bids and the teams receiving the four lowest automatic bids.
The winners of the play-in games receive either a number 11 or a number 16 seed in the tournament, depending on their ranking.4
When is Each Round Played?
Selection Sunday is the first event of the tournament, which typically begins in mid-March. Two days later, the First Four begins. First Four Games are typically played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Thursday kicks off the Round of 64, which many cite as the true start of the tournament. This first round lasts for two days, and there is constant action. The second round, known as the Round of 32, occurs on Saturday and Sunday.
After the first two rounds are complete, the players are given a rest. The tournament resumes the following Thursday, 11 days after Selection Sunday. The third and fourth rounds are played out between Thursday and Sunday, before the tournament goes on another break before the Final Four.5
The Final Four and the National Championship typically take place about three weeks after Selection Sunday, concluding the tournament.
The National Championship is the last game in the college basketball season.5
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March Madness | The TwinSpires Edge
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college basketball
Since 1939, the men’s NCAA Division I basketball tournament, or March Madness, has been held annually at the end of college basketball’s regular season. The single-elimination tournament is one of the most watched sporting events in the United States and generates a ton of betting action across the country.
Below you will find all the stats and info you need to gear up for college basketball’s highly anticipated postseason competition.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
+500
Kentucky Wildcats
+850
Arizona Wildcats
+900
Auburn Tigers
+900
Purdue Boilermakers
+1050
Baylor Bears
+1200
Duke Blue Devils
+1200
Kansas Jayhawks
+1500
UCLA Bruins
+2200
Illinois Fighting Illini
+2300
When is the 2022 NCAA tournament?
March Madness will begin on Tuesday, March 15 at 4 p.m. ET, with the First Four—or play-in—stage of competition. The official first round, featuring 64 teams, will take place Thursday and Friday, March 17-18, before the round of 32 on Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20.
The Sweet 16 and Elite 8 occur the following weekend, March 24 through March 27. Caesars Superdome in New Orleans will host the Final Four, which includes the national semifinal championship game on the evening of Monday, April 4.
First Four | March 15-16 |
First Round | March 17-18 |
Second Round | March 19-20 |
Sweet 16 | March 24-25 |
Elite Eight | March 26-27 |
Final Four | April 2 |
National Championship Game | April 4 |
Who can make the NCAA tournament?
In order to qualify for March Madness, a Division I college basketball team must either win its conference tournament or receive an “at-large” bid from the NCAA tournament selection committee.
A total of 68 teams play in the tournament, with 32 of those teams earning an automatic bid by winning their conference tournament.
The 36 remaining tournament bids are granted by the selection committee and are revealed on Selection Sunday.
The committee is also in charge of seeding and placing each team in one of four regions of the tournament bracket: the East, West, Midwest and South. Each region will be seeded 1-16.
The selection committee is currently comprised of eight athletic directors and two conference commissioners in Division I men’s and women’s athletics. Members serve a five-year term.
Duncan Robinson (22) of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net to celebrate the victory during the NCAA Division I Men's Championship Elite Eight round basketball game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Michigan Wolverines. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire)
How can I watch the NCAA tournament?
truTV and TBS will air the First Four, then split first- and second-round coverage with CBS, TBS, and TNT.
TBS and CBS will televise the Sweet 16 and Elite, while the Final Four and NCAA National Championship Game can be found exclusively on CBS.
How long are March Madness games?
March Madness will follow the standard rules of a regular-season college basketball game, with two 20-minute halves. The overtime period is five minutes long and may be repeated as many times as necessary to determine a winner.
What is the Final Four?
The Elite Eight will decide the champion of each of the four regions in the NCAA tournament. The winner from the East, West, Midwest and South move on to the Final Four to play in the national semifinal games.
The Final Four includes both the semifinal round and the championship game on Monday, April 5.
Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Shutterstock)
Where is the Final Four?
Caesars Superdome, home to the New Orleans Saints, will host the Final Four from April 2-4.
What time is the national championship game?
Tipoff of the national championship game is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET Eastern on Monday, April 4.
UCLA | 11 |
Kentucky | 8 |
North Carolina | 6 |
Duke | 5 |
Indiana | 5 |
Connecticut | 4 |
Kansas | 3 |
Villanova | 3 |
Louisville | 3* |
Cincinnati | 2 |
Florida | 2 |
Michigan State | 2 |
From 1964 to 1995, the UCLA Bruins accumulated 11 national championship titles, 10 of those under head coach John Wooden.
The University of Kentucky, a longtime elite program in college basketball, earned its first championship in 1948 and most recent in 2012. ACC schools North Carolina and Duke are neck-and-neck for titles, with six and five, respectively, and have each won one in the last five years.
The Indiana Hoosiers also rank high with five championships, but the school hasn't experienced the NCAA's ultimate glory since 1987, with head coach Bob Knight.
The University of Louisville hung championship banners in 1980 and 1986 with head coach Denny Crum, and again in 2013 with Rick Pitino. However, because of NCAA violations, the school had to vacate its 2013 championship and two Final Four appearances. Louisville is the only school in NCAA history to have a men's basketball championship vacated.
John Wooden | 10 |
Mike Krzyzewski (active) | 5 |
Adolph Rupp | 4 |
Roy Williams (active) | 3 |
Jim Calhoun | 3 |
Bob Knight | 3 |
Jay Wright (active) | 2 |
Denny Crum | 2 |
Billy Donovan | 2 |
UCLA head coach John Wooden's record of 10 national championships may never be touched, but "Coach K" (Mike Krzyzewski) is hot on his track, with five.
The Duke basketball coach's teams regularly rank in the AP Top 25 poll and are often considered one of the favorites in the NCAA tournament each year.
A statue of former Purdue Boilermaker player John Wooden is seen outside of Mackey Arena. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire)
Kentucky legend Adolph Rupp led the school to the Promised Land four times (1948, 1949, 1951 and 1958) during his tenure. There is a three-way tie for fourth-most wins, as UConn's Jim Calhoun, Indiana's Bob Knight, and Roy Williams each own three titles. Williams collected his trio of banners with North Carolina in 2005, 2009 and 2017. He also guided the Kansas Jayhawks to a national title game, where they fell to Syracuse in 2003.
ACC | 17 |
Pac-12 | 16 |
SEC | 11 |
Big Ten | 11 |
Big 12 | 7 |
American Athletic | 6 |
Big East | 5 |
Based on current conference membership, the ACC owns the most NCAA titles.
North Carolina, Duke, North Carolina State, Louisville, Syracuse and Virginia have each claimed at least one national championship. The Cavaliers most recently won the tournament in 2019.
The Oregon Ducks of the Pac-12 triumphed in the first national championship game in 1939. Since then, the Pac-12 has earned 16 titles among Stanford, Utah, Cal, UCLA and Arizona. UCLA won seven in a row from 1967-1973, then again in 1975, the last season Wooden coached for the Bruins. Wooden also achieved back-to-back titles in 1964 and 1965.
When is Selection Sunday?
Selection Sunday will take place on Sunday, March 13 at 6 p.m. ET, and will air on CBS.
How does seeding work?
The selection committee will offer 36 at-large bids to the NCAA tournament in addition to 32 automatic bids for those teams that won their conference tournament.
The committee will look at record, strength of schedule and quality of wins and losses, among other factors, to rank the field of teams from 1 to 68.
Theoretically, the top four teams will earn the No. 1 seeds, and the next four on the list will receive the No. 2 seeds, and so on.
The committee strives for balance in each of the East, West, Midwest and South regions. The overall No. 1 seed should play the weakest No. 2 seed, and that pattern should follow down the line from the No. 3 seeds to No. 16 seeds for each region.
What is the First Four?
In 2011, the NCAA expanded the men's tournament to 68 teams and added a "First Four" play-in stage that included eight teams. Those eight teams hold the four lowest-seeded automatic bids and four lowest-seeded at-large bids.
The four winners of the First Four games move on to the field of 64 to compete in the first round of the tournament.
From 1985 to 2001, the NCAA tournament followed a 64-team format, until the Mountain West Conference joined Division I. To accomodate an additional automatic bid, which bumped the field to 65, the NCAA created one play-in game before the opening round.
Since the arrival of the First Four in 2011, the tournament has maintained the same 68-team format.
The University of Dayton Arena in Ohio is the annual host site of the First Four games.
How many rounds are in the NCAA tournament?
There are six rounds of the NCAA tournament, not including the First Four play-in round.
Sixty-four teams participate in the first round. From there, the field is narrowed down to 32 for the second round of competition.
The third round is referred to as the Sweet 16, or regional semifinal, and the fourth round is best known as the Elite Eight or regional final.
The fifth round, or national semifinal, is part of the Final Four, as is the sixth round, the national championship game.
Where can I download a March Madness bracket?
You can fill our our official TwinSpires Sports downloadable March Madness bracket by clicking here.
It's been estimated that around 70 million brackets are filled out each year across the country for company or family pools and nationwide contests.
The odds of filling out a perfect bracket are about 1 in 120.6 billion—if you know something about basketball. If you filled out your bracket by flipping a coin or blindly guessing, your odds are much higher.
No one has filled out a perfect bracket—that we know of—in the history of the NCAA tournament.
NCAA Final Four Betting Trends
20 of the last 21 Final Four Champions Have Been East Coast Teams
The only team that could be considered following in this trend for this year’s Final Four is Virginia. With a state that does touch the East Coast, does the basketball world truly count Virginia as an East Coast team? Michigan State is from the Midwest, while Auburn is from the South and Texas Tech is a Southwest team, thus they would not come as close to fitting the mold. If the Cavaliers fit the narrative of East Coast, then the trend could very well continue to prove true.
Favorites Usually Dominate in Final Four Semifinals
If this trend holds, Michigan State will beat Texas Tech and Virginia will beat Auburn.![]()
I’ve got Texas Tech upsetting MSU and Auburn upsetting UVA. So, I’ve thrown out this trend!
Underdogs Have Performed Well in the Finals
UNC won as a favorite in 2017. Last year, Villanova won as the favorite. But, before those two chalked it up, Nova beat North Carolina as a dog in 2016, Duke upset Wisconsin as a slight dog in 2015, and Connecticut upset Kentucky as a major underdog in 2014.
Will any of the three trends listed above hold? Or, will Auburn and Texas Tech prove best? Get your popcorn ready and watch one of the greatest sports events in the U.S., the annual NCAA College Basketball Final Four!
NCAA Final Four Notable Games
1975 National Championship – UCLA 92, Kentucky 85
The great John Wooden won his final championship. It was the Wizard of Westwood’s 10th title.
1979 National Championship – Michigan State 75, Indiana State 64
Magic and Bird started one of the most important rivalries in NBA history while still in college.
1983 National Championship – NC State 54, Houston 52
NC State upset Phi Slamma Jamma with a last-second shot, handing Jimmy Valvano the NCAA Final Four trophy. Valvano would end up starting the Jimmy V. Foundation, one of the most important cancer research non-profit organizations in the world.
1985 National Championship – Villanova 66, Georgetown 64
Villanova beats Georgetown in one of the biggest upsets in Final Four history.
1991 National Championship – Duke 72, Kansas 65
Coach Mike Krzyzewski wins his first of five national championships by beating Roy Williams- coached Kansas. The Blue Devils upset heavily favored UNLV in the semifinals. Today, Williams coaches North Carolina, which means Coach K and Williams have continued the rivalry that started in 1991.
2022 College Basketball Championship Regions and Dates
- Regions: South, East, West, Midwest
- Inaugural Game: March 17, 1939
- Current Number of Teams Participating: 68
- 2022 NCAA National Championship Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- 2022 NCAA National Championship Date: Monday, April 4, 2022
1950 NCAA Basketball Tournament
The NCAA Basketball Tournament 1950 featured 8 schools playing a single elimination game to determine national champion NCAA men's college basketball.
It began on March 23, 1950 and ended with a championship game on March 28 in New York City, New York. A total of 10 games were played, including a third-place game in each region and a national third-place game.
CCNY, coached by Nat Holman, won national title 71–68 in Bradley's final game, coached by Forddie Anderson. Irvin Dumbro of CCNY was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. CCNY became the only team ever to win the NIT and NCAA tournaments in the same year. This is currently not possible due to changes in the membership. CCNY is also the only championship team that is not currently a member of Division I. They went down to the NCAA College Division in season 1963-64. The 1950–51 CCNY Shaving Edge Scandal hit the program hard, and they had 12 interim seasons from 1951-52 to 1962-63 before advancing to the college division.
The 1950 tournament was the last tournament to feature eight teams. Next year the number of teams will increase to sixteen.
Content
- 1 Locations
- 1.
1 Regionals - 1.2 Championship Game
- 2 Teams
- 3 bracket
- 3.1 Regional games for third place
- 4 Scandal with point shaving
- 5 Further reading
- 6 See also
- 7 used literature
Locations
for conducting each paradise of the tournament 195 the following venues:
Regional
- March 23, 24, and 25
- East Regional Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
- 23 and March 25,
- 4 Western regional , municipal hall, Kansas City, Missouri
Championship Game
28, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York 9005 9000 9000 in the seventh and seventh Madison Square Garden last hosted a national championship game. This would be the last final held in the New York metropolitan area until 1996, and the last final to date to be held in New York itself. This was the seventh time in eight years that this venue location was used; both buildings will host regional competitions for another year.
94 Buster width | Fourth place in the region | Ohio | l 72–52 | 
There are similar tournaments for the second and third divisions and women's college basketball. 
The tradition began in 1947. After winning the Southern Conference tournament, NC State coach "Wolfpack" asked the students to lift him onto their shoulders to cut the net off the hoop as a memento. Since then, the teams that win the tournament repeat his act and cut the grid. 
" In addition, for many, this tournament is the only chance for talented guys from less prestigious teams or the conference to prove themselves in the run-up to the NBA draft. Therefore, "Madness", in function, in many respects reminds me of the Youth Ice Hockey World Championship (MChM). The best example of this phenomenon is Kenneth Farid of the Morehead State who are speaking at the Ohio Valley Conference. 
For example, the Alabama and Auburn college football teams are hugely popular in a state where there are no professional teams, and American football is the most popular sport by a wide margin. The opposite is true of the limited interest in college sports in big cities like New York. 
Then you need to seed each of the teams in one of 16 pots, where the first is the best, and the sixteenth is the worst. And in the end, all these teams must be distributed among the regions in such a way that each of the regional grids is competitive. 
9 points, 7.5 points, 7.5 points, 7.5 points, 7.5 points, 7.5 points, 7.5 points. assists, 1.9 3-pointers 
He may not be the best shooter or assistant, but his 1.9 3-pointers and 4.1 assists per game reflect underrated passing and chance-creating skills. 
3 points, 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,4 
And he had trouble using pick-and-rolls effectively, averaging only .735 on each possession. 
In the finals of the BIG 10 tournament, Spartans changed their defense scheme against Ignas and he seemed to disappear after a fiery start to the match. 
It is also worth noting that Marchette lost 5 of their last 6 games before the tournament. 
