The 2025 March Madness, also known as the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament, is set to begin on March 18, 2025, to April 7, 2025. 68 teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament. Oregon, the first-ever NCAA tournament winner, emerged victorious in 1939 out of eight teams that competed in the first NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. There were 16 teams in 1951; 32 in 1975; 64 in 1985; 65 in 2001; and 68 in 2011. The number of participating teams grew over time. Three more games were added to the First Four in 2011, making it the first-ever round of competition.
In 1939, an Illinois high school official named Henry V. Porter coined the term "March Madness" for basketball. March Madness and the NCAA tournament weren't associated until Brent Musberger used the term during the 1982 tournament (via NCAA). The March Madness anthem made its premiere following the 1987 NCAA men's basketball tournament.
How many teams start March Madness?
March Madness, or the NCAA Division I basketball tournament, starts with 68 teams. To be eligible to compete in the entire 64-team bracket, eight teams will compete in the "First Four" games. A combination of at-large bigs and automatic qualifiers make up the teams in the bracket.
The selection committee chooses the at-large teams, while the winners of their respective conferences or conference tournaments are the automatic qualifiers. The committee employs a range of statistics and criteria to choose the at-large teams.
Discover: When does March Madness start?
How many teams are in March Madness?
On Selection Sunday, March 16, 2025, the 68-team field, their seeds, and the brackets for the NCAA Tournament have been revealed by the NCAA selection committee. The 2024-25 participating teams in March Madness will be updated soon.
FAQs on March Madness
A. March Madness starts with 68 teams, with eight teams participating in the "First Four" before the main 64-team bracket.
A. March Madness features 68 teams. The 2024–25 teams will be revealed on Selection Sunday, March 16, 2024.
A. The 2025 March Madness is from March 18 to April 7 at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
A. March Madness began in 1939 with eight teams. It expanded over the years, reaching 68 teams in 2011.
A. Henry V. Porter coined "March Madness" in 1939. It became linked with the NCAA tournament in 1982 during Brent Musberger's coverage.
