NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship

The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is held each spring featuring 65 of the top college basketball teams in the United States. The 20-day tournament, colloquially known as "March Madness" or the Big Dance, has become one of the country's most prominent sports events.

Related Topics:
Basketball - United States - March Madness

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The tournament, whose field includes regional conference champions and other top teams, is staged in a single elimination format. Since its 1939 inception, it has built a legacy that includes dynasty teams and dramatic underdog stories. In recent years, friendly wagering on the event has become something of a national pastime, spawning countless "office pools" that attract expert fans and novices alike.

Related Topics:
Single elimination - Underdog - Wagering

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The tournament bracket is made up of champions from each Division I conference, which receive automatic bids. The remaining slots are at-large berths, with teams chosen by an NCAA selection committee. The selection process and tournament seedings are based on several factors, including team rankings, win-loss records and RPI data.

Related Topics:
Bracket - Division I - At-large berths - RPI

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The two lowest-seeded teams (usually the teams below .500 & the SWAC champion) play a pre-tournament game to determine which will advance into the first round of the tournament. This play-in game was added in 2001 and has been played in Dayton, Ohio each subsequent year.

Related Topics:
SWAC - 2001 - In Dayton, Ohio

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A Most Outstanding Player honor is awarded by the Associated Press at the end of each tournament.

Related Topics:
Most Outstanding Player - Associated Press

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See also: Division II, Division III

Related Topics:
Division II - Division III

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