During the womens NCAA Tournament at Moda Center in Portland, a discrepancy in the distance of the 3-point line at each end of the court was discovered after four games. Despite the error, Texas and North Carolina State played their Elite Eight matchup without correction. N C State won 76-66, advancing to the Final Four. The NCAA acknowledged the issue and committed to measuring and correcting the lines for future games. This incident added to other distractions in the tournament, including a referee being pulled out at halftime and instances of racism and attire controversies.
Before an Elite Eight matchup between NC State and Texas, coaches noticed discrepancies in the 3-point lines at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Officials confirmed the lines were different lengths, but the game proceeded as scheduled without adjustments. The NCAA acknowledged the error at halftime and promised to correct it for future games. Despite the issue, both teams played on, with NC State winning 76-66. The 3-point line standard is 22 feet, 1.75 inches. This incident highlighted the dedication of the women's teams to continue playing amidst the court error.
During the Chattanooga-N.C. State game in the NCAA Tournament, official Tommi Paris was replaced by Angelica Suffren at halftime due to a background conflict that should have prevented Paris from working the assigned game. The NCAA requires officials to disclose school affiliations to avoid conflicts, which was not done in this case. N.C. State won the game 64-45, and there were questions raised about the officiating crew and the assignment process following the incident.
In a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on March 25, 2024, North Carolina State emerged victorious against Tennessee in Raleigh, N C. Players such as Aziaha James, Madison Hayes, and Saniya Rivers made significant contributions to the win, while Tennessee's Tamari Key, Avery Strickland, and Rickea Jackson faced a loss. The intense match also saw players like Zoe Brooks and Jewel Spear showcasing their skills on the court. Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper reacted to the game's proceedings during the match.
UConn coach Dan Hurley and players react during the first half of the temas NCAA college basketball game against St. Johns in the semifinals of the Big East mens tournament Friday, March 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) New Mexico players celebrate after defeating San Diego State in an an NCAA college basketball championship game at the Mountain West Conference tournament Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. New Mexico guards Jaelen House, center left, and Tru Washington, center right, dance in front of the trophy. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus) Virginia players sit on the bench to closing seconds in overtime of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina State in the semifinal round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament Friday, March 15, 2024, in Washington.
The North Carolina State women's basketball team defeated Texas 76-66 in the Elite Eight game of the NCAA Tournament on March 31, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. Players like Aziaha James, Mimi Collins, Zoe Brooks, Saniya Rivers, and River Baldwin played key roles in the victory, with Aziaha James cutting the net in celebration. The team's strong performance secured their spot in the Final Four.
South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso (10) and forward Chloe Kitts (21) block a shot attempt by Indiana forward Mackenzie Holmes (54) during the first half of a Sweet Sixteen round college basketball game during the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (12), forward Chloe Kitts (21), forward Sania Feagin (20) and guard Tessa Johnson (5) react during the second half of a Sweet Sixteen round college basketball game during the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink) Oregon State players celebrate after defeating Notre Dame in a Sweet Sixteen round college basketball game during the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Albany, N.
North Carolina State men's basketball team, led by guard DJ Horne, upset No 2 Marquette to advance to the program's first Elite Eight since 1986. The women's basketball team also secured a spot in the Elite Eight after defeating No 2 Stanford. Both teams will face the winners of upcoming games to progress further in the tournament.
North Carolina State players with the trophy after winning an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina to win the championship of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Washington. North Carolina State won 84-76. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) North Carolina State guard DJ Horne (0) and North Carolina State forward DJ Burns Jr. (30) celebrating after scoring against North Carolina during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) North Carolina State guard Breon Pass (10) and his teammates celebrating after winning an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina to win the championship of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Washington.
The North Carolina State mens basketball team secured a spot in the ACC Championship game for the first time since 2007 with a thrilling buzzer-beater three-point shot by Michael OConnell to force overtime and eventually defeat Virginia 73-65. OConnell's shot tied the game at the end of regulation, leading to an overtime victory for the Wolfpack. Head coach Kevin Keatts praised OConnell's shot, and D J Burns Jr's overtime performance contributed to sealing Virginias fate in the game.
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer, center, celebrates with his team after their win over Alabama in a second-round college basketball game in the womens NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Texas coach Vic Schaefer shouts to players during the first half of the teams Sweet 16 college basketball game against Gonzaga in the womens NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes) Texas forward Aaliyah Moore (23) celebrates with teammates after the teams win over Gonzaga in a Sweet 16 college basketball game in the womens NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao) Texas guard Shay Holle (10) grabs the ball during the second half of the teams Sweet 16 college basketball game against Gonzaga in the womens NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 29, 2024, in Portland, Ore. Texas won 69-47.
Louisville head coach Kenny Payne reacting in the closing minutes of the second half of the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball tournament game against the North Carolina State, Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) North Carolina State guard Jayden Taylor (1) goes up against Louisville guard Ty-Laur Johnson (4) during the second half of the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Louisville guard Mike James (0) rebounds the ball as he goes up against North Carolina State forward Ben Middlebrooks (34) and guard Casey Morsell (14) during the second half of the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Louisville head coach Kenny Payne reacting in the closing minutes of the second half of the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball tournament game against the North Carolina State, Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Louisville head coach Kenny Payne reacting in the closing minutes of the second half of the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball tournament game against the North Carolina State, Tuesday, March 12, 2024, in Washington.
Oregon State's victory over Notre Dame in the Women's NCAA Tournament marks the end of Trisdyn's Rad Bracket's perfect run into the Sweet 16, with key players like Timea Gardiner and Raegan Beers leading the Beavers to victory. Oregon State will now face the winner of the Indiana-South Carolina matchup in the Elite Eight. Despite the loss, Notre Dame's Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld had notable performances, with a unique moment occurring when Hannah Hidalgo had to remove her nose ring mid-game. Oregon State's efficient shooting and rebounding propelled them to their first-ever win against Notre Dame.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament for men's college basketball teams in the United States. It determines the champion of Division I, the top level of play in the NCAA, and the media often describes the winner as the national champion of college basketball. The NCAA Tournament has been held annually since 1939, except for 2020, when it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Its field grew from eight teams in the beginning to sixty-five teams by 2001; as of 2011, sixty-eight teams take part in the tournament. Teams can gain invitations by winning a conference championship or receiving an at-large bid from a 10-person committee. The semifinals of the tournament are known as the Final Four and are held in a different city each year, along with the championship game; Indianapolis, the city where the NCAA is based, will host the Final Four every five years until 2040. Each winning university receives a rectangular, gold-plated trophy made of wood.The first NCAA tournament was organized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Oregon won the inaugural tournament, defeating Ohio State 46–33 in the first championship game. Before the 1941 tournament, control of the event was given to the NCAA. In the early years of the tournament, it was considered less important than the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), a New York City-based event. Teams were able to compete in both events in the same year, and three of those that did so—Utah in 1944, Kentucky in 1949, and City College of New York (CCNY) in 1950—won the NCAA Tournament. The 1949–50 CCNY team won both tournaments (defeating Bradley in both finals), and is the only college basketball team to accomplish this feat. By the mid-1950s, the NCAA Tournament became the more prestigious of the two events, and in 1971 the NCAA barred universities from playing in other tournaments, such as the NIT, if they were invited to the NCAA Tournament. The 2013 championship won by Louisville was the first men's basketball national title to ever be vacated by the NCAA after the school and its coach at the time, Rick Pitino, were implicated in a 2015 sex scandal involving recruits.The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been the most successful college in the NCAA Tournament, winning 11 national titles. Ten of those championships came during a 12-year stretch from 1964 to 1975. UCLA also holds the record for the most consecutive championships, winning seven in a row from 1967 to 1973. Kentucky has the second-most titles, with eight. North Carolina is third with six championships, while Connecticut, Duke and Indiana follow with five each. Connecticut is the most recent champion, having defeated San Diego State in the final of the 2023 tournament. Among head coaches, John Wooden is the all-time leader with 10 championships; he coached UCLA during their period of success in the 1960s and 1970s. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski is second all-time with five titles.
The 2016 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college basketball national champion for the 2015–16 season. The 78th edition of the Tournament began on March 15, 2016, and concluded with the championship game on April 4 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.Upsets were the story of the first round of the Tournament; No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee upset No. 2 seed Michigan State in the biggest upset, just the eighth ever win for a No. 15 seed over a No. 2. At least one team seeded #9 through #15 won a first-round game for the third time ever and the first time since 2013.In the Final Four, Villanova defeated Oklahoma, while North Carolina defeated Syracuse (the "Cinderella team" of the tournament). Villanova then defeated North Carolina to win the championship on a three-point buzzer beater by Kris Jenkins. Pundits called the game one of the best in tournament history, going on to say this was one of the most competitive finals ever.
In a Sweet Sixteen round college basketball game during the NCAA Tournament, South Carolina secured a victory against Indiana in Albany, NY. The game featured intense gameplay between players like Kamilla Cardoso, Ashlyn Watkins, and Bree Hall from South Carolina, and Sydney Parrish, Mackenzie Holmes, and Chloe Moore-McNeil from Indiana.
The 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament that determined the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball national champion for the 2022–23 season. The 84th annual edition of the tournament began on March 14, 2023, and concluded with the UConn Huskies defeating the San Diego State Aztecs, 76–59 in the championship game on April 3 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.ASUN champion Kennesaw State made its NCAA tournament debut, while Southern Conference champion Furman made its first NCAA appearance since 1980. Another school, Texas Southern, won the SWAC tournament to tie the Coppin State Eagles in 2008 and Liberty Flames in 2013 for most losses ever to make the tournament, with 20.For only the second time in history, a 16-seed defeated a 1-seed, when Fairleigh Dickinson upset Purdue in the first round 63–58 in Columbus. Coincidentally, much like the previous time a top seed lost in Round 1, the regional final was contested between a mid-major (in this case Florida Atlantic) and Kansas State.For the third consecutive year, and seventh time since 2012, a 15-seed defeated a 2-seed in the tournament. This time, 15-seed Princeton upset 2-seed Arizona 59–55 in Sacramento for the Tigers' first tournament win since 1998. Arizona became the first team to lose to a 15-seed team twice, with the first loss being against the Santa Clara Broncos in 1993. For the third consecutive year as well, a 15-seed reached the Sweet 16 as Princeton subsequently defeated Missouri in the second round, and making it 16 consecutive tournaments since 2007 where a double-digit seed made the regional semifinals. Missouri subsequently became the second team to lose to a 15-seed twice, albeit on different seed lines, as the Tigers were a 7-seed losing to Princeton and a 2-seed when they fell to Norfolk State in 2012.Additionally, Virginia was knocked out in the first round as a top-four seed for the third time in five years, and second straight time as a 4-seed when they were upset by 13-seed Furman.The defending national champions Kansas Jayhawks were eliminated in the second round, against the Arkansas Razorbacks. It was the sixth straight tournament where the defending champion failed to make the Sweet Sixteen.With Alabama and Houston's eliminations in the Sweet Sixteen, this marks the first ever NCAA Tournament where all top seeds in the regions were knocked out prior to the Elite Eight. This year had the fewest combined 1- and 2-seeds left in the Elite Eight in tournament history, with only 2-seed Texas remaining.Three teams made their first Final Four appearance in this tournament for the first time since 1970. The Florida Atlantic Owls defeated 3-seed Kansas State to become just the second 9-seed to advance to the Final Four since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, joining Wichita State in 2013. FAU also became the first team since George Mason in 2006 to make the Final Four in the same season that it earned its first NCAA tournament win. The 5-seed San Diego State Aztecs defeated 6-seed Creighton Bluejays and the 5-seed Miami Hurricanes defeated 2-seed Texas Longhorns to advance to their first Final Four in program history. This is also the third Final Four without any 1-seeds since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, with the first two being in 2006 and 2011, the second time without any 1 or 2 seeds (2011), and the first time in Final Four history without any teams seeded 1–3. With FAU (Conference USA) and SDSU (Mountain West Conference), the Final Four had two mid-major teams for the first time since 2011's Butler and VCU. The 2023 Final Four was also marked by its lack of highly touted high school prospects. For the first time since the NCAA began seeding the tournament in 1979, no former McDonald's All-American participated in the Final Four. Of the rotation players on the Final Four teams (those receiving regular playing time), the highest-ranked in the composite recruiting rankings of 247Sports was UConn's Jordan Hawkins, who was #51 in the 2021 class. Only eight rotation players in the Final Four were even ranked in the top 100; by contrast, 12 players were unranked in high school. Two teams, Florida Atlantic and San Diego State, had no top-100 players, with FAU's nine-man rotation featuring six unranked players and only one in the top 200.
During the Sweet 16 college basketball game in the womens NCAA Tournament on March 30, 2024, UConn faced Duke in Portland, Oregon. UConn's Paige Bueckers, Aaliyah Edwards, and Ashlynn Shade were key players in the match, while Duke's Taina Mair and Camilla Emsbo made significant contributions.
South Carolina's women's basketball team defeated Oregon State in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament on March 31, 2024, in Albany, NY. Players like Raven Johnson, Kamilla Cardoso, and Ashlyn Watkins contributed to the victory. South Carolina's head coach, Dawn Staley, celebrated by cutting down the net and posing for selfies with fans. The team's performance secured their place in the Final Four.
The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament saw more than 31 million bracket entries this year, with no perfect brackets remaining after the first round. Upsets by double-digit teams like Oakland, Duquesne, Yale, and Colorado caused significant bracket losses. Only one bracket remained after the second round, with underdogs performing well. In the Round of 64, underdogs won 12 games outright, and favorites went 18-14 against the spread. Notable upsets included Oakland defeating Kentucky, Duquesne eliminating Illinois, and Yale shocking Auburn. The tournament has seen a surge of underdog victories, creating an exciting and unpredictable event.
The NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 games featured thrilling plays including Purdue center Zach Edey's dunks and Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht's impressive three-pointers. Coaches like Purdue's Matt Painter and Tennessee's Rick Barnes were actively involved on the sidelines.
The North Carolina State Wolfpack, seeded 11th, defeated the second-seeded Marquette Golden Eagles with a 67-58 win, advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986. The Wolfpack has won eight consecutive games since the start of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. NC State's DJ Horne expressed confidence in the team's abilities, mentioning the importance of understanding roles and locking in. The team now awaits the outcome of the Houston versus Duke matchup for a chance at the Final Four. The last time NC State reached this stage was 41 years ago when they won the ACC Tournament.
Members of the University of Utah women's basketball team were racially abused in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where a vehicle shouted racial epithets at the group on two separate occasions. The team filed a police report, and investigations are ongoing with the involvement of the Coeur d'Alene Police Department and the FBI. The incident led to increased security measures and a relocation of the team to a hotel in Spokane. The NCAA, Gonzaga University, and local authorities condemned the racial abuse, highlighting the need to address racism and hatred in all forms.
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, sometimes referred to as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 women's college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), to determine the national championship.The tournament was preceded by the AIAW women's basketball tournament, which was organized by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) from 1972 to 1982. Basketball was one of 12 women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981–82 school year, as the NCAA engaged in battle with the AIAW for sole governance of women's collegiate sports. The AIAW continued to conduct its established championship program in the same 12 (and other) sports; however, after a year of dual women's championships, the NCAA prevailed, while the AIAW disbanded.As of 2022, the tournament follows the same format and selection process as its men's counterpart, with 32 automatic bids awarded to the champions of the Division I conferences, and 36 "at-large bids" extended by the NCAA Selection Committee, which are placed into four regional divisions and seeded from 1 to 16. The four lowest-seeded automatic bids, and the four lowest-seeded at-large bids, compete in the First Four games to advance to the 64-team bracket in the first round. The national semi-finals, branded as the Women's Final Four, are traditionally scheduled on the same weekend as the men's Final Four, but in a different host city. Presently, the Women's Final Four uses a Friday/Sunday scheduling, with its games occurring one day prior to the men's Final Four and championship, respectively.Attendance and interest in the women's championship have grown over the years, especially from 2003 to 2016, when the final championship game was moved to the Tuesday following the Monday men's championship game. The tournament is often overshadowed by the more-prominent men's tournament; after a gender equality review following the 2021 tournament, the NCAA expanded it to the current 68-team format of the men's tournament, and extended the "March Madness" branding to the tournament as well. Still, the tournament receives a smaller amount of funding from broadcast rights (which are held by ESPN, and are pooled with those of other NCAA Division I championships besides golf and men's basketball) and sponsorship (which are sold by CBS and Turner Sports) than the men's tournament.With 11 national titles, the UConn Huskies hold the record for the most NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championships, which included four straight championships from 2013 through 2016. The team had also made the semi-finals for 14 consecutive tournaments.
Duke men's basketball secured a spot in the Elite Eight by beating Houston 54-51 in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament. Houston's top-ranked defense posed a challenge, but Duke capitalized on a tough blow to Houston when guard Jamal Shead sustained a foot injury. Despite Shead's absence, Duke's Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach stepped up to secure the victory. Head coach Jon Scheyer expressed pride in the team's performance.
Bree Hall leads South Carolina to a 70-58 victory over Oregon State in the Albany 1 regional title game, securing their fourth consecutive Final Four appearance. Hall plays a key role in calming and leading her team, which includes many new players exceeding expectations after the departure of the previous starters. Coach Dawn Staley highlights the significance of each Final Four opportunity, emphasizing the team's unexpected success despite starting the season with uncertainties due to player turnover.
The 2024 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament is an ongoing 68-team single-elimination tournament to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college basketball national champion for the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The 42nd edition of the tournament began on March 20, 2024, and will conclude with the championship game on April 7, 2024 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.Big South champion Presbyterian, Southland champion Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, WAC champion California Baptist and at-large bid Columbia all made their NCAA tournament debuts. Additionally, Big Sky champion Eastern Washington made its second-ever appearance and first since 1987, Big West champion UC Irvine made its first appearance since 1995 and Sun Belt champion Marshall made its first appearance since 1997.
Texas and Gonzaga play in the Sweet 16 college basketball game of the women's NCAA Tournament on March 29, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. Players like Aaliyah Moore, Shaylee Gonzales, and coaches like Vic Schaefer are highlighted in the intense match.
The UConn Huskies secured a spot in the Final Four for the second consecutive year after a dominating 77-52 victory over Illinois in the March Madness tournament. UConn went on a remarkable 30-0 run during the game, eventually winning by 31 points. Donovan Clingan led with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Cam Spencer also contributed significantly. In their last 10 March Madness games, UConn has won by an average of 23.1 points and has never won by less than 13 points in this tournament.
The NCAA basketball tournament witnessed upsets as No. 14 Oakland University beat No. 3 Kentucky, Duquesne defeated Brigham Young University, Oregon overcame South Carolina, and Michigan State won against Mississippi State. Duquesne Dukes, led by Jaxson Robinson, secured their first NCAA tournament victory since 1969 under head coach Keith Dambrot's guidance. Dambrot, known for coaching LeBron James in high school, announced his retirement after the win. Duquesne will face the winner of Illinois and Morehead State in the second round.
The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 will feature top teams like Creighton and Tennessee facing off in big matchups, with Creighton showcasing strong efficiency in shooting at 48.5%. Tennessee, known for their defense, will have to contend with Creighton's skill, particularly senior guard Baylor Scheierman. The tournament has seen higher seeds prevailing in most matchups, and the Sweet 16 games will determine which teams advance to the regional finals.
The No. 11-seeded NC State Wolfpack advances to the Final Four in Arizona after defeating No. 4 Duke 76-64. They will face the No. 1-seeded Purdue Boilermakers for a chance to reach the national championship game. This is NC State's first Final Four appearance since 1983 when they won the national championship. DJ Burns Jr led the Wolfpack with 29 points, while guard DJ Horne contributed 20 points in their victory over Duke.
The 2024 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball in the United States, the culmination of the 2023–24 NCAA Division II men's basketball season.The tournament again features 64 teams, with teams placed into one of eight geographically oriented, eight-team regionals. The first three rounds were played on campus sites while the national quarterfinal (Elite Eight), semifinal, and championship rounds are being held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, from March 26–30, 2024.Lincoln (Pennsylvania), Post, and William Jewell participated in the tournament for the first time.
Freshman Hannah Hidalgo's 23 points and 12 rebounds helped No. 17 Notre Dame defeat fifth-ranked Virginia Tech 71-58. Virginia Tech ended up winning its first ACC regular-season championship outright as No. 12 North Carolina State beat No. 19 Syracuse 75-71. Hidalgo became the highest-scoring freshman in ACC history. Notre Dame's up-tempo offense and strong defense secured the victory. Both teams are aiming for postseason advantages.
The UConn Huskies women's basketball team is the college basketball program representing the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. They completed a seven-season tenure in the American Athletic Conference in 2019–20, and came back to the Big East Conference for the 2020–21 season.The UConn Huskies are the most successful women's basketball program in the nation, having won a record 11 NCAA Division I National Championships and a women's record four in a row, from 2013 through 2016, plus over 50 conference regular season and tournament championships. They have taken part in every NCAA tournament since 1989; as of the end of the 2018–19 season, this is the third-longest active streak in Division I. From 2008 to 2022, they appeared in a record 14 consecutive Final Fours.UConn owns the two longest winning streaks (men's or women's) in college basketball history. The longest streak, 111 straight wins, started with a win against Creighton University on November 23, 2014, and ended on March 31, 2017 when a buzzer-beater at the end of overtime caused a 66–64 loss in the 2017 NCAA Final Four to Mississippi State. The second streak counts 90 consecutive wins, including two undefeated seasons (2008–09 and 2009–10), and was delimited by two losses against Stanford, the first on April 6, 2008 in the National Semifinals of the NCAA Tournament, and the second – three seasons later – on December 19, 2010. The Huskies also own the longest winning streak in regular-season games in college history; after an overtime loss to Stanford on November 17, 2014, they won their next 126 regular-season games until a 68–57 loss to Baylor on January 3, 2019.UConn's current head coach is Luigi "Geno" Auriemma, who joined the team in 1985. Auriemma is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball: his 1149–150 (.885) record as of April 2022 represents the highest winning percentage among NCAA basketball coaches (minimum 10 seasons), any level, men's or women's, while ranking him second in all-time women's wins behind current Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer.UConn has also been one of the leaders in women's basketball attendance; the team plays its home games at both the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs and the XL Center in Hartford.
UConn's men and women's basketball teams have been dominating in the NCAA tournament, with the men's team defeating Illinois 77-52 and Duke 53-45 in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight respectively. The women's team also secured a spot in the Elite Eight after a strong performance against Duke, led by Paige Bueckers with 24 points. UConn's impressive victories have sparked discussions about their status as one of the best teams ever.
Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa basketball player, has become a sensation in women's college basketball, drawing fans and strangers alike to watch her play. She has been compared to Pistol Pete Maravich and Steph Curry for her skill and fluidity on the court. Clark's popularity has led to sold-out games and increased ticket prices, with tickets for an upcoming tournament ranging from $123 to $1,454. Women's college basketball as a whole has also seen a rise in popularity, with last year's Final Four getting a 66% increase in viewership compared to the previous year.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have been chosen as the No. 1 seed in the Albany Region 2 bracket for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament led by Caitlin Clark, who surpassed Kelsey Plum's all-time scoring record. They may face LSU in a rematch of last year's national championship before reaching the Final Four. Former ESPN columnist Jemele Hill criticized the NCAA selection committee for placing tough opponents like LSU and UCLA in Iowa's path. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder acknowledged the significance of being the No. 1 seed but understands it doesn't guarantee success.
The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as NCAA March Madness and commonly called March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the Division I level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Played mostly during March, the tournament consists of 68 teams and was first conducted in 1939. Known for its upsets of favored teams, it has become one of the biggest annual sporting events in the US.The tournament teams include champions from 32 Division I conferences and 36 teams which are awarded at-large berths. These "at-large" teams are chosen by an NCAA selection committee, then announced in a nationally televised event dubbed Selection Sunday. Teams are placed in four regions and given a seed between 1 and 16 within the region. The tournament consists of seven rounds and is conducted over three successive weeks. The first week starts with eight teams competing in the First Four, with the four winners joining 60 teams to compete in the first and second rounds. Sixteen winners advance to the second weekend to compete in the regional semifinals and finals, also known as the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, respectively, for the number of participants in the round. Four teams then advance to the third weekend for the national semifinals and national championship, collectively referred to as the Final Four. The winning team is crowned national champion, which celebrates by cutting down the nets and watching a montage of the tournament set to One Shining Moment.The 68-team format was adopted in 2011; it had remained largely unchanged since 1985 when it expanded to 64 teams. Before then, the tournament sized varied from as little as 8 to as many as 53. The field was restricted to conference champions until at-large bids were extended in 1975 and teams were not fully seeded until 1979. In 2020, the tournament was cancelled for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic; in the subsequent season, the tournament was contested completely in the state of Indiana as a precaution.All tournament games are broadcast by CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV under the program name NCAA March Madness. With a contract through 2032, Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery pay $891 million annually for the broadcast rights. The NCAA distributes revenue to participating teams based on how far they advance, which provides significant funding for college athletics. The tournament has become part of American popular culture through bracket contests that award money and prizes for correctly predicting the outcomes of the most games. It is estimated that tens of millions of Americans, including those who do not follow regular-season college basketball or sports in general, participate in a bracket contest each year.Thirty-seven different schools have won the tournament. UCLA has the most with 11 championships; their coach John Wooden has the most titles of any coach with 10. The University of Kentucky has eight championships, the University of North Carolina has six championships, Duke University, University of Connecticut, and Indiana University have five championships, the University of Kansas has four championships, and the University of Louisville and Villanova University have three championships. Seven programs are tied with two national championships, and 23 teams have won the national championship once.
The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. N.C. State is one of the seven founding members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Prior to joining the ACC in 1954, the Wolfpack was a member of the Southern Conference, where they won seven conference championships. As a member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won ten conference championships, as well as two national championships in 1974 and 1983.Since 1999, the Pack has played most of its home games at PNC Arena, which is also where the NCAA championship trophies are kept. Prior to 1999, they played at Reynolds Coliseum.
Sue Phillips praised high school seniors Hidalgo, Williams, and Arnold at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, predicting they would sell out arenas in college. Highlighting Hidalgo's performance, Phillips sees them as future stars following in the footsteps of players like Clark and Reese. As the 2024 NCAA Tournament approaches, it will be a mix of celebrating Clark's legacy and introducing the next generation of players like Hidalgo, Williams, and Arnold, aiming to surpass previous standards in the sport.
Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission. The NCAA Tournament is in full swing and North Carolina bettors can cash in on the action with the DraftKings Sportsbook new customer offer now that online sports betting is live in the state. This offer works for all DraftKings sports markets. The DraftKings NC welcome offer lets new users bet $5 to get $250 back in bonus bets, no matter the result.
Southern California and Baylor compete in a women's college basketball Sweet 16 game during the NCAA Tournament in Portland, Oregon on March 30, 2024, with JuJu Watkins playing a prominent role for Southern California.
Duke and North Carolina State will compete in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, with Duke favored to win based on their strong performance and defensive capabilities, especially in shooting. North Carolina State has showcased improved defense and chemistry during their winning streak, leading to an exciting matchup between the two teams.
In the NCAA men's Division I basketball championship or the NCAA women's Division I basketball championship, the "Elite Eight" comprises the final eight teams, representing the regional finals, or national quarterfinals. In Division I and Division III, the Elite Eight consists of the two teams in each of the four regional championship games. The winners advance to the Final Four. Since 1997, when the NCAA trademarked the phrase, in Division II, the Elite Eight consists of the eight winners of the eight Division II regions. Like the Division I Final Four, the Division II Elite Eight games are all held in one predetermined location.In the men's Division I, the lowest-seeded team ever to reach this round in the modern 64-team tournament era is #15 seed Saint Peter's University in 2022.Two #12 seeds have advanced to the Elite Eight: Missouri in 2002, and the Oregon State Beavers in 2021.Nine #11 seeds have advanced to the Elite Eight: LSU (1986), Loyola Marymount (1990), Temple (2001), George Mason (2006), Virginia Commonwealth (2011), Dayton (2014), Xavier (2017), Loyola Chicago (2018), and UCLA (2021). There have only been four seasons where two double-digit-seeded teams have made it to the Elite Eight: 1990 (10 seed Texas and 11 seed LMU); 2002 (12 seed Missouri and 10 seed Kent State); 2021, where both were from the same conference (12 seed Oregon State and 11 seed UCLA); and 2022 (10 seed Miami and 15 seed Saint Peter's).On average, three of the four #1 seeds make it to the Elite Eight each year. There has only been one occurrence in history in which no #1 seeds made the Elite Eight (2023). In men's play, the Elite Eight exists intact for less than 24 hours between the second Friday evening and the following Saturday afternoon of the tournament. The Elite Eight also represents the halfway mark of the men's tournament since each qualifying team must win three rounds (games) to reach the national quarterfinals, with three rounds remaining to reach and win the national championship game.Like "March Madness," the phrase "Elite Eight" originally referred to the Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championship, the single-elimination high school basketball tournament run by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). When the IHSA finals were reduced from sixteen to eight teams in 1956, a replacement nickname for Sweet Sixteen was needed, and Elite Eight won popular favor. The IHSA trademarked the term in 1995; the trademark rights are now held by the March Madness Athletic Association, a joint venture between the NCAA and IHSA formed after a 1996 court case allowed both organizations to use "March Madness" for their own tournaments.The Elite Eight can also refer to the eight NCAA Division I baseball teams that reach the College World Series.In addition, the term is often colloquially used to denote quarterfinalists in the four major North American professional sports; i.e., the teams that reach the American League Division Series and the National League Division Series in Major League Baseball, the Divisional Playoffs in either conference of the National Football League, and the conference semifinals in the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League.
The 2024 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament will involve 68 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college basketball national champion for the 2023–24 season. The 85th annual edition of the tournament will begin on March 19, 2024, and will conclude with the championship game on April 8, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.ASUN champion Stetson will make its NCAA tournament debut.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and one in Canada. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges and helps over 500,000 college student athletes who compete annually in college sports. The organization is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.Until 1957, the NCAA was a single division for all schools. That year, the NCAA split into the University Division and the College Division. In August 1973, the current three-division system of Division I, Division II, and Division III was adopted by the NCAA membership in a special convention. Under NCAA rules, Division I and Division II schools can offer scholarships to athletes for playing a sport. Division III schools may not offer any athletic scholarships. Generally, larger schools compete in Division I and smaller schools in II and III. Division I football was further divided into I-A and I-AA in 1978, while Division I programs that did not have football teams were known as I-AAA. In 2006, Divisions I-A and I-AA were respectively renamed the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). In its 2016–17 fiscal year, the NCAA took in $1.06 billion in revenue, over 82% of which was generated by the Division I men's basketball tournament.Controversially, the NCAA substantially restricts the kinds of benefits and compensation (including paid salary) that collegiate athletes could receive from their schools. The consensus among economists is these caps for men's basketball and football players benefit the athletes' schools (through rent-seeking) at the expense of the athletes. Economists have subsequently characterized the NCAA as a cartel. In 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously ruled that some of these NCAA restrictions on student athletes are in violation of US antitrust law.
In a thrilling Sweet 16 matchup, the LSU Tigers upset the No. 2 UCLA Bruins 78-69 to advance to the Elite Eight. Flau'jae Johnson led all scorers with 24 points, Angel Reese had a double-double with 16 points and ten boards, while for UCLA, four players hit double digits. LSU could face Caitlin Clark and Iowa in a potential re-match in the Elite Eight, pending Iowa's game against five-seed Colorado. LSU's victory was crucial for their back-to-back title hopes as they aim to become the first repeat champion in seven years.
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes broke their viewing record in the women's NCAA Tournament with their victory over West Virginia averaging 4.90 million viewers, the most watched game excluding Final Four and title games. Clark, a standout senior, has set multiple records and declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft. The games featuring Iowa have consistently drawn over 3 million viewers. Clark's performances have driven record viewership, with the recent games setting new records and attracting a substantial audience. Iowa's games have become landmark moments in women's sports, showcasing the power of great players like Clark.
https://www.theguardian.com/profile/guardian-sport
NY Post
Washington Post
NBC
CBS News
Fox News
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
PANORA
Wikipedia
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
Wikipedia
PANORA
PANORA
Wikipedia
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
Wikipedia
PANORA
Wikipedia
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
PANORA
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
PANORA
PANORA