WASHINGTON — It’s that time of year once again. March Madness is almost here and 68 men’s and women’s college basketball teams will soon have their sights set on becoming national champions.
The 68-team field for both tournaments will be revealed on Selection Sunday, March 16, which means it’s almost time for the games to begin.
When does March Madness start?
March Madness for the men’s tournament officially kicks off with the First Four games on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18 and 19 in Dayton, Ohio.
Things really ramp up with the first round on Thursday and Friday, March 20 and March 21. The second round is Saturday and Sunday, March 22 and March 23.
After the first weekend of games, the action moves into the Sweet 16 on March 27 and March 28, followed by the Elite Eight on March 29 and March 30.
The men’s tournament wraps up with the Final Four on Saturday, April 5, and the championship game is Monday, April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
When is the women’s March Madness tournament?
As for the women’s tournament, the First Four begins on Wednesday and Thursday, March 19 and 20. The first round is Friday and Saturday, March 21 and March 22. The second round is Sunday and Monday, March 23 and March 24.
The women’s Sweet 16 is Friday and Saturday, March 28 and March 29. The Elite 8 is Sunday and Monday, March 30 and March 21. The women’s Final Four is Friday, April 4 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The women’s national championship game is Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
Where is March Madness?
There are 14 sites this year hosting games for the men’s tournament.
Here are the host cities for the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament:
First Four: Dayton, Ohio
First/Second: Lexington, Kentucky; Providence, Rhode Island; Seattle, Washington; Wichita, Kansas; Cleveland, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Raleigh, North Carolina
Sweet 16/Elite Eight: Newark, New Jersey; San Francisco, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana
Final Four: San Antonio, Texas
For the women’s tournament, the top 16 seeds host first and second round games, as well as the First Four. The Sweet 16/Elite Eight will be held in Birmingham, Alabama; and Spokane, Washington.
The women’s Final Four is being held in Tampa, Florida.
How many teams in March Madness?
There are 68 teams in the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments.
The women’s March Madness field expanded to 68 years in 2022 after a comprehensive gender equity review commissioned after backlash driven by social media of disparities in the men’s and women’s 2021 tournaments, including weight rooms and other facilities.
How to watch the NCAA tournament
The full TV schedule will be announced Sunday after the 68-team fields were revealed.
Every men’s March Madness game will be shown either on CBS, TBS, TNT or truTV and their digital platforms. Games airing on TBS, TNT and truTV will also stream live on Max. Games airing on CBS will also stream live on Paramount+.
March Madness Live will once again be streaming all 67 games online.
CBS will air the Final Four and national title game this year.
Every game of the women’s tournament will be aired on ESPN’s networks and streaming services with the championship game on ABC for the third consecutive season.
Who won March Madness last year?
In the 2024 men’s tournament, the UConn Huskies won their sixth national title with a 75-60 win over Purdue. They became the first team since 2007 to capture back-to-back national championships.
The 2024 Huskies were the sixth team to win all six tournament games by double-digit margins. They won those games by a grand total of 140 points, blowing past the previous high of 121 by the 2009 North Carolina team for the highest margin among that exclusive club.
In the 2024 women’s tournament, Dawn Staley and South Carolina completed their perfect season, ending Caitlin Clark’s historic college career with an 87-75 win over Iowa in the NCAA championship game.
