| The NCAA Basketball Tournament is among us. This | | | | game drew the attention of millions throughout the |
| tournament is a looking glass for human hope, | | | | country; its 24.1 TV rating remains the highest ever |
| excellence and positive social change. It is, in short, a | | | | for a college basketball game and is still considered |
| microcosm of the human existence, with all of its | | | | one of the greatest match-ups in NCAA Tournament |
| exuberance, tragedy and triumph. The NCAA | | | | history. |
| Basketball Tournament is American sports. | | | | Expansion followed in 1980 to 48 teams, and then in |
| The excitement and tradition of "March Madness" or | | | | 1983, to 53 teams. In what many believe is the |
| the NCAA Basketball Tournament as we know it | | | | greatest Cinderella story in college basketball, North |
| today has been shaped by many significant events in | | | | Carolina State's Lorenzo Charles dunks the ball as |
| NCAA tournament history: The first NCAA men's | | | | time expires in the 1983 championship game to lead |
| basketball tournament was held in 1939 with the first | | | | the Wolfpack to a 54-52 win over heavily favored |
| NCAA tournament championship game held at | | | | Akeem Olajuwon and Houston. Perhaps no one figure |
| Northwestern on March 27, 1939. Only eight teams | | | | in college basketball history more personified the spirit |
| competed in two regions. Oregon defeated Ohio | | | | of March Madness than Coach Jim Valvano. His |
| State in the championship game, and the West region | | | | underdog North Carolina State Wolfpack did what |
| held a third-place game. | | | | many consider a miracle by making an incredible run |
| Although the NCAA basketball tournament now | | | | through the 1983 Tournament. Culminating in the |
| determines the national champion, that was not | | | | defeat of the highly touted "Phi Slamma Jamma" |
| always the case. Until the 1950's, the NIT was | | | | squad from the University of Houston, Valvano was |
| considered a more prestigious tournament than the | | | | rocketed into the media limelight and quickly became |
| NCAA basketball tournament, and teams often chose | | | | the symbol of exuberance and enthusiasm. He |
| to enter the NIT and bypass the NCAA tourney. | | | | discovered soon afterward that he had bone cancer, |
| Because of this dichotomy, two of the best centers | | | | and for a short time became a commentator for |
| of the 1940's never met in an NCAA basketball | | | | college basketball. Before his death at age 47, he |
| tournament. George Mikan's DePaul team traditionally | | | | was named the recipient of the Arthur Ashe award |
| entered the NIT, while Bob Kurland's of Oklahoma. | | | | for courage at the first ESPN ESPY awards. It was |
| In 1973, with the championship game held on Monday | | | | at this time he announced the formation of the V |
| night for the first time, UCLA behind Bill Walton's 44 | | | | Foundation for cancer research. |
| points on 21 of 22 shooting, won its seventh straight | | | | In 1985 the tournament expanded to 64 teams. A |
| championship, defeating Memphis State. NC State, led | | | | Villanova Wildcat team shot a 22 for 28 field goal |
| by David Thompson, ends UCLA's title run in 1974, | | | | percentage to defeat Patrick Ewing and defending |
| defeating the Bruins in the national semifinals in double | | | | champion Georgetown in the championship game. |
| overtime. | | | | Villanova remains the lowest seed (#8) to win the |
| The following year, the NCAA tournament expanded | | | | championship. In 1991, Duke upset undefeated UNLV |
| to 32 teams, and then allowed more than one school | | | | in the semifinals and went on to win the national |
| from each conference to participate. Prior to this | | | | championship. In 1997, Arizona, led by Mike Bibby, |
| ruling, the restriction prevented several great teams | | | | Jason Terry and Miles Simon, becomes the first |
| from competing in the tournament, including the 1974 | | | | school to defeat three #1 seeds en route to the |
| Maryland team. They finished the season nationally | | | | national championship, winning against Kansas, North |
| ranked #4, yet lost the ACC Conference final game | | | | Carolina and Kentucky. |
| to top-ranked NC State prior to the start of the | | | | The NCAA Tournament's popularity has grown to |
| tournament. After that, the NCAA began to allow | | | | rival that of the World Series, the Olympics and the |
| more than one team per conference to participate. In | | | | Super Bowl. CBS Sports in 1999 negotiated an |
| 1976, Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosier squad | | | | 11-year, $6 billion agreement for television, radio, |
| completed an undefeated season with a victory over | | | | Internet, corporate marketing, licensing, publishing, |
| Michigan in the championship game. The Hoosiers are | | | | home video and Hoop City rights for the Division I |
| the last team to go undefeated and win the title. | | | | men's basketball championship. |
| The tournament expanded to 40 teams in 1979, and | | | | Today the NCAA basketball tournament is one of |
| teams were seeded for the first time. "Magic" Earvin | | | | the most watched tournaments of the year. Always |
| Johnson leads Michigan State over Larry Bird and | | | | exciting you never really know who is going to end |
| Indiana State to win the national championship. The | | | | up on top! |