![]() | |
Season | 2017–18 |
---|---|
Teams | 68 |
Finals site | Alamodome San Antonio, Texas |
Champions | Villanova Wildcats (3rd title, 4th title game, 6th Final Four) |
Runner-up | Michigan Wolverines (7th title game, 8th Final Four) |
Semifinalists |
|
Winning coach | Jay Wright (2nd title) |
MOP | Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova) |
The 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 68 teams to determine the men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college basketball national champion for the 2017-18 season. The 80th annual edition of the tournament began on March 13, 2018, and concluded with the championship game on April 2 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
During the first round, UMBC became the first 16-seed to defeat a 1-seed in the men's tournament by defeating Virginia 74-54.[1][2] For the first time in tournament history, none of the four top seeded teams in a single region (the South) advanced to the Sweet 16. The tournament also featured the first regional final matchup of a 9-seed (Kansas State) and an 11-seed (Loyola-Chicago).
Villanova, Michigan, Kansas, and Loyola-Chicago, the "Cinderella team" of the tournament, reached the Final Four. Villanova defeated Michigan in the championship game, 79-62.
Atlantic Sun Conference champion Lipscomb made its NCAA tournament debut.
The 2018 tournament was the first time since 1978 that none of the six Division I college basketball-playing schools based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area - American, Georgetown, George Mason, George Washington, Howard, and Maryland - made the NCAA Tournament.[3]
A total of 68 teams entered the 2018 tournament. 32 automatic bids were awarded, one to each program that won their conference tournament. The remaining 36 bids were "at-large", with selections extended by the NCAA Selection Committee.
Eight teams (the four lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-seeded at-large teams) played in the First Four (the successor to what had been popularly known as "play-in games" through the 2010 tournament). The winners of these games advanced to the main draw of the tournament.[4]
The Selection Committee seeded the entire field from 1 to 68.[5]
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2018 tournament:[6]
First Four
First and Second Rounds
Regional Semifinals and Finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)
National Semifinals and Championship (Final Four and Championship)
For the fourth time, the Alamodome and city of San Antonio are hosting the Final Four. This is the first tournament since 1994 in which no games were played in an NFL stadium, as the Alamodome is a college football stadium, although the Alamodome hosted some home games for the New Orleans Saints during their 2005 season. The 2018 tournament featured three new arenas in previous host cities. Philips Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks and replacement for the previously used Omni Coliseum, hosted the South regional games, and the new Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings, hosted games. And for the first time since 1994, the tournament returned to Wichita and Kansas where Intrust Bank Arena hosted first round games.
The state of North Carolina was threatened with a 2018-2022 championship venue boycott by the NCAA, due to the HB2 law passed in 2016.[7] However, the law was repealed (but with provisos) days before the NCAA met to make decisions on venues in April 2017. At that time, the NCAA board of governors "reluctantly voted to allow consideration of championship bids in North Carolina by our committees that are presently meeting".[8] Therefore, Charlotte was eligible and served as a first weekend venue for the 2018 tournament.
Four teams, out of 351 in Division I, were ineligible to participate in the 2018 tournament due to failing to meet APR requirements: Alabama A&M, Grambling State, Savannah State, and Southeast Missouri State.[9] However, the NCAA granted the Savannah State Tigers a waiver which would have allowed the team to participate in the tournament, but the team failed to qualify.
The following 32 teams were automatic qualifiers for the 2018 NCAA field by virtue of winning their conference's automatic bid.[10]
The tournament seeds were determined through the NCAA basketball tournament selection process. The seeds and regions were determined as follows:[11][12]
Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type | Overall rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Virginia | ACC | 31-2 | Auto | 1 |
2 | Cincinnati | American | 30-4 | Auto | 8 |
3 | Tennessee | SEC | 25-8 | At-large | 10 |
4 | Arizona | Pac-12 | 27-7 | Auto | 16 |
5 | Kentucky | SEC | 24-10 | Auto | 17 |
6 | Miami (FL) | ACC | 22-9 | At-large | 22 |
7 | Nevada | Mountain West | 27-7 | At-large | 27 |
8 | Creighton | Big East | 21-11 | At-large | 30 |
9 | Kansas State | Big 12 | 22-11 | At-large | 34 |
10 | Texas | Big 12 | 19-14 | At-large | 39 |
11 | Loyola-Chicago | Missouri Valley | 28-5 | Auto | 46 |
12 | Davidson | Atlantic 10 | 21-11 | Auto | 48 |
13 | Buffalo | MAC | 26-8 | Auto | 51 |
14 | Wright State | Horizon | 25-9 | Auto | 57 |
15 | Georgia State | Sun Belt | 24-10 | Auto | 60 |
16 | UMBC | America East | 24-10 | Auto | 63 |
Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type | Overall rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Xavier | Big East | 28-5 | At-large | 4 |
2 | North Carolina | ACC | 25-10 | At-large | 5 |
3 | Michigan | Big Ten | 28-7 | Auto | 11 |
4 | Gonzaga | WCC | 30-4 | Auto | 15 |
5 | Ohio State | Big Ten | 24-8 | At-large | 20 |
6 | Houston | American | 26-7 | At-large | 23 |
7 | Texas A&M | SEC | 20-12 | At-large | 25 |
8 | Missouri | SEC | 20-12 | At-large | 32 |
9 | Florida State | ACC | 20-11 | At-large | 38 |
10 | Providence | Big East | 21-13 | At-large | 35 |
11 | San Diego State | Mountain West | 22-10 | Auto | 45 |
12 | South Dakota State | Summit League | 28-6 | Auto | 49 |
13 | UNC Greensboro | Southern | 27-7 | Auto | 52 |
14 | Montana | Big Sky | 26-7 | Auto | 56 |
15 | Lipscomb | Atlantic Sun | 23-9 | Auto | 59 |
16* | North Carolina Central | MEAC | 19-15 | Auto | 67 |
Texas Southern | SWAC | 15-19 | Auto | 68 |
Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type | Overall rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Villanova | Big East | 30-4 | Auto | 2 |
2 | Purdue | Big Ten | 28-6 | At-large | 7 |
3 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | 24-9 | At-large | 12 |
4 | Wichita State | American | 25-7 | At-large | 14 |
5 | West Virginia | Big 12 | 24-10 | At-large | 18 |
6 | Florida | SEC | 20-12 | At-large | 21 |
7 | Arkansas | SEC | 23-11 | At-large | 26 |
8 | Virginia Tech | ACC | 21-11 | At-large | 31 |
9 | Alabama | SEC | 19-15 | At-large | 36 |
10 | Butler | Big East | 20-13 | At-large | 33 |
11* | St. Bonaventure | Atlantic 10 | 25-7 | At-large | 42 |
UCLA | Pac-12 | 21-11 | At-large | 41 | |
12 | Murray State | Ohio Valley | 26-5 | Auto | 50 |
13 | Marshall | Conference USA | 24-10 | Auto | 54 |
14 | Stephen F. Austin | Southland | 28-6 | Auto | 58 |
15 | Cal State Fullerton | Big West | 20-11 | Auto | 61 |
16* | LIU Brooklyn | NEC | 18-16 | Auto | 66 |
Radford | Big South | 22-12 | Auto | 65 |
Seed | School | Conference | Record | Berth type | Overall rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kansas | Big 12 | 27-7 | Auto | 3 |
2 | Duke | ACC | 26-7 | At-large | 6 |
3 | Michigan State | Big Ten | 29-4 | At-large | 9 |
4 | Auburn | SEC | 25-7 | At-large | 13 |
5 | Clemson | ACC | 23-9 | At-large | 19 |
6 | TCU | Big 12 | 21-11 | At-large | 24 |
7 | Rhode Island | Atlantic 10 | 25-7 | At-large | 28 |
8 | Seton Hall | Big East | 21-11 | At-large | 29 |
9 | NC State | ACC | 21-11 | At-large | 37 |
10 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | 18-13 | At-large | 40 |
11* | Arizona State | Pac-12 | 20-11 | At-large | 43 |
Syracuse | ACC | 20-13 | At-large | 44 | |
12 | New Mexico State | WAC | 28-5 | Auto | 47 |
13 | College of Charleston | CAA | 26-7 | Auto | 53 |
14 | Bucknell | Patriot | 25-9 | Auto | 55 |
15 | Iona | MAAC | 20-13 | Auto | 62 |
16 | Penn | Ivy League | 24-8 | Auto | 64 |
*See First Four
All times are listed as Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4)
* - Denotes overtime period
March 13 - East Region | ||||
16 | LIU Brooklyn | 61 | ||
16 | Radford | 71 | ||
March 13 - East Region | ||||
11 | St. Bonaventure | 65 | ||
11 | UCLA | 58 | ||
March 14 - West Region | ||||
16 | Texas Southern | 64 | ||
16 | North Carolina Central | 46 | ||
March 14 - Midwest Region | ||||
11 | Syracuse | 60 | ||
11 | Arizona State | 56 | ||
First Round Round of 64 March 15-16 | Second Round Round of 32 March 17-18 | Regional Semifinals Sweet 16 March 22 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 24 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Virginia | 54 | |||||||||||||||||
16 | UMBC | 74 | |||||||||||||||||
16 | UMBC | 43 | |||||||||||||||||
Charlotte - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | Kansas State | 50 | |||||||||||||||||
8 | Creighton | 59 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Kansas State | 69 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Kansas State | 61 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Kentucky | 58 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Kentucky | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
12 | Davidson | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Kentucky | 95 | |||||||||||||||||
Boise - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | Buffalo | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Arizona | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
13 | Buffalo | 89 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Kansas State | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | Loyola-Chicago | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Miami (FL) | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | Loyola-Chicago | 64 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | Loyola-Chicago | 63 | |||||||||||||||||
Dallas - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
3 | Tennessee | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Tennessee | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
14 | Wright State | 47 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | Loyola-Chicago | 69 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Nevada | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Nevada | 87* | |||||||||||||||||
10 | Texas | 83 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Nevada | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
Nashville - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | Cincinnati | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Cincinnati | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
15 | Georgia State | 53 | |||||||||||||||||
TBS
|
March 24
6:09 pm EDT |
#11 Loyola-Chicago Ramblers 78, #9 Kansas State Wildcats 62 | ||
Scoring by half: 36-24, 42-38 | ||
Pts: B. Richardson - 23 Rebs: D. Ingram - 8 Asts: C. Custer - 5 |
Pts: X. Sneed - 16 Rebs: X. Sneed - 6 Asts: K. Stokes - 4 |
Philips Arena - Atlanta, GA
Attendance: 15,477 Referees: Gerry Pollard, Terry Wymer, Bert Smith |
First Round Round of 64 March 15-16 | Second Round Round of 32 March 17-18 | Regional Semifinals Sweet 16 March 22 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 24 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Xavier | 102 | |||||||||||||||||
16 | Texas Southern | 83 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Xavier | 70 | |||||||||||||||||
Nashville - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | Florida State | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
8 | Missouri | 54 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Florida State | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Florida State | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Gonzaga | 60 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Ohio State | 81 | |||||||||||||||||
12 | South Dakota State | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Ohio State | 84 | |||||||||||||||||
Boise - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
4 | Gonzaga | 90 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Gonzaga | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
13 | UNC Greensboro | 64 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Florida State | 54 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Michigan | 58 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Houston | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | San Diego State | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Houston | 63 | |||||||||||||||||
Wichita - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
3 | Michigan | 64 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Michigan | 61 | |||||||||||||||||
14 | Montana | 47 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Michigan | 99 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Texas A&M | 72 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Texas A&M | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
10 | Providence | 69 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Texas A&M | 86 | |||||||||||||||||
Charlotte - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | North Carolina | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | North Carolina | 84 | |||||||||||||||||
15 | Lipscomb | 66 | |||||||||||||||||
TBS
|
March 24
5:49 pm PDT |
#9 Florida State Seminoles 54, #3 Michigan Wolverines 58 | ||
Scoring by half: 26-27, 28-31 | ||
Pts: P. Cofer - 16 Rebs: P. Cofer - 11 Asts: B. Angola, T. Mann, T. Forrest - 2 |
Pts: C. Matthews - 17 Rebs: C. Matthews - 8 Asts: Z. Simpson - 5 |
Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA
Attendance: 19,665 Referees: Randy McCall, Keith Kimble, John Gaffney |
First Round Round of 64 March 15-16 | Second Round Round of 32 March 17-18 | Regional Semifinals Sweet 16 March 23 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 25 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Villanova | 87 | |||||||||||||||||
16 | Radford | 61 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Villanova | 81 | |||||||||||||||||
Pittsburgh - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | Alabama | 58 | |||||||||||||||||
8 | Virginia Tech | 83 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | Alabama | 86 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Villanova | 90 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | West Virginia | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | West Virginia | 85 | |||||||||||||||||
12 | Murray State | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | West Virginia | 94 | |||||||||||||||||
San Diego - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | Marshall | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Wichita State | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
13 | Marshall | 81 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Villanova | 71 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Texas Tech | 59 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Florida | 77 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | St. Bonaventure | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Florida | 66 | |||||||||||||||||
Dallas - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
3 | Texas Tech | 69 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Texas Tech | 70 | |||||||||||||||||
14 | Stephen F. Austin | 60 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Texas Tech | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Purdue | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Arkansas | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
10 | Butler | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
10 | Butler | 73 | |||||||||||||||||
Detroit - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | Purdue | 76 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Purdue | 74 | |||||||||||||||||
15 | Cal State Fullerton | 48 | |||||||||||||||||
CBS
|
March 25
2:20 pm EDT |
#3 Texas Tech Red Raiders 59, #1 Villanova Wildcats 71 | ||
Scoring by half: 23-36, 36-35 | ||
Pts: K. Evans - 12 Rebs: J. Gray - 9 Asts: K. Evans - 4 |
Pts: J. Brunson - 15 Rebs: E. Paschall - 14 Asts: J. Brunson - 4 |
TD Garden - Boston, MA
Attendance: 19,169 Referees: Terry Oglesby, Mike Reed, Michael Stephens |
First Round Round of 64 March 15-16 | Second Round Round of 32 March 17-18 | Regional Semifinals Sweet 16 March 23 | Regional Final Elite 8 March 25 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Kansas | 76 | |||||||||||||||||
16 | Penn | 60 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Kansas | 83 | |||||||||||||||||
Wichita - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | Seton Hall | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
8 | Seton Hall | 94 | |||||||||||||||||
9 | NC State | 83 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Kansas | 80 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Clemson | 76 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Clemson | 79 | |||||||||||||||||
12 | New Mexico State | 68 | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Clemson | 84 | |||||||||||||||||
San Diego - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
4 | Auburn | 53 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Auburn | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
13 | College of Charleston | 58 | |||||||||||||||||
1 | Kansas | 85* | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Duke | 81 | |||||||||||||||||
6 | TCU | 52 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | Syracuse | 57 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | Syracuse | 55 | |||||||||||||||||
Detroit - Fri/Sun | |||||||||||||||||||
3 | Michigan State | 53 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | Michigan State | 82 | |||||||||||||||||
14 | Bucknell | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
11 | Syracuse | 65 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Duke | 69 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Rhode Island | 83* | |||||||||||||||||
10 | Oklahoma | 78 | |||||||||||||||||
7 | Rhode Island | 62 | |||||||||||||||||
Pittsburgh - Thu/Sat | |||||||||||||||||||
2 | Duke | 87 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Duke | 89 | |||||||||||||||||
15 | Iona | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
CBS
|
March 25
4:05 pm CDT |
#2 Duke Blue Devils 81, #1 Kansas Jayhawks 85 (OT) | ||
Scoring by half: 36-33, 36-39 Overtime: 9-13 | ||
Pts: T. Duval - 20 Rebs: M. Bagley III - 10 Asts: T. Duval - 6 |
Pts: M. Newman - 32 Rebs: S. Mykhailiuk, S. De Sousa - 10 Asts: D. Graham - 6 |
CenturyLink Center Omaha - Omaha, NE
Attendance: 17,579 Referees: Roger Ayers, Doug Sirmons, Jeffrey Anderson |
During the Final Four round, regardless of the seeds of the participating teams, the champion of the top overall top seed's region (Virginia's South Region) plays against the champion of the fourth-ranked top seed's region (Xavier's West Region), and the champion of the second overall top seed's region (Villanova's East Region) plays against the champion of the third-ranked top seed's region (Kansas's Midwest Region).
National Semifinals March 31 | National Championship Game April 2 | ||||||||
S11 | Loyola-Chicago | 57 | |||||||
W3 | Michigan | 69 | |||||||
W3 | Michigan | 62 | |||||||
E1 | Villanova | 79 | |||||||
E1 | Villanova | 95 | |||||||
MW1 | Kansas | 79 | |||||||
TBS
|
March 31
5:09 pm CDT |
#11 Loyola-Chicago Ramblers 57, #3 Michigan Wolverines 69 | ||
Scoring by half: 29-22, 28-47 | ||
Pts: C. Krutwig - 17 Rebs: D. Ingram - 9 Asts: D. Ingram - 2 |
Pts: M. Wagner - 24 Rebs: M. Wagner - 15 Asts: Z. Simpson - 3 |
Alamodome - San Antonio
Attendance: 68,257 Referees: Roger Ayers, Mike Roberts, Terry Oglesby |
TBS
|
March 31
7:49 pm CDT |
#1 Kansas Jayhawks 79, #1 Villanova Wildcats 95 | ||
Scoring by half: 32-47, 47-48 | ||
Pts: D. Graham - 23 Rebs: M. Newman - 8 Asts: D. Graham, S. Mykhailiuk - 3 |
Pts: E. Paschall - 24 Rebs: O. Spellman - 13 Asts: P. Booth, J. Brunson - 6 |
Alamodome - San Antonio
Attendance: 68,257 Referees: Randy McCall, Michael Stephens, Kipp Kissinger |
TBS
|
April 2
8:20 pm CDT |
#3 Michigan Wolverines 62, #1 Villanova Wildcats 79 | ||
Scoring by half: 28-37, 34-42 | ||
Pts: M. Abdur-Rahkman - 23 Rebs: M. Wagner - 7 Asts: Z. Simpson - 2 |
Pts: D. DiVincenzo - 31 Rebs: O. Spellman - 11 Asts: D. DiVincenzo - 3 |
Alamodome - San Antonio
Attendance: 67,831 Referees: Doug Sirmons, Terry Wymer, Jeffrey Anderson |
Conference | Bids | Record | Win % | R64 | R32 | S16 | E8 | F4 | CG | NC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big East | 6 | 9-5 | .643 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Big Ten | 4 | 9-4 | .692 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
Big 12 | 7 | 12-7 | .632 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - |
Missouri Valley | 1 | 4-1 | .800 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
ACC | 9 | 12-9 | .571 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - |
WCC | 1 | 2-1 | .667 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
SEC | 8 | 8-8 | .500 | 8 | 6 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
Mountain West | 2 | 2-2 | .500 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
American | 3 | 2-3 | .400 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
Atlantic 10 | 3 | 2-3 | .400 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
America East | 1 | 1-1 | .500 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
C-USA | 1 | 1-1 | .500 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
MAC | 1 | 1-1 | .500 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
Big South | 1 | 1-1 | .500 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
SWAC | 1 | 1-1 | .500 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Pac-12 | 3 | 0-3 | .000 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
The Pac-12 lost all of its teams after the first day of the main tournament draw, marking the first time since the Big 12 began play in 1996 that one of the six major conferences--defined as the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC, and both versions of the Big East--failed to have a team advance to the tournament's round of 32.[18]
CBS Sports and Turner Sports had U.S. television rights to the Tournament under the NCAA March Madness brand. As part of a cycle beginning in 2016, TBS held the rights to the Final Four and to the championship game.[19]
For the first time, TBS held the rights to the 2018 Selection Show, which expanded into a two-hour format, was presented in front of a studio audience, and promoted that the entire field of the tournament would be unveiled within the first ten minutes of the broadcast.[20] However, this entailed the 68-team field (beginning with automatic qualifiers, followed by at-large teams) being revealed in alphabetical order, and not by bracket matchups (which was done later in the show). The new format was criticized for lacking suspense, and the show also faced criticism for technical issues, as well as a segment containing product placement for Pizza Hut.[21][22][23]
Westwood One had exclusive radio rights to the entire tournament.
First Four
First and Second rounds
|
Regionals
Final four
|
Live video of games was available for streaming through the following means:[24]
Live audio of games was available for streaming through the following means:
UMBC (The University of Maryland Baltimore County) scored the biggest upset in the history of the NCAA tournament, beating top overall seed Virginia 74-54 Friday night, and becoming the first 16 seed to win a game in 136 tries.