Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography, & More March Madness: The History of the NCAA Basketball Tournament
Mar 22, 2026
A lively dive into the origins and growth of the NCAA basketball tournament. Short stories about early rivalries, legendary moments like the 1957 triple-overtime and UCLA’s dynasty. Explanations of bracket expansion, Selection Sunday, play-in games, and the math behind perfect brackets. Tales of Cinderella upsets and why the tournament grips the nation.
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1957 Triple Overtime Classic
- The 1957 championship between North Carolina and Kansas went to triple overtime with North Carolina winning 54-53.
- Wilt Chamberlain was double- and triple-teamed, limiting his scoring in a famously defensive, low-scoring classic.
Expansion Fueled Popularity And Inclusion
- Tournament expansion addressed selection complaints and TV money, growing from 8 to 64 teams by 1985.
- Expansions in the 1970s and 80s increased access and set up the modern bracket culture.
Johnson Bird Final Ignited National Interest
- The 1979 final pitted Magic Johnson's Michigan State against Larry Bird's Indiana State and drew record TV audiences.
- The Johnson-Bird matchup launched a rivalry that carried prominently into the NBA in the 1980s.