The NCAA tournament is famous not just for its outstanding players, exciting matchups and thrill of the Final Four, but also for the millions of college basketball fans who fill out brackets every year in hopes of being the champion of the office contest. Understanding the history behind the brackets might just give you a leg up in the next competition.
Bracket Expansion History
When the first NCAA tournament was held in 1939, it consisted of just eight teams from around the country. As the popularity of college basketball expanded throughout the 20th century, so did the size of the bracket. The field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, where it remained untouched for the next 15 years. But with the addition of the Mountain West Conference in 1999, the NCAA added a 65th team for the 2001 season to accommodate an additional at-large conference berth in the bracket. In 2010, the NCAA announced it would expand the tournament to 68 teams, allowing one more automatic qualifying conference champion team and two at-large teams.
Bracket Terminology
As the bracket challenge continued to gain popularity, sportswriters and fans have attached names to the various stages of the tournament. With the expansion of the tournament in 2001, the first game between the two 16 seeds became known as the play-in game. The various rounds of the tournament became known as the “Sweet 16,” “Elite Eight” and “Final Four.” When the field expanded to 68 in 2010, the NCAA dubbed the four games to determine the four play-in teams the “First Four.” The Sunday before the tournament, when the brackets are announced, is generally referred to as "Selection Sunday."
Bracket Seeding History
Since the creation of the 64-team bracket in 1985, no 16 seed has ever won a game in the NCAA tournament. Four teams seeded 15th have scored upsets in the first round, but none has made it to the Sweet 16. The 8 vs. 9 seed matchup is a relative tossup, with 9-seeds leading the all-time matchup 56-48.
Final Four Bracket History
Since 2001, a No. 1 seed has made it to the Final Four all but one year. For the first time in the 64-bracket era, all four No. 1 seeds made it to the Final Four in 2008, with Kansas, Memphis, UNC and UCLA advancing to the national semi-finals. In 2006, George Mason University became just the second No. 11 seed in tournament history to reach the Final Four. UCLA holds the record for the most NCAA championships with 11, including a record seven straight between 1967 and 1973.
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