Last year, the Boilermakers were upset by No. 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson in the first round of the NCAA tournament, becoming only the second men’s No. 1 seed to ever lose to a No. 16 seed. That’s the name of the game in March Madness, where brackets are busted and Cinderella stories emerge.
Purdue finished the regular season with as the No. 3 team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The top five is rounded out by No. 1 Houston, No. 2 UConn, No. 4 North Carolina and No. 5 Tennessee. UCLA has won the most NCAA titles (11), followed by Kentucky (8), UNC (6), and Duke, UConn and Indiana, which all have five titles.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 March Madness men’s basketball tournament:
When is 2024 March Madness men’s basketball tournament?
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament will run from March 19-April 8, with Selection Sunday set to take place two days before the men’s tournament tips off. Here is the full schedule:
IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.
Selection Sunday: March 17 (6 p.m. ET on CBS)
First Four: March 19-20
First round: March 21-22
Second round: March 23-24
Sweet 16: March 28-29
Elite Eight: March 30-31
Final Four: April 6
NCAA championship game: April 8
When is the Final Four?
The Final Four national semifinals will be held in Glendale, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, on Saturday, April 6.
When is the national championship game?
The men’s title game will be held on Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium.
Who won 2023 men’s March Madness?
The Connecticut Huskies defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 76-59 at NRG Stadium in Houston to win the school’s fifth championship overall and first since 2014. Connecticut is looking to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Florida Gators, who won consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007.
2024 March Madness championship odds
The Huskies are the current favorites to hoist the championship trophy, according to BetMGM:
UConn (+500)
Houston (+650)
Purdue (+700)
Arizona (+1000)
Tennessee (+1200)
North Carolina (+1800)
March Madness men’s champions, by year
Here is every national champion and their record since the NCAA men’s basketball tournament began in 1939:
2023: Connecticut (31-8)
2022: Kansas (34-6)
2021: Baylor (28-2)
2020: The tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2019: Virginia (35-3)
2018: Villanova (36-4)
2017: North Carolina (33-7)
2016: Villanova (35-5)
2015: Duke (35-4)
2014: Connecticut (32-8)
2013: Louisville (35-5) *Championship was vacated by the NCAA
2012: Kentucky (38-2)
2011: Connecticut (32-9)
2010: Duke (35-5)
2009: North Carolina (34-4)
2008: Kansas (37-3)
2007: Florida (35-5)
2006: Florida (33-6)
2005: North Carolina (33-4)
2004: Connecticut (33-6)
2003: Syracuse (30-5)
2002: Maryland (32-4)
2001: Duke (35-4)
2000: Michigan State (32-7)
1999: Connecticut (34-2)
1998: Kentucky (35-4)
1997: Arizona (25-9)
1996: Kentucky (34-2)
1995: UCLA (31-2)
1994: Arkansas (31-3)
1993: North Carolina (34-4)
1992: Duke (34-2)
1991: Duke (32-7)
1990: UNLV (35-5)
1989: Michigan (30-7)
1988: Kansas (27-11)
1987: Indiana (30-4)
1986: Louisville (32-7)
1985: Villanova (25-10)
1984: Georgetown (34-3)
1983: North Carolina State (26-10)
1982: North Carolina (32-2)
1981: Indiana (26-9)
1980: Louisville (33-3)
1979: Michigan State (26-6)
1978: Kentucky (30-2)
1977: Marquette (25-7)
1976: Indiana (32-0)
1975: UCLA (28-3)
1974: North Carolina State (30-1)
1973: UCLA (30-0)
1972: UCLA (30-0)
1971: UCLA (29-1)
1970: UCLA (28-2)
1969: UCLA (29-1)
1968: UCLA (29-1)
1967: UCLA (30-0)
1966: UTEP (28-1)
1965: UCLA (28-2)
1964: UCLA (30-0)
1963: Loyola Chicago (29-2)
1962: Cincinnati (29-2)
1961: Cincinnati (27-3)
1960: Ohio State (25-3)
1959: California (25-4)
1958: Kentucky (23-6)
1957: North Carolina (32-0)
1956: San Francisco (29-0)
1955: San Francisco (28-1)
1954: La Salle (26-4)
1953: Indiana (23-3)
1952: Kansas (28-3)
1951: Kentucky (32-2)
1950: CCNY (24-5)
1949: Kentucky (32-2)
1948: Kentucky (36-3)
1947: Holy Cross (27-3)
1946: Oklahoma State (31-2)
1945: Oklahoma State (27-4)
1944: Utah (21-4)
1943: Wyoming (31-2)
1942: Stanford (28-4)
1941: Wisconsin (20-3)
1940: Indiana (20-3)
1939: Oregon (29-5)
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.