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The History of the NCAA Tournament

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March Madness: The 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Follow the NCAA basketball tournament from the opening-round game in Dayton all the way to the Final Four in Detroit, with links to the best sources for history, news, analysis and video coverage of March Madness.

The History of the NCAA Tournament

Since its inception in 1939, the NCAA basketball tournament has provided its share of memorable moments. Learn what makes March Madness so thrilling and relive past tournaments by reading about the history of March Madness.

Insights for the History of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

  • The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s official Web site is NCAA.com. It features basic coverage of college basketball, with news, stats and a list of previous champions.
  • In 2001, the NCAA decided to add a 65th team to the tournament each year. The 64th and 65th best teams play for the right to advance to the first round against a No. 1 seed. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi gives an overview of the play-in game.

Top Sites for the History of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

For an overview …
HowStuffWorks explains who is eligible to play in the tournament, how the teams are selected and how the tournament progresses.
go to site »
For history …
NCAA.org has the 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Records and Final Four Records books available in PDF format. Both record books feature historical statistics for players, coaches and teams, but the Final Four Records Book has more detailed information on the tournament, including the bracket results of every tournament since 1940.
go to site »
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March Madness News

Find March Madness news as well as analysis of the players, teams and match-ups in the NCAA tournament.

Insights for March Madness News

  • The large news outlets are also good sources for schedules, standings and player stats.
  • For team-specific news, analysis and stats, see the East, Midwest, South and West Region sections of this Web guide. In there, you'll find links to each team's official Web site, local newspapers, student newspaper and blogs.

Top Web Sites for March Madness News

For large news outlets …
SI.com has an impressive stable of writers, including Seth Davis, who you’ll be seeing a lot of as CBS’ studio analyst. The “Truths&Rumors” section links to the day’s breaking news stories from newspapers and rival Web sites. Registering with the site allows you to customize the Truths&Rumors reports you get by team or player.
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ESPN.com features news and commentary from its television analysts, including Jay Bilas, Doug Gottlieb and Andy Katz. Quite a bit of the content, however, requires an ESPN Insider subscription ($39.95 a year). Also check out “ESPNU College Basketball,” a thrice-weekly podcast hosted by Andy Glockner.
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Best March Madness Blogs …
Basketball Prospectus features in-depth statistical analysis of college basketball, much like Baseball Prospectus does for professional baseball. Ken Pomeroy, formerly of KenPom.com, headlines the staff of writers posting up to four articles a day. The “Statistics” section includes a five-year archive of KenPom.com’s specialized statistics.
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The Mid-Majority focuses on mid-major conference basketball, with news stories, players of the week, conference tournament coverage and a blog written by Kyle Whelliston, who was hired by ESPN based on his work here.
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Storming the Floor is a popular college basketball blog that combines humor and analysis. Associate Editor Eric Angevine also writes the “College Basketball Closer” column for Deadspin.
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March Madness Radio and Internet Coverage

CBS can show you only one game at a time, but there are sources available on the Web that give you access to all of the tournament’s 64 games, including live streaming video of every March Madness game.

Top Web Sites for Online and Radio Coverage of March Madness

For video coverage …
NCAA.com’s March Madness on Demand offers free streaming video of every tournament game. All broadband users can access the service, which features a 640 x 360 widescreen video player. Registering early for “VIP Status” reduces the time it takes to begin streaming each game. For more information on how MMOD works, read the FAQ section.
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DirecTV’s Mega March Madness offers coverage of out-of-market games, giving you access to up to 37 games on your TV from outside of your region. It’s available only to DirecTV subscribers and costs $69.
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For radio coverage …
Westwood One is providing streaming audio of every tournament game.
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NCAA Tournament Brackets

NCAA Tournament bracket pools give you the chance to compete with friends, coworkers and fans across the country. Find the best online resources for playing in an NCAA Tournament pool and get help on how to fill out your bracket in this section.

Insights for NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Brackets

  • Don’t get your hopes up about picking a perfect bracket: The odds of doing that are 9 quintillion to 1.
  • Bracketville analyzes the performance of each seed since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Top Web Sites for NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Brackets

ESPN’s Tournament Challenge offers $10,000 to its grand prize winner. Register with ESPN SportsNation to enter.
go to site »
Yahoo’s Tourney Pick’em ’09 is the best resource for managing a pool with your friends. Open to anybody with a Yahoo e-mail address, it lets you create public and private groups with a customizable scoring system. Play to win a $10,000 prize for the best bracket nationally and a $1 million prize for the perfect bracket.
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Facebook's Citizen Sports Tournament Brackets allows you to form private competitions with your friends or compete against all other Facebook users for a $5,000 grand prize. You must be registered with Facebook to join.
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Newspapers & Blogs for Midwest Region Teams

Find links to the official team Web site, local newspapers, student newspaper and blogs for all the schools in the Midwest Region.

Top Newspapers & Blogs for March Madness

1.) Louisville Cardinals
Local Papers: Louisville Courier-Journal, Lexington Herald-Leader
Student Paper: The Louisville Cardinal
Blogs: Card Chronicle, Cardinal Empire, Hell in the Hall

16.) Morehead St. Eagles
Local Papers: The Morehead News
Student Paper: The Trail Blazer

16.) Alabama State Hornets
Local Papers: al.com, Montgomery Advertiser
Student Paper: The Hornet Tribune
Blogs: MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street


8.) Ohio State Buckeyes
Local Papers: Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland Plain Dealer
 Student Paper: The Lantern
Blogs: Men of the Scarlet and Gray, Club Trillion

9.) Siena Saints
Local Papers: Albany Times Union
Student Paper: The Promethean
Blogs: Siena Saints Blog


5.) Utah Runnin’ Utes
Local Papers: Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News
Student Paper: The Daily Utah Chronicle
Blogs: Block U

12.) Arizona Wildcats
Local Papers: Tuscon Citizen, Arizona Daily Star
Student Paper: Arizona Daily Wildcat
Blogs: Arizona Desert Swarm, The Beardown


4.) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Local Papers: Winston-Salem Journal, Raleigh News & Observer
Student Paper: Old Gold & Black
Blogs: Blogger So Dear, The Player Hater’s Ball

13.) Cleveland St. Vikings
Local Papers: Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Cleveland Leader
Student Paper: The Cauldron

6.) West Virginia Mountaineers
Local Papers: Charleston Daily Mail, Charleston Gazette
Student Paper: The Daily Athenaeum
Blogs: WV Mountaineer Sports, The Smoking Musket

11.) Dayton Flyers
Local Papers: Dayton Daily News
Student Paper: Flyer News
Blogs: The Blackburn Review, Flyers Fieldhouse

3.) Kansas Jayhawks
Local Papers: Kansas City Star, Lawrence Journal-World
Student Paper: The University Daily Kansan
Blogs: Rock Chalk Talk, Phog Blog, The Shiver

14.) North Dakota St. Bison
Local Papers: In-Forum
Student Paper: The Spectrum
Blog: Bison Media Blog

7.) Boston College Eagles
Local Papers: The Boston Globe, Boston Herald
Student Paper: The Heights
Blogs: Eagle in Atlanta, BC All Access, BC Interruption

10.) USC Trojans
Local Papers: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News
Student Paper: Daily Trojan
Blogs: Conquest Chronicles


2.) Michigan State Spartans
Local Papers: Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal, MLive.com
Student Paper: The State News
Blogs: The Enlightened Spartan, Spartan Nation, Spartans Weblog

15.) Robert Morris Colonials
Local Papers: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune
Blogs: Colonials Corner
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Newspapers & Blogs for West Region Teams

Find links to the official team Web site, local newspapers, student newspaper and blogs for all the schools in the West Region.

Top Sites for Newspapers & Blogs

1.) UConn Huskies
Local Papers: Hartford Courant, New London Day
Student Paper: The Daily Campus
Blogs: UConn Huskies Basketball, Matt's UConn Men's Basketball Blog, TheUConnBlog

16.) UT-Chattanooga Mocs
Local Papers: Chattanooga Times Free Press
Student Paper: The Echo


8.) BYU Cougars
Local Papers: Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret Morning News
Student Paper: BYU NewsNet
Blogs: Cougar Tracks

9.) Texas A&M Aggies
Local Papers: Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News
Student Paper: The Battalion
Blogs: I Am The 12th Man

5.) Purdue Boilermakers
Local Papers: Indianapolis Star, The Journal and Courier
Student Paper: The Exponent
Blogs: Boiled Sports, Off the Track
12.) Northern Iowa Panthers
Local Papers: Des Moines Register, Cedar Rapids Gazette
Student Paper: The Northern Iowan


 4.) Washington Huskies
Local Papers: Seattle Times, The News-Tribune
Student Paper: The Daily of the University of Washington
Blogs: UW Dawg Pound

13.) Mississippi State Bulldogs
Local Papers: The Clarion-Ledger
Student Paper: The Reflector
Blogs: Bully Basketball, For Whom the Cowbell Tolls


 6.) Marquette Golden Eagles
Local Papers: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal
Student Paper: Marquette Tribune
Blogs: Cracked Sidewalks, MUTV Sports

11.) Utah State Aggies
Local Papers: Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News
Student Paper: The Utah Statesman

3.) Missouri Tigers
Local Papers: Columbia Daily Tribune, Kansas City Star
Student Paper: The Maneater
Blogs: Rock M Nation, Mizzourah

14.) Cornell Big Red
Local Papers: Ithaca Journal
Student Paper: Cornell Sun
Blogs: The Cornell Basketball Blog


7.) California Golden Bears
Local Papers: San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News
Student Paper: The Daily Californian
Blogs: California Golden Blogs

10.) Maryland Terrapins
Local Papers: Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post
Student Paper: The Diamondback
Blogs: Terp Center, Testudo Times, Turtle Waxing

2.) Memphis Tigers
Local Papers: The Commercial Appeal, The Tennessean
Student Paper: The Daily Helmsman
Blogs: Memphis Tigers Basketball, Go Memphis Tigers

15.) Cal State Northridge Matadors
Local Papers: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News
Student Paper: Daily Sundial
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Newspapers & Blogs for East Region Teams

Find links to the official team Web site, local newspapers, student newspaper and blogs for all the schools in the East Region.

Top Sites for Newspapers & Blogs

1.) Pitt Panthers
Local Papers: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Student Paper: The Pitt News
Blogs: Pitt Blather, Pitt Panther Prowl, The Mosh Pitt

16.) East Tennessee St. Buccaneers
Local Papers: Johnson City Press, Bristol Herald Courier
Student Paper: East Tennessean

8.) Oklahoma St. Cowboys
Local Papers: The Oklahoman
Student Paper: The Daily O’Collegian
9.) Tennessee Volunteers
Local Papers: Knoxville News Sentinal, The Tennessean
Student Paper: The Daily Beacon
Blogs: Rocky Top Talk, Gate 21

5.) Florida State Seminoles
Local Papers: Tallahassee Democrat
Student Paper: FSView & Florida Flambeau
Blogs: Tomahawk Nation, ScalpEm.com

12.) Wisconsin Badgers
Local Papers: Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, Wisconsin State Journal
Student Paper: The Badger Herald
Blogs: Badgercentric, Bucky's 5th Quarter, Hoops Marinara
4.) Xavier Musketeers
Local Papers: Cincinnati Enquirer
Student Paper: The Xavier University Newswire
Blogs: Musketeer Madness, Xavier Newswire, Musketeer Blogoshpere

13.) Portland State Vikings
Local Papers: The Oregonian
Student Paper: Daily Vanguard
Blogs: Big Sky Fans


6.) UCLA Bruins
Local Papers: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News
Student Paper: The Daily Bruin
Blogs: Bruins Nation, Bruins Basketball Report

 11.) Virginia Commonwealth Rams
Local Papers: Richmond Times Dispatch
Student Paper: Commonwealth Times
Blogs: VCU Ram Nation

3.) Villanova Wildcats
Local Papers: Philadelphia Inquirer/Daily News
Student Paper: The Villanovan
Blogs: Let’s Go Nova, Villanova by the Numbers, Villanova Viewpoint

14.) American Eagles
Local Papers: Washington Times, The Washington Post
Student Paper: The Eagle
Blog: Hoop Time


7.) Texas Longhorns
Local Papers: Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman
Student Paper: The Daily Texan
Blogs: Burnt Orange Nation

10.) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Local Papers: Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Student Paper: Minnesota Daily
Blogs: The Daily Gopher, From the Barn, Down With Goldy


2.) Duke Blue Devils
Local Papers: Durham Herald-Sun, Raleigh News & Observer
Student Paper: The Chronicle
Blogs: Duke Basketball Report, Blue Devil Hoops, Blue Devil Nation

15.) Binghamton Bearcats
Local Papers: Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
Student Paper: Pipe Dream
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Newspapers & Blogs for South Region Teams

Find links to the official team Web site, local newspapers, student newspaper and blogs for all the schools in the South Region.

Top Sites for March Madness Newspapers & Blogs

1.) North Carolina Tar Heels
Local Papers: Raleigh News & Observer, Durham Herald-Sun
Student Paper: The Daily Tar Heel
Blogs: Tar Heel Fan, Carolina March, Tar Heel Daily

16.) Radford Highlanders
Local Papers: Roanoke Times
Student Paper: The Tartan


8.) Louisiana State Tigers
Local Papers: New Orleans Times-Picayune, Shreveport Times
Student Paper: Daily Reveille
Blogs: And the Valley Shook, Bayou Bengal Blog

9.) Butler Bulldogs
Local Papers: Indianapolis Star
Student Paper: Dawgnet


5.) Illinois Fighting Illini
Local Papers: Chicago Tribune, Bowling Green Daily News
Student Paper: The Daily Illini
Blog: Hail to the Orange, Illinitalk, IllinoisLoyalty

12.) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Local Papers: Lexington Herald-Leader, Bowling Green Daily News
Student Paper: College Heights Herald

4.) Gonzaga Bulldogs
Local Papers: Spokesman Review, Seattle Times
Student Paper: Gonzaga Bulletin
Blogs: The Slipper Still Fits

13.) Akron Zips
Local Papers: Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Student Paper: The Buchtelite
Blogs: Rasor on the Zips, MAC Report Online


6.) Arizona State Sun Devils
Local Papers: Arizona Republic, Arizona Daily Star
Student Paper: ASU Web Devil
Blog: House of Sparky, Pitchfork Nation

11.) Temple Owls
Local Papers: Philadelphia Inquirer/Daily News
Student Paper: The Temple News
Blog: College Chalktalk, The Owls’ Nest


3.) Syracuse Orange
Local Papers: The Post-Standard, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Student Paper: The Daily Orange
Blogs: The Orange Report, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician, Orange 44

14.) Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
Local Papers: Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel, Houston Chronicle
Student Paper: The Pine Log


 7.) Clemson Tigers
Local Papers: The State
Student Paper: The Tiger
Blogs: Block C, The OP, ClemBenTigerMax

10.) Michigan Wolverines
Local Papers: Detroit Free Press, MLive.com
Student Paper: The Michigan Daily
Blogs: MGoBlog, UMHoops, Maize n Brew


2.) Oklahoma Sooners
Local Papers: The Oklahoman, The Norman Transcript
Student Paper: The Oklahoma Daily
Blogs: Crimson and Cream Machine

15.) Morgan St. Bears
Local Papers: Baltimore Sun
Student Paper: The Spokesman
Blogs: MEAC/SWAC Sports Main Street
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