Tulane Hullabaloo Breaks Down March Madness

A beginner's guide to college basketball's biggest tournament

Mar. 19, 2026 at 3:53am

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The Tulane Hullabaloo student newspaper has published a comprehensive overview of March Madness, the annual NCAA college basketball tournament. The article explains the basics of the tournament, including how teams qualify, the bracket structure, and the significance of 'Cinderella' teams - lower-seeded underdogs that make surprising deep runs.

Why it matters

March Madness is one of the most widely watched and anticipated sporting events of the year, capturing the attention of casual and diehard fans alike. Understanding the tournament format and key concepts is important for anyone looking to follow along and enjoy the excitement of the games.

The details

The March Madness tournament features 68 total teams, with 32 earning automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments and 36 receiving at-large bids selected by the NCAA. The teams are divided into four regional brackets - East, West, South, and Midwest - with the 16 teams in each region ranked from 1 to 16 based on their season performance. The tournament begins with the 'First Four' play-in games, then moves to the second round, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four, and national championship game. A 'Cinderella' team refers to a lower-seeded underdog that defies expectations and makes an unexpectedly deep tournament run.

  • The men's First Four games took place on March 17-18, 2026.
  • The women's First Four games took place on March 18-19, 2026.
  • The women's national championship game is scheduled for April 5, 2026.
  • The men's national championship game is scheduled for April 6, 2026.

The players

NCAA Selection Committee

The group responsible for selecting the 36 at-large teams that receive bids to the March Madness tournament, in addition to seeding all 68 teams.

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The takeaway

March Madness is an exciting time of year for college basketball fans, with the tournament format and concept of 'Cinderella' teams adding to the drama and unpredictability. Understanding the basics, like how teams qualify and the bracket structure, can help newcomers fully enjoy the madness of March.