Oct. 27, 2023: The NIT Board of Managers announces changes for the 2024 National Invitation Tournament that impact how teams qualify. For the 2024 NIT, conference regular-season champions that do not win their conference tournament or are not otherwise selected to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will not receive an automatic bid to the NIT. Instead, the NIT will guarantee two teams (based on the NET rankings) from each of six conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Southeastern). October 27, 2023 2
March-April 2021: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all rounds of the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship are held in Indianapolis, and all rounds of the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship are held in San Antonio, marking the first time each tournament is played entirely in one geographic region. April 1, 2021 1
March 12, 2020: The Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, which had been played every year since 1939, and the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship are canceled for the first time by the NCAA Board of Governors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All 2020 NCAA winter and spring sports are canceled, as well. March 12, 2020 1
April 12, 2016: The NCAA announces an eight-year, $8.8 billion extension of its multimedia rights agreement with CBS Sports and Turner, a division of Time Warner, for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The new contract extends the agreement through 2032. April 12, 2016 2
2010: The reach and visibility of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship expands with the announcement of a new 14-year, $10.8 billion television, Internet and wireless rights agreement with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting System. April 22, 2010 0
Nov. 18, 1999: The NCAA and CBS agree to a $6 billion, 11-year agreement for rights to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and other championships, including marketing opportunities. November 18, 1999 0
March 28, 1992: In what is often called “the greatest game,” Duke’s Christian Laettner hits a buzzer-beating 17-foot jump shot after a length-of-the-court inbounds pass from Grant Hill in overtime of the 1992 East Regional final to defeat Kentucky and advance to the Men’s Final Four. Duke, the defending national champion, went on to win a second straight Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. March 28, 1992 0
April 2, 1984: Georgetown’s John Thompson becomes the first African American to coach a team to a title in the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. April 2, 1984 0
April 4, 1983: In what many believe is the greatest Cinderella story in college basketball, North Carolina State’s Lorenzo Charles dunks the ball as time expires in the 1983 Division I Men’s Basketball Championship title game to lead the Wolfpack to a 54-52 win over heavily favored Houston. April 4, 1983 0
March 4, 1981: CBS is awarded rights to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship for three years beginning in 1982. March 4, 1981 0
