March is more than just a month—it’s a season of excitement, anticipation, and the chaos of college basketball. Welcome to March Madness, where buzzer-beaters, bracket-busters, and Cinderella stories unfold throughout the NCAA tournament. Whether you’re a die-hard college basketball fan or a casual viewer, here is your guide to navigating the madness and throwing an unforgettable March Madness party!
How Does it Work?
March Madness is the single-elimination college basketball tournament held annually in the United States. The tournament determines the national champion among college basketball’s top teams.
- Selection Sunday:
- The madness begins with “Selection Sunday,” where a selection committee reveals the 68 teams that have earned a spot in the tournament. These teams are then organized into four regions.
- The Bracket:
- The tournament is structured as a single-elimination bracket, with teams seeded based on their regular-season performance. Higher-seeded teams face lower-seeded teams in each round.
- Survive and Advance:
- The goal is simple—win and advance, lose and go home. The field narrows with each round until only the best two teams face off in the national championship game.
- Final Four:
- The last four teams standing compete in the “Final Four,” and the winners move on to the championship game.
What is the Schedule for This Year’s Tournament?
Here is the schedule for this year’s tournament:
- Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 17
- 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: Saturday, April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
- NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
You can livestream any of the games of the tournament from almost any device! Click here for more information.
How Can I Host Exciting March Madness Activities in My Apartment?
While living in an apartment comes along with endless benefits, hosting your friends and family can seem tricky sometimes. Here are some tips for hosting exciting March Madness watch parties!
Host a Bracket Reveal Party
Start off the tournament with some excitement by hosting a bracket reveal party! On Selection Sunday, invite your friends over for an exciting watch party. Once the selections have been made, give everyone a bracket to fill out. Reveal your brackets to each other, and let the games begin!
Make a Game Day Feast
Elevate your watch parties with a spread of game-day favorites. Think about all of the classic game-day dishes, from nachos to chili to fun appetizers. For recipe inspiration, check out the food/cooking category on our blog.
Have a Friendly Competition
Engage in some friendly competition with your friends and family by creating your own March Madness bracket pool! Have everyone fill out a bracket after Selection Sunday. Throughout the tournament, keep track of everyone’s predictions and see whose is the most accurate at the end of the tournament. For some added excitement, you could order a trophy or other prize to be given to the winner!
Put Out Some March Madness Decor
Putting out some March Madness-themed decor is an easy way to elevate your March Madness watch parties while creating a fun environment for your friends and family! Amazon has decorations that won’t break the bank. Some great options are a tablecloth, serving dishes, or wall decor.
Where can I find a bracket?
There are many different ways to find a March Madness bracket. If you prefer a hard copy, you can download our custom bracket below. If you prefer to do everything digitally, you can download the NCAA March Madness Live app or click here. If you live in a Foshee Residential managed property, head over to your leasing office for a free printed copy of our March Madness bracket!
March Madness is more than just a basketball tournament, it’s a way to get together with your friends, family members, or coworkers to engage in some friendly competition. We hope this guide helps you become a seasoned professional in all things March Madness. We hope your March Madness watch parties and your brackets are both winners!