Even if your Alma Mater or favorite team doesn’t make the post-season, March Madness is the most exciting time of the year for NCAA college basketball fans. It’s when the top D1 teams from across the country battle it out in a huge bracket for the NCAA championship.
However before the tournament bracket kicks off, the March Madness bracket needs teams and those teams need to be seeded. The crucial event that sets the stage for all the action is called Selection Sunday where a committee of NCAA experts come together to discuss, choose, and rank the field for March Madness.
The Countdown to Selection Sunday 2023
So Selection Sunday is the event that really kicks off the excitement of March Madness. Both the prospective teams and their fans eagerly await to find out which teams will make it to the big dance.
So, when is Selection Sunday for March Madness 2023? The big day is set for March 12th, 2023. That’s this weekend after the regular season has completed and all the conference tournaments have sent their automatic bids to the March Madness committee.
Selection Sunday is significant because it’s sets off the tournament. Following Selection Sunday is the first day of the tournament, known as “First Four” which is essentially a moniker for play-in games. This is when bubble teams are given the opportunity to earn two spots into the larger “official” bracket of 64 teams. Once those two teams are determeined, the tournament is in full swing.
March Madness 2023: Key Dates
Leading up to Selection Sunday, there are several important dates to keep in mind. Here is a brief overview of the key dates for March Madness 2023:
- February 26th, 2023: The last day of the regular season for most conferences.
- March 1st-11th, 2023: Conference tournaments take place across the country, with automatic bids to the NCAA tournament on the line.
- March 12th, 2023: Selection Sunday takes place, with the NCAA announcing the teams and seeding for the tournament.
- March 14th-15th, 2023: The “First Four” games take place, featuring the four lowest-ranked automatic qualifiers and the four lowest-ranked at-large teams.
- March 16th-17th, 2023: The first round of the tournament takes place, featuring 32 games over two days.
- March 18th-19th, 2023: The second round of the tournament takes place, with 16 games over two days.
- March 23rd-24th, 2023: The Sweet Sixteen takes place, featuring eight games over two days.
- March 25th-26th, 2023: The Elite Eight takes place, featuring four games over two days.
- April 1st, 2023: The Final Four takes place, featuring the two semifinal games.
- April 3rd, 2023: The championship game takes place, crowning the NCAA tournament champion.
A Brief History of Selection Sunday
Selection Sunday is the day when the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee announces which teams will participate in March Madness. The committee is responsible for selecting and seeding the teams, taking into account a range of factors such as team record, strength of schedule, and quality of wins.
The first Selection Sunday took place in 1985, and it has since become an important part of the March Madness tradition. The committee typically consists of ten members, including athletic directors and conference commissioners. The group meets several times throughout the season to evaluate teams and discuss potential seedings.
Over the years, the selection process has evolved, with new technologies and data analysis tools allowing for more sophisticated evaluations. The committee also takes into account feedback from coaches and players, as well as statistical models and metrics such as the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool).
