The history of March Madness contains some of the most memorable NCAA games in memory. Who can forget Jim Valvano leading the North Carolina State Wolfpack to a massive upset victory over Houston in the 1983 national championship game? Or Christian Laettner nailing his turnaround jumper with no time left to knock off Kentucky in the 1992 East Regional final as the Blue Devils went on to the title? These moments have stood the test of time as not only great moments in March Madness history, but within the sporting landscape as well.
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The historical list of March Madness winners is a who's who of NCAA basketball greats. From the inaugural champion (the 1939 Oregon Ducks) to the amazing run of the UCLA Bruins (10 championships between 1964-1975), the history of March Madness has provided the sports world with some of the most incredible play and notable dynasties.
Most recently, the tournament has been dominated by the ACC and Big East conferences, as the two have combined to produce six of the past seven NCAA champions. Which school will write its name into the March Madness history book this year?
Perhaps most impressive is the list of past March Madness most valuable player winners throughout the years. It features three-time winner (1967-69) Lew Alcindor, who later went on to post a Hall of Fame career in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. Alcindor, who changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, still stands as the only player in March Madness history to win the MVP trophy three times. Other impressive names litter the list - Patrick Ewing, Akeem Olajuwon, James Worthy, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Bill Walton, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell are just a few of the many names synonymous with the history of March Madness.
This year, 65 teams will embark on yet another chance to make their mark in March Madness history. It will be a thrill watching to find out who emerges.
| Year | Champions | Record | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Florida Gators | (33-6) | Joakim Noah, Florida |
| 2005 | North Carolina Tar Heels | (33-4) | Sean May, North Carolina |
| 2004 | Connecticut Huskies | (33-6) | Emeka Okafor, UConn |
| 2003 | Syracuse Orange | (30-5) | Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse |
| 2002 | Maryland Terrapins | (32-4) | Juan Dixon, Maryland |
| 2001 | Duke Blue Devils | (35-4) | Shane Battier, Duke |
| 2000 | Michigan State Spartans | (32-7) | Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State |
| 1999 | Connecticut Huskies | (34-2) | Richard Hamilton, UConn |
| 1998 | Kentucky Wildcats | (35-4) | Jeff Sheppard, Kentucky |
| 1997 | Arizona Wildcats | (25-9) | Miles Simon, Arizona |
| 1996 | Kentucky Wildcats | (34-2) | Tony Delk, Kentucky |
| 1995 | UCLA Bruins | (31-2) | Ed O'Bannon, UCLA |
| 1994 | Arkansas Razorbacks | (31-3) | Corliss Williamson Arkansas |
| 1993 | North Carolina Tar Heels | (34-4) | Donald Williams, North Carolina |
| 1992 | Duke Blue Devils | (34-2) | Bobby Hurley, Duke |
| 1991 | Duke Blue Devils | (32-7) | Christian Laettner, Duke |
| 1990 | UNLV Rebels | (35-5) | Anderson Hunt, Nevada - Las Vegas |
| 1989 | Michigan Wolverines | (30-7) | Glen Rice, Michigan |
| 1988 | Kansas Jayhawks | (27-11) | Danny Manning, Kansas |
| 1987 | Indiana Hoosiers | (30-4) | Keith Smart, Indiana |
| 1986 | Louisville Cardinals | (32-7) | Pervis Ellison, Louisville |
| 1985 | Villanova Wildcats | (25-10) | Ed Pinckney, Villanova |
| 1984 | Georgetown Hoyas | (34-3) | Patrick Ewing, Georgetown |
| 1983 | North Carolina State Wolfpack | (26-10) | Akeem Olajuwon, Houston |
| 1982 | North Carolina Tar Heels | (32-2) | James Worthy, North Carolina |
| 1981 | Indiana Hoosiers | (26-9) | Isiah Thomas , Indiana |
| 1980 | Louisville Cardinals | (33-3) | Darrell Griffith, Louisville |
| 1979 | Michigan State Spartans | (26-6) | Earvin "Magic" Johnson , Michigan State |
| 1978 | Kentucky Wildcats | (30-2) | Jack Givens , Kentucky |
| 1977 | Marquette Golden Eagles | (25-7) | Butch Lee, Marquette |
| 1976 | Indiana Hoosiers | (32-0) | Kent Benson, Indiana |
| 1975 | UCLA Bruins | (28-3) | Richard Washington, UCLA |
| 1974 | North Carolina State Wolfpack | (30-1) | David Thompson, North Carolina State |
| 1973 | UCLA Bruins | (30-0) | Bill Walton, UCLA |
| 1972 | UCLA Bruins | (30-0) | Bill Walton, UCLA |
| 1971 | UCLA Bruins | (29-1) | Vacated* |
| 1970 | UCLA Bruins | (28-2) | Sidney Wicks, UCLA |
| 1969 | UCLA Bruins | (29-1) | Lew Alcindor, UCLA |
| 1968 | UCLA Bruins | (29-1) | Lew Alcindor, UCLA |
| 1967 | UCLA Bruins | (29-1) | Lew Alcindor, UCLA |
| 1966 | Texas El Paso Miners | (28-1) | Jerry Chambers, Utah |
| 1965 | UCLA Bruins | (28-2) | Bill Bradley, Princeton |
| 1964 | UCLA Bruins | (30-0) | Walt Hazzard, UCLA |
| 1963 | Loyola of Chicago Ramblers | (29-2) | Art Heyman, Duke |
| 1962 | Cincinnati Bearcats | (29-2) | Paul Hogue, Cincinnati |
| 1961 | Cincinnati Bearcats | (27-3) | Jerry Lucas, Ohio State |
| 1960 | Ohio State Buckeyes | (25-3) | Jerry Lucas, Ohio State |
| 1959 | California Golden Bears | (25-4) | Jerry West, West Virginia |
| 1958 | Kentucky Wildcats | (23-6) | Elgin Baylor, Seattle |
| 1957 | North Carolina Tar Heels | (32-0) | Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas |
| 1956 | San Francisco Dons | (29-0) | Hal Lear, Temple |
| 1955 | San Francisco Dons | (28-1) | Bill Russell, San Francisco |
| 1954 | La Salle Explorers | (26-4) | Tom Gola, La Salle |
| 1953 | Indiana Hoosiers | (23-3) | B.H. Horn, Kansas |
| 1952 | Kansas Jayhawks | (28-3) | Clyde Lovelette , Kansas |
| 1951 | Kentucky Wildcats | (32-2) | none selected |
| 1950 | CCNY | (24-5) | Irwin Dambrot, CCNY |
| 1949 | Kentucky Wildcats | (32-2) | Alex Groza, Kentucky |
| 1948 | Kentucky Wildcats | (36-3) | Alex Groza, Kentucky |
| 1947 | Holy Cross Crusaders | (27-3) | George Kaftan, Holy Cross |
| 1946 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | (31-2) | Bob Kurland, Oklahoma State |
| 1945 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | (27-4) | Bob Kurland, Oklahoma State |
| 1944 | Utah Utes | (21-4) | Arnold Ferrin, Utah |
| 1943 | Wyoming Cowboys | (31-2) | Ken Sailors, Wyoming |
| 1942 | Stanford Cardinal | (28-4) | Howard Dallmar, Stanford |
| 1941 | Wisconsin Badgers | (20-3) | John Kotz, Wisconsin |
| 1940 | Indiana Hoosiers | (20-3) | Marvin Huffman, Indiana |
| 1939 | Oregon Ducks | (29-5) | None Selected |
Here's to an enjoyable and profitable month of March Madness betting!
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