On Sunday night, 68 teams will see their names placed on the NCAA tournament bracket, while several “bubble” teams will not. Selection Sunday is the time to let emotions out as players and their fanbases learn if the season’s work has been worth the fight, or if they were just one big win short of pleasing the selection committee.
NCAA Tournament 2017: What is Selection Sunday?
Before March Madness tips off, Selection Sunday has to happen.
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By the start of CBS’ selection show at 5:30, 32 teams will be able to sit comfortably knowing their team is guaranteed a spot to join the madness by way of winning their conference tournament. The remaining 36 are picked out out by the “selection committee,” which is comprised of athletic directors and commissioners from around the league.
Teams are judged in a ton of different ways through the selection process including by who they’ve played, the good teams they beat, the bad teams they lost to, and an endless amount of supplementary statistics help close the gap between the last few deserving teams.
The 68 teams are seeded 1-16 and placed into four regions, with the winner of each making its way to the Final Four. You can print out a blank bracket here.
The selection process can be cruel and unforgiving as teams gather with their coaches to watch on with hopes of seeing their name on the screen. But it also makes for some of the best moments as teams celebrate the accomplishment.
Sunday night also marks the first of two nights to get your brackets filled out as the first games begin on Tuesday. There is absolutely no chance your Sunday night bracket looks like your Monday morning bracket, and by Tuesday morning you’ll have picked your sixth different team to win the championship. But this is what makes March Madness fun, and it all begins with Selection Sunday.
How to watch
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Online streaming: NCAA.com and CBSSports.com
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