The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is one of the most prestigious organizations in college sports. Every year, the NCAA holds tournaments to determine the best teams in the country, culminating in the NCAA championship. Each year, one team is crowned the national champion and can forever lay claim to the title of being the best in the land.
History of the NCAA Championship
The NCAA championship has been held since 1939, when the University of Oregon won the very first tournament. Since then, the tournament has grown in size and popularity, with more and more teams vying for the title each year. As the tournament has grown, so has the competition, making it one of the most sought-after titles in all of college sports.
The Selection Process
The selection process for the NCAA championship is a highly intricate and complex system. The NCAA selection committee looks at a variety of criteria when selecting teams for the tournament. These criteria include the team’s overall record, their strength of schedule, their conference record, and their performance in non-conference games. The selection committee also takes into account any injuries or suspensions that teams may have had during the season.
The tournament begins with 68 teams, which are divided into four regions. These teams are then seeded based on their record and strength of schedule, with the top-ranked teams receiving preferential seeding. The tournament then progresses through a series of rounds until only one team remains.
The Road to the Final Four
The NCAA tournament is a single-elimination tournament, meaning that once a team loses, they are eliminated from contention. Each round of the tournament consists of one game, with the winners moving on to the next round. As the tournament progresses, the number of teams decreases until only four remain. These four teams are then invited to the Final Four, where they compete for the ultimate prize: The NCAA championship.
The 2021 NCAA Champion
The 2021 NCAA champion is Baylor University. The Baylor Bears defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 86-70 in the championship game on April 5th, 2021. It was the Bears’ first-ever NCAA championship, and the first time a team from the Big 12 conference had won the tournament since Kansas in 2008.
Baylor was led by guard Jared Butler, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Butler had a stellar performance in the championship game, scoring 22 points and dishing out 10 assists. He was also key in leading the Bears to the title game, averaging 16.7 points and 5.4 assists during the tournament.
Conclusion
The 2021 NCAA champion is Baylor University, who defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 86-70 in the championship game. It marks the Bears’ first-ever NCAA championship, and the first time a team from the Big 12 conference had won the tournament since Kansas in 2008. Baylor was led by guard Jared Butler, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. With the win, Baylor will forever lay claim to the title of being the best team in the land.