What’s better than March Madness? Getting even more basketball during March Madness. Seriously, as if the tournament wasn’t wild enough already, overtime takes things to a whole new level of excitement.
The NCAA Tournament officially starts on Thursday and brings nearly three straight weeks of intense matchups until a new national champion is crowned in Arizona. This yearly event never disappoints, there are shocking upsets, last-second buzzer-beaters, and so much chaos that even non-sports fans get hooked.
Now, here’s where things can get extra juicy: overtime. If a game ends in a tie after regular playing time, we get bonus basketball, cue the screaming fans and nail-biting finishes. Last year, there was only one game that needed overtime, Kansas State’s 98-93 thriller over Michigan State in the Sweet 16. So it doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does? It’s unforgettable.
March Madness overtime rules
So here’s how overtime works in March Madness—it’s actually pretty simple. If the game ends in a tie after the regular playing time, both teams get a shot at settling things in a five-minute overtime period. It’s like bonus basketball, and every second counts.
Now, if they’re still tied after those five minutes? No problem. They’ll go into another five-minute overtime. And if that’s still not enough? They’ll just keep going. There’s a short one-minute break between each overtime, but there’s no limit to how many they can play. The game only ends once one team finally outscores the other during one of those OT rounds.
Basically, they’ll battle it out until there’s a clear winner, no ties, no coin flips, just pure, high-stakes basketball until someone comes out on top.
For this year’s tournament, if any match goes into overtime, here’s how it works. If teams are tied at the end of regulation, they play a five-minute overtime period to determine a winner. If they’re still tied after that? They just keep going. Another five minutes. Then another. And another. There’s a short one-minute break between each OT period, but there’s no cap on how many overtimes they can play. It’s all about who can outlast the other.
And no, this setup isn’t just a March Madness thing. The regular college basketball season uses the same overtime rules. So whether it’s December or March, tied games always head into five-minute OTs until someone wins.
What is the longest March Madness game?
As for the longest games in March Madness history? Two games went into four overtimes, making them the most extended battles in the tournament. The first happened in 1956, when Canisius beat NC State 79-78 in a wild East Region quarterfinal at Madison Square Garden. The second came in 1961, when St. Joseph’s won a 127-120 shootout against Utah in the national third-place game. Those were true endurance tests.
So while overtime might not happen every game, when it does, it’s basketball at its most dramatic. Keep an eye out—this year’s tournament could bring some overtime magic too.