How Long are March Madness Games?
March Madness is the biggest college basketball tournament of the year, drawing in millions of viewers from around the world. There is a lot of excitement surrounding this annual competition, so it’s no wonder people are wondering how long each game typically lasts.
Men’s Tournament Games
The Men’s tournament games are traditionally 40 minutes in length. This means that each half is 20 minutes long, and there are typically two timeouts for each team per half. Once the time runs out, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Women’s Tournament Games
The Women’s tournament games are slightly shorter than the men’s games. Each game is typically a total of 30 minutes, with each half being 15 minutes long. Just like the men’s games, teams are allowed two timeouts per half.
Overtime Rules
In the event of a tied game, there are a few rules that apply to the overtime period. The rules are as follows:
- Men’s Games: There will be one five minute overtime period.
- Women’s Games: There will be one three minute overtime period.
- Both teams receive one additional timeout for the overtime period.
- The team with the most points at the end of the overtime period wins the game.
Conclusion
March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year and fans can expect exciting games that last between 30-40 minutes. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, there will also be overtime periods, depending on if the game is a men’s or women’s game.
