March Madness — the NCAA Division I Women's and Men's Basketball National Championship — kicked off on March 17
NEED TO KNOW
The annual tournament follows the top 68 college basketball teams in several rounds of single-elimination games
Players must follow strict rules, including bans on jewelry, unsportsmanlike conduct and sports wagering of any kind
March Madnesshas arrived!
The fierce competition, which originated in 1939, features 68 of the best college basketball teams from across the country as they compete in hopes of taking home the national title. The tournament automatically included the 31 conference winners before 37 at-large selections were chosen by the NCAA basketball committee. From there, the "First Four" games narrow down the field to 64 teams — which make up the official bracket.
Teams get ranked within their division based on their yearly performance, so the top teams play against the bottom teams (No. 1 against No. 16, No. 2 against No. 15 and so on). Although the tournament is designed to reward the highest performing teams, there are upsets every year with lower ranked teams coming out on top.
The teams compete in up to seven rounds of single-elimination games — including the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight and Final Four — to have a chance of making it to the final two in the national championship game.
While earning a spot in March Madness is the crowning achievement of many college athletes, they have to follow a myriad of meticulous rules in order to compete in the high-stakes tournament.
From how they behave on the court to what they can and cannot wear, here are some of the rules that all NCAA basketball athletes must abide by during March Madness.
Athletes can make their own brackets — as long as there's no money involved
Basketball and non-basketball fans alike enjoy filling out and competing on March Madness brackets. Depending on state regulations, many people can even place monetary bets on their brackets.
Student athletes and other team staff members can also get in on the fun by filling out brackets, but they can only do them in contests where "there is no entry fee but a possibility of winning a prize," per theDon't Bet On It NCAA statement. However, some NCAA schools have also forbidden those types of "for fun" contests.
All NCAA student athletes, athletic department staff members and conference office staff are strictly prohibited from participating in "sports wagering activities" of any kind, as well as providing "information to individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports wagering activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition," according to theNCAA bylaw 10.3.
The NCAA closely monitors thousands of students and staff members by screening them every year and hiring special law enforcement officers and gambling experts.
Any student athletes who are found violating any of the sports betting rules could face "severe penalties, including permanent loss of remaining athletic eligibility and loss of athletics scholarships, subject to review by divisional reinstatement committees," per theNCAA.
Coaches and other NCAA staff members are also subject to sanctions and terminations if they violate the guidelines.
Headwear is monitored and jewelry is forbidden during games
Unfortunately for some players with lucky pieces of jewelry, all March Madness athletes must leave their jewelry on the bench and limit headwear.
"Head decorations, head wear, helmets, and jewelry are illegal," the Men's andWomen's NCAA Basketball 2025-2026 Rule Booksread.
In addition, any pieces of tape used to cover the jewelry or piercing holes are also not allowed.
However, athletes can wear religious headwear, as long as it is "securely fastened to the head and is subject to the approval of the referee."
Although headwear is prohibited from the court, both men and women can wear headbands — as long as they follow the strict criteria made by the NCAA. All headbands must be made of cloth, elastic fiber or other soft fabrics and must be a "solid color" of white, black, beige or a color from their jersey.
Headbands can not exceed four inches in width and can only include one logo that fits into a certain size rectangle. Any "hard items" — such as clips, bobby pins and barrettes — are a no-go.
Men's jersey shirts must be tucked in — but women's don't have to be
While many of the NCAA basketball rules are applied to both men's and women's teams, the rules on how a game-day jersey must be worn differ.
Ahead of the 2025-2026 school year, the NCAA had enforced the rule for women that "game jerseys shall be tucked in the game shorts." However, they deleted that rule for the first time this year because of the different way women's jerseys look.
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TheNCAA Women's Committeeruled that jerseys for women "have become shorter and are not always manufactured to be long enough to be properly tucked into the game shorts. When players lift their arms, the jersey often becomes untucked, making it difficult for officials to enforce the rule properly."
The Women's Rule Book noted that the jersey tucked-in rule was deleted for the 2026-2027 season, as well.
Meanwhile, the men's game jerseys "shall be tucked in the game shorts," per theMen's Rule Book. Since it's a common mistake to make, the Rule Book also listed out guidelines for punishment.
"The first time an official must tell a player to tuck in the game jersey, the official shall issue a warning to the head coach," it reads. "The next time any player on the same team has the game jersey untucked, that player shall leave the game until the next opportunity to substitute. The official shall enforce this rule at the next dead ball after observing the violation."
"Excessively long fingernails" must be clipped
In order to protect all NCAA players and prevent injuries, all March Madness athletes need to trim their nails ahead of games.
"Excessively long fingernails shall be prohibited," both the Men's and Women's Rule Books state. The organization cited the possibility that long nails could "cut or cause an injury to another player."
Although players have to watch out for their length, they are permitted to paint their nails any color they'd like.
Players can't "lift" or carry teammates
Although there's no shortage of sports movies that have depicted one player hoisting up another to score that game-winning point, that's not the case in real life.
March Madness players can receive a technical foul for "climbing on or lifting a teammate to secure greater height," per both Rule Books.
Players must be respectful to crowds, coaches and officials, or they could get a technical infraction
While games can get heated, players must comply with a strict code of sportsmanship in every interaction both on and off the court.
"The primary goal of the rules is to maximize the safety and enjoyment of the student-athlete," the Rule Books explain. "Good sporting behavior is a key part of that goal and should be a core value in behavior of players and bench personnel, in crowd control by game management and in the officials' proper enforcement of the rules governing related actions."
The Men's Rule Book defines unsportsmanlike conduct as "behavior or an act that is unbecoming to a fair, ethical and honorable individual."
Athletes and staff members who do not adhere to proper sporting behavior are subjected to a technical foul, a flagrant 2 technical foul, suspensions or even ejections in extreme cases.
Some of the acts that qualify as unsportsmanlike and could result in punishment include using disrespectful language or gestures toward an official or referee, using profane or vulgar language, making obscene gestures, taunting the other team and making derogatory remarks regarding race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities, among others.
Meanwhile, any sort of fight — including an attempt at one — is a flagrant 2 foul. Officials determine the punishment for the people involved, but it typically includes suspension from the following game or suspension from the next season.
While players have to be cautious about their behavior on the court, their fans do, as well. Players cannot "incite undesirable crowd reaction," and fans also cannot "commit an unsportsmanlike act" — such as throwing debris on the court, using profane language or playing music while the game is in progress.
Any use of tobacco during a game is forbidden and results in disqualification
The NCAA has astrict set of rulesregarding banned substances that include stimulants, narcotics and hormone and metabolic modifiers, among others. Athletes are regularly and randomly tested for prohibited substances, supplements and medications.
Tobacco products are not among the illicit substances, but they are strictly prohibited during any practices, competitions or games.
"The use of tobacco by student-athletes, or team or game personnel (e.g., coaches, athletic trainers, managers and game officials) is prohibited during competition," the Men's Rule Book reads. "Any student-athlete, or team or game personnel who uses tobacco during competition shall be disqualified for the remainder of that competition."
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