It’s known as "March Madness." That is the nickname for the annual men’s college basketball tournament that decides the champion from among the United States’ largest [Division 1] colleges and universities. The closely followed tournament and why it evokes such passion in fans.

In this year’s tournament preview issue, Sports Illustrated magazine called March Madness "the most exciting three weeks in sports."

It has truly become the equivalent of the excitement generated around the rest of the world in the knockout phases of football’s World Cup.

This year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] added four additional schools to the field, so the single-elimination tournament now features 68 teams. The madness comes from the thrilling upsets and buzzer-beating winning baskets, the school pep bands playing court-side and the painted faces of the loud, passionate fans.

On the very first full day of games - March 17 - Richmond University of Virginia, Morehead State University of Kentucky and Gonzaga University in the state of Washington all scored upsets to advance, while Temple University of Philadelphia and last year’s runner-up Butler University from Indiana, won on last-second shots.

Butler survived its opener with a thrilling win over Old Dominion University from Virginia. Here is how Westwood One's Scott Graham called the finish.

"Shot is up, and it’s good! Shot counts at the buzzer! A wild scramble for the basketball! Butler came out of the pack with it, and the game-winning shot as time expires here in Washington!"

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