This article is about the EA Sports video game series. For the original Super Nintendo NCAA Basketball Game, see
NCAA Basketball (video game).
NCAA Basketball (formerly NCAA March Madness) is a series of college basketball video games that was published by EA Sports from 1998 until 2009. After EA Sports' rival publisher 2K Sports cancelled its own college basketball game, College Hoops, in 2008, EA changed the name of the series from NCAA March Madness to NCAA College Basketball. The series was discontinued on February 10, 2010.[1]
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It was released on PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Like other games based on NCAA sports, it could not feature the players' names (as that is against NCAA policy/rules), so only the players' numbers were used in the rosters. Users were able to edit the rosters, putting in the correct names for each team if they wished to do so. Many player last names were built into the in-game commentary, like in the NBA Live series.
Verne Lundquist, Brad Nessler, and Gus Johnson lent their voices for play-by-play in the games at various times. Lundquist was the original announcer, with Nessler taking over in the mid-2000s and Johnson joining him for the most recent game in the series. Bill Raftery and Dick Vitale were analysts. Raftery originally worked with Lundquist on their games and returned to work alongside Johnson for CBS-branded games in NCAA Basketball 10, while Vitale and Nessler joined the series at the same time.
NCAA March Madness 99
NCAA March Madness 99 is the 1998 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on December 18, 1998, for the PlayStation.[2] Former North Carolina player Antawn Jamison is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 2000
NCAA March Madness 2000 is the 1999 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released in December 1999 for the PlayStation. Former Maryland player Steve Francis is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 2001
NCAA March Madness 2001 is the 2000 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on December 7, 2000, for PlayStation.[3] Former Cincinnati and NBA player Kenyon Martin is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 2002
NCAA March Madness 2002 is the 2001 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on January 9, 2002, for PlayStation 2.[4] Former Duke player and former Miami Heat player Shane Battier is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 2003
NCAA March Madness 2003 is the 2002 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 21, 2002, for PlayStation 2. Former Kansas Jayhawks player Drew Gooden is featured on the cover. The game's cover shows deformities within the artwork.[5]
NCAA March Madness 2004
NCAA March Madness 2004 is the 2003 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 17, 2003, for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Former Syracuse player Carmelo Anthony is featured on the cover. Commentary is done by Brad Nessler and "Mr. College Basketball" Dick Vitale as he is introduced in the game. This is the first time the player can pick their favorite school and the menus are stylized in the school's colors and a cheerleader or mascot can appear on the main menu while playing the school's fight song. The game plays similar to NBA Live 2004.
NCAA March Madness 2005
NCAA March Madness 2005 is the 2004 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 16, 2004, for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.[6] Former Connecticut and NBA player Emeka Okafor is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 06
NCAA March Madness 06 is the 2005 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on October 12, 2005, for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.[7] Former Oklahoma City Thunder player Raymond Felton is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 07
NCAA March Madness 07 is the 2006 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on January 17, 2007, for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360. Former Gonzaga player Adam Morrison is featured on the cover.
NCAA March Madness 08
NCAA March Madness 08 is the 2007 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on December 11, 2007, for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360. Former University of Texas and current Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is featured on the cover. It was the only March Madness game to debut for the PlayStation 3 until the name change.