article_snippet: Throughout its 77-year history, the basketball tournament has transcended sports to become a national craze.
article_snippet: College basketball has long filled the gap in the American sports calendar when baseball and football are dormant.
article_snippet: The potential for a David to slay a Goliath set the stage for what remains the most-watched basketball game ever: the 1979 final pitting little-known Indiana State, led by Larry Bird, against powerhouse Michigan State, led by Magic Johnson.
article_snippet: The classic game transformed Larry Bird and Magic Johnson into rival superstars and catapulted college basketball into the American consciousness.
article_snippet: The term 'March Madness' was popularized through the 1980s as unlikely champions such as North Carolina State and Villanova captivated Americans.
article_snippet: In a March 26, 1979 file photo, Indiana State's Larry  Bird (33) gives a helping hand to a fallen Magic Johnson of Michigan State during the final game of the NCAA men's basketball championship in Salt Lake City.