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How often have two number 1 seeds met in NCAA men’s championship game?
As UConn and Purdue lock horns for the 2024 title, we delve into the record books to assess how often the top seeds go all the way together.
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UConn Huskies overcame Alabama Crimson Tide. Purdue Boilermakers did the job against North Carolina State. And there we had it, the Final Four became the last two, and our NCAA Men’s Championship Game was set.
As defending champions, the Huskies are looking to become just the eighth team to win consecutive titles. But that task is unlikely to be a cake walk given that they’re up against another No. 1 seed. And do you know how often that has happened?
NCAA Men’s Championship Game between two No. 1 seeds
Since 1979, this is the 10th occasion when two top seeds have gone up against each other in the final game. This may not be particularly surprising given the intense competition and, as you’ll see below, 41 Championships have been won by a No. 1 seed. That’s 41.2%.
Since the inception of the NCAA tournament’s 64-team format in 1985 (expanded to 68 in 2011), a total of 136 teams have advanced to the prestigious Final Four. Remarkably, only five of these teams were seeded in the double digits, underscoring the rarity and significance of their underdog triumphs.
No. 11 seeds have reached the Final Four on four separate occasions. Among these instances, the journeys of UCLA in 2021 and Loyola Chicago in 2018 stand out, as they defied the odds by defeating higher-seeded opponents in captivating fashion.
Final Four appearances and championship triumphs by seed:
- 1 Seed: 56 Final Four appearances, 41 Championships
- 2 Seed: 22 Final Four appearances, 13 Championships
- 3 Seed: 18 Final Four appearances, 6 Championships
- 4 Seed: 13 Final Four appearances, 3 Championships
- 5 Seed: 6 Final Four appearances, 1 Championship
- 6 Seed: 3 Final Four appearances, 0 Championships
- 7 Seed: 4 Final Four appearances, 1 Championship
- 8 Seed: 5 Final Four appearances, 2 Championships
- 9 Seed: 1 Final Four appearance, 0 Championships
- 10 Seed: 1 Final Four appearance, 0 Championships
- 11 Seed: 4 Final Four appearances, 0 Championships
As can be seen from the list above, the lowest seed to have gone all the way are those that were eighth, and this happened on two occasions. The first of those instances was back in 1985 when Villanova secured victory over the formidable Georgetown. Similarly, in 2014, another upset was witnessed as the seventh-seeded UConn bested eighth-seeded Kentucky in a thrilling championship clash. Madness indeed.