NCAA March Madness 2023: Which team has the most Sweet 16 appearances?
There is nothing quite like the drama on the NCAA Tournament. Now at third round or as it’s commonly known the Sweet 16, we’ve already seen some major upsets.
Making the Sweet 16 of the NCAA’s tournament is a massive achievement for any program in the country, but there is also another goal which is to do so consistently. With that in mind, we’re taking a look at the teams who’ve booked their spot more times than any other.
Which teams have made it to the Sweet 16 the most times?
When a team makes the Sweet 16, it’s then and there that the anticipation, nerves and excitement truly begin to set in. As they stand just two wins away from the Final Four, it is a defining moment. As you can imagine, it takes a certain caliber of team to achieve the feat and even more so when it comes to doing it multiple times. Yet there are those out there who are perennial winners, teams that have etched their names into the pages of college basketball history and are today, synonymous with winning. Let’s take a look at the top 10.
| Team | No. of appearances | Most recent appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 44 | 2019 |
| UCLA | 36 | 2023 |
| North Carolina | 35 | 2022 |
| Kansas | 32 | 2022 |
| Duke | 32 | 2022 |
| Syracuse | 24 | 2021 |
| Louisville | 24 | 2009 |
| Indiana | 22 | 2016 |
| Villanova | 19 | 2022 |
| Notre Dame | 17 | 2016 |
As you can plainly see the top 10 is largely dominated by blue-blood programs, who it has to be said have a history of success that extends far beyond the turn of the century. In truth these are the heavyweights of college basketball and though there are a few glaring absences this year, that’s not likely to change anytime soon.