There's at least one 1-seed in the championship game 76% of the time I think is the stat. But this year I just don't see any of the top teams' resume screaming "dominant". I guess it'll all depend on matchups through the elite 8 (and upsets) if the 1's can make the Final Four.
Only UVA was a 1-seed when Auburn made the Final Four in 2019. 2021 it was Gonzaga and Baylor as 1-seeds, and last March, only Kansas was a 1-seed in the Final Four.
The 2011 Final Four took place in Houston. While two basketball blue bloods cut down the nets that year, neither Kentucky nor eventual champion UConn were No. 1 seeds. John Calipari’s Kentucky team won the East as a No. 4 seed. Jim Calhoun’s Huskies were a No. 3 seed after having caught fire in the Big East Tournament. Their star during the unforgettable run was Kemba Walker.
Shaka Smart’s VCU Rams were the biggest Cinderella in that tournament, as they won the Southwest as a No. 11 seed. The national runner-up that year was the No. 8 Butler Bulldogs. This was the second year in a row Brad Stevens’ team had led Butler to the national championship game.
Nice chart just below on how the seeds perform (e.g. # of times 1 seeds make Final Four = 59).
Only UVA was a 1-seed when Auburn made the Final Four in 2019. 2021 it was Gonzaga and Baylor as 1-seeds, and last March, only Kansas was a 1-seed in the Final Four.
The 2011 Final Four took place in Houston. While two basketball blue bloods cut down the nets that year, neither Kentucky nor eventual champion UConn were No. 1 seeds. John Calipari’s Kentucky team won the East as a No. 4 seed. Jim Calhoun’s Huskies were a No. 3 seed after having caught fire in the Big East Tournament. Their star during the unforgettable run was Kemba Walker.
Shaka Smart’s VCU Rams were the biggest Cinderella in that tournament, as they won the Southwest as a No. 11 seed. The national runner-up that year was the No. 8 Butler Bulldogs. This was the second year in a row Brad Stevens’ team had led Butler to the national championship game.
Nice chart just below on how the seeds perform (e.g. # of times 1 seeds make Final Four = 59).
| SEED | FINAL FOUR | CHAMP GAME | NATIONAL CHAMP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 59 | 36 | 23 |
| 2 | 30 | 12 | 5 |
| 3 | 17 | 12 | 4 |
| 4 | 13 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
