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In 1985, due to increasing popularity, the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament expanded from 48 to 64 teams. With so many questions about how different seeds have fared over the years, we decided to do a breakdown of the last 21 tourneys. Hopefully, this information will aid in filling out your brackets.
1 vs. 16 Seed
Number 1 seeds have an 84-0 record against number 16 seeds in first round games. 37 number 1 seeds (44%) have made it to the Final Four. Out of the last 21 national champions, 13 have been number 1 seeds. That includes six out of the last seven, and 11 of 14. Those stats will make you think twice before you pick anyone but a number one seed to win it all.
2 vs. 15 Seed
Number 2 seeds have an 80-4 record (95%) against number 15seeds in first round games. 17 number 2 seeds (20%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 15 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, three of the teams have been number 2 seeds. The last team to accomplish the feat was the 1998 Kentucky Wildcats.
3 vs. 14 Seed
Number 3 seeds have a 70-14 record (83%) against number 14 seeds in first round games. Last year, 3 seed Kansas lost to Bucknell. 11 number 3 seeds (13%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 14 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, two of the teams have been number 3 seeds. The most recent was Carmelo Anthony’s Syracuse squad in 2003.
4 vs. 13 Seed
Number 4 seeds have a 67-17 (80%) record against number 13 seeds in first round games. Last year, 4 seed Syracuse lost to Vermont. Eight number 4 seeds (10%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 13 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, one team has been a number 4 seed. That was the 1997 Arizona Wildcats led by Mike Bibby.
5 vs. 12 Seed
Number 5 seeds have a 57-27 record (68%) against number 12 seeds in first round games. 5 seeds have a worse record against 12 seeds, than 6 seeds do against 11 seeds. Four number 5 seeds (5%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 12 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, no teams have been a number 5 seed.
6 vs. 11 Seed
Number 6 seeds have a 59-25 (70%) record against number 11 seeds in first round games. Three number 6 seeds (4%) have made it to the Final Four, and one number 11 seed. That was the 1986 LSU team who lost in the semi-finals to Louisville. Out of the last 21 national champions, the only number 6 seed was the 1986 Kansas team with Danny Manning.
7 vs. 10 Seed
Number 7 seeds have a 51-33 record (61%) against number 10 seeds in first round games. No number 7 or number 10 seed has ever made it to a Final Four, a bit of bad luck for the number 7 seed considering how many teams have advanced past the first round.
8 vs 9 Seed
Number 8 seeds have a 38-46 record (45%) against number 9 seeds in first round games. That means it is an upset when the higher ranked 8 seed beats a 9 seed. Three number 8 seeds (4%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 9 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, the only number 8 seed was Villanova upsetting Georgetown in 1985.
In 1985, due to increasing popularity, the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament expanded from 48 to 64 teams. With so many questions about how different seeds have fared over the years, we decided to do a breakdown of the last 21 tourneys. Hopefully, this information will aid in filling out your brackets.
1 vs. 16 Seed
Number 1 seeds have an 84-0 record against number 16 seeds in first round games. 37 number 1 seeds (44%) have made it to the Final Four. Out of the last 21 national champions, 13 have been number 1 seeds. That includes six out of the last seven, and 11 of 14. Those stats will make you think twice before you pick anyone but a number one seed to win it all.
2 vs. 15 Seed
Number 2 seeds have an 80-4 record (95%) against number 15seeds in first round games. 17 number 2 seeds (20%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 15 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, three of the teams have been number 2 seeds. The last team to accomplish the feat was the 1998 Kentucky Wildcats.
3 vs. 14 Seed
Number 3 seeds have a 70-14 record (83%) against number 14 seeds in first round games. Last year, 3 seed Kansas lost to Bucknell. 11 number 3 seeds (13%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 14 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, two of the teams have been number 3 seeds. The most recent was Carmelo Anthony’s Syracuse squad in 2003.
4 vs. 13 Seed
Number 4 seeds have a 67-17 (80%) record against number 13 seeds in first round games. Last year, 4 seed Syracuse lost to Vermont. Eight number 4 seeds (10%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 13 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, one team has been a number 4 seed. That was the 1997 Arizona Wildcats led by Mike Bibby.
5 vs. 12 Seed
Number 5 seeds have a 57-27 record (68%) against number 12 seeds in first round games. 5 seeds have a worse record against 12 seeds, than 6 seeds do against 11 seeds. Four number 5 seeds (5%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 12 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, no teams have been a number 5 seed.
6 vs. 11 Seed
Number 6 seeds have a 59-25 (70%) record against number 11 seeds in first round games. Three number 6 seeds (4%) have made it to the Final Four, and one number 11 seed. That was the 1986 LSU team who lost in the semi-finals to Louisville. Out of the last 21 national champions, the only number 6 seed was the 1986 Kansas team with Danny Manning.
7 vs. 10 Seed
Number 7 seeds have a 51-33 record (61%) against number 10 seeds in first round games. No number 7 or number 10 seed has ever made it to a Final Four, a bit of bad luck for the number 7 seed considering how many teams have advanced past the first round.
8 vs 9 Seed
Number 8 seeds have a 38-46 record (45%) against number 9 seeds in first round games. That means it is an upset when the higher ranked 8 seed beats a 9 seed. Three number 8 seeds (4%) have made it to the Final Four, but no number 9 seeds. Out of the last 21 national champions, the only number 8 seed was Villanova upsetting Georgetown in 1985.
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