How many times has a No. 1 seed won the NCAA men’s basketball tournament?
This is not to be a Cinderella-hating, bracket-buster buzz kill, but ...
Odds are, a No. 1 seed is going to be snipping net at the end of “One Shining Moment.”
Since the NCAA men’s basketball tournament went to a 64-team field, a No. 1 seed has won 23 of the 36 championships. Baylor’s rout of Gonzaga, a fellow one seed, in last year’s tournament final was the fourth straight by a top dog and the 10th in the last 14 seasons. A two seed (five times) and a three seed (four) have accounted for nine of the remaining 13 titles. The remaining four crowns have gone to four, six, seven and eight seeds.
NCAA basketball bracket: What time is Selection Sunday? How to stream and watch
Selection Sunday is almost here. It’s time to find out which college basketball teams will be engaging in March Madness and playing in the NCAA tournament.
The lowest seed to win a championship is Villanova, which won it all in 1985, the inaugural year of the 64-team format.
Last year’s Baylor-Gonzaga matchup was the ninth meeting of two No. 1 seeds since 1985. North Carolina has played in four of those games, winning each of them (1982 against Georgetown; ’93 against Michigan; 2005 against Illinois; and 2017 against Gonzaga).
UCLA has been a top seed in three tournaments since 1985, winning the 1995 national championship. The Bruins also were a No. 1 in 1990 (Elite 8 loss to Indiana) and 2008 (Final Four loss to Memphis).
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
