The NCAA Division I basketball tournament, also known as March Madness where 68 college basketball teams compete to win the National Championship playing each other in a single-elimination tournament. All the teams participating in the tournament play in 32 different conferences and only 68 are selected for March Madness who are split into four regions.
All the 68 teams are now assigned a numerical ranking, 1 to 16, also “seed”, that determines where each time will be placed in the bracket. The higher seed plays the lower-ranked seed as the tournament progresses. The teams with a No.1 seed are typically considered the best determined by their regular-season record and conference performance. The four best teams are automatically given the #1 seed with each team placed in a separate region.
How many #1 seed have won the NCAA Tournament?
There are four #1 seeds in the NCAA Division I tournament every year, one from each region, in each of the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The No.1 seeds have excelled the most in the history of the March Madness NCAA tournament.
No.1 seeds have won the National Championship 25 of the last 39 times. The last No.1 seed win was when Kansas beat No.8 North Carolina in the final Championship game in 2022. But having a #1 seed doesn’t guarantee success given the competitive nature and single-elimination format of the tournament.
There have been instances where the No. 1 seeded teams failed to advance deep into the tournament, but historically they have had the most success in the NCAA Division I tournament.
What is the lowest seed to win the NCAA Tournament?
The lowest seed to win the NCAA Tournament is No.8 and it was the 1985 Vilanova Wildcats. In the first NCAA tournament under the new format, No.8 Villanova beat strong favourties No.1 Georgetown to win the 1985 National Championship. The final was also considered as one of the biggest upsets in the NCAA Tournament’s history.
FAQ's on NCAA tournament
A. The No.1 seeds have won 25 of the last 39 National Championships.
A. No.8 is the lowest seed to win a NCAA tournament.
A. The 2025 men’s Final Four will be played at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
A. The 2025 women’s Final Four will be played at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
