NCAA tournament: 7 teams with the longest active March Madness streaks

Getting into the NCAA Tournament isn't easy. If that's not readily apparent, consider how few teams have lengthy consecutive Tournament streaks.

Consider the teams that don't boast lengthy streaks. Kentucky? Duke? North Carolina? UCLA? None of those. So which teams have impressive NCAA Tournament streaks?

Seven teams with longest active NCAA Tournament appearance streaks

One of the longest March Madness streaks belongs to Colgate.

#T7 Iowa, Baylor, Colgate (4)

Yes, one of the longest consecutive NCAA Tournament streaks is a humble four in a row.

Not that it has done these teams a ton of good. Iowa is 2-4 over that run and hasn't made a Sweet 16. Colgate is 0-4, but, admittedly, the Raiders have been a No. 14 seed or higher each year. Even Baylor, who won the 2021 NCAA crown, lost in the second round the other three years.

#T5 Tennessee, Houston (5)

The fifth longest NCAA Tournament streak? Just five years, for Tennessee and Houston.

Tennessee reached the Sweet 16 in 2019 and 2023 but is still looking for the program's first Final Four. Houston has reached the last four Sweet 16s, with a Final Four appearance in 2021 and an Elite Eight run in 2022. The Cougars are still seeking their first NCAA title.

#4 Purdue (8)

Purdue's eight-year NCAA Tournament run is a mixed bag. It's the fourth longest streak but has had plenty of tough moments.

The Boilermakers became the second No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed last year. During their run, they've also lost in the first round as a No. 4 and a No. 5 seed.

Purdue made the Elite Eight in 2019 but is still looking for its first Final Four since 1980.

#3 Gonzaga (24)

Before Gonzaga's current 24-year streak, the Bulldogs had only been to the Big Dance once.

That was a first-round loss in 1995, but Gonzaga has built a new history. It has made six Elite Eight appearances during its run and reached the NCAA title game in 2017 and 2021. This streak was in jeopardy, but it looks like Gonzaga will keep it rolling this March.

#2 Michigan State (25)

Tom Izzo's quarter-century streak at Michigan State includes eight Final Four appearances, two NCAA title games (2000 and 2009) and the 2000 NCAA title.

The Spartans had reached just two Final Fours before this run, but Izzo has expanded a reasonable history into a top-flight trajectory.

#1 Kansas (33)

The Kansas Jayhawks have the longest NCAA streak (33), as per kuathletics.com, and the margin of their lead over second place Michigan State would itself be one of the five longest active NCAA streaks.

The last NCAA Tournament without Kansas was 1989. George W. Bush had just been inaugurated as U.S. President, and the internet was only a rumor. Kansas has reached five NCAA title games during its run, winning two.

Any teams you're surprised aren't on this list? Is it odd that Colgate has a better March Madness streak than UNC, Duke and Kentucky? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments section below.