The NCAA tournament is one of the most exciting events in sports. Every year, millions of people tune in to watch the best college basketball teams compete for the coveted national championship title. But have any of the lower-seeded teams ever managed to make it all the way to the top? Has a 9 seed ever won the NCAA tournament?
The History of the NCAA Tournament
The NCAA tournament is an annual event that has been held since 1939. It is a single-elimination tournament that involves 68 teams from Division I schools. The teams are divided into four regions and seeded from 1 to 16, with the top teams being given the highest seeds. The higher seeded teams are typically favored to win each matchup, as they are considered to be the better teams.
9 Seeds in the NCAA Tournament
As mentioned earlier, the teams are seeded from 1 to 16, with the top teams being given the highest seeds. The ninth seed is typically considered to be one of the weakest teams in the tournament. In some cases, the ninth seed is not even expected to make it past the first round.
9 Seeds That Have Advanced to the Final Four
Despite being labeled as one of the weakest teams in the tournament, there have been several nine seeds that have managed to make it to the Final Four.
- Pennsylvania, 1979: The Quakers were a 9 seed in 1979 and managed to make it all the way to the Final Four. They ended up losing to Michigan State in the semifinals.
- Georgia Tech, 1990: The Yellow Jackets were a 9 seed in 1990 and managed to make it all the way to the Final Four. They ended up losing to UNLV in the semifinals.
- UConn, 2014: The Huskies were a 9 seed in 2014 and managed to make it all the way to the Final Four. They ended up losing to Kentucky in the semifinals.
- Wichita State, 2013: The Shockers were a 9 seed in 2013 and managed to make it all the way to the Final Four. They ended up losing to Louisville in the semifinals.
9 Seeds That Have Won the NCAA Tournament
As incredible as it may seem, there have been several nine seeds that have managed to win the NCAA tournament. Here are some of the most notable examples:
- UConn, 2011: The Huskies were a 9 seed in 2011 and managed to win the national championship. They defeated Butler in the championship game.
- Kansas, 1988: The Jayhawks were a 9 seed in 1988 and managed to win the national championship. They defeated Oklahoma in the championship game.
- Villanova, 1985: The Wildcats were a 9 seed in 1985 and managed to win the national championship. They defeated Georgetown in the championship game.
Statistics of 9 Seeds in the NCAA Tournament
As of 2020, 9 seeds have advanced to the Final Four a total of four times. In addition, 9 seeds have won the NCAA tournament a total of three times.
Impact of 9 Seeds on the NCAA Tournament
The impact of 9 seeds on the NCAA tournament cannot be understated. Although it is rare for a 9 seed to advance to the Final Four or win the national championship, their success has shown that anything is possible in the tournament. It has also highlighted the importance of seeding and how it can have an impact on the outcome of the tournament.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that 9 seeds have had an impact on the NCAA tournament. They have advanced to the Final Four four times and won the tournament three times. This shows that even the lowest-seeded teams can make an impact and pull off an upset. Therefore, it is safe to say that yes, a 9 seed has won the NCAA tournament.