List of NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four participants
This is a list of NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four participants.
Final Fours by year
[edit]From the first tournament in 1939 to 1951, the national semifinals were also considered the regional championships, with the national championship held separately a week later. During this period, the tournament was divided into the East and West Regions. From 1952 to 1955, the regional championships were held at four sites, with two designated for the East and two for the West. In 1956, the four regions were given unique names for the first time.
From 1946 to 1981, a third place consolation game was conducted before the national championship game for the losing teams of the national semifinals; the winning team was awarded third place and the losing team was awarded fourth place. In 1982, the NCAA eliminated the game and the two losing teams of the semifinal games are considered tied for third place in the official record book.
At the conclusion of the championship game, one player is awarded the Most Outstanding Player award. The MOP has been awarded to a player not on the championship team twelve times: nine times a player on the runner-up was named the MOP, twice a player on the third-place team was awarded the MOP, and once a player on the fourth-place team was awarded the MOP. Five players have won the award twice; one player, Lew Alcindor, won the award three times.
| Champion | |
| * | Appearance vacated by NCAA |
| Year | Place | Team | Conference | Seed[a] | Region | Coach | MOP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Champion | Oregon | Pacific Coast[b] | West | Howard Hobson | ||
| Runner-up | Ohio State | Big Ten | East | Harold Olsen | Jimmy Hull | ||
| Third Place | Oklahoma | Big Six[c] | West | Bruce Drake | |||
| Villanova | Independent | East | Alexander Severance | ||||
| 1940 | Champion | Indiana | Big Ten | East | Branch McCracken | Marvin Huffman | |
| Runner-up | Kansas | Big Six[c] | West | Phog Allen | |||
| Third Place | Duquesne | Independent | East | Chick Davies | |||
| USC | Pacific Coast[b] | West | Sam Barry | ||||
| 1941 | Champion | Wisconsin | Big Ten | East | Harold E. Foster | John Kotz | |
| Runner-up | Washington State | Pacific Coast[b] | West | Jack Friel | |||
| Third Place | Arkansas | Southwest | West | Glen Rose | |||
| Pittsburgh | Independent | East | Doc Carlson | ||||
| 1942 | Champion | Stanford | Pacific Coast[b] | West | Everett Dean | Howie Dallmar | |
| Runner-up | Dartmouth | EIBL[d] | East | Osborne Cowles | |||
| Third Place | Colorado | Mountain States[e] | West | Frosty Cox | |||
| Kentucky | Southeastern | East | Adolph Rupp | ||||
| 1943 | Champion | Wyoming | Mountain States[e] | West | Everett Shelton | Ken Sailors | |
| Runner-up | Georgetown | Independent | East | Elmer Ripley | |||
| Third Place | DePaul | Independent | East | Ray Meyer | |||
| Texas | Southwest | West | Bully Gilstrap | ||||
| 1944 | Champion | Utah | Mountain States[e] | West | Vadal Peterson | Arnie Ferrin | |
| Runner-up | Dartmouth | EIBL[d] | East | Earl Brown | |||
| Third Place | Iowa State | Big Six[c] | West | Louis Menze | |||
| Ohio State | Big Ten | East | Harold Olsen | ||||
| 1945 | Champion | Oklahoma A&M[f] | Missouri Valley | West | Henry Iba | Bob Kurland | |
| Runner-up | NYU | Independent | East | Howard Cann | |||
| Third Place | Arkansas | Southwest | West | Eugene Lambert | |||
| Ohio State | Big Ten | East | Harold Olsen | ||||
| 1946 | Champion | Oklahoma A&M[f] | Missouri Valley | West | Henry Iba | Bob Kurland | |
| Runner-up | North Carolina | Southern | East | Ben Carnevale | |||
| Third Place | Ohio State | Big Ten | East | Harold Olsen | |||
| Fourth Place | California | Pacific Coast[b] | West | Nibs Price | |||
| 1947 | Champion | Holy Cross | Independent | East | Doggie Julian | George Kaftan | |
| Runner-up | Oklahoma | Big Six[c] | West | Bruce Drake | |||
| Third Place | Texas | Southwest | West | Jack Gray | |||
| Fourth Place | CCNY | Independent | East | Nat Holman | |||
| 1948 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | East | Adolph Rupp | Alex Groza | |
| Runner-up | Baylor | Southwest | West | Bill Henderson | |||
| Third Place | Holy Cross | Independent | East | Doggie Julian | |||
| Fourth Place | Kansas State | Big Seven[c] | West | Jack Gardner | |||
| 1949 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | East | Adolph Rupp | Alex Groza | |
| Runner-up | Oklahoma A&M[f] | Missouri Valley | West | Henry Iba | |||
| Third Place | Illinois | Big Nine[g] | East | Harry Combes | |||
| Fourth Place | Oregon State | Pacific Coast[b] | West | Slats Gill | |||
| 1950 | Champion | CCNY | Independent | East | Nat Holman | Irwin Dambrot | |
| Runner-up | Bradley | Missouri Valley | West | Forddy Anderson | |||
| Third Place | NC State | Southern | East | Everett Case | |||
| Fourth Place | Baylor | Southwest | West | Bill Henderson | |||
| 1951 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | East | Adolph Rupp | Bill Spivey[h] | |
| Runner-up | Kansas State | Big Seven[c] | West | Jack Gardner | |||
| Third Place | Illinois | Big Nine[g] | East | Harry Combes | |||
| Fourth Place | Oklahoma A&M[f] | Missouri Valley | West | Henry Iba | |||
| 1952 | Champion | Kansas | Big Seven[c] | West-1 | Phog Allen | Clyde Lovellette | |
| Runner-up | St. John's | Independent | East-1 | Frank McGuire | |||
| Third Place | Illinois | Big Nine[g] | East-2 | Harry Combes | |||
| Fourth Place | Santa Clara | Independent | West-2 | Bob Feerick | |||
| 1953 | Champion | Indiana | Big Nine[g] | East-2 | Branch McCracken | ||
| Runner-up | Kansas | Big Seven[c] | West-1 | Phog Allen | B. H. Born | ||
| Third Place | Washington | Pacific Coast[b] | West-2 | Tippy Dye | |||
| Fourth Place | LSU | Southeastern | East-1 | Harry Rabenhorst | |||
| 1954 | Champion | La Salle | Independent | East-1 | Ken Loeffler | Tom Gola | |
| Runner-up | Bradley | Independent | West-1 | Forddy Anderson | |||
| Third Place | Penn State | Independent | East-2 | Elmer Gross | |||
| Fourth Place | USC | Pacific Coast[b] | West-2 | Forrest Twogood | |||
| 1955 | Champion | San Francisco | CBA[i] | West-2 | Phil Woolpert | Bill Russell | |
| Runner-up | La Salle | Independent | East-1 | Ken Loeffler | |||
| Third Place | Colorado | Big Seven[c] | West-1 | Bebe Lee | |||
| Fourth Place | Iowa | Big Ten | East-2 | Bucky O'Connor | |||
| 1956 | Champion | San Francisco | West Coast Athletic[i] | Far West | Phil Woolpert | ||
| Runner-up | Iowa | Big Ten | Midwest | Bucky O'Connor | |||
| Third Place | Temple | Independent | East | Harry Litwack | Hal Lear | ||
| Fourth Place | SMU | Southwest | West | Doc Hayes | |||
| 1957 | Champion | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | East | Frank McGuire | ||
| Runner-up | Kansas | Big Seven[c] | Midwest | Dick Harp | Wilt Chamberlain | ||
| Third Place | San Francisco | West Coast Athletic[i] | West | Phil Woolpert | |||
| Fourth Place | Michigan State | Big Ten | Mideast | Forddy Anderson | |||
| 1958 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | Mideast | Adolph Rupp | ||
| Runner-up | Seattle | Independent | West | John Castellani | Elgin Baylor | ||
| Third Place | Temple | Independent | East | Harry Litwack | |||
| Fourth Place | Kansas State | Big Seven[c] | Midwest | Tex Winter | |||
| 1959 | Champion | California | Pacific Coast[b] | West | Pete Newell | ||
| Runner-up | West Virginia | Southern | East | Fred Schaus | Jerry West | ||
| Third Place | Cincinnati | Missouri Valley | Midwest | George Smith | |||
| Fourth Place | Louisville | Independent | Mideast | Bernard Hickman | |||
| 1960 | Champion | Ohio State | Big Ten | Mideast | Fred Taylor | Jerry Lucas | |
| Runner-up | California | AAWU[b] | West | Pete Newell | |||
| Third Place | Cincinnati | Missouri Valley | Midwest | George Smith | |||
| Fourth Place | NYU | Independent | East | Lou Rossini | |||
| 1961 | Champion | Cincinnati | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Ed Jucker | ||
| Runner-up | Ohio State | Big Ten | Mideast | Fred Taylor | Jerry Lucas | ||
| Third Place | Saint Joseph's* | Middle Atlantic[j] | East | Jack Ramsay | |||
| Fourth Place | Utah | Skyline Eight[e] | West | Jack Gardner | |||
| 1962 | Champion | Cincinnati | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Ed Jucker | Paul Hogue | |
| Runner-up | Ohio State | Big Ten | Mideast | Fred Taylor | |||
| Third Place | Wake Forest | Atlantic Coast | East | Bones McKinney | |||
| Fourth Place | UCLA | AAWU[b] | West | John Wooden | |||
| 1963 | Champion | Loyola Chicago | Independent | Mideast | George Ireland | ||
| Runner-up | Cincinnati | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Ed Jucker | Art Heyman | ||
| Third Place | Duke | Atlantic Coast | East | Vic Bubas | |||
| Fourth Place | Oregon State | Independent | West | Slats Gill | |||
| 1964 | Champion | UCLA | AAWU[b] | West | John Wooden | Walt Hazzard | |
| Runner-up | Duke | Atlantic Coast | East | Vic Bubas | |||
| Third Place | Michigan | Big Ten | Mideast | Dave Strack | |||
| Fourth Place | Kansas State | Big Eight | Midwest | Tex Winter | |||
| 1965 | Champion | UCLA | AAWU[b] | West | John Wooden | ||
| Runner-up | Michigan | Big Ten | Mideast | Dave Strack | |||
| Third Place | Princeton | Ivy League | East | Butch van Breda Kolff | Bill Bradley | ||
| Fourth Place | Wichita State | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Gary Thompson | |||
| 1966 | Champion | Texas Western[k] | Independent | Midwest | Don Haskins | ||
| Runner-up | Kentucky | Southeastern | Mideast | Adolph Rupp | |||
| Third Place | Duke | Atlantic Coast | East | Vic Bubas | |||
| Fourth Place | Utah | Western Athletic | West | Jack Gardner | Jerry Chambers | ||
| 1967 | Champion | UCLA | AAWU[b] | West | John Wooden | Lew Alcindor | |
| Runner-up | Dayton | Independent | Mideast | Don Donoher | |||
| Third Place | Houston | Independent | Midwest | Guy Lewis | |||
| Fourth Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | East | Dean Smith | |||
| 1968 | Champion | UCLA | AAWU[b] | West | John Wooden | Lew Alcindor | |
| Runner-up | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | East | Dean Smith | |||
| Third Place | Ohio State | Big Ten | Mideast | Fred Taylor | |||
| Fourth Place | Houston | Independent | Midwest | Guy Lewis | |||
| 1969 | Champion | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | John Wooden | Lew Alcindor | |
| Runner-up | Purdue | Big Ten | Mideast | George King | |||
| Third Place | Drake | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Maury John | |||
| Fourth Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | East | Dean Smith | |||
| 1970 | Champion | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | John Wooden | Sidney Wicks | |
| Runner-up | Jacksonville | Independent | Mideast | Joe Williams | |||
| Third Place | New Mexico State | Independent | Midwest | Lou Henson | |||
| Fourth Place | St. Bonaventure | Independent | East | Larry Weise | |||
| 1971 | Champion | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | John Wooden | ||
| Runner-up | Villanova* | Independent | East | Jack Kraft | Howard Porter* | ||
| Third Place | Western Kentucky* | Ohio Valley | Mideast | John Oldham | |||
| Fourth Place | Kansas | Big Eight | Midwest | Ted Owens | |||
| 1972 | Champion | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | John Wooden | Bill Walton | |
| Runner-up | Florida State | Independent | Mideast | Hugh Durham | |||
| Third Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | East | Dean Smith | |||
| Fourth Place | Louisville | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Denny Crum | |||
| 1973 | Champion | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | John Wooden | Bill Walton | |
| Runner-up | Memphis State[l] | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Gene Bartow | |||
| Third Place | Indiana | Big Ten | Mideast | Bob Knight | |||
| Fourth Place | Providence | Independent | East | Dave Gavitt | |||
| 1974 | Champion | NC State | Atlantic Coast | East | Norm Sloan | David Thompson | |
| Runner-up | Marquette | Independent | Mideast | Al McGuire | |||
| Third Place | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | John Wooden | |||
| Fourth Place | Kansas | Big Eight | Midwest | Ted Owens | |||
| 1975 | Champion | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | John Wooden | Richard Washington | |
| Runner-up | Kentucky | Southeastern | Mideast | Joe B. Hall | |||
| Third Place | Louisville | Missouri Valley | Midwest | Denny Crum | |||
| Fourth Place | Syracuse | Independent[m] | East | Roy Danforth | |||
| 1976 | Champion | Indiana | Big Ten | Mideast | Bob Knight | Kent Benson | |
| Runner-up | Michigan | Big Ten | Midwest | Johnny Orr | |||
| Third Place | UCLA | Pacific-8[b] | West | Gene Bartow | |||
| Fourth Place | Rutgers | Independent[n] | East | Tom Young | |||
| 1977 | Champion | Marquette | Independent | Midwest | Al McGuire | Butch Lee | |
| Runner-up | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | East | Dean Smith | |||
| Third Place | UNLV | Independent | West | Jerry Tarkanian | |||
| Fourth Place | UNC Charlotte[o] | Sun Belt | Mideast | Lee Rose | |||
| 1978 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | 2Q[p] | Mideast | Joe B. Hall | Jack Givens |
| Runner-up | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1Q[p] | East | Bill Foster | ||
| Third Place | Arkansas | Southwest | 2L[p] | West | Eddie Sutton | ||
| Fourth Place | Notre Dame | Independent | 2L[p] | Midwest | Digger Phelps | ||
| 1979 | Champion | Michigan State | Big Ten | 2 | Mideast | Jud Heathcote | Earvin Johnson |
| Runner-up | Indiana State | Missouri Valley | 1 | Midwest | Bill Hodges | ||
| Third Place | DePaul | Independent | 2 | West | Ray Meyer | ||
| Fourth Place | Penn | Ivy League | 9 | East | Bob Weinhauer | ||
| 1980 | Champion | Louisville | Metro | 2 | Midwest | Denny Crum | Darrell Griffith |
| Runner-up | UCLA* | Pacific-8[b] | 8 | West | Larry Brown | ||
| Third Place | Purdue | Big Ten | 6 | Mideast | Lee Rose | ||
| Fourth Place | Iowa | Big Ten | 5 | East | Lute Olson | ||
| 1981 | Champion | Indiana | Big Ten | 3 | Mideast | Bob Knight | Isiah Thomas |
| Runner-up | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 2 | West | Dean Smith | ||
| Third Place | Virginia | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Terry Holland | ||
| Fourth Place | LSU | Southeastern | 1 | Midwest | Dale Brown | ||
| 1982 | Champion | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Dean Smith | James Worthy |
| Runner-up | Georgetown | Big East | 1 | West | John Thompson | ||
| Third Place | Houston | Southwest | 6 | Midwest | Guy Lewis | ||
| Louisville | Metro | 3 | Mideast | Denny Crum | |||
| 1983 | Champion | NC State | Atlantic Coast | 6 | West | Jim Valvano | |
| Runner-up | Houston | Southwest | 1 | Midwest | Guy Lewis | Akeem Olajuwon | |
| Third Place | Georgia | Southeastern | 4 | East | Hugh Durham | ||
| Louisville | Metro | 1 | Mideast | Denny Crum | |||
| 1984 | Champion | Georgetown | Big East | 1 | West | John Thompson | Patrick Ewing |
| Runner-up | Houston | Southwest | 2 | Midwest | Guy Lewis | ||
| Third Place | Kentucky | Southeastern | 1 | Mideast | Joe B. Hall | ||
| Virginia | Atlantic Coast | 7 | East | Terry Holland | |||
| 1985 | Champion | Villanova | Big East | 8 | Southeast | Rollie Massimino | Ed Pinckney |
| Runner-up | Georgetown | Big East | 1 | East | John Thompson | ||
| Third Place | Memphis State[l]* | Metro | 2 | Midwest | Dana Kirk | ||
| St. John's | Big East | 1 | West | Lou Carnesecca | |||
| 1986 | Champion | Louisville | Metro | 2 | West | Denny Crum | Pervis Ellison |
| Runner-up | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Mike Krzyzewski | ||
| Third Place | Kansas | Big Eight | 1 | Midwest | Larry Brown | ||
| LSU | Southeastern | 11 | Southeast | Dale Brown | |||
| 1987 | Champion | Indiana | Big Ten | 1 | Midwest | Bob Knight | Keith Smart |
| Runner-up | Syracuse | Big East | 2 | East | Jim Boeheim | ||
| Third Place | Providence | Big East | 6 | Southeast | Rick Pitino | ||
| UNLV | Big West | 1 | West | Jerry Tarkanian | |||
| 1988 | Champion | Kansas | Big Eight | 6 | Midwest | Larry Brown | Danny Manning |
| Runner-up | Oklahoma | Big Eight | 1 | Southeast | Billy Tubbs | ||
| Third Place | Arizona | Pacific-10[b] | 1 | West | Lute Olson | ||
| Duke | Atlantic Coast | 2 | East | Mike Krzyzewski | |||
| 1989 | Champion | Michigan | Big Ten | 3 | Southeast | Steve Fisher | Glen Rice |
| Runner-up | Seton Hall | Big East | 3 | West | P. J. Carlesimo | ||
| Third Place | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 2 | East | Mike Krzyzewski | ||
| Illinois | Big Ten | 1 | Midwest | Lou Henson | |||
| 1990 | Champion | UNLV | Big West | 1 | West | Jerry Tarkanian | Anderson Hunt |
| Runner-up | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 3 | East | Mike Krzyzewski | ||
| Third Place | Arkansas | Southwest | 4 | Midwest | Nolan Richardson | ||
| Georgia Tech | Atlantic Coast | 4 | Southeast | Bobby Cremins | |||
| 1991 | Champion | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 2 | Midwest | Mike Krzyzewski | Christian Laettner |
| Runner-up | Kansas | Big Eight | 3 | Southeast | Roy Williams | ||
| Third Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Dean Smith | ||
| UNLV | Big West | 1 | West | Jerry Tarkanian | |||
| 1992 | Champion | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Mike Krzyzewski | Bobby Hurley |
| Runner-up | Michigan* | Big Ten | 6 | Southeast | Steve Fisher | ||
| Third Place | Cincinnati | Great Midwest | 4 | Midwest | Bob Huggins | ||
| Indiana | Big Ten | 2 | West | Bob Knight | |||
| 1993 | Champion | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Dean Smith | Donald Williams |
| Runner-up | Michigan* | Big Ten | 1 | West | Steve Fisher | ||
| Third Place | Kansas | Big Eight | 2 | Midwest | Roy Williams | ||
| Kentucky | Southeastern | 1 | Southeast | Rick Pitino | |||
| 1994 | Champion | Arkansas | Southeastern | 1 | Midwest | Nolan Richardson | Corliss Williamson |
| Runner-up | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 2 | Southeast | Mike Krzyzewski | ||
| Third Place | Arizona | Pacific-10[b] | 2 | West | Lute Olson | ||
| Florida | Southeastern | 3 | East | Lon Kruger | |||
| 1995 | Champion | UCLA | Pacific-10[b] | 1 | West | Jim Harrick | Ed O'Bannon |
| Runner-up | Arkansas | Southeastern | 2 | Midwest | Nolan Richardson | ||
| Third Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 2 | Southeast | Dean Smith | ||
| Oklahoma State | Big Eight | 4 | East | Eddie Sutton | |||
| 1996 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | 1 | Midwest | Rick Pitino | Tony Delk |
| Runner-up | Syracuse | Big East | 4 | West | Jim Boeheim | ||
| Third Place | Mississippi State | Southeastern | 5 | Southeast | Richard Williams | ||
| UMass* | Atlantic 10 | 1 | East | John Calipari | |||
| 1997 | Champion | Arizona | Pacific-10[b] | 4 | Southeast | Lute Olson | Miles Simon |
| Runner-up | Kentucky | Southeastern | 1 | West | Rick Pitino | ||
| Third Place | Minnesota* | Big Ten | 1 | Midwest | Clem Haskins | ||
| North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Dean Smith | |||
| 1998 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | 2 | South | Tubby Smith | Jeff Sheppard |
| Runner-up | Utah | Western Athletic | 3 | West | Rick Majerus | ||
| Third Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Bill Guthridge | ||
| Stanford | Pacific-10[b] | 3 | Midwest | Mike Montgomery | |||
| 1999 | Champion | Connecticut[q] | Big East | 1 | West | Jim Calhoun | Richard Hamilton |
| Runner-up | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Mike Krzyzewski | ||
| Third Place | Michigan State | Big Ten | 1 | Midwest | Tom Izzo | ||
| Ohio State* | Big Ten | 4 | South | Jim O'Brien | |||
| 2000 | Champion | Michigan State | Big Ten | 1 | Midwest | Tom Izzo | Mateen Cleaves |
| Runner-up | Florida | Southeastern | 5 | East | Billy Donovan | ||
| Third Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 8 | South | Bill Guthridge | ||
| Wisconsin | Big Ten | 8 | West | Dick Bennett | |||
| 2001 | Champion | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Mike Krzyzewski | Shane Battier |
| Runner-up | Arizona | Pacific-10[b] | 2 | Midwest | Lute Olson | ||
| Third Place | Maryland | Atlantic Coast | 3 | West | Gary Williams | ||
| Michigan State | Big Ten | 1 | South | Tom Izzo | |||
| 2002 | Champion | Maryland | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Gary Williams | Juan Dixon |
| Runner-up | Indiana | Big Ten | 5 | South | Mike Davis | ||
| Third Place | Kansas | Big 12 | 1 | Midwest | Roy Williams | ||
| Oklahoma | Big 12 | 2 | West | Kelvin Sampson | |||
| 2003 | Champion | Syracuse | Big East | 3 | East | Jim Boeheim | Carmelo Anthony |
| Runner-up | Kansas | Big 12 | 2 | West | Roy Williams | ||
| Third Place | Marquette | Conference USA | 3 | Midwest | Tom Crean | ||
| Texas | Big 12 | 1 | South | Rick Barnes | |||
| 2004 | Champion | Connecticut[q] | Big East | 2 | Phoenix | Jim Calhoun | Emeka Okafor |
| Runner-up | Georgia Tech | Atlantic Coast | 3 | St. Louis | Paul Hewitt | ||
| Third Place | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | Atlanta | Mike Krzyzewski | ||
| Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 2 | East Rutherford | Eddie Sutton | |||
| 2005 | Champion | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | Syracuse | Roy Williams | Sean May |
| Runner-up | Illinois | Big Ten | 1 | Chicago | Bruce Weber | ||
| Third Place | Louisville | Conference USA | 4 | Albuquerque | Rick Pitino | ||
| Michigan State | Big Ten | 5 | Austin | Tom Izzo | |||
| 2006 | Champion | Florida | Southeastern | 3 | Minneapolis | Billy Donovan | Joakim Noah |
| Runner-up | UCLA | Pacific-10[b] | 2 | Oakland | Ben Howland | ||
| Third Place | George Mason | Colonial | 11 | Washington, D.C. | Jim Larrañaga | ||
| LSU | Southeastern | 4 | Atlanta | John Brady | |||
| 2007 | Champion | Florida | Southeastern | 1 | Midwest | Billy Donovan | Corey Brewer |
| Runner-up | Ohio State | Big Ten | 1 | South | Thad Matta | ||
| Third Place | Georgetown | Big East | 2 | East | John Thompson III | ||
| UCLA | Pacific-10[b] | 2 | West | Ben Howland | |||
| 2008 | Champion | Kansas | Big 12 | 1 | Midwest | Bill Self | Mario Chalmers |
| Runner-up | Memphis* | Conference USA | 1 | South | John Calipari | ||
| Third Place | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Roy Williams | ||
| UCLA | Pacific-10[b] | 1 | West | Ben Howland | |||
| 2009 | Champion | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | South | Roy Williams | Wayne Ellington |
| Runner-up | Michigan State | Big Ten | 2 | Midwest | Tom Izzo | ||
| Third Place | Connecticut[q] | Big East | 1 | West | Jim Calhoun | ||
| Villanova | Big East | 3 | East | Jay Wright | |||
| 2010 | Champion | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | South | Mike Krzyzewski | Kyle Singler |
| Runner-up | Butler | Horizon | 5 | West | Brad Stevens | ||
| Third Place | Michigan State | Big Ten | 5 | Midwest | Tom Izzo | ||
| West Virginia | Big East | 2 | East | Bob Huggins | |||
| 2011 | Champion | Connecticut[q] | Big East | 3 | West | Jim Calhoun | Kemba Walker |
| Runner-up | Butler | Horizon | 8 | Southeast | Brad Stevens | ||
| Third Place | Kentucky | Southeastern | 4 | East | John Calipari | ||
| VCU | Colonial | 11 | Southwest | Shaka Smart | |||
| 2012 | Champion | Kentucky | Southeastern | 1 | South | John Calipari | Anthony Davis |
| Runner-up | Kansas | Big 12 | 2 | Midwest | Bill Self | ||
| Third Place | Louisville* | Big East | 4 | West | Rick Pitino | ||
| Ohio State | Big Ten | 2 | East | Thad Matta | |||
| 2013 | Champion | Louisville* | Big East | 1 | Midwest | Rick Pitino | Luke Hancock[r] |
| Runner-up | Michigan | Big Ten | 4 | South | John Beilein | ||
| Third Place | Syracuse | Big East | 4 | East | Jim Boeheim | ||
| Wichita State | Missouri Valley | 9 | West | Gregg Marshall | |||
| 2014 | Champion | UConn | American | 7 | East | Kevin Ollie | Shabazz Napier |
| Runner-up | Kentucky | Southeastern | 8 | Midwest | John Calipari | ||
| Third Place | Florida | Southeastern | 1 | South | Billy Donovan | ||
| Wisconsin | Big Ten | 2 | West | Bo Ryan | |||
| 2015 | Champion | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | South | Mike Krzyzewski | Tyus Jones |
| Runner-up | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 1 | West | Bo Ryan | ||
| Third Place | Kentucky | Southeastern | 1 | Midwest | John Calipari | ||
| Michigan State | Big Ten | 7 | East | Tom Izzo | |||
| 2016 | Champion | Villanova | Big East | 2 | South | Jay Wright | Ryan Arcidiacono |
| Runner-up | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Roy Williams | ||
| Third Place | Oklahoma | Big 12 | 2 | West | Lon Kruger | ||
| Syracuse | Atlantic Coast | 10 | Midwest | Jim Boeheim | |||
| 2017 | Champion | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 1 | South | Roy Williams | Joel Berry II |
| Runner-up | Gonzaga | West Coast | 1 | West | Mark Few | ||
| Third Place | Oregon | Pac-12[b] | 3 | Midwest | Dana Altman | ||
| South Carolina | Southeastern | 7 | East | Frank Martin | |||
| 2018 | Champion | Villanova | Big East | 1 | East | Jay Wright | Donte DiVincenzo |
| Runner-up | Michigan | Big Ten | 3 | West | John Beilein | ||
| Third Place | Kansas* | Big 12 | 1 | Midwest | Bill Self | ||
| Loyola Chicago | Missouri Valley | 11 | South | Porter Moser | |||
| 2019 | Champion | Virginia | Atlantic Coast | 1 | South | Tony Bennett | Kyle Guy |
| Runner-up | Texas Tech | Big 12 | 3 | West | Chris Beard | ||
| Third Place | Auburn | Southeastern | 5 | Midwest | Bruce Pearl | ||
| Michigan State | Big Ten | 2 | East | Tom Izzo | |||
| 2020 | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||||
| 2021 | Champion | Baylor | Big 12 | 1 | South | Scott Drew | Jared Butler |
| Runner-up | Gonzaga | West Coast | 1 | West | Mark Few | ||
| Third Place | Houston | American | 2 | Midwest | Kelvin Sampson | ||
| UCLA | Pac-12[b] | 11 | East | Mick Cronin | |||
| 2022 | Champion | Kansas | Big 12 | 1 | Midwest | Bill Self | Ochai Agbaji |
| Runner-up | North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | 8 | East | Hubert Davis | ||
| Third Place | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 2 | West | Mike Krzyzewski | ||
| Villanova | Big East | 2 | South | Jay Wright | |||
| 2023 | Champion | UConn | Big East | 4 | West | Dan Hurley | Adama Sanogo |
| Runner-up | San Diego State | Mountain West | 5 | South | Brian Dutcher | ||
| Third Place | Miami (FL) | Atlantic Coast | 5 | Midwest | Jim Larrañaga | ||
| Florida Atlantic | Conference USA | 9 | East | Dusty May | |||
| 2024 | Champion | UConn | Big East | 1 | East | Dan Hurley | Tristen Newton |
| Runner-up | Purdue | Big Ten | 1 | Midwest | Matt Painter | ||
| Third Place | Alabama | Southeastern | 4 | West | Nate Oats | ||
| NC State | Atlantic Coast | 11 | South | Kevin Keatts | |||
| 2025 | Champion | Florida | Southeastern | 1 | West | Todd Golden | Walter Clayton Jr. |
| Runner-up | Houston | Big 12 | 1 | Midwest | Kelvin Sampson | ||
| Third Place | Duke | Atlantic Coast | 1 | East | Jon Scheyer | ||
| Auburn | Southeastern | 1 | South | Bruce Pearl | |||
| 2026 | Champion | Michigan | Big Ten | 1 | Midwest | Dusty May | Elliot Cadeau |
| Runner-up | UConn | Big East | 2 | East | Dan Hurley | ||
| Third Place | Arizona | Big 12 | 1 | West | Tommy Lloyd | ||
| Illinois | Big Ten | 3 | South | Brad Underwood | |||
Final Four appearances by school
[edit]Since 1939, 99 schools have appeared in at least one Final Four. Of those schools, four have had their only appearance vacated: Minnesota, Saint Joseph's, UMass, and Western Kentucky.
| Year | Won National Championship |
| Year | Lost National Championship Game |
| Year | Won National Third Place Game |
| * | Appearance vacated by NCAA |
| School | Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 | 2024 |
| Arizona | 5 | 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2026 |
| Arkansas | 6 | 1941, 1945, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1995 |
| Auburn | 2 | 2019, 2025 |
| Baylor | 3 | 1948, 1950, 2021 |
| Bradley | 2 | 1950, 1954 |
| Butler | 2 | 2009, 2010 |
| California | 3 | 1946, 1959, 1960 |
| CCNY | 2 | 1947, 1950 |
| Charlotte[o] | 1 | 1977 |
| Cincinnati | 6 | 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1992 |
| Colorado | 2 | 1942, 1955 |
| Dartmouth | 2 | 1942, 1944 |
| Dayton | 1 | 1967 |
| DePaul | 2 | 1943, 1979 |
| Drake | 1 | 1969 |
| Duke | 18 | 1963, 1964, 1966, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015, 2022, 2025 |
| Duquesne | 1 | 1940 |
| Florida | 6 | 1994, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2025 |
| Florida Atlantic | 1 | 2023 |
| Florida State | 1 | 1972 |
| George Mason | 1 | 2006 |
| Georgetown | 5 | 1943, 1982, 1984, 1985, 2007 |
| Georgia | 1 | 1983 |
| Georgia Tech | 2 | 1990, 2004 |
| Gonzaga | 2 | 2017, 2021 |
| Holy Cross | 2 | 1947, 1948 |
| Houston | 7 | 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2021, 2025 |
| Illinois | 6 | 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, 2005, 2026 |
| Indiana | 8 | 1940, 1953, 1973, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1992, 2002 |
| Indiana State | 1 | 1979 |
| Iowa | 3 | 1955, 1956, 1980 |
| Iowa State | 1 | 1944 |
| Jacksonville | 1 | 1970 |
| Kansas | 15 (16*) | 1940, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1971, 1974, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2012, 2018*, 2022 |
| Kansas State | 4 | 1948, 1951, 1958, 1964 |
| Kentucky | 17 | 1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966, 1975, 1978, 1984, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 |
| La Salle | 2 | 1954, 1955 |
| Louisville | 8 (10*) | 1959, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 2005, 2012*, 2013* |
| Loyola Chicago | 2 | 1963, 2018 |
| LSU | 4 | 1953, 1981, 1986, 2006 |
| Marquette | 3 | 1974, 1977, 2003 |
| Maryland | 2 | 2001, 2002 |
| Memphis[l] | 1 (3*) | 1973, 1985*, 2008* |
| Miami (FL) | 1 | 2023 |
| Michigan | 7 (9*) | 1964, 1965, 1976, 1989, 1992*, 1993*, 2013, 2018, 2026 |
| Michigan State | 10 | 1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019 |
| Minnesota | 0 (1*) | 1997* |
| Mississippi State | 1 | 1996 |
| NC State | 4 | 1950, 1974, 1983, 2024 |
| New Mexico State | 1 | 1970 |
| North Carolina | 21 | 1946, 1957, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2022 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 1978 |
| NYU | 2 | 1945, 1960 |
| Ohio State | 10 (11*) | 1939, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1968, 1999*, 2007, 2012 |
| Oklahoma | 5 | 1939, 1947, 2002, 1988, 2016 |
| Oklahoma State[f] | 6 | 1945, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1995, 2004 |
| Oregon | 2 | 1939, 2017 |
| Oregon State | 2 | 1949, 1963 |
| Penn | 1 | 1979 |
| Penn State | 1 | 1954 |
| Pittsburgh | 1 | 1941 |
| Princeton | 1 | 1965 |
| Providence | 2 | 1973, 1987 |
| Purdue | 3 | 1969, 1980, 2024 |
| Rutgers | 1 | 1976 |
| St. Bonaventure | 1 | 1970 |
| St. John's | 2 | 1952, 1985 |
| Saint Joseph's | 0 (1*) | 1961* |
| San Diego State | 1 | 2023 |
| San Francisco | 3 | 1955, 1956 1957 |
| Santa Clara | 1 | 1952 |
| Seattle | 1 | 1958 |
| Seton Hall | 1 | 1989 |
| SMU | 1 | 1956 |
| South Carolina | 1 | 2017 |
| Stanford | 2 | 1942, 1998 |
| Syracuse | 6 | 1975, 1987, 1996, 2003, 2013, 2016 |
| Temple | 2 | 1956, 1958 |
| Texas | 3 | 1943, 1947, 2003 |
| Texas Tech | 1 | 2019 |
| UCLA | 18 (19*) | 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980*, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2021 |
| UConn[q] | 8 | 1999, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2023, 2024, 2026 |
| UMass | 0 (1*) | 1996* |
| UNLV | 4 | 1977, 1987, 1990, 1991 |
| USC | 2 | 1940, 1954 |
| Utah | 4 | 1944, 1961, 1966, 1998 |
| UTEP[k] | 1 | 1966 |
| VCU | 1 | 2011 |
| Villanova | 6 (7*) | 1939, 1971*, 1985, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022 |
| Virginia | 3 | 1981, 1984, 2019 |
| Wake Forest | 1 | 1962 |
| Washington | 1 | 1953 |
| Washington State | 1 | 1941 |
| West Virginia | 2 | 1959, 2010 |
| Western Kentucky | 0 (1*) | 1971* |
| Wichita State | 2 | 1965, 2013 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 1941, 2000, 2014, 2015 |
| Wyoming | 1 | 1943 |
Teams appearing in consecutive Final Fours
[edit]Teams have appeared in the Final Four in consecutive tournaments 42 times. A total of 26 different programs have had consecutive Final Four appearances. Of those schools, two have had their only consecutive appearances vacated.
| Year | Won National Championship |
| Year | Lost National Championship Game |
| Year | Won National Third Place Game |
| * | Appearance vacated by NCAA |
| School | Number | Final Fours | Coach(es) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 2 | 1994, 1995 | Nolan Richardson |
| Butler | 2 | 2010, 2011 | Brad Stevens |
| California | 2 | 1959, 1960 | Pete Newell |
| Cincinnati | 5 | 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 | George Smith (1959–60) & Ed Jucker (1961–63) |
| Duke | 2 | 1963, 1964 | Vic Bubas |
| 5 | 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 | Mike Krzyzewski | |
| Florida | 2 | 2006, 2007 | Billy Donovan |
| Georgetown | 2 | 1984, 1985 | John Thompson |
| Holy Cross | 2 | 1947, 1948 | Doggie Julian |
| Houston | 2 | 1967, 1968 | Guy Lewis |
| 3 | 1982, 1983, 1984 | Guy Lewis | |
| Illinois | 2 | 1951, 1952 | Harry Combes |
| Iowa | 2 | 1955, 1956 | Bucky O'Connor |
| Kansas | 2 | 1952, 1953 | Phog Allen |
| 2 | 2002, 2003 | Roy Williams | |
| Kentucky | 2 | 1948, 1949 | Adolph Rupp |
| 3 | 1996, 1997, 1998 | Rick Pitino (1996–97) & Tubby Smith (1998) | |
| 2 | 2011, 2012 | John Calipari | |
| 2 | 2014, 2015 | John Calipari | |
| La Salle | 2 | 1954, 1955 | Ken Loeffler |
| Louisville | 2 | 1982, 1983 | Denny Crum |
| 0 (2*) | 2012*, 2013* | Rick Pitino | |
| Maryland | 2 | 2001, 2002 | Gary Williams |
| Michigan | 2 | 1964, 1965 | Dave Strack |
| 0 (2*) | 1992*, 1993* | Steve Fisher | |
| Michigan State | 3 | 1999, 2000, 2001 | Tom Izzo |
| 2 | 2009, 2010 | Tom Izzo | |
| North Carolina | 3 | 1967, 1968, 1969 | Dean Smith |
| 2 | 1981, 1982 | Dean Smith | |
| 2 | 1997, 1998 | Dean Smith (1997) & Bill Guthridge (1998) | |
| 2 | 2008, 2009 | Roy Williams | |
| 2 | 2016, 2017 | Roy Williams | |
| Ohio State | 3 | 1944, 1945, 1946 | Harold Olsen |
| 3 | 1960, 1961, 1962 | Fred Taylor | |
| Oklahoma State[f] | 2 | 1945, 1946 | Henry Iba |
| San Francisco | 3 | 1955, 1956, 1957 | Phil Woolpert |
| UCLA | 2 | 1964, 1965 | John Wooden |
| 10 | 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 | John Wooden (1967–75) & Gene Bartow (1976) | |
| 3 | 2006, 2007, 2008 | Ben Howland | |
| UConn | 2 | 2023, 2024 | Dan Hurley |
| UNLV | 2 | 1990, 1991 | Jerry Tarkanian |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 2014, 2015 | Bo Ryan |
Final Four appearances by coach
[edit]Since 1939, 171 head coaches have appeared in the Final Four. Six of those coaches have had their only Final Four appearance vacated. Twenty-two coaches with a Final Four appearance are currently active.
Eighteen coaches have Final Four appearances with multiple schools. Of these, 16 have coached two schools and two coaches, John Calipari and Rick Pitino, have coached three schools. Pitino reached the Final Four with Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville. Calipari reached the Final Four with UMass, Memphis, and Kentucky, but his only appearances with UMass and Memphis were both vacated. Larry Brown appeared with UCLA and Kansas but his only appearance with UCLA was vacated. Four coaches are still active, with Dusty May and Kelvin Sampson active at schools they have already taken to the Final Four while Calipari and Pitino are active at schools they have not taken to the Final Four. Four coaches who have taken one school to the Final Four are currently coaching at a different school and have yet to take that school to the Final Four: Rick Barnes, Chris Beard, Porter Moser, and Shaka Smart.
| Year | Won National Championship |
| Year | Lost National Championship Game |
| Year | Won National Third Place Game |
| * | Appearance vacated by NCAA |
| # | Active head coach in NCAA Division I |
Coaches who also played in the Final Four
[edit]Eight head coaches have both played and coached in the Final Four. Dick Harp at Kansas, Hubert Davis at North Carolina and Jon Scheyer at Duke did so at the same school. Dean Smith and Bob Knight are the only two coaches to win a championship as player and coach, neither at the same school.
| Head coach | As player | As head coach | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Year(s) | Team | Year(s) | |
| Vic Bubas | NC State | 1950 | Duke | 1963, 1964, 1966 |
| Hubert Davis | North Carolina | 1991 | North Carolina | 2022 |
| Billy Donovan | Providence | 1987 | Florida | 2000, 2006, 2007, 2014 |
| Dick Harp | Kansas | 1940 | Kansas | 1957 |
| Bob Knight | Ohio State | 1960, 1961, 1962 | Indiana | 1973, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1992 |
| Bones McKinney | North Carolina | 1946 | Wake Forest | 1962 |
| Jon Scheyer | Duke | 2010 | Duke | 2025 |
| Dean Smith | Kansas | 1952 | North Carolina | 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 |
Final Four appearances by conference
[edit]Twenty-six conferences have appeared in the Final Four, of which 19 are still in existence. The following table shows Final Four appearance statistics based on teams' conference affiliations contemporaneous to their appearance. Schools who have had their only appearance vacated are denoted with an asterisk.
| Conference | Appearances | Number of Schools | Schools | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | First | Last | |||
| American (2013–present) | 2 | 2014 | 2021 | 2 | UConn, Houston |
| Atlantic 10 (1976–present) | 0 (1*) | 1996 | 1996 | 0 (1*) | UMass* |
| Atlantic Coast (1953–present) | 51 | 1957 | 2025 | 9 | Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami (FL), NC State, North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia, Wake Forest |
| Big 12 (1995–present) | 13 (14*) | 2002 | 2026 | 8 | Arizona, Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech |
| Big East (1979–present)[s] | 24 (26*) | 1982 | 2026 | 9 | Georgetown, Louisville, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's, Syracuse, UConn[q], Villanova, West Virginia |
| Big Eight[c] (1928–1996) | 20 | 1939 | 1995 | 6 | Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State |
| Big Ten[g] (1905–present) | 51 (55*) | 1939 | 2026 | 8 (9*) | Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota*, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin |
| Big West (1969–present) | 3 | 1987 | 1991 | 1 | UNLV |
| Colonial Athletic Association (1982–present) | 2 | 2006 | 2011 | 2 | George Mason, VCU |
| Conference USA (1995–present) | 3 (4*) | 2003 | 2023 | 4 | Florida Atlantic, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis |
| East Coast[j] (1958–1995) | 0 (1*) | 1961 | 1961 | 0 (1*) | Saint Joseph’s* |
| Great Midwest (1991–1995) | 1 | 1992 | 1992 | 1 | Cincinnati |
| Horizon League (1982–present) | 2 | 2010 | 2011 | 1 | Butler |
| Independent | 39 (40*) | 1939 | 1979 | 31 | Bradley, CCNY, Dayton, DePaul, Duquesne, Florida State, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Houston, Jacksonville, La Salle, Louisville, Loyola Chicago, Marquette, New Mexico State, Notre Dame, NYU, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, Santa Clara, Seattle, St. Bonaventure, St. John's, Syracuse, Temple, UNLV, UTEP[k], Villanova |
| Ivy League[d] (1901–present) | 4 | 1942 | 1979 | 3 | Dartmouth, Penn, Princeton |
| Metro (1975–1995) | 4 (5*) | 1980 | 1986 | 2 | Louisville, Memphis[l] |
| Missouri Valley (1928–present) | 18 | 1945 | 2018 | 9 | Bradley, Cincinnati, Drake, Indiana State, Louisville, Loyola Chicago, Memphis[l], Oklahoma State[f], Wichita State |
| Mountain West (1999–present) | 1 | 2023 | 2023 | 1 | San Diego State |
| Ohio Valley (1948–present) | 0 (1*) | 1971 | 1971 | 1 | Western Kentucky |
| Pac-12[b] (1915–present) | 34 (35*) | 1939 | 2021 | 9 | Arizona, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State |
| Skyline Eight[e] (1938–1962) | 4 | 1942 | 1961 | 3 | Colorado, Utah, Wyoming |
| Southeastern (1932–present) | 35 | 1942 | 2025 | 9 | Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina |
| Southern (1921–present) | 3 | 1946 | 1959 | 3 | NC State, North Carolina, West Virginia |
| Southwest (1914–1996) | 12 | 1941 | 1990 | 5 | Arkansas, Baylor, Houston, SMU, Texas |
| Sun Belt (1976–present) | 1 | 1977 | 1977 | 0 (1*) | Charlotte*[o] |
| West Coast[i] (1952–present) | 5 | 1955 | 2021 | 2 | Gonzaga, San Francisco |
| Western Athletic (1962–present) | 2 | 1966 | 1998 | 1 | Utah |
Final Fours with multiple schools from the same conference
[edit]There have been 27 Final Fours with multiple teams from the same conference. In two of these Final Fours, one of the conference team's appearance was later vacated later by the NCAA. The Big Ten has achieved this nine times, but two of those times one team's appearance was later vacated, tying them with the Atlantic Coast Conference for non-vacated multi-team Final Four appearances at seven. The Big East is the only conference to have three teams in the Final Four, which was in 1985.
Teams from the same conference have played against each other in nine National Semifinal games. Only three times have teams from the same conference played each other in the National Championship Game.
| Year | One team won the National Championship |
| † | Teams met in the National Semifinals |
| ‡ | Teams met in the National Championship |
| * | One team's appearance vacated by NCAA |
| Conference | Number | Two teams | Three teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast | 7 | 1981†, 1990, 1991, 2001†, 2004, 2016†, 2022† | |
| Big 12 | 2 | 2002, 2003 | |
| Big East | 4 | 1987†, 2009, 2013* | 1985†‡ |
| Big Eight[c] | 1 | 1988‡ | |
| Big Ten[g] | 7 (9*) | 1976‡, 1980, 1989†, 1992*, 1999*, 2000†, 2005, 2015, 2026 | |
| Southeastern | 5 | 1994, 1996, 2006, 2014, 2025† |
Final Four appearances by State
[edit]Schools from 39 States, along with the District of Columbia, have appeared in the Final Four. Of the 39 States, Minnesota, had its only appearance vacated.
| State/District | Appearances | Number of Schools | Schools | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | First | Last | |||
| Alabama | 3 | 2019 | 2025 | 2 | Alabama, Auburn |
| Arizona | 5 | 1988 | 2026 | 1 | Arizona |
| Arkansas | 6 | 1941 | 1995 | 1 | Arkansas |
| California | 30 (31*) | 1940 | 2023 | 7 | California, San Diego State, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Stanford, UCLA, USC |
| Colorado | 2 | 1942 | 1955 | 1 | Colorado |
| Connecticut | 8 | 1999 | 2026 | 1 | UConn[q] |
| District of Columbia | 5 | 1943 | 2007 | 1 | Georgetown |
| Florida | 10 | 1970 | 2025 | 5 | Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida State, Jacksonville, Miami |
| Georgia | 3 | 1983 | 2004 | 2 | Georgia, Georgia Tech |
| Illinois | 12 | 1943 | 2026 | 4 | Bradley, DePaul, Illinois, Loyola Chicago |
| Indiana | 15 | 1940 | 2024 | 5 | Butler, Indiana, Indiana State, Notre Dame, Purdue |
| Iowa | 5 | 1944 | 1980 | 3 | Drake, Iowa, Iowa State |
| Kansas | 22 | 1940 | 2022 | 3 | Kansas, Kansas State, Wichita State |
| Kentucky | 25 (28*) | 1942 | 2015 | 2 (3*) | Kentucky, Louisville, Western Kentucky* |
| Louisiana | 4 | 1953 | 2006 | 1 | LSU |
| Maryland | 2 | 2001 | 2002 | 1 | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | 2 (3*) | 1947 | 1996* | 1 (2*) | Holy Cross, UMass* |
| Michigan | 17 (19*) | 1957 | 2026 | 2 | Michigan, Michigan State |
| Minnesota | 0 (1*) | 1997* | 1997* | 0 (1*) | Minnesota* |
| Mississippi | 1 | 1996 | 1996 | 1 | Mississippi State |
| Nevada | 4 | 1977 | 1991 | 1 | UNLV |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 1942 | 1944 | 1 | Dartmouth |
| New Jersey | 3 | 1965 | 1989 | 3 | Princeton, Rutgers, Seton Hall |
| New Mexico | 1 | 1970 | 1970 | 1 | New Mexico State |
| New York | 13 | 1945 | 2016 | 5 | CCNY, NYU, St. Bonaventure, St. John's, Syracuse |
| North Carolina | 45 | 1946 | 2025 | 5 | Charlotte[o], Duke, NC State, North Carolina, Wake Forest |
| Ohio | 17 (18*) | 1939 | 2012 | 3 | Cincinnati, Dayton, Ohio State |
| Oklahoma | 11 | 1939 | 2016 | 2 | Oklahoma, Oklahoma State[f] |
| Oregon | 4 | 1939 | 2017 | 2 | Oregon, Oregon State |
| Pennsylvania | 14 (16*) | 1939 | 2022 | 7 (8*) | Duquesne, La Salle, Penn, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph's*, Temple, Villanova |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 1973 | 1987 | 1 | Providence |
| South Carolina | 1 | 2017 | 2017 | 1 | South Carolina |
| Tennessee | 1 (3*) | 1973 | 2008* | 1 | Memphis[l] |
| Texas | 16 | 1943 | 2025 | 6 | Baylor, Houston, SMU, Texas, Texas Tech, UTEP[k] |
| Utah | 4 | 1944 | 1998 | 1 | Utah |
| Virginia | 5 | 1981 | 2019 | 3 | George Mason, VCU, Virginia |
| Washington | 5 | 1941 | 2021 | 4 | Gonzaga, Seattle, Washington, Washington State |
| West Virginia | 2 | 1959 | 2010 | 1 | West Virginia |
| Wisconsin | 7 | 1941 | 2015 | 2 | Marquette, Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | 1 | 1943 | 1943 | 1 | Wyoming |
Final Fours with multiple schools from the same State
[edit]Eleven Final Fours have featured two teams from the same State. North Carolina and Ohio both have three Final Fours with two teams, and Kentucky is the only other State to more than once. Teams from the same State have played each other four times in a National Semifinal and twice in the National Championship, both times Cincinnati and Ohio State in 1961 and 1962.
| Team | Won National Championship |
| Team | Lost National Championship Game |
| Team | Won National Third Place Game |
| † | Teams met in the National Semifinal |
| ‡ | Teams met in the National Championship |
| * | Appearance vacated by NCAA |
| State | Year | Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2023 | Florida Atlantic | Miami |
| Kentucky | 1975 | Kentucky | Louisville |
| 2012 | Kentucky† | Louisville†* | |
| North Carolina | 1977 | UNC Charlotte[o] | North Carolina |
| 1991 | Duke | North Carolina | |
| 2022 | Duke† | North Carolina† | |
| Ohio | 1960 | Cincinnati | Ohio State |
| 1961 | Cincinnati‡ | Ohio State‡ | |
| 1962 | Cincinnati‡ | Ohio State‡ | |
| Pennsylvania | 1954 | La Salle† | Penn State† |
| Texas | 2021 | Baylor† | Houston† |
Vacated appearances
[edit]Fourteen Final Four appearances have been vacated by eleven schools. Two of these schools won the Third Place Game and five schools were the National Runner-Up, with Michigan vacating two runner-up finishes. Only one school, Louisville, has had a national championship vacated.
- Saint Joseph's vacated its 1961 semifinal loss and third-place game victory because three players were involved in a point-shaving scandal.[5][6]
- Villanova vacated its 1971 championship game loss because Howard Porter had signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Condors of the American Basketball Association (ABA) during the regular season. The Most Outstanding Player award was also vacated, as it had been awarded to Porter despite his team losing the championship game.[7]
- Western Kentucky vacated its 1971 semifinal loss and third-place game victory because Jim McDaniels had signed a professional contract with the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association and accepted money during the regular season.[8]
- UCLA vacated its 1980 championship game loss because Kiki Vandeweghe and Rod Foster were declared ineligible for their connection with recruiting violations involving booster Sam Gilbert.[9]
- Memphis[l] vacated its 1985 semifinal loss because Keith Lee had received $40,000 in illegal payoffs from head coach Dana Kirk.[10][8] Memphis would also vacated its 2008 championship game loss because Derrick Rose's SAT score was invalidated after the season.[11]
- Michigan vacated its 1992 and 1993 championship game losses because Chris Webber, Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor, and Louis Bullock were found ineligible.[12]
- UMass vacated its 1996 semifinal loss because Marcus Camby had accepted money and gifts from a pair of sports agents.[13]
- Minnesota vacated its 1997 semifinal loss because involving head coach Clem Haskins, five other university employees, and at least eighteen players had committed academic fraud.[14]
- Ohio State vacated its 1999 semifinal loss because Boban Savović was declared ineligible.[15]
- Louisville vacated its 2012 semifinal loss and their 2013 national championship because several unnamed players were declared ineligible as a result of a sex scandal.[16] The Most Outstanding Player award, awarded to Luke Hancock, was vacated as part of the disciplinary action. Hancock and four other players sued the NCAA and alleged they had been cast in a "false light" in relation to the scandal. The NCAA agreed to restore their awards and statistics as part of a settlement, including Hancock's MOP award.[17]
- Kansas vacated its 2018 semifinal loss for recruiting violations.[18]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Full seeding began in 1979
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj The Pac-12 Conference was previously named the Pacific Coast Conference, Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8), and Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10). Although the Pacific Coast Conference operated under a separate charter from the current Pac-12, both the Pac-12 and NCAA consider the Pacific Coast Conference and Pac-12 to be the same conference.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m The Big Eight Conference was previously named the Big Seven Conference and Big Six Conference.
- ^ a b c The Ivy League succeeded the Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League.
- ^ a b c d e The Mountain States Athletic Conference was more popularly known as the Skyline Six and Skyline Eight at various points in its history.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Oklahoma State University was named Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College and known as Oklahoma A&M before 1957.
- ^ a b c d e f The Big Ten Conference was known as the Big Nine from the 1946–47 season to 1953–54 season.
- ^ The MOP was not officially awarded after the 1951 championship game.[1][2][3] However, the NCAA lists Bill Spivey as the winner of the 1951 MOP in its official record book.[4]
- ^ a b c d The West Coast Conference was previously named the California Basketball Association and West Coast Athletic Conference.
- ^ a b The East Coast Conference was previously named the Middle Atlantic Conference.
- ^ a b c d e The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) was named Texas Western College before 1967.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i The University of Memphis was named Memphis State University before 1995.
- ^ Syracuse qualified for the tournament via the ECAC Upstate tournament.
- ^ Rutgers qualified for the tournament via the ECAC Metro tournament.
- ^ a b c d e f Charlotte was branded as UNC Charlotte during its 1977 appearance.
- ^ a b c d In the 1978 tournament teams were seeded in two pools of automatic qualifiers (Q) and at-large teams (L). Each region had seeds 1Q–4Q and 1L–4L.
- ^ a b c d e f g h UConn was officially known as Connecticut before 2013 when it adopted the short form as its official athletic brand name.
- ^ The NCAA allowed Luke Hancock to retain his Most Outstanding Player award as part of a settlement.
- ^ The official NCAA records book considers both iterations of the Big East the same conference despite the original Big East legally being succeeded by the American Athletic Conference in 2013 and the current Big East Conference being a completely new entity.
References
[edit]General
Men's Final Four 2023 Records Book (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
Specific
- ^ "Tournament MVPs". Stevens Point Journal. Stevens Point, Wisconsin. April 8, 2003. p. 12. Retrieved August 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
1951 – None selected
- ^ "NCAA Men's Tournament Final Four MVPs". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. April 8, 2003. p. E03. Retrieved August 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
1951: None selected
- ^ Ashford, Ed (April 7, 1951). "What Happened To NCAA's MVP Award?". Lexington Herald-Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. p. 6. Retrieved August 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
For 11 consecutive years a most valuable player was chosen after the NCAA basketball tournament. However this year, for some unexplained reason, no poll was taken and there was no MVP honored. Whether the authorities just forgot about it or decided to eliminate balloting for the honor is not known. If a poll had been taken, it is likely that Kentucky would have garnered its third MVP award in the last four years. Alex Groza won the honor in 1948 and 1949 while Bill Spivey and Shelby Linville would have been strong contenders for the award this year.
- ^ Zach, Pekale; Welper, Brenden (April 9, 2024). "Men's Final Four Most Outstanding Players from 1939 to present". NCAA.com. NCAA. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
- ^ "Review of the Literature".
- ^ "ESPN Classic - Explosion II: The Molinas period".
- ^ "Villanova Offers to Forfeit Slate". The New York Times. 1971-06-18. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ a b Wolfson, Andrew. "What led to vacated Final Fours in the past?". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ Archives, L. A. Times (1987-11-23). "Sam Gilbert Is Dead at Age 74 : Controversial UCLA Booster Succumbs After Long Illness". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ Alfano, Peter (1985-05-26). "Anxiety and Hope at Memphis State on Betting Inquiry". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ Zinser, Lynn (2009-08-20). "Memphis Stripped of 2008 Final Four by N.C.A.A." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ Hakim, Danny (2002-11-08). "Michigan Punishes Basketball Program". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ Cavanaugh, Jack (1997-05-09). "UMass and UConn Lose '96 Honors". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ Drape, Joe (2000-10-25). "COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Minnesota Penalized by N.C.A.A." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ "OSU gets probation". ESPN. 2006-03-10. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ "Its NCAA appeal denied, Louisville is stripped of 2013 national championship". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ Cash, Rana L. "U of L basketball's 2013 title isn't restored, but players' lawsuit against NCAA is settled". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ "Kansas basketball on probation as violations downgraded". ESPN. October 11, 2023.