Final Four Postgame Facts

A Big Ten team has played a Big East team two previous times in the National Championship Game.  The Big Ten team won the previous two, both by one point.

• 1987 – Indiana 74 Syracuse 73
• 1989 – Michigan 80 Seton Hall 79 (OT) 

It has been 20 years since either Louisville or Michigan has played in the Championship Game.  The last time both teams in Championship game had not played in the previous 20 years was 2000 when Michigan State (previous was 1979) defeated Florida (1^st appearance).

 

This will be the third time that a #1 seed has faced a #4 seed in the Championship Game.  All 3 times, Rick Pitino has coached the #1 seed.

• 1996 - #1 Kentucky defeated #4 Syracuse 76-67
• 1997 - #4 Arizona defeated #1 Kentucky 84-79 (OT)

Louisville is in the National Championship Game for the 3^rd time and the first time since 1986.  Rick Pitino is in the National Championship Game for the 3^rd time, but his first with Louisville.

Rick Pitino becomes the 5^th coach to take two different schools to the National Championship Game.  Games won in bold.

• Frank McGuire (1952 – St. John’s; 1957 – North Carolina)
• Larry Brown (1980 – UCLA; 1988 – Kansas)
• Roy Williams (1991, 2003 – Kansas; 2005, 2009 – North Carolina)
• John Calipari (2008 – Memphis; 2012 – Kentucky)
• Rick Pitino (1996, 1997 – Kentucky; 2013 – Louisville)

Rick Pitino will attempt to become the first coach to win a Championship for two different schools.

Louisville is 3-7 in National Semifinals, but is 2-0 in National Championship games.

Louisville is now 3-0 vs. #9 seeds in the tournament.

Louisville is 3-0 when playing in the state of Georgia.

With Wichita State losing, teams seeded #9 or lower are now 0-5 in the National Semifinals.  Wichita State's 4-point loss is the closest margin of defeat by a team seeded #9 or lower.  The previous low was 8 by #11 VCU in 2011.

Since 2010, 7 of the 8 National Semifinal games have been decided by single digits.  The exception was Duke over West Virginia 78-57 in 2010.

Wichita State is now 0-2 in National Semifinal games.

Michigan is in National Championship Game for the 6th time and the first time since 1993.  John Beilein is in the National Championship Game for the first time.

Michigan is 6-1 in National Semifinal Games; Syracuse is 3-2.

Michigan has the longest current winning streak in National Semifinal games with 6.  It is also tied with Duke for the third longest winning streak in National Semifinal games.  Only UCLA (9) and Kentucky (7) have had longer winning streaks in the National Semifinals.

Michigan is 6-1 when playing in the state of Georgia; Syracuse is 1-3.

Syracuse is now 2-8 vs. the Big Ten.  Both times that they have defeated a Big Ten team, they lost to another one later in the tournament.