Saturday, March 31, 2018

Final Four Tidbits

Villanova and Michigan will be playing in the tournament for the 2nd time.  Villanova defeated Michigan 59-55 in the 1985 Round of 32 en route to the National Championship.

Michigan is in the National Championship game for the first time since 2013 and the 7th time overall.  They lost to Louisville 82-76 in the 2013 National Championship game.

Michigan is now 7-1 in National Semifinal games.  They have won 7 straight National Semifinal games.  The 7 straight Semifinal wins is tied for the 2nd most all-time with Kentucky behind UCLA who won 9 straight.

Michigan is 2-0 vs. Loyola of Chicago.  They also defeated Loyola 84-80 in the 1964 Sweet Sixteen.

Michigan is 3-0 vs. the Missouri Valley.  They tie Duke, Kentucky and Michigan State with the most wins without a loss vs. the Missouri Valley.

Michigan is 18-4 as a #3 seed.  The 18 wins is the most all-time and 4 more than Florida who has the second most.

Michigan is 5-1 vs. #11 seeds. The 5 wins is tied for the 2nd most all-time behind Florida who has 9 wins vs. #11 seeds.

Michigan is 5-1 playing in the state of Texas.

The win by Michigan over Loyola ends a 2-game losing streak by the Big Ten vs. the Missouri Valley in the tournament.  The Big Ten is 12-7 vs. the Missouri Valley in the tournament.

John Beilein is 3-0 vs. the Missouri Valley in the tournament.  He was 2-0 as the coach of West Virginia.

Michigan has now won 6 straight tournament games played on a Saturday.  John Beilein is 6-1 as a Michigan coach on Saturday.

Loyola's loss drops them to 13-5 all-time in the tournament.  The .722 winning percentage is now 3rd highest in tournament history behind Duke (.750) and North Carolina (.729).

Loyola is 1-1 in National Semifinal games.

Loyola is 1-2 vs. the Big Ten.

Villanova is in the National Championship game for the first time since 2016 and the 4th time overall.  They defeated North Carolina 77-74 in the 2016 National Championship game.

Villanova is 4-2 in National Semifinal games.

Villanova is 2-1 vs. Kansas in the tournament.  They also defeated Kansas 64-59 in the 2016 Elite Eight.

Villanova defeats a Big Twelve team for the third straight game in the tournament.  It is the 6th time in tournament history that a team has defeated 3 (or more) teams from the same conference in a single tournament.  All of the other 5 won the National Championship.

  • 1992 Duke vs. Big Ten (Iowa, Indiana, Michigan)
  • 2001 Duke vs. Pacific Twelve (UCLA, USC, Arizona)
  • 2003 Syracuse vs. Big Twelve (Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas)
  • 2005 North Carolina vs. Big Ten (Wisconsin, Michigan State, Illinois)
  • 2012 Kentucky vs. Big Twelve (Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas)
  • 2018 Villanova vs. Big Twelve (West Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas)
Villanova is now 5-1 vs. the Big Twelve.  They have won 5 straight vs. the Big Twelve with all 5 wins coming in the 2016 and 2018 tournaments.

Villanova is now 6-9 vs. #1 seeds.  The 6 wins is tied for 5th most all-time with Michigan State behind Duke (9), Kansas (8), North Carolina (8) and Arizona (7).

Villanova is 5-1 playing in the state of Texas.

Kansas is 9-6 in National Semifinal games.  

Kansas is 4-5 vs. the Big East.

Kansas is 8-9 vs. #1 seeds.

Kansas is 6-8 playing in the state of Texas and 3-3 in San Antonio.


Sunday, March 25, 2018

Elite Eight Tidbits - Sunday

Villanova is in the Final Four for the first time since 2016 and the 6th time overall.  They are 3-2 in the National Semifinals.  Villanova defeated Oklahoma 95-51 in the 2016 National Semifinals en route to the National Championship.

Villanova is 6-8 in the Elite Eight.

Villanova is 4-1 vs. the Big Twelve.  They have defeated 2 Big Twelve teams during this tournament.  They also defeated 2 Big Twelve teams during their 2016 championship run.

Villanova is a tournament-best 4-0 when playing in the state of Massachusetts.

Texas Tech is tournament-worst 0-7 vs. the Big East.

Texas Tech is 0-1 in the Elite Eight.

Texas Tech is 0-2 vs. #1 seeds.

This is Texas Tech's first ever tournament loss on a Sunday.  They were previously 1-0.

Kansas is in the Final Four for the first time since 2012 and the 15th time overall.  They are 9-5 in the National Semifinals.  Kansas defeated Ohio State 64-62 in the 2012 National Semifinals before falling to Kentucky in the National Championship.

Kansas is 15-9 in the Elite Eight.

Bill Self is 3-7 in the Elite Eight.

Kansas is 3-3 vs. Duke in the tournament.

Kansas is 11-9 vs. the ACC in the tournament.  The 11 wins is a tournament high.

Kansas's win over Duke is the first time they won as a #1 seed vs. a #2 seed since 2002 when they defeated Oregon 104-86.

Kansas wins their tournament-high 10th game in the state of Nebraska.  They are 10-2 in Nebraska.  Wisconsin is 2nd in wins in Nebraska with 4.

Kansas ties Duke for the most wins during the 2010's with 23.  Only Kentucky has more with 28.

Kansas is 6-5 in overtime games.  The 6 overtime wins ties Michigan and Louisville for the second most in tournament history behind North Carolina who has 7 overtime wins.

Kansas's game was their 11th overtime game in tournament history tying Syracuse for the most all-time.

Duke's loss as a #2 seed is their third straight against a #1 seed.  They won their first four games as a #2 seed against a #1 seed before these three losses.

Duke's loss is their first ever overtime loss in tournament history.  They were previously 2-0 in overtime games.

Duke is now 5-2 vs. the Big Twelve.    Their only other loss against a Big Twelve team was also to Kansas 69-65 in the 2003 Sweet Sixteen.

Duke is 16-5 in the Elite Eight. 




Saturday, March 24, 2018

Elite Eight Tidbits - Saturday

Loyola of Chicago is in the Final Four for the first time since 1963 and the 2nd time overall.  They are 1-0 in the National Semifinals.  They defeated Duke 94-75 in the 1963 National Semifinals in route to the National Championship.

Loyola of Chicago is 2-0 in the Elite Eight.

Loyola of Chicago is the 4th #11 seed to advance to the Final Four:
  • 1986 Louisiana State
  • 2006 George Mason
  • 2011 Virginia Commonwealth
  • 2018 Loyola of Chicago
Loyola of Chicago is now 13-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament for a .765 winning percentage which passes Duke for the best winning percentage in tournament history.

Kansas State is 4-9 in the Elite Eight.  They have lost 7 straight Elite Eight games.

Kansas State is 4-6 vs. the Missouri Valley.  The 6 losses are the most all-time.

Michigan is in the Final Four for the first time since 2013 and the 8th time overall.  They are 6-1 in the National Semifinals.  They defeated Syracuse 61-56 in the 2013 National Semifinals before losing to Louisville in the National Championship game.

This is the first time that Michigan has won the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the Final Four in the same year.  They are the 6th Big Ten team to win the conference tournament and advance to the Final Four:

  • 1999 Michigan State (lost National Semifinals)
  • 2000 Michigan State (National Champion)
  • 2005 Illinois (lost National Championship)
  • 2007 Ohio State (lost National Championship)
  • 2015 Wisconsin (lost National Championship)

Michigan is 8-6 in the Elite Eight.

Michigan is now 2-0 vs. ACC teams in the Elite Eight.  They also defeated Virginia 102-65 in the 1989 Elite Eight.

Michigan is 17-4 as a #3 seed.  The 17 wins is the most all-time.

Michigan is 3-0 vs. #9 seeds.

#3 seeds are now 3-0 vs. #9 seeds:

  • 1981: #3 Indiana 78 #9 St. Joseph's 46
  • 1994: #3 Florida 74 #9 Boston College 66
  • 2018: #3 Michigan 58 #9 Florida State 54

Florida State is 1-2 in the Elite Eight.

Florida State is 1-5 vs. the Big Ten in the Tournament.  They have lost their last 5 tournament games they have played vs. the Big Ten.

Friday, March 23, 2018

Elite Eight Quick Facts

This is the first time ever that there are two #9 seeds in the Elite Eight.  It is the first time that there are three teams seeded #9 or worse in the Elite Eight.

There are two #1 seeds in the Elite Eight.  That is the fewest #1 seeds in the Elite Eight since 2014.

Elite Eight Rematches
  • Duke is 3-2 vs. Kansas
    • Duke won 71-67 in 1986 National Semifinals
    • Kansas won 66-59 in 1988 National Semifinals
    • Duke won 72-65 in 1991 National Championship
    • Duke won 69-64 in 2000 Round of 32
    • Kansas won 69-65 in 2003 Sweet Sixteen
Teams by Conference
  • Big Twelve 3
  • ACC 2
  • Big East 1
  • Big Ten 1
  • Missouri Valley 1
Big Twelve has 3 teams in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2003 and the third time overall.  They also had 3 teams in the Elite Eight in 2002.

This is the 6th straight year a conference has had at least 3 teams in the Elite 8.
  • Big 12 - 2018
  • SEC - 2017
  • ACC - 2016 (4)
  • ACC - 2015
  • Big 10 - 2014
  • Big East - 2013
Consecutive Elite Eights

Kansas is in the Elite Eight for the 3rd straight year.  They lost the last 2 years in the Elite Eight.

It is the 12th straight year that there has been at least one repeat team in the Elite Eight.

Most Recent Elite Eight
  • Villanova - 2016
  • Duke - 2015
  • Michigan - 2014
  • Kansas State - 2010
  • Florida State - 1993
  • Loyola of Chicago - 1963
  • Texas Tech - Never
Consecutive Years with a team in the Elite Eight - Conference
  • ACC 4
  • Big East 3
  • Big Twelve 3
Consecutive Years with a team in the Elite Eight - State
  • North Carolina 4
  • Kansas 3
  • Florida 2
This is the first time since 2015 that a state has had multiple Elite Eight teams with Kansas and Kansas State.  In 2015, Kentucky and Louisville were in the Elite Eight.

Elite Eight All-Time Records - Teams


Team Wins Losses Pct
Loyola of Chicago 1 0 1.000
Duke 16 4 0.800
Kansas 14 9 0.609
Michigan 7 6 0.538
Florida State 1 1 0.500
Villanova 5 8 0.385
Kansas State 4 8 0.333

This is the first Elite Eight for Texas Tech.

Elite Eight All-Time Records - Coaches


Team Wins Losses Pct
Bruce Weber, Kansas State 1 0 1.000
Mike Krzyzewski, Duke 16 4 0.800
Jay Wright, Villanova 2 1 0.667
John Beilein, Michigan 1 2 0.333
Bill Self, Kansas 2 7 0.222

Mike Krzyzewski ties Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith for the most Elite Eight appearances with 15.

This is the first Elite Eight for Porter Moiser (Loyola), Leonard Hamilton (Florida State) and Chris Beard (Texas Tech).

It is the 6th consecutive year with that at least two coaches are making their first Elite Eight appearance.  It is the first time since 2010 that at least three coaches are making their first Elite Eight appearance.

Average Margin of Victory in First Three Rounds
  • Villanova 20.3
  • Duke 17.0
  • Michigan 14.0
  • Florida State 11.0
  • Texas Tech 8.7
  • Kansas 8.0
  • Kansas State 6.7
  • Loyola of Chicago 1.3
Average Points Scored in First Three Rounds
  • Villanova 86.0
  • Duke 81.7
  • Kansas 79.7
  • Michigan 74.7
  • Florida State 72.3
  • Texas Tech 72.3
  • Loyola of Chicago 65.3
  • Kansas State 60.0
Average Points Allowed in First Three Rounds
  • Kansas State 53.3
  • Michigan 60.7
  • Florida State 61.3
  • Texas Tech 63.7
  • Loyola of Chicago 64.0
  • Duke 64.7
  • Villanova 65.7
  • Kansas 71.7

Sweet Sixteen Tidbits - Friday

Kansas is in the Elite Eight for the 3rd consecutive year and the 24th time overall.  They are 14-9 in the Elite Eight.  Kansas lost to Oregon 74-60 in last year's Elite Eight.

Kansas is 22-9 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Kansas is tournament-best 5-0 vs. #5 seeds.

Kansas wins a tournament-best 9th game in the state of Nebraska.  They are now 9-2 in Nebraska.

Clemson is 1-3 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Clemson is 0-2 vs. the Big Twelve.  They also lost to Missouri 86-78 in the 2010 Round of 64.

Clemson is 0-4 vs. #1 seeds.

Villanova is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2016 and the 14th time overall.  They are 5-8 in the Elite Eight.  Villanova defeated Kansas 64-59 in the 2016 Elite Eight in route to the National Championship.

Villanova is 12-6 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Villanova is 2-0 vs. West Virginia.  They also defeated West Virginia 90-75 in the 1962 Round of 32.

Villanova has won their last 3 tournament games vs. the Big Twelve.  They defeated Kansas and Oklahoma in the 2016 tournament.  They are 3-1 overall vs. the Big Twelve.

West Virginia is 3-8 in the Sweet Sixteen.

West Virginia is 1-4 vs. #1 seeds.

Duke is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015 and the 21st time overall.  They are 16-4 in the Elite Eight. Duke defeated Gonzaga 66-52 in the 2015 Elite Eight in route to the National Championship.

Duke is 21-9 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Duke is 3-0 vs. Syracuse.

Syracuse is 10-13 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Texas Tech is in the Elite Eight for the first time in tournament history.

Texas Tech is 1-5 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Chris Beard ties Bob Knight for the most tournament wins in Texas Tech history with 3.

Purdue is 4-7 in the Sweet Sixteen.  They have lost 4 straight Sweet Sixteen games.





Thursday, March 22, 2018

Sweet Sixteen Tidbits - Thursday

Loyola of Chicago is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 1963 and the 2nd time overall.  They are 1-0 in the Elite Eight.  Loyola defeated Illinois 79-64 in the 1963 Elite Eight in route to the National Championship.

Loyola of Chicago is now 2-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Loyola is now 12-4 all-time in the NCCA Tournament for a .750 winning percentage.  That winning percentage is the second highest all-time behind Duke at .753.

#11 seeds are 4-0 vs. #7 seeds all-time in the tournament.

  • #11 Loyola Marymount 62 #7 Alabama 60 - 1990 Sweet Sixteen
  • #11 Temple 84 #7 Penn State 72 - 2001 Sweet Sixteen
  • #11 George Mason 63 #7 Wichita State 55 - 2006 Sweet Sixteen
  • #11 Loyola of Chicago 69 #7 Nevada 68 - 2018 Sweet Sixteen
Loyola of Chicago ties 1981 St. Joseph's with the smallest combined margin of victory in the first three rounds for an Elite Eight team with 4.

Loyola of Chicago is a tournament-best 5-0 when scoring between 60 and 69 points.

Loyola of Chicago is a tournament-best 5-0 in games decided by 2 or less points.

Nevada is 0-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Michigan is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2014 and the 14th time overall.  They are 7-6 in the Elite Eight.  Michigan lost to Kentucky 75-72 in the 2014 Elite Eight.

Michigan is 13-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Michigan's 27-point victory over Texas A&M ties their largest margin of victory in the Sweet Sixteen.  They also won by 27 over Dayton (98-71) in the 1965 Sweet Sixteen.

All of Michigan's 11 other Sweet Sixteen victories have been by double digits.

Texas A&M is now 0-6 in the Elite Eight

Kansas State is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2010 and the 13th time overall.  They are 4-8 in the Elite Eight.  Kansas State lost to Butler 63-56 in the 2010 Elite Eight.

Kansas State is 12-5 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Kansas State is now 1-2 vs. Kentucky in the tournament.

Kentucky ends an 8-game winning streak in Sweet Sixteen games.  They are now 33-11 in the Sweet Sixteen.

John Calipari loses his first Sweet Sixteen game as a coach of Kentucky.  He is 7-1 with Kentucky and 11-3 overall.

For the first time ever a #9 team will face a #11 team in the tournament.  It is the highest combined seeds in the Elite Eight in tournament history.

Florida State is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 1993 and the 3rd time overall.  They are 1-1 in the Elite Eight.  Florida State lost to Kentucky 106-81 in the 1993 Elite Eight.

Florida State is 3-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Florida State is 1-1 vs. Gonzaga in the tournament.

Florida State's 15-point win is their largest in a Sweet Sixteen game.  Their previous high was 14 vs. Minnesota in the 1972 Sweet Sixteen.

For the first time in tournament history, two #9 seeds are in the Elite Eight in the same tournament.

Gonzaga is 3-6 is the Sweet Sixteen.

There will be no teams from last year's final four in the Elite Eight.  That also happened in 2016 tournament.  It is the 7th time since the field expanded to 64 teams that all final four teams failed to advance to Elite Eight the following year.

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Sweet Sixteen Quick Facts

Sweet Sixteen Rematches

  • Kentucky is 2-0 vs. Kansas State
    • Kentucky won 68-58 in the 1951 National Championship
    • Kentucky won 56-49 in the 2014 Round of 64
  • Gonzaga defeated Florida State 67-60 in the 2010 Round of 64
  • Villanova defeated West Virginia 90-75 in the 1962 Round of 32
  • Duke is 2-0 vs. Syracuse
    • Duke won 91-81 in the 1966 Elite Eight
    • Duke won 80-67 in the 1998 Sweet Sixteen

Appearances by Conference
  • ACC 4
  • Big Twelve 4
  • Big Ten 2
  • SEC 2
  • Big East 1
  • Missouri Valley 1
  • Mountain West 1
  • West Coast 1
Consecutive Years with Sweet Sixteen Team - Team
  • Gonzaga 4
  • Kansas 3
  • Kentucky 2
  • Michigan 2
  • Purdue 2
  • West Virginia 2
Most Recent Sweet Sixteen for non-repeating teams
  • 1985
    • Loyola of Chicago
  • 1997
    • Clemson
  • 2004
    • Nevada
  • 2005
    • Texas Tech
  • 2010
    • Kansas State
  • 2011
    • Florida State
  • 2016
    • Duke
    • Syracuse
    • Texas A&M
    • Villanova
Consecutive Year Sweet Sixteen Streaks Snapped - Team
  • Wisconsin 4
  • North Carolina 3 
  • Oregon 2


    Sweet Sixteen Records

    Team W L Pct.
    Michigan 12 2 0.857
    Kentucky 33 10 0.767
    Kansas 21 9 0.700
    Duke 20 9 0.690
    Kansas State 11 5 0.688
    Villanova 11 6 0.647
    Florida State 2 2 0.500
    Syracuse 10 12 0.455
    Purdue 4 6 0.400
    Gonzaga 3 5 0.375
    Clemson 1 2 0.333
    Loyola of Chicago 1 2 0.333
    West Virginia 3 7 0.300
    Nevada 0 1 0.000
    Texas A&M 0 5 0.000
    Texas Tech 0 5 0.000

    Second Round Tournament Tidbits - Sunday

    Purdue is in the Sweet Sixteen for the second consecutive year and the 11th time overall.  They are 4-6 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Purdue lost to Kansas 98-66 in last year's Sweet Sixteen.

    Butler's loss is their first in the tournament to a Big Ten team.  They had previously defeated Michigan State 52-50 in the 2010 National Semifinals and Wisconsin 61-54 in the 2011 Sweet Sixteen.

    Butler has lost 4 of their last 5 Round of 32 games.

    Syracuse is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2016 and the 23rd time overall.  They are 10-12 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Syracuse defeated Gonzaga 63-60 in the 2016 Sweet Sixteen in route to the Final Four before losing to North Carolina.

    Syracuse has allowed 62 or fewer points in 14 of 15 tournament games since 2013.  In those 14 games, they are 12-2.

    Syracuse wins their 7th game as a double-digit seed in the tournament.  All of the wins are since 2016.  They tie VCU for the most wins as a double-digit seed this decade.

    Syracuse is 1-1 vs. Michigan State in the tournament.  They had previously lost to Michigan State 75-58 in the 2000 Sweet Sixteen.

    After winning 7 straight Round of 32 games from 2008 to 2015, Michigan State has now lost their last two.

    Michigan State misses the Sweet Sixteen for the third consecutive year.  It is the first time that they have gone three straight years without a Sweet Sixteen since 1997 when they missed seven straight from 1991 to 1997.

    Michigan State is now 7-12 vs. the ACC in the tournament.  The 12 losses is the most for any team.

    Michigan is 6-2 when playing in the state of Michigan.  Their only other loss was to North Carolina in the 2009 National Championship Game.

    Texas A&M is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2016 and the 6th time overall.  They are 0-5 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Texas A&M lost to Oklahoma 77-63 in the 2016 Sweet Sixteen.

    Texas A&M is 2-0 vs. North Carolina in the tournament.  They also defeated North Carolina 78-61 in Overtime in the 1980 Round of 32.  Texas A&M and Arizona are the only two teams that have defeated North Carolina multiple times in the tournament without a defeat.

    Billy Kennedy wins his 4th tournament game as a Texas A&M coach and is now has the most tournament wins by any coach in school history.  He passes Billy Gillespie, Shelby Metcalf and Mark Turgeon who all had 3 wins.

    Texas A&M's win is their first ever over a Top #2 seed.  They were previously 0-5 vs. #1 and #2 seeds.

    North Carolina snaps a 30-game winning streak playing in the state of North Carolina.  It is their first ever tournament loss in Charlotte where they are now 12-1.

    The loss by North Carolina is the 5th largest margin of defeat for a defending champion.  The largest margins of defeat have been:

    • 1990 - Michigan vs. Loyola Marymount - 34 (149-115) - Round of 32
    • 1998 - Arizona vs. Utah - 25 (76-51) - Elite Eight
    • 1945 - Utah vs. Oklahoma State - 25 (62-37) - Elite Eight
    • 1957 - San Francisco vs. Kansas - 24 (80-56) - National Semifinals
    • 2018 - North Carolina vs. Texas A&M - 21 (86-65) - Round of 32
    Nevada is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2004 and the 2nd time overall.  They are 0-1 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Nevada lost to Georgia Tech 72-67 in the 2004 Sweet Sixteen.

    Cincinnati now has a 3-game losing streak in the Round of 32.

    With Cincinnati losing, all of the top 4 seeds in the South region have missed the Sweet Sixteen.  It is the first time in the history of the tournament that has happened.

    Clemson is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1997 and the 4th time overall.  They are 1-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Clemson lost to Minnesota 90-84 in the 1997 Sweet Sixteen.

    Clemson is now 4-1 in the Round of 32 and has won their last 3.

    Clemson's 31-point victory is their largest in tournament history (12 wins).  Their previous high was 18 when they defeated UAB 70-52 in the First Four in 2011.

    Auburn's loss is their first playing in California.  They were previously 3-0.

    Auburn's 31-point loss is their largest in tournament history (9 losses).  Their previous high was 20 when they lost to Oklahoma 107-87 in the 1988 Round of 32.

    Kansas State is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2010 and the 17th time overall.  They are 11-5 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Kansas State defeated Xavier 101-96 in the 2010 Sweet Sixteen before losing to Butler in the Elite Eight.

    The 43 points allowed by Kansas State are the fewest that they have allowed in tournament history (69 games).  Their previous low was 44 vs. Oklahoma State in the 1951 National Semifinals.

    Florida State is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2011 and the 5th time overall.  They are 2-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Florida State lost to VCU 72-71 in the 2011 Sweet Sixteen.

    Florida State's win over Xavier is their first ever vs. a #1 seed.  They were previously 0-2 against #1 seeds with both losses to Kentucky (1980 Round of 32 and 1993 Elite Eight)

    Florida State is 1-1 vs. Xavier.  They lost to Xavier 91-66 in last year's Round of 32.

    Xavier has now played every seed at least once.  Coming into this tournament, the only seeds they had never played were #9 and #16.  They are the 24th team to play against all 16 seeds.

    West Virginia is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd consecutive year and the 11th time overall.  They are 3-7 in the Sweet Sixteen.  They lost to Gonzaga 61-58 in last year's Sweet Sixteen.

    The Big Twelve has 4 teams in the Sweet Sixteen for the just the second time in its history.  They also had 4 teams in the Sweet Sixteen in 2002.

    Marshall is now 0-3 in the Round of 32.

    Saturday, March 17, 2018

    NCAA Tournament Analytics

    I have developed dynamic NCAA Tournament Analytics using Power BI.  Let me know your thoughts.

    Data as of 3/18/2018 Games.

    Second Round Tournament Tidbits - Saturday

    Villanova is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2016 and the 18th time overall.  They are 11-6 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Villanova defeated Miami, Florida 92-69 in their 2016 Sweet Sixteen appearance in route to the National Championship.

    Villanova is now 2-2 as a #1 seed in the Round of 32.  They had previously lost in 2015 and 2017 as a #1 seed.

    Villanova has a tournament high 14 wins in the state of Pennsylvania.  They are 14-3 in their home state.

    Alabama is 8-7 in the Round of 32.  They have now lost 2 Round of 32 games in a row and 6 of their last 7.

    Alabama is now 1-5 vs. #1 seeds.

    Duke is in the Sweet Sixteen for first time since 2016 and the 30th time overall.  They are 20-9 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Duke lost to Oregon 82-68 in their 2016 Sweet Sixteen appearance.  Their last Sweet Sixteen victory was in 2015.

    Duke is now 3-0 vs. Rhode Island in the tournament.

    Duke is a tournament best 8-0 vs. the Atlantic Ten conference.  The 8 wins is also the most vs. the Atlantic Ten.

    Duke's win is their 29th as a #2 seed which is a tournament high.

    Duke is 11-2 vs. #7 seeds.  The 11 wins is a tournament high.

    Duke is 8-0 in Pennsylvania which is the most tournament wins in Pennsylvania without a loss.

    Rhode Island is now 2-6 in the Round of 32.

    Rhode Island is 0-4 vs. the ACC.

    Rhode Island's 62 points is tied for the fewest that they have scored in tournament history (18 games).  They also scored 62 when they lost to Duke 63-62 in the 1978 Round of 32.

    Kentucky is in the Sweet Sixteen for the second consecutive year and the 44th time overall.  They are 33-10 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Kentucky defeated UCLA 86-75 in last year's Sweet Sixteen before losing to North Carolina in the Elite Eight.

    Kentucky is 7-1 vs. the Mid-American Conference.  The 7 wins is 2nd behind Marquette who has 8.

    Kentucky is tournament-best 22-0 vs. teams seeded #13 or worse.

    Kentucky wins their tournament-leading 28th game of the decade (since 2010).  They currently have 6 more wins than North Carolina and Duke during the decade

    Buffalo loses in their first ever appearance in the Round of 32.

    Loyola of Chicago is the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1985 and the 4th time overall.  They are 1-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Loyola lost to Georgetown 65-53 in their 1985 Sweet Sixteen appearance.

    Loyola is 11-4 all-time in the tournament for a .733 winning percentage.  Only Duke and North Carolina have a higher winning percentage in the history of the tournament.

    Loyola's appearance is the 39th all-time for the Missouri Valley and the 4th since 2010.  Missouri Valley teams are 20-18 all-time in the Sweet Sixteen.

    Loyola is 3-0 vs. the SEC in the tournament.  They are tied with Richmond for the most wins vs. the SEC without a loss.

    Loyola is 4-0 vs. teams seeded #2 or worse.  They are the only team in tournament history that has played more than one game against teams other than #1 seeds and won all of them.

    Tennessee is tournament-worst 0-4 vs. the Missouri Valley in the tournament.

    The loss ends a 4-game winning streak in the Round of 32 for Tennessee.

    Since the field expanded to 64 teams, Tennessee if 5-3 in the Round of 32. All 3 losses have come to Missouri Valley teams.

    Kansas is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 3rd consecutive year and 31st time overall.  They are 21-9 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Kansas defeated Purdue 98-66 in last year's Sweet Sixteen before losing to Oregon in the Elite Eight.

    Bill Self wins his 35th tournament game as the coach.  He passes Roy Williams for the most tournaments wins in school history.

    Kansas is 7-1 vs #8 seeds.  The 7 wins is the 2nd most in tournament history behind Duke who is 9-0.

    Kansas is 10-2 playing in the state of Kansas.  The 10 wins is the 2nd most in tournament history behind Cincinnati who is 11-2.

    Seton Hall is now 4-4 in the Round of 32.

    Seton Hall is 0-2 vs. the Big 12.  They also lost to Oklahoma State 68-66 in the 2000 Sweet Sixteen.

    Seton Hall is 0-5 vs. #1 seeds.  The 4-point loss is their closest game with a #1 seed.  They had lost all of their other games against #1 seeds by double-digits.

    Gonzaga is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 4th consecutive year and the 9th time overall.  They are 3-5 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Gonzaga defeated West Virginia 61-58 in last year's Sweet Sixteen en route to the National Championship game before losing to North Carolina.

    Gonzaga is 1-1 vs. Ohio State in the tournament.  They had previously lost to Ohio State 73-66 in the 2012 Round of 32.

    Ohio State is now 10-8 in the Round of 32 losing their second consecutive Round of 32 game.

    Texas Tech is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005 and the 6th time overall.  They are 0-5 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Texas Tech lost to West Virginia 65-60 in the 2005 Sweet Sixteen.

    Texas Tech is 2-0 vs. #6 seeds.

    Texas Tech is 4-1 when playing in the state of Texas.

    Florida's loss ends a 7-game winning streak in the Round of 32.  It also ends a streak of 7 straight tournament appearances in which Florida appeared in the Elite Eight.

    Florida is 1-1 vs. the Big Twelve.  They had previously defeated Oklahoma State 77-65 in the 2000 Elite Eight.

    Michigan is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd consecutive year and the 15th time overall.  They are 12-2 in the Sweet Sixteen.  Michigan lost to Oregon 69-68 in last year's Sweet Sixteen.

    Michigan is 2-0 vs. the American Athletic Conference.  They also defeated Tulsa 67-62 in the 2016 First Four.

    Michigan wins their tournament-leading 15th game as a #3 seed.  They are 15-4 when seeded #3. 

    Michigan is 4-0 playing in the state of Kansas.  That is the most wins without a loss in Kansas.

    Houston's loss ends a 3-game winning streak in the Round of 32.  They are now 10-4 in that round.

    Kansas loses their tournament-leading 11th tournament game in Kansas.  They are now 7-11 playing in Kansas.

    Friday, March 16, 2018

    Round of 32 Tidbits - Overview

    Round of 32 Rematches

    • Xavier defeated Florida State 91-66 in the 2017 Round of 32
    • Ohio State defeated Gonzaga 73-66 in the 2012 Round of 32
    • Texas A&M defeated North Carolina 78-61 in the 1980 Round of 32
    • Michigan State defeated Syracuse 75-58 in the 2000 Sweet Sixteen
    • Duke is 2-0 vs. Rhode Island
      • Duke won 63-62 in the 1978 Round of 32
      • Duke won 73-72 in the 1988 Sweet Sixteen

    Teams by Conference

    • SEC 6
    • ACC 5
    • Big East 4
    • Big Ten 4
    • Big Twelve 4
    • American 2
    • America East 1
    • Atlantic Ten 1
    • Conference USA 1
    • Mid American 1
    • Missouri Valley 1
    • Mountain West 1
    • West Coast 1
    Consecutive Round of 32 Appearances:
    • Kansas 12
    • Gonzaga 10
    • North Carolina 8
    • Kentucky 5
    • Villanova 5
    • Butler 4
    • Duke 4
    • Xavier 4
    • Cincinnati 2
    • Florida 2
    • Florida State 2
    • Michigan 2
    • Michigan State 2
    • Purdue 2
    • Rhode Island 2
    • West Virginia 2
    Most recent Round of 32 Appearance for non-repeat teams:

    • Never
      • Buffalo
      • UMBC
    • 1972
      • Marshall
    • 1984
      • Houston
    • 1985
      • Loyola, Illinois
    • 1997
      • Clemson
    • 2003
      • Auburn
    • 2004
      • Seton Hall
    • 2005
      • Texas Tech
    • 2006
      • Alabama
    • 2007
      • Nevada
    • 2012
      • Kansas State
    • 2014
      • Tennessee
    • 2015
      • Ohio State
    • 2016
      • Syracuse
      • Texas A&M


    Round of 32 Streaks Snapped

    • Oregon 5
    • Wichita State 5
    • Virginia 4
    • Wisconsin 4
    • Notre Dame 3
    • Iowa State 2
    • Middle Tennessee 2

    First Round Tournament Tidbits - Friday Evening

    Kansas State wins a Round of 64 game for the first time since 2012.  They did when a First Four game last year.

    Kansas State's win over Creighton is their first vs. the Big East.  They were previously 0-2.

    Creighton is 0-2 vs. the Big Twelve.  They also lost 85-55 to Baylor in the 2014 Round of 32.

    With Michigan State's win over Bucknell, they are in the Round of 32 for the 2nd consecutive year.

    Michigan State is 6-1 playing in their home state of Michigan.  The 6 wins is a tournament high.

    Michigan State is a tournament best 7-0 on March 16.  They are tied with North Carolina for the best record on this date.

    Bucknell loses their 4th straight Round of 64 game.

    Bucknell is 0-2 vs. the Big Ten.  They lost to Wisconsin 71-62 in the 2005 Round of 32.

    Auburn wins their first tournament game since 2003 when they defeated Wake Forest 68-62 in the Round of 32.

    The SEC has 6 teams in the Round of 32.  That is the most they have ever had tied with 1999 Tournament.  If Missouri defeats Florida State, they will tie the Big East from 2008 and 2011 with 7 teams in the Round of 32.

    Auburn is 8-1 in the Round of 64.  They have won 8 consecutive Round of 64 games.

    With Xavier's win over Texas Southern, they are in the Round of 32 for the 4th consecutive year.  It ties their longest streak in school history.

    Xavier's 102 points is their most in tournament history (55 games).  Their previous high was 96 vs. Kansas State in the 2010 Sweet Sixteen.

    With Xavier playing as a #1 seed, they are now tied for the most number of different seeds with Arkansas and Gonzaga at 12.

    Texas Southern is now 0-6 in the Round of 64.

    UMBC's win over Virginia is the first ever for a #16 seed vs. a #1 seed.

    UMBC's 20-point victory over Virginia is the 3rd largest margin of defeat for a #1 seed in tournament history.

    Virginia is the first #1 AP Team to lose their opening game in the tournament since 1981 when DePaul lost to St. Joseph's 49-48 in the Round of 32.

    Virginia is the first #1 RPI Team to lose their opening game in the tournament since 2005 when Kansas lost to Bucknell 64-63 in the Round of 64.

    UMBC wins their first ever tournament game in their second try.  They lost to Georgetown in 2008 in their only other appearance.

    UMBC's win is the first for the America East since Albany defeated Mt. St. Mary's in the 2014 First Four.  It is the first Round of 64 win for the conference since 2005 when Vermont defeated Syracuse.

    This is the first time that Virginia has been the opponent in a team's first tournament victory.

    Virginia's loss snaps a 4-year streak of Round of 32 appearances.

    Virginia has lost their last two tournament games by a combined 46 points.

    Syracuse is in the Round of 32 for the first time since 2016.

    Syracuse has now won 6 of 7 as a double digit seed since 2016.

    Syracuse's win over TCU is their 6th over a Big 12 team in the tournament.  That is tied with Kentucky for the most.

    TCU is 0-2 vs. the ACC in the tournament.

    Clemson wins a tournament game for the first time since the 2011 First Four and is in the Round of 32 for the first time since 1997.

    Clemson is now 4-0 vs. the WAC.  Only Kentucky has more victories without a loss vs. the WAC with 6.

    New Mexico State loses their 11th consecutive tournament game.

    With Florida State's win over Missouri, they are in the Round of 32 for the 2nd consecutive year.  Florida State has a 4-game winning streak in the Round of 64.

    Florida State's 13-point win over Missouri is their largest margin of victory in a Round of 64 game in school history.  Their previous high was 12 against Evansville in 1993.

    Missouri loses their 4th consecutive Round of 64 game.  It is their 12th Round of 64 loss in school history.  Only Penn and New Mexico State have more losses in the Round of 64 with 13.  Utah State, BYU and Arizona also have 12 Round of 64 losses.

    First Round Tournament Tidbits - Friday Afternoon

    Texas A&M wins their first tournament game since 2016 when they defeated Northern Iowa 92-88 in the Round of 32 in Double Overtime.

    The SEC has 5 teams in the Round of 32 for the first time since 2006.  The most teams they have ever had in the Round of 32 is 6 in 1999.  This is the 4th time they have had 5 or more teams in the Round of 32.

    Providence loses in either the First Four or Round of 64 for the 4th time in 5 years.

    Providence is a tournament worse 0-3 as a #11 seed.

    With Purdue's win over Cal State-Fullerton, they are in the Round of 32 for the 2nd consecutive year.

    Purdue is 11-0 vs. teams seeded #13 or worse.  That is the 5th most wins without a loss vs. teams seeded #13 or worse (tied with Cincinnati).

    Marshall wins their first tournament game.  They were previously 0-5.

    It is the first time that Wichita State was the opponent in a team's first ever tournament win.

    Wichita State's loss ends a streak of 5 consecutive years of Round of 32 appearances.  It was the tied for the 4th longest streak with Oregon (which was also snapped).

    With Cincinnati's win over Georgia State, they are in the Round of 32 for the 2nd consecutive year.

    Cincinnati is 11-0 vs. teams seeded #13 or worse.  That is the 5th most wins without a loss vs. teams seeded #13 or worse (tied with Purdue).

    Cincinnati is now 4-1 playing in the state of Tennessee.

    Cincinnati is 5-0 on March 16.  Only North Carolina (7-0) and Michigan State (6-0) are better  (Michigan State pending results of tonight's game).

    Georgia State's loss ends a 2-game winning streak in the Round of 64.  They are now 2-2 in the Round of 64.

    With North Carolina's win over Lipscomb, they are in the Round of 32 for the 8th consecutive year which is the 3rd longest streak behind Kansas (12) and Gonzaga (10).  They have a 16-game winning streak in the Round of 64.

    Roy Williams is tournament-best 28-0 in the Round of 64.  The second most wins in the Round of 64 without a loss is Dean Smith with 13.

    North Carolina is 34-1 playing in the state of North Carolina.  The 34 wins ties Duke for the most victories in their home state.  They have won 30 straight in North Carolina.  Their only loss was 72-71 to Penn in the 1979 Round of 32.

    North Carolina is a tournament-best 12-0 playing in Charlotte.

    North Carolina is 36-3 on Fridays.  The 36 wins is a tournament high.

    North Carolina is 7-0 vs. #15 seeds.  They are tied with Kansas for the best record.

    North Carolina is a tournament-best 7-0 on March 16.

    Lipscomb loses its first NCAA Tournament game.  North Carolina has been the opponent in 4 team's first tournament game.  North Carolina is 3-1 in those games.

    With Butler's win over Arkansas, they are in the Round of 32 for the 4th consecutive year.  They have a 7-game winning streak in the Round of 64.

    Arkansas ends a 3-game winning streak in the Round of 64.  Their last loss in the Round of 64 was 77-60 to Southern California in 2007.  That was also the last time that Arkansas lost to anyone other than North Carolina in the Tournament.

    Nevada is 2-0 vs. Texas in the NCAA Tournament.  They also defeated Texas 61-57 in the 2005 Round of 64.

    Nevada wins their first tournament game since 2007 when they defeated Creighton 77-71 in the Round of 64.

    Nevada's win is the first for the Mountain West since 2015.

    Nevada is 2-0 in overtime games.  Texas is 0-3.  Texas ties Georgia for the worst overtime record in tournament history.

    Texas loses their third straight Round of 64 game.

    With West Virginia's win over Murray State, they are in the Round of 32 for the 2nd consecutive year.

    Murray State's loss ends a 2-game Round of 64 winning streak.

    Thursday, March 15, 2018

    First Round Tournament Tidbits - Thursday Evening

    With Villanova's win over Radford, Villanova is in the Round of 64 for the 5th consecutive year.

    Villanova's win is a tournament high 13th in the state of Pennsylvania.  They are now 13-3 in their home state.

    Radford is now 0-3 in the Round of 64.

    With Kentucky's win over Davidson, Kentucky is in the Round of 32 for the 5th consecutive year.

    Kentucky is 2-0 vs. Davidson.  They also defeated Davidson 75-55 in the 1986 Round of 64.

    Kentucky is 6-0 vs. the Atlantic Ten Conference.  Only Duke has a better record at 7-0.  Duke plays Rhode Island from the Atlantic Ten on Saturday.

    Davidson's RPI is #59.  Kentucky is now a tournament best 27-0 against teams with an RPI of #35 or worse.  The second best record is 6-0 by Washington.

    Davidson has now lost their last 4 Round of 64 games.

    Texas Tech wins their first tournament game since 2005 when they defeated Gonzaga 71-69 in the Round of 32.

    Texas Tech's win is their second over a team from Texas in the tournament.  They defeated Houston 69-67 in the Regional Third Place Game in 1961.

    Houston's win over San Diego State is their first tournament win since 1984 when they defeated Southern Methodist 49-47 in the National Semifinals.  Only 31 teams had a longer drought since their last victory.

    With Houston's victory, Kelvin Sampson becomes only the second coach to win a tournament game as a coach at Houston.  Previously, Guy Lewis had 26 tournament wins at Houston which was the most by any coach with all of his school's wins.  The most for any school now is Don Haskins who has 14 for UTEP.

    San Diego State's loss is their first Round of 64 loss in their last 4 appearances.

    San Diego State is now 0-8 vs teams seeded #6 or better.  Only Iona is worse at 0-10.

    Alabama wins their first tournament game since 2006 when they defeated Marquette 90-85 in the Round of 64.

    Virginia Tech loses in the Round of 64 for the second straight year.

    Virginia Tech is 0-2 vs. the SEC.

    Buffalo wins their first ever tournament game.

    This is the second time Arizona has been the opponent in a team's first tournament win.  The other was Southern Illinois in 1977.

    Arizona loses for the 7th time as a higher seed in the Round of 64.  Only Indiana has more losses as a higher seed in the Round of 64 with 8.

    The 21-point victory by Buffalo over Arizona was 2 points shy of the largest margin of victory for a #13 vs. a #4 seed.  Navy defeated LSU 78-55 in 1995.

    The Pac 12 has no tournament teams in the Round of 32 for the first time since 1986.

    With Florida's win over St. Bonaventure, they are in the Round of 32 for the 2nd consecutive year.

    Florida has won the last 6 Round of 64 games that they have played.

    With Florida's win, the SEC ties its tournament high the most victories on a single date in the tournament with 4.

    St. Bonaventure is 0-3 in the Round of 64.

    St. Bonaventure is now 0-2 vs. the SEC.

    St. Bonaventure is 0-3 on Thursdays.

    With Michigan's win over Montana, they are in the Round of 32 for the 3rd consecutive year.

    Michigan is a tournament best 7-0 vs. #14 seeds.

    Michigan is 3-0 when playing in the state of Kansas.

    Montana loses their 4th consecutive Round of 64 game.

    First Round Tournament Tidbits - Thursday Afternoon

    With Rhode Island's win over Oklahoma, it is the first time in their history that they have won tournament games in two consecutive years.

    Rhode Island is 2-0 vs. the Big Twelve in the tournament.  They also defeated Kansas 80-75 in the 1998 Round of 32.

    Oklahoma is now 0-4 as a #10 seed.

    Rhode Island is now 1-2 in Overtime in the tournament.  Oklahoma is 1-5.  The 5 overtime losses is tied for 3rd most all-time.

    Tennessee wins their first tournament game since 2014 Round of 32 when they defeated Mercer 83-63.

    Tennessee is 2-0 vs. the Horizon League.  They also defeated Butler 76-71 in the 2008 Round of 32.

    Tennessee is 7-0 vs. teams seeded #13 or lower.  That is tied for the 9th most wins without a loss vs. teams seeded #13 or lower.

    Tennessee's win is their first in the state of Texas.  They were previously 0-2.

    Wright State is now 0-3 in the NCAA Tournament.

    With Gonzaga's win over North Carolina-Greensboro, they have been in the Round of 32 for ten consecutive years.  It is the second longest active streak.

    Gonzaga's win is their first over a team from the Southern Conference.  They lost their only other game vs. the Southern Conference when they lost to Davidson 82-76 in the 2008 Round of 64.  That was also their last loss in the Round of 64.

    Gonzaga is 9-0 vs. teams seeded #13 or lower.  That is tied for the 7th most wins without a loss vs. teams seeded #13 or lower.

    Gonzaga is 15-5 on Thursdays in the tournament.  They are 15-15 on all other days of the week.

    North Carolina-Greensboro is now 0-3 in the NCAA Tournament.

    With Kansas's win over Penn, they have been in the Round of 32 for twelve consecutive years.  It is the longest active streak.

    Kansas is 9-2 playing in the state of Kansas.  The 9 wins is second to Cincinnati's 11.

    Kansas is 5-0 playing in Wichita.  The 5 wins is the most all-time.

    Penn is a tournament worst 0-4 vs. the Big Twelve in the tournament.

    Penn has now lost 10 consecutive tournament games.

    Loyola's win over Miami is their first tournament win since 1985 when they defeated Southern Methodist 70-57 in the Round of 32.  Only 32 teams had a longer drought since their last victory.

    Loyola is now 2-0 vs. the Atlantic Coast Conference.  They also defeated Duke 94-75 in the 1963 National Semifinals.

    Loyola is now 2-0 in the Round of 64.  They are one of only 3 teams that have multiple wins in the Round of 64 without a loss.  Tulane (3-0) and Cleveland State (2-0) are the others.

    Loyola is 3-0 in tournament games decided by 3 or fewer points which is tied for the 3rd most without a loss.

    Miami loses in the first round in consecutive years for the first time in school history.

    Ohio State's win over South Dakota State is their first tournament win since 2015 win they defeated VCU 75-72 in the First Round.

    Chris Holtmann becomes the 9th Ohio State coach to win an NCAA Tournament game.  Only Western Kentucky has had more coaches win a tournament game with 10.

    South Dakota State is now 0-5 in the NCAA tournament.

    Seton Hall's win over North Carolina State is their first since defeating Arizona 80-76 in the 2004 First Round.

    Seton Hall is now 3-0 as a #8 seed vs. a #9 seed in the Round of 64.  They are tied with Auburn, Wisconsin and North Carolina for the most wins without a loss as the higher seed in the #8-#9 game.

    North Carolina State is now 0-2 as the #9 seed vs. the #8 seed in the Round of 64.  Only St. John's has a worse record at 0-3.



    First Round Tournament Rematches

    The following first round opponents have met in previous NCAA Tournaments:


    • Kentucky defeated Davidson 75-55 in the 1986 Round of 64
    • Nevada defeated Texas 61-57 in the 2005 Round of 64