Is 2024 East Regional the toughest in Tournament History?

UConn is the overall #1 seed in this year's tournament and the #1 team in the final AP Poll. Normally, that should give them the easiest road to the Final Four. However, further analysis might suggest that the committee not only gave UConn the toughest road to the Final Four this year, but maybe the toughest road in tournament history.

All Top 4 seeds in the East Regional won their conference Tournaments. Since 1985, that is only the 4th time that has happened.

1995 - There were 8 total tournament champions that received a Top 4 seed, with 4 in the East
#1 - Wake Forest (ACC) - AP #3
#2 - UMass (A10) - AP #7
#3 - Villanova (Big East) - AP #9
#4 - Oklahoma State (Big 8) - AP #14

2002 - There were 7 total tournament champions that received a Top 4 seed, with 4 in the West
#1 - Cincinnati (Conf USA) - AP #5
#2 - Oklahoma (Big 12) - AP #3
#3 - Arizona (Pac 10) - AP #7
#4 - Ohio State (Big 10) - AP #14

2006 - There were 7 total tournament champions that received a Top 4 seed, with 4 in the West
#1 - Memphis (Conf USA) - AP #4
#2 - UCLA (Pac 10) - AP #7
#3 - Gonzaga (WCC) - AP #5
#4 - Kansas (Big 12) - AP #12

2024 - There are 4 total tournament champions that received a Top 4 seed, with ALL 4 in the East
#1 - UConn (Big East) - AP #1
#2 - Iowa State (Big 12) - AP #4
#3 - Illinois (Big 10) - AP #7
#4 - Auburn (SEC) - AP #10

This is the first time in a 64+ team tournament that only one regional has had all of the Top four tournament champions. It is the only time that a regional that had all of the top four tournament champions ranked in the Top 10.

In terms of AP Ranking, the combined ranking of the East regional is the lowest in tournament history (since 1985 expansion), tied with the 2014 Midwest Regional.

#1 - Wichita State - AP #2
#2 - Michigan - AP #7
#3 - Duke - AP #8
#4 - Louisville - AP #5

Lastly, the NET has not been around for too long.  While it started in 2019, I was only able to find NET rankings for Selection Sunday since 2021.  

The NET ranking for the top 4 seeds in the East Regional are 

• UConn - #2
• Iowa State - #6
• Illinois - #13
• Auburn - #5

The sum of those rankings is 26.

Here is the sum of the rankings for all of the regionals for 2024:

• East 26
• West 36
• Midwest 40
• South 43

For the previous three seasons, here is the combined NET ranking for each regional for the Top 4 seeds:

2023

• West 26
• East 45
• South 54
• Midwest 60

2022

• East 32
• South 32
• West 42
• Midwest 73

2021

• West 30
• South 46
• East 57
• Midwest 61

This year's East Regional has the best NET rankings, tied with last year's West Regional, which coincidentally included UConn as the #4 seed.