Elite Eight Tidbits - Sunday

#11 North Carolina State 76 #4 Duke 64

North Carolina State is in the Final Four for the first time since 1983 and the 4th time overall.

North Carolina State is the 4th different ACC team to advance to the Final Four in the past three tournaments (2022 - North Carolina, Duke; 2023 - Miami, Florida)

North Carolina State is 2-0 against ACC teams in the Elite Eight. They also defeated Virginia 63-62 in the 1983 Elite Eight.

North Carolina State is the 6th #11 seed to advance to the Final Four.

• 1986 - LSU
• 2006 - George Mason
• 2011 - VCU
• 2018 - Loyola Chicago
• 2021 - UCLA

Duke loses in the Elite Eight for the 3rd time since 2018.

Duke is 9-4 as the higher seed in the Elite Eight.

Duke is 3-2 vs. ACC teams in the tournament.

Duke snaps a 5-game winning streak in tournament games played in Texas.

#1 Purdue 72 #2 Tennessee 66

Purdue is in the Final Four for the first time since 1980 and the 3rd time overall.

Purdue is the first Big Ten team in the Final Four since Michigan State in 2019.

Purdue is 2-0 vs. Tennessee in the tournament.  They also defeated Tennessee 99-94 in the 2019 Sweet Sixteen.

Purdue ends a 3-game losing streak in the Elite Eight.

This is Purdue's fifth time as a #1 seed and the first time they have advanced the Final Four as a #1 seed.

This is the first time that a #1 seed has defeated a #2 seed in the Elite Eight since 2018 when Kansas defeated Duke 85-81.

Purdue has won four straight tournament games on a Sunday.

Tennessee is 0-2 in the Elite Eight.

Tennessee has lost its last three tournament games against the Big Ten.

Tennessee is 0-6 vs. #1 seeds, tied with Illinois, Notre Dame, and Xavier for fourth worst. Only Gonzaga (0-10), Temple (0-9), and Purdue (0-7) have worse records against #1 seeds.

Elite Eight Tidbits - Saturday

#4 Alabama 89 #6 Clemson 82

Alabama is in the Final Four for the first time in school history.

Alabama is the first SEC team in the Final Four since Auburn in 2019.

Alabama is the ninth SEC school to advance to the Final Four.

Alabama is the 2nd straight #4 seed to advance to the Final Four (and 16th overall).  Connecticut was a #4 seed last year when they won the National Championship.

Alabama has 8 tournament wins this decade.

Clemson is 0-2 in the Elite Eight.

Clemson loses a tournament game in the state of California for the first time (in four games).

Clemson is 0-8 in the tournament when allowing 80 or more points.

This is the 5th time that a #4 seed has played a #6 team in the Elite Eight.  #4 seeds are 3-2 and have won the last 3 gams.

#1 Connecticut 77 #3 Illinois 52

Connecticut is in the Final Four for the 2nd consecutive tournament, and the 7th time overall.

Connecticut becomes the first defending champion to advance to the Final Four since Florida in 2007.

Connecticut is in back-to-back Final Fours for the first time in school history.

Connecticut has been a #1 seed six times and advanced to the Final Four in three of those tournaments (1999, 2009, 2024)

The Big East has a team in the Final Four for the 3rd straight tournament.

Connecticut wins their 5th straight Elite Eight game.

Connecticut wins their 10th tournament game of the decade, which is 3rd most behind Gonzaga (12) and Houston (11).

Connecticut is 4-0 vs. teams from the state of Illinois (including 2 during this year's tournament).

Connecticut has won 6 straight games vs. #3 seeds.

Connecticut's margin of victory in its first tournament games was 111 points, the fourth-most all-time for a Final Four team for the first four games.

• 1993 Kentucky - 124 
• 1999 Duke - 120
• 1996 Kentucky - 113
• 2024 Connecticut - 111

Illinois is 0-6 vs. #1 seeds, tied with Notre Dame and Xavier for fourth worst. Only Gonzaga (0-10), Temple (0-9), and Purdue (0-7) have worse records against #1 seeds.

Illinois is 0-3 vs. the AP #1 ranked team.  Their previous two losses were vs. Kentucky in 1949 and 1951.

Sweet Sixteen Tidbits - Friday

#2 Tennessee 82 #3 Creighton 75

Tennessee is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2010 and the 2nd time overall.

Rick Barnes becomes Tennessee's all-time leader in tournament wins with 9 passing Bruce Pearl.

Tennessee defeats a #3 seed for the 1st time (in 3 games).

The SEC has multiple teams in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019 when Auburn and Kentucky advanced to the Elite Eight.

Creighton is 0-6 vs. Top 2 seeds.

Creighton is 1-5 in the Sweet Sixteen.

#4 Duke 54 #1 Houston 51

Duke is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2022 and the 24th time overall.

Duke is 8-0 in the tournament vs. teams from Texas.

Duke is 10-7 vs. #1 seeds.  The 10 wins is the most all-time.

This is the first time that Duke has advanced to the Elite Eight with a seed lower than #3 since 1980.

Duke has won 9 straight tournament games played on a Friday.

Duke's game against North Carolina State will be the first ever game between a #4 and #11 seed in tournament history.

Houston loses as a #1 seed in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd straight year.

#1 Purdue 80 #5 Gonzaga 68

Purdue is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019 and the 6th time overall.

Purdue is 2-0 vs. Gonzaga in the tournament.  They also defeated Gonzaga 75-66 in the 2000 Sweet Sixteen.

Matt Painter becomes Purdue's all-time leader in tournament wins with 20 passing Gene Keady.

Purdue is tied for a tournament-best 4-0 vs. #5 seeds (tied with Richmond).

The Big Ten has multiple teams in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019 when Michigan and Purdue advanced to the Elite Eight.

Gonzaga snaps a 3-game tournament winning streak vs. the Big Ten.

Gonzaga has a tournament-worst 0-10 record against #1 seeds. That is the worst record by any team against a single seed.

#11 North Carolina State 67 #2 Marquette 58

North Carolina State is in the Elite Eight for the first time since 1986 and the 7th time overall.

North Carolina State is 2-0 vs. Marquette in the tournament.  They also defeated Marquette 76-64 in the 1974 National Championship game.

North Carolina State is the first #11 Seed in the Elite Eight since UCLA in 2021, and they are the 10th all-time.

North Carolina State is the 4th #11 Seed to defeat a #2 seed in tournament history

• 1986: #11 Louisiana State 70 #2 Georgia Tech 64
• 2017: #11 Xavier 73 #2 Arizona 71
• 2021: #11 UCLA 88 #2 Michigan 78
• 2024: #11 North Carolina State 67#2 Marquette 58

North Carolina State snaps a 4-game losing streak in the Sweet Sixteen.

North Carolina State snaps a 4-game tournament losing streak on Fridays.

Marquette is tied for a tournament-worst 0-3 in tournament games played in Texas (tied with Louisiana).

Marquette is the third #2 seed to lose in the Sweet Sixteen.  It is only the 2nd time in tournament history that three #2 seeds lost in the Sweet Sixteen.  The other time was 1982 (Memphis, Minnesota, Missouri)

Sweet Sixteen Tidbits - Thursday

#3 Illinois 72 #2 Iowa State 69

Illinois is in the Elite Eight for the 1st time since 2005 and the 10th time overall.

Illinois wins a Sweet Sixteen game as a lower seed for the first time in tournament history (in 4 games).

Illinois is the first Big Ten team in the Elite Eight since Michigan in 2021.

Iowa State has lost 4 straight Sweet Sixteen games.

Iowa State snaps a 3-game tournament winning streak on Thursdays.

#4 Alabama 89 #1 North Carolina 87

Alabama is in the Elite Eight for the 1st time since 2004 and the 2nd time overall.

Alabama is 2-2 vs. North Carolina in the tournament.

Alabama defeats a #1 seed for the 2nd time in school history.  Their other win was over #1 Stanford 70-67 as an #8 seed in the 2004 Round of 64.

Alabama wins their 7th tournament game this decade.

Alabama has won 4 straight tournament games played on a Thursday (and 10 of their last 11).

Alabama's win makes it 3 straight years that a #4 seed has been in the Elite Eight. (Arkansas in 2022, Connecticut in 2023)

North Carolina has lost 3 straight tournament games against the SEC.

North Carolina lost as a #1 seed in the Sweet Sixteen for just the third time in 16 games, but this is its second straight loss (2019 against Auburn).

#1 Connecticut 82 #5 San Diego State 52

Connecticut is in the Elite Eight for the 2nd straight tournament and the 13th time overall.

Connecticut is 3-0 vs. San Diego State in the tournament.  They also defeated San Diego State in 74-67 in the 2011 Sweet Sixteen and 76-59 in the 2023 National Championship Game.

With Connecticut's win, it is the third straight year that a Big East team has advanced to the Elite Eight.

Connecticut has won 7 straight Sweet Sixteen games.

Connecticut has been a #1 seed 6 times and advanced to the Elite Eight in 5 out of the 6 tournaments.

Connecticut has won 8 straight games vs. #5 seeds.

Connecticut's win is its ninth this decade, tied for third most with Kansas, Baylor, and UCLA. Only Gonzaga (12) and Houston (11) have more.

This was the 4th time that there was a rematch of the previous year's championship game.  Out of the four, only Duke was able to avenge their defeat from the previous year.

• 1962 - Cincinnati 71 Ohio State 59 - National Championship Game
• 1991 - Duke 79 UNLV 77 - National Semifinals
• 2007 - Florida 76 UCLA 66 - National Semifinals
• 2024 - Connecticut 82 San Diego State 52 - Sweet Sixteen

San Diego State has lost more games to Connecticut (3) than any other team in tournament history.

San Diego State is eliminated by a Big East team for the 3rd consecutive tournament.

Connecticut's 30-point win is the largest margin of defeat for San Diego State in 16 tournament losses.  Their previous high was 29 (93-64) vs. Illinois in the 2002 Round of 64.

#6 Clemson 77 #2 Arizona 72

Clemson is in the Elite Eight for the 1st time since 1980 and the 2nd time overall.

Clemson is 2-3 in the Sweet Sixteen.  They had lost their previous three Sweet Sixteen games.

Clemson is 1-1 against Arizona in the tournament. Arizona defeated Clemson 94-68 in the 1989 Round of 32 in their previous tournament game.

Clemson's win is their first tournament win vs. the Pacific Twelve.  They are 1-2.

With Clemson's win, it is the third straight year that an ACC team has advanced to the Elite Eight.

Clemson makes it two straight years that a #6 seed has advanced to the Elite Eight.  Creighton was a #6 seed last year.

Clemson is 2-0 as the #6 seed in the Sweet Sixteen.

Clemson is 3-0 in games played in California.

Clemson ends a 5-game tournament losing streak on Thursdays.

Arizona loses their 3rd straight Sweet Sixteen game.  All three have been as a higher seed.  They are now 7-5 as the higher seed in the Sweet Sixteen.

Arizona has been a #2 seed nine times and has advanced to the Elite Eight in only three of those tournaments.

Sweet Sixteen Quick Facts

Sweet Sixteens by Conference

• Atlantic Coast 4
• Big East 3
• Big Ten 2
• Big Twelve 2
• Southeastern 2
• Mountain West 1
• Pacific Twelve 1
• Southeastern 1

Sweet Sixteen History by Team

Sweet Sixteen Rematches

Connecticut is 2-0 vs. San Diego State

• Connecticut 74 San Diego State 67 - 2011 Sweet Sixteen
• Connecticut 76 San Diego State 59 - 2023 National Championship

North Carolina is 2-1 vs. Alabama

• Alabama 79 North Carolina 64 - 1976 Round of 32
• North Carolina 74 Alabama 69 - 1982 Sweet Sixteen
• North Carolina 64 Alabama 55 - 1992 Round of 32

Arizona is 1-0 vs. Clemson

• Arizona 94 Clemson 68 - 1989 Round of 32

North Carolina State is 1-0 vs. Marquette

• North Carolina State 76 Marquette 64 - 1974 National Championship

Purdue is 1-0 vs. Gonzaga

• Purdue 75 Gonzaga 66 - 2000 Sweet Sixteen

Round of 32 Tidbits - Sunday

#5 San Diego State 85 #13 Yale 57

San Diego State is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd straight tournament and the 4th time overall.

San Diego State defeated Alabama 71-64 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Brian Dutcher wins his 7th tournament game for San Diego State, passing Steve Fisher for the most tournament wins in school history.

San Diego State has won 7 tournament games this decade.

San Diego State's 85 points is the most they have scored in 28 tournament games.  Their previous high was 83 vs. Indiana in the 2006 Round of 64.

San Diego State's 28-point win is their largest margin of victory in 13 tournament wins.  Their previous high was 23 (75-52) vs. Furman in the 2023 Round of 32.

Yale is 0-4 in the Round of 32.

#1 Houston 100 #9 Texas A&M 95(OT)

Houston is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 5th straight tournament and the 16th time overall.

Houston lost to Miami, Florida 89-75 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Houston has reached the Sweet Sixteen in all three tournaments in which they have been seeded #1.

Houston has 11 tournament wins this decade, which is 2nd behind Gonzaga.

Houston has won 7 straight tournament games played on Sunday.

Houston is 2-0 in overtime games in the tournament.  Texas A&M is 0-3.

Texas A&M is 0-3 vs. #1 seeds.

All #1 and #2 seeds reach the Sweet Sixteen for the 5th time in tournament history (1989, 1995, 2009, 2019, 2024)

#1 Connecticut 75 #9 Northwestern 58

Connecticut is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd straight tournament and the 20th time overall.

Connecticut defeated Arkansas 88-65 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Connecticut has won their last 7 Round of 32 games.

It is the first time that Connecticut has advanced to the Sweet Sixteen the year after winning the National Championship.

Connecticut has won their last 8 tournament games.  It is their longest winning streak in tournament history.

Connecticut has reached the Sweet Sixteen in all six tournaments in which they have been seeded #1.

Connecticut is 5-0 vs. #9 seeds.

Connecticut has 8 wins this decade.

Northwestern is 0-3 in the Round of 32.

#4 Alabama 72 #12 Grand Canyon 61

Alabama is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd straight tournament and the 11th time overall.

Alabama lost to San Diego State 71-64 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Alabama has won their last 3 Round of 32 games.

Alabama is 6-1 in tournament games played on Sunday.

Grand Canyon is 1-3 in the tournament.

#6 Clemson 82 #3 Baylor 74

Clemson is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2018 and their 5th time overall.

Clemson lost to Kansas 80-76 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Clemson's win is their first-ever tournament win vs. the Big Twelve.

Clemson is 3-0 on Sundays in the tournament.

Baylor has lost in the Round of 32 the last 3 tournaments.

Baylor is 0-3 vs. #6 seeds.

#4 Duke 93 #12 James Madison 55

Duke is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2022 and the 33rd time overall.

Duke defeated Texas Tech 78-73 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Duke is 7-0 vs. #12 seeds.  (Only Michigan State is better at 8-0)

Duke's 38-point win is the 5th largest margin of victory in a Round of 32 games since the field expanded to 64 in 1985 (See Purdue/Utah State below for the Top 4)

Duke's win is their 7th this decade.

James Madison is 0-4 in the Round of 32.

James Madison is 0-6 vs. Top 4 seeds.

This was James Madison's first tournament game played on a Sunday.

James Madison is 0-3 vs. the ACC in the tournament.

#1 Purdue 106 #8 Utah State 67

Purdue is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2022 and the 14th time overall.

Purdue lost to St. Peter's 67-64 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Matt Painter won his 19th tournament game as Purdue's coach, tying Gene Keady for the most tournament wins in school history.

Purdue wins their 5th straight Round of 32 game.

Purdue's 106 points are the most that they have scored in 80 tournament games.  Their previous high was 104 vs. Northeastern in the 1987 Round of 64.

Purdue's 39-point win is the largest margin of victory in their 46 tournament wins. They also defeated Delaware by 39 (95-56) in the 1998 Round of 64.

Purdue's 39-point win is the 4th largest margin of victory in a Round of 32 game since the field expanded to 64 in 1985

• 1993: #1 North Carolina 112 #8 Rhode Island 67 (45 points)
• 1989: #1 Oklahoma 124 #9 Louisiana Tech 81 (43 points)
• 1999: #1 Duke 97 #9 Tulsa 56 (41 points)
• 2024: #1 Purdue 106 #8 Utah State 67 (39 points)

Purdue's 106 points are the most allowed by Utah State in 33 tournament games.  Their previous high allowed was 101 against UCLA in the 1970 Elite Eight.

#2 Marquette 81 #10 Colorado 77

Marquette is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2013 and the 17th time overall.

Marquette defeated Miami, Florida 71-61 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Marquette's win is their first ever tournament win over the Pacific Twelve Conference.

Colorado is 0-4 in the Round of 32.

This was Colorado's first tournament game played on a Sunday.

Colorado is 0-4 vs. Top 4 seeds.

Round of 32 Tidbits - Saturday

#3 Creighton 86 #11 Oregon 73 (2 OT)

Creighton is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd straight tournament and the 6th time overall.

Creighton defeated Princeton 86-75 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Creighton has 8 tournament wins this decade, which is tied for 6th most.

Creighton played their 2nd double-overtime game in tournament history.  They defeated Florida 83-82 in double overtime in the 2002 Round of 64.

Oregon snaps a 4-game winning streak in the Round of 32.

Oregon is 0-2 in overtime games in the tournament.

Oregon is 0-3 vs. the Big East in the tournament.

#3 Illinois 89 #11 Duquesne 63

Illinois is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005 and the 12th time overall.

Illinois defeated Milwaukee 77-63 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Illinois is 2-0 vs. Duquesne in the tournament.

Duquesne is 0-3 vs. the Big Ten.

Illinois's 89 points is the most that Duquesne has allowed in 11 tournament games.  The previous high allowed was 79 vs. North Carolina in the 1969 Sweet Sixteen.

#2 Tennessee 62 #7 Texas 58

Tennessee is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 2nd straight tournament and the 10th time overall.

Tennessee lost to Florida Atlantic 62-55 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Rick Barnes won his 8th tournament game at Tennessee, tying Bruce Pearl for the most tournament wins in school history. 

Tennessee has won 4 straight tournament games in the state of Tennessee.

Texas has lost 5 of their last 6 Round of 32 games.

Texas is 0-3 as a #7 seed vs. #2 seeds.

Texas has lost 13 of their last 15 tournament games played on a Saturday.

#11 North Carolina State 79 #14 Oakland 73 (OT)

North Carolina Stare is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2015 and the 14th time overall.

North Carolina State lost to Louisville 75-65 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

This is the third time North Carolina State has been in the Sweet Sixteen as a double-digit seed.

#2 Iowa State 67 #7 Washington State 56

Iowa State is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2022 and the 7th time overall.

Iowa State lost to Miami, Florida 70-56 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

This will be the 3rd Sweet Sixteen in which Iowa State is the higher seed.  They are 1-1 in the previous two games.

T.J. Otzelberger won his fourth tournament game as Iowa State coach. He is now tied with Tim Floyd and Fred Hoiberg for the most in school history.

Washington State is 1-3 in the Round of 32.

Washington State is 0-3 vs Top 4 seeds.

#1 North Carolina 85 #9 Michigan State 69

North Carolina is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2022 and the 36th time overall.

North Carolina defeated UCLA 73-66 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.

North Carolina has won their last 11 Round of 32 games when seeded #1.

North Carolina is 6-0 vs. Michigan State in the tournament.

North Carolina has 7 tournament wins this decade, which is tied for 8th most.

North Carolina has won 9 straight tournament games on a Saturday.

Michigan State is 0-3 as the #9 seed vs #1 seeds.

#5 Gonzaga 89 #4 Kansas 68

Gonzaga is in the Sweet Sixteen for the 9th straight tournament and the 14th time overall.

Gonzaga defeated UCLA 79-76 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.  They have won 3 of the last 4 Sweet Sixteen games.

Gonzaga has defeated a Big Twelve team in 4 of the last 5 tournaments in the Round of 32.

• 83-71 over Baylor in 2019
• 87-71 over Oklahoma in 2021
• 84-81 over TCU in 2023
• 89-68 over Kansas in 2024

Gonzaga has won 6 straight tournament games in the state of Utah.

Gonzaga has won a tournament-leading 12 games this decade.

Kansas has lost in the Round of 32 4 out of the last 5 tournaments.  The last time they went to Sweet Sixteen as a #2 or lower seed was 2012.

It is the second time in 4 years that Kansas has lost in the Round of 32 by 20 or more points.  They were the higher seed both times.

#2 Arizona 78 #7 Dayton 68

Arizona is in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2022 and the 21st time overall.  

Arizona lost to Houston 72-60 in their last Sweet Sixteen appearance.  They have lost their last two Sweet Sixteen games.  Their last win in the Sweet Sixteen was in 2015.

Arizona has won 8 straight tournament games in the state of Utah.

Dayton ends a 2-game tournament winning streak vs. the Pacific Twelve.

Round of 32 Quick Facts

Round of 32 by Conference

• Big Twelve 5
• ACC 4
• Big Ten 4
• Pacific Twelve 4
• Big East 3
• SEC 3
• Atlantic Ten 2
• Mountain West 2
• Ivy League 1
• Horizon League 1
• Sun Belt 1
• WAC 1
• West Coast 1

Round of 32 History

Round of 32 Rematches

Illinois defeated Duquesne 74-68 in the 1952 Elite Eight

North Carolina is 5-0 vs. Michigan State

• 74-70 in 1957 National Semifinals
• 73-58 in 1998 Sweet Sixteen
• 87-71 in 2005 National Semifinals
• 81-67 in 2007 Round of 32
• 89-72 in 2009 National Championship

Round of 64 Tidbits - Friday Evening

#12 Grand Canyon 75 #5 Saint Mary's 66

Grand Canyon wins their first tournament game.  They are 1-2 in the tournament.

Saint Mary's is not in the Round of 32 for the first time since 2021.

#8 Utah State 88 #9 Texas Christian 72

Utah State wins their first tournament game since 2001 (77-68 over Ohio State in the Round of 64)

Utah State snaps a 10-game losing streak.  The 10-game losing streak is tied for the 4th longest in tournament history behind Iona (15), New Mexico State (12), and Murray State (11).

Danny Sprinkle becomes the 4th Utah State coach to win a tournament game.

Utah State snaps a 4-game tournament losing streak against the Big 12.  They are now 1-4.

Utah State wins their first tournament game on a Friday.  They are now 1-10.

Utah State's 16-point win is their largest margin of victory in 7 tournament wins.  Their previous high was a 10-point win over UTEP (91-81) in the 1970 Round of 32.

Texas Christian is not in the Round of 32 for the first time since 2021.

#12 James Madison 72 #5 Wisconsin 61

James Madison wins their first tournament game since 2013 (68-55 over Long Island in the First Four)

James Madison is 4-2 in the Round of 64 and 5-5 overall in the tournament.

James Madison's 72 points are the most points they have scored in 10 tournament games.  Their previous high was 68 against Long Island in the 2013 First Four.

James Madison's win is the first for the Sun Belt since 2016 when Little Rock defeated Purdue 85-83 in the Round of 64.

The Sun Belt Conference is 7-5 vs. the Big Ten in the tournament.

Wisconsin is 1-4 as a #5 seed in the Round of 64.

#1 Houston 86 #16 Longwood 46

Houston is in the Round of 32 for the 6th straight tournament.

Houston wins their 10th tournament game this decade, which trails only Gonzaga (11 wins).

Houston's 40-point win is their largest margin of victory in 39 tournament wins.  Their previous high was a 35-point win over TCU (103-68) in the 1968 Elite Eight

Longwood is 0-2 in the tournament.

#4 Alabama 109 #13 Charleston 96

Alabama is in the Round of 32 for the 2nd straight tournament.

Alabama is 6-0 as a Top 4 seed in the Round of 64.

Alabama’s 109 points are the most points they have scored in 50 tournament games.  Their previous high was 101 against New Orleans in the 1987 Round of 32.

Charleston has lost 6 straight tournament games and is 1-7 overall.

Charleston's 96 points are the most they have scored in 8 tournament games.  Their previous high was 75 against Maryland in the 1997 Round of 64.

#1 Purdue 78 #16 Grambling State 50

Purdue wins their first tournament game since 2022 (81-71 over Texas in the Round of 32)

Purdue ends a 2-game tournament losing streak in its home state of Indiana.  It is 7-4 in Indiana.

#4 Duke 64 #13 Vermont 47

Duke is in the Round of 32 for the 3rd straight tournament.

Duke has won 8 straight Round of 64 games.

Duke has won 8 straight tournament games on a Friday.

Vermont has lost 6 straight tournament games and is 2-10 overall.

 #9 Texas A&M 98 #8 Nebraska 83

Texas A&M wins their first tournament game since 2018 (86-65 over North Carolina in the Round of 32)

Buzz Williams becomes the 5th Texas A&M coach to win a tournament game.

Texas A&M wins their first tournament game against the Big Ten.  They are 1-3.

Texas A&M is 3-0 in the Round of 64 as a #9 seed.

Texas A&M's 98 points is the most they have scored in 30 tournament games.  The previous high was 92 against Green Bay and Northern Iowa, both in 2016 (First two rounds)

Nebraska is 0-8 all-time in the tournament.  That is tied for the 2nd worst record with Eastern Kentucky behind Boise State who is 0-10.

Texas A&M scored 98 points, the most Nebraska has allowed in eight tournament games. The previous high was 93 by New Mexico State in the 1993 Round of 64.

Round of 64 Tidbits - Friday Afternoon

#13 Yale 78 #4 Auburn 76

Yale wins their 2nd tournament game all-time and first since 2016 (79-75 over Baylor in Round of 64)

Auburn ends an 11-game winning streak in the Round of 64. They are now 11-2. This is Auburn's first loss as a Top 4 seed in the Round of 64.

#10 Colorado 102 #7 Florida 100

Colorado wins two games in a single tournament for the first time since 1955 when they went to the Final Four.

Tad Boyle's win is his fourth for Colorado and gives him the most in school history, breaking a tie with Bebe Lee and Sox Walseth.

Colorado's 102 points is the most they have scored in 30 tournament games.  Their previous high was 97 vs. Texas A&M in the 1969 Regional Third Place Game.

Florida's loss is their first against the Pac-12 in the tournament.  They are now 5-1.

Florida ends an 8-game winning streak in the Round of 64.

Florida ends a 10-game tournament winning streak on Friday's.

Colorado and Florida end a drought of 328 tournament games without a team scoring 100 points.  The last time someone scored 100 points in the tournament was Xavier in the 2018 Round of 64 when they defeated Texas Southern 102-83.

The last time that both teams scored 100 points was in the 2005 Round of 32 when West Virginia defeated Wake Forest 111-105 in double overtime.

The last time that both teams scored 100 points in regulation was in the 2004 Round of 64 when UAB defeated Washington 102-100.

#6 Clemson 77 #11 New Mexico 56

Clemson wins their first tournament game since 2018 (84-53 over Auburn in Round of 32)

The win for Brad Brownell is his fourth for Clemson and gives him the most in school history, breaking a tie with Cliff Ellis and Bill C. Foster.

New Mexico has lost 4 straight tournament games tying their longest tournament losing streak.

New Mexico is 0-9 vs. teams seeded #7 or better.  Only Iona is worse at 0-14.

#1 Connecticut 91 #16 Stetson 52

Connecticut wins their 7th straight tournament game.  That ties their longest tournament winning streak in school history.  They have never advanced to the Sweet Sixteen the year after winning a National Championship.

Dan Hurley ties Kevin Ollie for 2nd all-time in school history with 7 tournament wins.

Connecticut has 7 wins this decade which is tied for 7th with Miami, Florida and Creighton.

Stetson is 0-1 in the tournament.

#2 Marquette 87 #15 Western Kentucky 69

Marquette is in the Round of 32 for the 2nd straight tournament.

Marquette is now 2-0 vs. Western Kentucky in the tournament.  This was the only tournament rematch in the Round of 64.

Western Kentucky has not won a tournament game since 2012.  They have lost 3 straight.

#5 San Diego State 69 #12 UAB 65

San Diego State is in the Round of 32 for the 2nd straight tournament.

Brian Dutcher wins his 6th tournament game for San Diego State tying Steve Fisher for the most tournament wins in school history.

San Diego State has 6 wins in the tournament this decade.

UAB has lost 4 straight tournament games played on Friday.

#9 Northwestern 77 #8 Florida Atlantic 65 (OT)

Northwestern is now 3-0 in the Round of 64.  They are tied with Tulane for the most wins in the Round of 64 without a loss.

Northwestern is in the Round of 32 for the 2nd straight tournament.

Northwestern's 77 points are the most they have scored in five tournament games, and the 65 points allowed are the fewest they have scored in five tournament games.

Florida Atlantic becomes only the 15th team to play in the Final Four and lose in the Round of 64 the following tournament (Defending Champion in Bold)

Final Four	Following	Team	Opponent	Score
1987	1988	Indiana	Richmond	72 - 69
1989	1990	Illinois	Dayton	88 - 86
1994	1995	Arizona	Miami, Ohio	71 - 62
1994	1995	Florida	Iowa State	64 - 61
1995	1996	UCLA	Princeton	43 - 41
1996	1997	Massachusetts	Louisville	65 - 57
1998	1999	North Carolina	Weber State	76 - 74
2000	2001	Wisconsin	Georgia State	50 - 49
2001	2002	Michigan State	North Carolina State	69 - 58
2005	2006	Michigan State	George Mason	75 - 65
2010	2011	Michigan State	UCLA	78 - 76
2011	2012	Connecticut	Iowa State	77 - 64
2015	2016	Michigan State	Middle Tennessee State	90 - 81
2019	2021	Virginia	Ohio	62 - 58
2023	2024	Florida Atlantic	Northwestern	77 - 65

#3 Baylor 92 #14 Colgate 67

Baylor is in the Round of 32 for the 5th straight tournament.

Baylor's win is their 9th this decade, tied with Kansas, UCLA, and Houston for 2nd most.

Baylor's 92 points are the most they have scored in 39 tournament games.  Their previous high was 91 vs. New Mexico State in the 2017 Round of 64.

Colgate is 0-7 all-time in the tournament.

Round of 64 Tidbits - Thursday Evening

#4 Kansas 93 #13 Samford 89

Kansas is in the Round of 32 for the 17th straight tournament.  They are 38-2 in the Round of 64.

Kansas has 9 wins this decade which currently is tied for 2nd behind Gonzaga.

Kansas wins their 16th straight Thursday game in the tournament.

Samford is 0-3 in the tournament.

#7 Washington State 66 #10 Drake 61

Washington State wins their first tournament game since 2008 (61-41 over Notre Dame in the Round of 32).

Kyle Smith becomes the 4th Washington State coach to win a tournament game.  This was his first tournament game with Washington State.

Washington State has won their last three Round of 64 games.

Drake is 0-4 in the Round of 64. (They are 6-3 in all other rounds of the tournament.)

#11 North Carolina State 80 #6 Texas Tech 67

North Carolina State wins their first tournament game since 2015 (71-68 over Villanova in the Round of 32).

Kevin Keatts becomes the 8th North Carolina State coach to win a tournament game for North Carolina State.  

North Carolina State gets their first win vs the Big Twelve in the tournament.  They are now 1-2.

Texas Tech’s loss ends a 4-game winning streak in the Round of 64.

#2 Tennessee 83 #15 Saint Peter’s 49

Tennessee is in the Round of 32 for the third consecutive tournament.

Tennessee 10-0 in the Round of 64 as a Top 4 seed.

Saint Peter’s is 1-4 in the Round of 64

#5 Gonzaga 86 #12 McNeese 65

Gonzaga is in the Round of 32 for the 15th straight tournament.  They are 22-4 all-time in the Round of 64.

Gonzaga has a tournament-best 11 wins this decade.

McNeese is 0-3 in the tournament.

#2 Iowa State 82 #15 South Dakota State 65

Iowa State wins their first tournament game since 2022 (54-49 over Wisconsin in the Round of 32).

Iowa State is 4-1 in the Round of 64 in the East region.

Iowa State wins their 3rd straight Thursday game in the tournament.

South Dakota State is 0-7 in the tournament.

#7 Texas 56 #10 Colorado State 44

Texas in in the Round of 32 for the 3rd straight tournament.

Texas has 5 straight wins vs. #10 seeds.

Colorado State is 2-5 in the Round of 64.

#14 Oakland 80 #3 Kentucky 76

Oakland wins in the Round of 64 for the first time.  They are 1-3 in the Round of 64.

Kentucky is 1-3 this decade in the tournament.

Round of 64 Tidbits - Thursday Afternoon

#7 Dayton 63 #10 Nevada 60

Dayton wins their first tournament game since 2015 (66-53 over Providence in Round of 64)

Nevada has lost their last 4 tournament games.  Their last win was in 2018.  It is their longest tournament losing streak in school history.

#11 Oregon 87 #6 South Carolina 73

Oregon wins their first tournament game since 2021 (95-80 over Iowa in the Round of 32)

Oregon’s win is their first tournament win against an SEC team.  They are 1-2 vs the SEC.

Oregon has won their last seven Round of 64 games dating back to 2013.

South Carolina is 1-5in the Round of 64.  Their only win was in 2017 when they went to the Final Four.  Three oh the five losses are as the higher seed.

#3 Illinois 85 #14 Morehead State 69

Illinois wins first tournament game since 2022 (54-53 over Chattanooga in Round of 64)

Morehead State's last tournament win was in 2011 (62-61 over Louisville in Round of 64)

#1 North Carolina 90 #16 Wagner 62

North Carolina wins their first tournament game since 2022 (81-77 over Duke in Final Four)

North Carolina is 35-2 playing in the state of North Carolina.  Had won 30 straight before losing to Texas A&M 86-65 in 2018 Round of 32.

ACC is 6-0 vs. the Northeast Conference in the tournament

#2  Arizona 85 #15 Long Beach State 65

Arizona wins their first tournament game since 2022 (85-80 over TCU in the Round of 32). 

Arizona has won 7 straight tournament game in Utah (Last loss was 66-59 to Wisconsin in 2000 Round of 32)

Arizona ended a 4-game tournament losing streak on Thursdays.

Long Beach State's last tournament win was in 1973 (84-80 over Arizona State in Regional Third Place Game)

Long Beach State has lost 6 straight tournament games

#3 Creighton 77 #14 Akron 60

Creighton is in the Round of 32 for the 4th straight tournament.  That is the longest streak in school history.

Creighton wins their 7th game of the decade, which ties them for 7th most with Miami, Florida.

Akron is still looking for their first tournament win.  They are 0-6 all-time.

#11 Duquesne 71 #6 Brigham Young 67

Duquesne wins their first tournament game since 1969 (75-72 over St. John's in Regional Third Place Game)

Keith Dambrot is the 4th Duquesne coach to win a tournament game.  This was his first tournament game as Duquesne's coach.

Duquesne is the 20th A-10 team to win a tournament game.

BYU has now lost 5 straight tournament games.  Their last tournament win was in 2012.

#9 Michigan State 69 #8 Mississippi State 51 

Michigan State advances to the Round of 32 for the 3rd straight tournament

Michigan State has won 10 straight tournament games against the SEC and 11-1 overall (The only loss was 52-49 to Kentucky in the 1978 Elite Eight)

Michigan State is 5-0 vs. #8 seeds (Only Kentucky is better at 7-0)

Mississippi State has now lost 5 straight tournament games.  Their last tournament win was in 2008.

First Four Tidbits - Wednesday

Grambling State 88 Montana State 81(OT)

Grambling State wins in their first ever tournament game.  They are the first team to win in their first tournament game since 2017, when both Northwestern and UC Davis both won in their first game.  

Grambling State is the 7th team to play their first tournament game in the First Four and win.

• 2001 - Northwestern State 71 Winthrop 67
• 2003 - UNC Asheville 92 Texas Southern 84
• 2005 - Oakland 79 Alabama A&M 69
• 2010 - Arkansas-Pine Bluff 61 Winthrop 44
• 2014 - Cal Poly 81 Texas Southern 69
• 2017 - UC Davis 67 North Carolina Central 63
• 2024 - Grambling State 88 Montana State 81

Montana State's loss is the 18th consecutive tournament loss for the Big Sky Conference.  It is the 3rd longest losing streak by a conference in tournament history.

• Northeast - 23 games (1983 to 2005)
• Ohio Valley - 20 games (1989 to 2008)
• Big Sky - 18 games (2006 to 2024)
• SWAC - 17 games (1993 to 2009)

Montana State's 81 points are the most they scored in six tournament games.  Their previous high was 74 vs. St. John's in the 1986 Round of 64.

This is the fifth overtime game in the First Four (started in 2011) and the second time the #16 seeds have played an overtime game.

• 2011 - UNC Asheville 81 Little Rock 77
• 2014 - Tennessee 78 Iowa 65
• 2021 - UCLA 86 Michigan State 80
• 2022 - Notre Dame 89 Rutgers 87 (2 OT)
• 2024 - Grambling State 88 Montana State 81

Colorado 60 Boise State 53

Colorado wins their first tournament game since 2021 when they defeated Georgetown 96-73 in the Round of 64.

Tad Boyle wins his 3rd tournament game as the coach of Colorado.  The 3rd win ties Bebe Lee and Sox Walseth for the most tournament wins in Colorado history.

Colorado's win is the Pac 12's fifth First Four win in its ninth First Four game. Both are tournament highs for at-large teams.

Boise State is now 0-10 in the NCAA Tournament.  It is the first school to lose its first 10 tournament games.

Boise State is the non-16 seed to lose 3 First Four games.  They are 0-3 in the First Four.

Boise State's 53 points are tied with the fewest points they have scored in 10 tournament games.  They also scored 53 points against Memphis in the 2022 Round of 64.

First Four Tidbits - Tuesday

Wagner 71 Howard 68

Wagner wins their 1st tournament game in their 2nd appearance with their 71-68 win over Howard.  They had previously lost to Pittsburgh 87-61 in the 2003 Round of 64.

With Fairleigh Dickinson winning 2 games in last year's tournament, this is the first time in tournament history that the Northeast Conference has won a tournament game in consecutive years.

Howard is now 0-4 in the NCAA Tournament.

Colorado State 67 Virginia 42

Colorado State wins their 1st tournament game since 2013 when they defeated Missouri 84-72 in the Round of 64.

Colorado State coach Niko Medved wins his first tournament game.  He is the 4th Colorado State coach to win an NCAA tournament game.

Colorado State's 25-point win is their largest margin of victory in 5 tournament wins.  Their previous high was 22 vs. Florida in the 1989 Round of 64.

Virginia's 42 points are the fewest that Colorado State has allowed in 17 tournament games.  Their previous low allowed was 46 vs. Florida in the 1989 Round of 64.

Virginia has lost three straight tournament games since winning the 2019 NCAA Tournament. They are the third team to ever lose their next three tournament games after losing the National Championship.  

• Wyoming lost their next 6 tournament games after winning the 1943 tournament.
• Utah lost their next 3 tournament games after winning the 1944 tournament.

Virginia has never won a tournament game when seeded #8 or worse.

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.

Selection Sunday Tidbits

 New Teams

Every Tournament in history has had at least one new tournament team.  This year's new tournament teams are Stetson and Grambling State.

This will be the 7th time that Connecticut will be the opponent in a school's first tournament game.

• 1951 - St. John's 63 Connecticut 52 (Also Connecticut's first tournament game)
• 1956 - Connecticut 84 Manhattan 75
• 1957 - Syracuse 82 Connecticut 76
• 1959 - Boston 60 Connecticut 58
• 1976 - Connecticut 80 Hofstra 78
• 2006 - Connecticut 72 Albany 59
• 2024 - Connecticut vs. Stetson

New Coaches 

There are 8 coaches who are coaching in the tournament for the first time. 

• Mark Byington, James Madison
• Donald Copeland, Wagner
• Donte Jackson, Grambling State
• Donnie Jones, Stetson
• Matt Logie, Montana State
• Bashir Mason, Saint Peter's
• Bucky McMillan, Samford
• Kyle Smith, Washington State

Coach First Year with New Team 

Ten coaches have coached in the tournament but are making their first appearance with their current team.

• Keith Dambrot, Duquesne (2009, 2011, 2013 - Akron)
• Todd Golden, Florida (2022 - San Francisco)
• Anthony Grant, Dayton (2007, 2009 - VCU; 2012 - Alabama)
• Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska (2012-15 - Iowa State)
• Steve Lutz, Western Kentucky (2022-23 - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi)
• Grant McCasland, Texas Tech (2021 - North Texas)
• Lamont Paris, South Carolina (2022 - Chattanooga)
• Richard Pitino, New Mexico (2017, 2019 - Minnesota)
• Danny Sprinkle, Utah State (2022-23 - Montana State)
• Will Wade, McNeese (2016-17 - VCU; 2021 - LSU)

Consecutive Tournaments

• Kansas 34
• Michigan State 26
• Gonzaga 25
• Purdue 9
• Houston 6
• Tennessee 6
• Baylor 5
• Colgate 5
• Alabama 4
• Connecticut 4
• Creighton 4
• Illinois 4
• San Diego State 4
• Texas 4
• Arizona 3
• Auburn 3
• Boise State 3
• Duke 3
• Iowa State 3
• Kentucky 3
• Marquette 3
• Montana State 3
• Saint Mary's 3
• TCU 3
• Vermont 3

Consecutive Appearances Snapped

• Iowa 4
• Arkansas 3
• Southern California 3
• Texas Southern 3
• UCLA 3
• Indiana 2
• Memphis 2
• Miami, Fla 2
• Providence 2
• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2

Top 10 Longest Droughts Broken

• Duquesne 1977
• Samford 2000
• McNeese 2002
• Wagner 2003
• Washington State 2008
• Oakland 2011
• Long Beach State 2012
• James Madison 2013
• Western Kentucky 2013
• Nebraska 2014
• New Mexico 2014

Consecutive Top 4 Seeds

• #4 Kansas 23
• #1 Purdue 7
• #3 Baylor 4
• #2 Arizona 3
• #2 Tennessee 3
• #4 Alabama 2
• #1Connecticut 2
• #1 Houston 2
• #2 Marquette 2

Last Top 4 Seed (for those that weren't Top 4 last year)

• #3 Illinois (#4 in 2022)
• #3 Kentucky (#2 in 2022)
• #4 Auburn (#2 in 2022)
• #4 Duke (#2 in 2022)
• #1 North Carolina (#1 in 2019)
• #2 Iowa State (#4 in 2016)
• #3 Creighton (#3 in 2014)

Consecutive Top 4 Seeds Snapped

• Gonzaga 6
• UCLA 2

#1 Seed History

• North Carolina - 18th #1 Seed (63-12, 10 Final Fours, 5 National Championships)
• Connecticut - 6th #1 Seed (18-14, 2 Final Fours, 1 National Championship)
• Purdue - 5th #1 Seed (6-4, 1 Elite Eight - Lost in 1994)
• Houston - 3rd #1 Seed (6-2, 1 Final Four, Lost 1983 National Championship Game)

Other Seeds - Teams achieving best seeds in school history

• Iowa State - #2 (3rd Time - 2000 and 2001)
• Marquette - #2 (2nd Time - 2023)
• Tennessee - #2 (4th Time - 2006, 2008, and 2019)
• Creighton - #3 (2nd Time - 2014)
• Saint Mary's - #5 (3rd Time - 2022 and 2023)
• Utah State - #8 (2nd Time - 2019)
• Florida Atlantic - #8 (1st Time)
• Duquesne - #11 (1st Time)
• Grand Canyon - #12 (1st Time)
• McNeese - #12 (1st Time)
• Samford - #13 (2nd Time - 2000)
• Vermont - #13 (5th Time - 20045, 2017, 2019, and 2022)
• Colgate - #14 (3rd Time - 2021 and 2022)
• Grambling State - #16 (1st Time)
• Stetson - #16 (1st Time)