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  1. #1

    The Bracket of Brackets

    With the off-season slowdown upon us, thought it would be interesting to mention what the Wall St. Journal did in its NCAA Tournament preview - picking the "Bracket of Brackets," made up of the single best game at each bracket slot of each region during the 64 team-era (back to 1985). Here's my own, with some "honorable mentions" and then some comparisons at the end ranking the bracket slots that had the best and worst collective slates. Others will no doubt have different takes.

    The Bracket of Brackets

    First Round
    East
    1989 - (1) Georgetown 50 – (16) Princeton 49
    1991 - (9) Villanova 50 – (8) Princeton 48

    1988 - (13) Richmond 72 – (4) Indiana 69
    2000 - (5) Florida 69 – (12) Butler 68

    1991 - (15) Richmond 73 – (2) Syracuse 69
    2000 - (10) Seton Hall 72 – (7) Oregon 71

    1986 - (14) Cleveland St. 82 – (3) Indiana 79 [barely over Bucknell 64 – Kansas 63 (2005), which may have been a better game but has a less memorable story]
    2006 - (11) George Mason 75 – Michigan St. 65

    South
    1989 - (1) Oklahoma 72 – (16) East Tenn. St. 71
    1985 - (8) Villanova 51 – (9) Dayton 49

    1996 - (13) Princeton 43 – (4) UCLA 41 [UNCW 93 – USC 89 (ot) (2002) and Vermont 60 – Syracuse 57 (2005) were both better games but not quite as dramatic as the defending national champ losing to the Ivy League]
    2001 - (12) Gonzaga 86 – (5) Virginia 85 (2001)

    2013 - (15) Florida Gulf Coast 78 – (2) Georgetown 68 [Dunk City much more memorable than Lehigh 75 -Duke 70 (2012)]
    1999 - (10) Creighton 62 – (7) Louisville 59

    1987 - (14) Austin Peay 69 – (3) Illinois 67 (1987) [tempted to take ETSU/Mr. Jennings 87 over Arizona’s Tucson Skyline 80 (1992) b/c it was a bigger upset, albeit not as close a game]
    1989 - (11) S. Alabama 86 – (6) Alabama 84

    Midwest
    2002 - (1) Kansas 70 – (16) Holy Cross 59
    2009 - (9) Siena 74 – (8) Ohio St. 72 (ot) [helped by Raftery’s classic “Onions - Double Order!” call]

    1998 - (13) Valpo 70 – (4) Ole Miss 69 (1998) [nips Morehead St. 62 – Louisville 61 (2011) b/c Drew’s game winner was at the buzzer vs. Morehead's with 4 seconds left]
    2002 - (12) Creighton 83 – (5) Florida 82

    1995 - (2) Arkansas 79 – (15) Texas Southern 78
    2008 - (10) Davidson 82 – (7) Gonzaga 76 [Steph Curry’s 8-10 on 3s by an eyelash over Wally World’s 43 in Miami (Oh)’s 59 – 57 win over Washington (1999)]

    1988 - (14) Murray St. 78 – (3) N.C. St. 75 [Mercer 78 – Duke 71 (2014) and UALR 90 – Notre Dame 83 (1986) were “bigger” upsets, but not as good games]
    1998 - (11) Western Michigan 75 – (6) Clemson 72

    West
    1996 – (1) Purdue 73 – (16) Western Carolina 71
    2006 - (9) Bucknell 59 – (8) Arkansas 58

    2008 - (13) San Diego 70 – (4) U.Conn 69
    2008 - (12) Western Kentucky 101 – (5) Drake 99

    2012 - (15) Norfolk St. 86 – (2) Mizzou 84
    1988 - (10) Loyola Marymount 119 – (7) Wyoming 115

    1999 - (14) Weber St. 78 – (3) N. Carolina 74 (1999) [Georgia St. scoring last 13 to beat Baylor on RJ Hunter’s 30 footer was great, but can’t top “the Show” Arcenaux vs. Carolina]
    2007 - (11) VCU 79 – (6) Duke 77


    Second Round
    East
    1994 - (9) Boston College 75 – (1) N. Carolina 72

    1989 - (5) N.C. St. 102 – (4) Iowa 96 (2 ot) [Butler 79 – Louisville 71 (2003) and Cornell 87 – Wisc. 69 (2010) were fun b/c the dogs shot the lights out, but neither game was close]

    1997 - (10) Texas 82 – (15) Coppin St. 81 [The Admiral’s laying the smack on Syracuse at the Dome in Navy’s 97-85 win in 1986 was great, but the game wasn’t]

    1988 - (11) Rhode Island 97 – (3) Syracuse 94


    South
    2011 - (8) Butler 71 – (1) Pitt 70 (ot)

    1990 - (4) Georgia Tech 94 – (5) LSU 91

    2010 - (10) St. Mary’s 75 – (2) Villanova 68

    1987 - (6) Providence 90 – (14) Austin Peay 87


    Midwest
    2010 - (9) No. Iowa 69 – (1) Kansas 67 [tempted to pick Kentucky 78 – Wichita St. 76 (2014) as it was such a great game]

    1994 - (12) Tulsa 82 – (4) Okla St. 80 (1994)

    1992 - (7) Georgia Tech 79 – (2) USC 78 [(10) Davidson 74 – (2) Georgetown 70 (2008) and (2) Arkansas 96 – (7) Syracuse 94 (1995) also worthy]

    1993 - (6) Cal. 82 – (3) Duke 77 (1993) [over Xavier 74 – Georgetown 71 (1990) b/c we were defending champs]


    West
    2003 - (1) Arizona 96 – (9) Gonzaga 95 (2ot) [edges UCLA 75 – Mizzou 74 (1995) b/c, despite Edney’s buzzer beater, this was a better game]

    1990 - (12) Ball St. 62 – (4) Louisville 60

    2005 - (7) West Virginia 111 – (2) Wake Forest 105 (ot) (Pitsnoggled!)

    1990 - (11) Loyola Marymount 145 – (3) Michigan 115.


    Sweet 16
    East
    1990 - (1) U.Conn 71 – (5) Clemson 70 [iconic ending trumps N. Carolina 68 – Villanova 67 (2005), which may have been a better all around game]

    1998 - (2) U.Conn 75 – (11) Washington 74


    South
    2002 - (5) Indiana 74 – (1) Duke 73 [edges Ga. Tech 81 – Mich. St. 80 (ot) (1990) and Ariz. 85 – KU 82 (1997) b/cit had all of: comebacks, a dramatic ending and us as defensing champs/title favorite]

    1989 - (3) Michigan 92 – (2) N. Carolina 87


    Midwest
    1988 - (4) Kansas St. 73 – (1) Purdue 70

    2011 - (11) VCU 72 – (10) Florida St. 71 (ot)


    West
    2010 - (5) Butler 63 – (1) Syracuse 59 (2010)
    [some recency/Cinderella bias here, as (4) UNLV 68 – Arizona 67 (1989), a grudge match between teams who truly hated each other won on a late Anderson Hunt 3, and UNLV 69 – (11) Ball St. 67 (1990) were also fantastic.]

    2010 - (2) Kansas St. 101 – (6) Xavier 96 (2ot) (2010)
    [better-played than (2) UCLA 73 – (3) Gonzaga 71 (2006) and (10) Gonzaga 73 – (6) Florida 72 (1999), though each of those had nearly as dramatic endings]


    Elite 8
    East
    1992 – (1) Duke 104 – (2) Kentucky 103 (ot) [No-brainer, though it knocks out (11) George Mason 86 – U.Conn 84 (2006) and Duke 79 – U.Conn 78 (ot) (1990)]


    South
    1998 - (2) Kentucky 86 – (1) Duke 84 [edges (5) Mich St. 94 – (2) UK 88 (2ot) (2005) b//c these teams were better]


    Midwest
    2005 - (1) Illinois 90 – (3) Arizona 89 (ot) [close over Kansas 59 – (10) Davidson 57 (2008) and Kentucky 68 – (3) Notre Dame 66 (2015) due to late comeback and crowd’s mass hysteria]


    West
    2014 - (2) Wisconsin 64 – (1) Arizona 63 (ot)


    Final Four:
    1991 - Duke 79 – UNLV 77; and
    1998 - Kentucky 86 – Stanford 85 (ot)

    [Also worthy of second spot: Indiana 97 – 93 UNLV (1987); Michigan 83 – Illinois 81 (1989); Duke 81 – Indiana 78 (1992); Duke 95 – Maryland 84 (2001); U.Conn 79 – Duke 78 (2004); Louisville 62 – Wichita St. 58 (2013); and Kentucky 74 – Wisconsin 73 (2014)]


    Title:
    1985 - Villanova 66 – Georgetown 64

    [Fairly clear choice over Indiana 74 – Syracuse 73 (1987); U.Conn 77- Duke 74 (1999); Kansas 75 – Memphis 68 (ot) (2008); and Duke 61 – Butler 59 (2010)]



    Of the various pre-Final Four matchups, I’d rank the ten strongest collective groups of games as:

    #1 – East Region Final: Duke-Kentucky 1992, plus:
    (11) George Mason 86 – (1) U.Conn 84 (2006);
    (3) Duke 79 – (1) U.Conn 78 (1990);
    (3) Villanova 78 – (1) Pitt 76 (2009);
    (2) Oklahoma St. 64 – (1) St. Joe’s 62 (2004);
    (2) Syracuse 79 – (1) N. Carolina 75 (1987); and
    (2) Duke 85 – (1) Georgetown 77 (1989).
    Wow.


    #2 – Midwest 2nd Round, 1 vs. 8/9: Northern Iowa-Kansas 2010, plus:
    (8) Kentucky 76 – (1) Wichita St. 76 (2014);
    (9) UAB 76 – (1) Kentucky 75 (2004);
    (8) Rhode Island 80 – (1) Kansas 75 (1998);
    (9) UTEP 66 – (1) Kansas 60 (1992); and
    (8) N. Carolina 79 – (1) Oklahoma 77 (1990).


    #3 – Midwest Region Final: Illinois–Arizona 2005, plus:
    (1) Kansas 59 – (10) Davidson 57 (2008);
    (1) Kentucky 68 – (3) Notre Dame 66 (2015)
    (1) Kansas 59 – (10) Davidson 57 (2008);
    (1) Kentucky 68 – (3) Notre Dame 66 (2015);
    (1) Illinois 89 – (2) Syracuse 86 (1989);
    (3) Stanford 79 – (8) Rhode Island 77 (1998);
    (8) Kentucky 75 – (2) Michigan 72 (2014); and
    (11) VCU 71 – (1) Kansas 61 (2011).


    #4 – South Sweet 16, 1 vs. 4/5: Indiana-Duke 2002, plus:
    (4) Georgia Tech 81 – (1) Mich St. 80 (ot) (1990);
    (4) Arizona 85 – (1) Kansas 82 (1997); and
    (4) Michigan 87 – (1) Kansas 85 (2013).


    #5 – West Sweet 16, 2/7/10 vs. 3/6/11: Kansas St.-Xavier 2010, plus:
    (2) UCLA 73 – (3) Gonzaga 71 (2006);
    (10) Gonzaga 73 – (6) Florida 72 (1999);
    (11) Loyola Marymount 62 – (7) Alabama 60 (1990);
    (3) Seton Hall 81 – (2) Arizona 77 (1991); and
    (2) Kansas 83 – (3) Arizona 80 (1996).


    #6 – West 2nd Round, 1 vs. 8/9: Arizona-Gonzaga 2003, plus:
    (1) UCLA 75 – (8) Mizzou 74 (1995);
    (8) Wisconsin 66 – (1) Arizona 59 (2000);
    (8) UCLA 105 – (1) Cinncinnati. 101 (2002); and
    (9) Wichita St. 76 – (1) Gonzaga 70 (2013).


    #7 – South 1st Round, 4 vs. 13: Princeton-UCLA 1996, one of 8 upsets (most of any double-digit seed spot), including:
    (13) Vermont 60 – (4) Syracuse 57 (2005);
    (13) UNC-Wilmington 93 – (4) USC 89 (ot) (2002) [UNCW blows 19 point lead but wins];
    (13) Indiana St. 70 – (4) Oklahoma 68 (2001);
    (13) Middle Tenn. St. 97 – (4) Fla St. 83 (1989);
    (13) Manhattan 77 – (4) Okla 67 (1995);
    (13) Navy 78 – (4) LSU 55 – 1985; and
    (13) S.W. Missouri St. 65 – (4) Clemson 60 (1987).


    #8 – Midwest 1st Round, 4 vs. 13: Valpo-Ole Miss 1998, plus:
    (13) Morehead St. 62 – (4) Louisville 61 (2011);
    (13) Ohio U. 65 – (4) Michigan 60 (2012)
    (13) Oklahoma 61 – (4) Arizona 60 (1999);
    (4) Arkansas 68 – (13) Princeton 64 (1990); and
    (4) BC 88 – (13) Pacific 76 (ot) (2006) [a backdoor cover for the ages].


    #9 - East 1st Round, 3 vs. 14: Cleveland St.-Indiana 1986, plus:
    (14) Bucknell 64 – (3) Kansas 63 (2005);
    (14) Siena 80 – Stanford 78 (1989) (Showbiz Brown!)
    (14) Richmond 62 – S. Carolina 61 (1998); and
    (3) Marquette 59 – (14) Davidson 58 (2013).


    #10 – West 1st Round, 5 vs. 12: Western Kentucky-Drake 2008, plus:
    (12) Ball St. 54 – (5) Oregon St. 53 (1990);
    (12) No. Dakota St. 80 – (5) Oklahoma 75 (ot) (2014);
    (12) Wisconsin Green Bay 61 – (5) Cal. 57 (1994);
    (5) Michigan St. 60 – (12) Wisconsin Green Bay 58 (1991);
    (5) Arizona 77 – (12) Memphis 75 (2011);
    (5) Iowa 102 – (12) Florida St. 98 (1988); and
    (5) Maryland 69 – (12) Pepperdine 64 (1986), Len Bias’ last victory.


    And the 5 worst (besides the obvious 1-16 and 2-15 blowout-prone spots) were:

    #1 – Midwest Sweet 16, 1/8/9 vs. 4/13/5/12: Beyond K.St. - Purdue 1988, only 1 other upset (not very memorable) and just two other games that went to the wire:
    (1) Kansas 96 – (4) Michigan St. 86 (ot) (1986);
    (4) Virginia 67 – Kansas 58 (1995); and
    (1) Villanova 60 – (4) BC 59 (2006).


    #2 - East Sweet 16, 2/7/10 vs. 3/6/11/14: Besides U.Conn-Washington 1998, best they’ve had were:
    (7) Navy 71 – (14) Cleveland St. 70 (1986); and
    (2) Duke 73 – (11) Rhode Island 72 (1988). Blah.


    #3 - South 2nd Round, 3s/14s vs. 6s/11s: Just Providence – Austin Peay 1987, and:
    (11) LSU 83 – (3) Memphis 81 (1986);
    (6) Georgetown 53 – (14) Weber St. 51 (1995); and
    (3) Texas 78 – (6) N. Carolina 75 (2004).

    [Only 1 big upset and by a major conference team. Close games with Georgetown beating a 14 seed and Texas beating the Felton/McCants/May sophomore team don’t carry much weight.]


    #4 – West 1st Round, 8 vs. 9: Other than Bucknell – Arkansas 2006, best of the rest were:
    (9) Gonzaga 74 – (8) Cincinnati 69 (2003); and
    (8) Mizzou 65 – (9) Indiana 60 (1995), memorable more for Knight’s press conference meltdown than the game.


    #5 South 1st Round, 7 vs. 10: Besides Creighton – Louisville 1999, “best” this has had were:
    (7) Florida St. 75 – (10) USC 72 (1991); and
    (7) UCLA 78 – (10) Michigan St. 76 (2011).

    [Two football schools seeing who was worse, and UCLA nearly blowing a 23 point second half lead by missing 17 free-throws to let MSU back in. Yeech.]

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Mount Kisco, NY
    First off, good god man, this is a heck of an effort. I suspect you haven't gotten any responses yet because it is an overwhelming amount of information. I have only barely skimmed one portion of it. People should check this out, I will delve further soon.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Fantastic post.

  4. #4

    Holy Guacamole - nice job!

    This is an incredible amount of work and a very intriguing post. NICE JOB! This is fun to think about

  5. #5
    Figured it was a good time during the late summer lull to update this. Have had a half-dozen classic NCAA tournament games the past two seasons so some worthy new entrants.

    I'll break this up by round to make feedback/criticism/suggested alternatives easier.

    First Round
    East:
    (1) Georgetown 50 – (16) Princeton 49 (1989) [no second choice]

    (9) Villanova 50 – (8) Princeton 48 (1991) [over (8) Cal 76 – (9) N.C. St. 74 (ot) (2003)]

    (13) Richmond 72 – (4) Indiana 69 (1988) [over (4) Kentucky 59 – (13) Princeton 57 (2011)]

    (5) Florida 69 – (12) Butler 68 (2000) [over (5) Alabama 91 – (12) Penn 88 (1995)]

    (15) Richmond 73 – (2) Syracuse 69 (1991) [over (2) Kentucky 72 - (15) Holy Cross 68 (2001

    (7) U. Conn 89 – (10) St. Joe’s 81 (ot) (2014) [over (10) Seton Hall 72 – (7) Oregon 71 (2000)]

    (14) Cleveland St. 82 – (3) Indiana 79 (1986) [over (14) Bucknell 64 – (3) Kansas 63 (2005)]

    (11) George Mason 75 – Michigan St. 65 (2006) [over (11) Rhode island 87 – (6) Mizzou 80 (1988)]

    South
    (1) Oklahoma 72 – (16) East Tenn. St. 71 (1989) [over(1) Michigan St. 75 – (16) Murray St. 71 (ot) (1990)]

    (8) Villanova 51 – (9) Dayton 49 (1985) [over (8) GW 88 – (9) UNC Wilmington 85 (2006)]

    (13) Princeton 43 – (4) UCLA 41 (1996) [over (13) Vermont 60 – (4) Syracuse 57 (2005)]

    (12) Gonzaga 86 – (5) Virginia 85 (2001) [over (12) Stephen F. Austin 77 – (5) VCU 75 (2014)]

    (15) Fla Gulf Coast 78 – (2) Georgetown 68 (2013) [over (15) Lehigh 75 – (2) Duke 70 (2012)]

    (10) Creighton 62 – (7) Louisville 59 (1999) [over (7) Florida St. 75 – (10) USC 72 (1991)]

    (14) East Tenn. St. 87 – (3) Arizona 80 (1992) [over (14) Austin Peay 69 – (3) Illinois 67 (1987)]

    (6) Maryland 75 – (11) UNC Wilmington 73 (2003) [over (11) Dayton 60 – (6) Ohio St. 59 (2014)]

    Midwest
    (1) Kansas 70 – (16) Holy Cross 59 (2002) [over (1) Illinois 77 – McNeese St. 71 (1989)]

    (9) Siena 74 – (8) Ohio St. 72 (ot) (2009) [over (9) UAB 102 – (8) Washington 100 (2004)]

    (13) Valpo 70 – (4) Ole Miss 69 (1998) [over (13) Morehead St. 62 – (4) Louisville 61 (2011)]

    (12) Creighton 83 – (5) Florida 82 (2ot) (2002) [over (12) UALR 85 – (5) Purdue 83 (20t) (2016)]

    (15) Middle Tenn. St. 91 – (2) Mich St. 81 (2016) [over (2) Arkansas 79 – (15) Tex. So. 78 (1995)]

    (10) Davidson 82 – (7) Gonzaga 76 (2008) [over (10) Miami (Oh) 59 – (7) Wash 57 (1999)]

    (14) Murray St. 78 – (3) N.C. St. 75 (1988) [over (14) UALR 90 – (3) Notre Dame 83 (1986)]

    (11) Western Mich. 75 – (6) Clemson 72 (1998)] [over (11) Winthrop 74 – (6) Notre Dame 64 (2007)]

    West:
    (1) Purdue 73 – (16) Western Carolina 71 (1996) [(1) Gonzaga 64 – (16) Southern U. 58 (2013)]

    (8) Northwestern 68 – (9) Vanderbilt 66 (2017) [(9) Bucknell 59 – (8) Arkansas 58 (2006)]

    (13) San Diego 70 – (4) U.Conn 69 (2008) [(13) Bradley 77 - (4) Kansas 73 (2006)]

    (12) Western Ky. 101 – (5) Drake 99 (ot) (2008) [(12) No. Dakota St. 80 - (5) Okla 75 (ot) (2014)

    (15) Hampton 58 – (2) Iowa St. 57 (2001) [(15) Norfolk St. 86 – (2) Mizzou 84 (2012)]

    (10) Loyola Marymount 119 – (7) Wyoming 115 (1988) [(7) BYU 99 – (10) Florida 92 (ot) (2010)]

    (14) Weber St. 78 – (3) N. Carolina 74 (1999) [(14) Georgia St. 57 – (3) Baylor 56 (2015)]

    (11) No. Iowa 75 – (6) Texas 72 (2016) [(11) VCU 79 – (6) Duke 77 (2007)]

  6. #6
    Second Round

    East
    (9) Boston College 75 - (1) N. Carolina 72 (1994) [(8) N.C. St. 71 – (1) Villanova 68 (2015)]

    (5) N.C. St. 102 – (4) Iowa 96 (2 ot) (1989) [(12) Butler 79 – (4) Louisville 71 (2003)]

    (7) Navy 97 – (2) Syracuse 85 (1986) [(7) Wisconsin 66 – (2) Xavier 63 (2016)]

    (11) Rhode Island 97 – (3) Syracuse 94 (1988) [6) Notre Dame 76 - (14) S. F. Austin 75 (2016)

    South
    (8) Butler 71 – (1) Pitt 70 (ot) (2011) [(1) Ohio St. 78 – (9) Xavier 71 (ot) (2007)]

    (4) Georgia Tech 94 – (5) LSU 91 (1990) [(4) Gonzaga 83 – (12) Western Ky. 81 (2009)]

    (10) Stanford 60 – (2) Kansas 57 (2014) [(2) Kentucky 65 – (10) Wichita 62 (2017)]

    (6) Providence 90 – (14) Austin Peay 87 (1987) [(11) LSU 83 – (3) Memphis 81 (1986)]

    Midwest
    (9) Northern Iowa 69 – (1) Kansas 67 (201) [(8) Kentucky 78 – (1) Wichita St. 76 (2014)]

    (4) Purdue 80 – (5) Iowa St. 76 (2017) [(5) Michigan St. 85 – (4) Maryland 83 (2010)]

    (7) Georgia Tech 79 – (2) USC 78 (1992) [(10) Davidson 74 - (2) Georgetown 70 (2008)]

    (6) Xavier 74 – (3) Georgetown 71 (1990) [(3) Oregon 75 – (11) Rhode Isl. 72 (2017)]

    West
    (1) Arizona 96 – (9) Gonzaga 95 (2ot) (2003) [(1) UCLA 75 – (8) Mizzou 74 (1995)]

    (12) Ball St. 62 – (4) Louisville 60 (1990) [(4) UNLV 70 – (5) Maryland 64 (1986)]

    (7) West Va 111 – (2) Wake 105 (ot) (2005) [(10) Gonzaga 82 – (2) Stanford 74 (1999)]

    (11) Loyola Mary. 145 – (3) Michigan 115 (1990) [(3) Tex A&M 92 – (11) No. Iowa 88 (2 ot) (2016)]

  7. #7
    Sweet Sixteen

    East
    (1) U.Conn 71 – (5) Clemson 70 (1990) [(4) Florida 84 – (8) Wisc 83 (ot) (2017)]

    (2) U.Conn 75 – (11) Washington 74 (1998) [(7) Navy 71 – (14) Cleveland St. 70 (1986)]

    South
    (5) Indiana 74 – (1) Duke 73 (2002) [(4) G. Tech 81 - (1) Mich. St. 80 (ot) (1990)]

    (3) Michigan 92 – (2) N. Carolina 87 (1989) [(10) Kent St. 78 – (3) Pitt 73 (2002)]

    Midwest
    (4) Michigan 87 – (1) Kansas 85 (ot) (2013) [(1) Oklahoma 86 – (5) La. Tech 84 (ot) (1985)]

    (11) VCU 72 – (10) Florida St. 71 (ot) (2011) [(2) Syracuse 83 – (3) Mizzou 81 (1989)]

    West
    (5) Butler 63 – (1) Syracuse 59 (2010) [(4) UNLV 68 – (1) Arizona 67 (1989)]

    (2) Kansas St. 101 – (6) Xavier 96 (2ot) (2010) [(2) UCLA 73 – (3) Gonzaga 71 (2006)]

  8. #8
    Elite Eight

    East
    (1) Duke 104 – (2) Kentucky 103 (ot) (1992) [(11) George Mason 86 – U.Conn 84 (2006)]

    This is probably the single bet slot in the bracket. In addition to the two obvious classics, there was also Duke 79 – U.Conn 78 (1990), Villanova 78 – Pitt 76 (2009) and Okla St. 64 – (1) St. Joe’s 62 (2004).

    South
    (2) Kentucky 86 – (1) Duke 84 (1998) [(5) Mich St. 94 - (2) Kentucky 88 (2ot) (2005)] r

    Midwest
    (1) Illinois 90 – (3) Arizona 89 (ot) (2005) [(1) Kansas 59 – (10) Davidson 57 (2008)] (close over (1) Kentucky 68 – (3) Notre Dame 66 (2015) since Davidson was a bigger sleeper]

    West:
    (2) Wisconsin 64 – (1) Arizona 63 (ot) (2014) [(1) UCLA 102 – (2) U.Conn 96 (1995)]

  9. #9
    Final Four

    Duke 79 – UNLV 77 (1991)

    Wisconsin 71 – Kentucky 64 (2015)

    [runners up: Indiana 97 - UNLV 93 (1987) and U.Conn 79 – Duke 78 (2004)]


    National Championship


    Villanova 66 – Georgetown 64 (1985)

    [runner up: Villanova 77 – N. Carolina 74 (2016)]

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