America 250 Rocktober Song #11: "Corn Dog Sonnet #7" by Sincere Engineer

We're heading back to the Midwest for the eleventh song of this Rocktober.  Chicago's Sincere Engineer has been putting out music for about ten years now.  I've had the pleasure of seeing them four or five times, and they put on a great show.  They always seem like they're (a) having fun and (b) grateful to be there -- which are two of the best qualities a band can have while onstage.

Musically, they straddle the line between punk, pop punk, and indie rock, whatever that means.  I think I would classify their songs as being observational, introspective, and/or somewhat self-deprecating.  And my selection probably falls within all everything I've just mentioned.

"Corn Dog Sonnet No. 7" is a song off the band's debut album, 2017's Rhombithian.  It doesn't get more American or more Midwestern than encased meat encased in cornmeal and deep fried -- and then writing and recording a song about it.  Well, more specifically, it's about lying on the couch all day and eating corn dogs.  The video, which was made by lead singer Deanna Belos, has various scenes of the songs lyrics written on things in mustard -- and as the liner notes to the YouTube video say, "probably ruined a lot of stuff in the process."  It doesn't get more Chicago than mustard and hot dogs.  Frankly, people who put ketchup on hot dogs are untrustworthy as humans.  There, I said it.

I'm going to be returning some videotapes tomorrow, but I'll be back on Monday for another exciting week of America 250 Rocktober.

America 250 Rocktober Song #10: "Renegades of Funk" by Rage Against the Machine

With the thousands of bands and artists from California, it was tough figuring out which one would be my choice for the Golden State's inclusion in this Rocktober celebration of American music.  But then I looked back though my detailed Rocktober records and realized I have never featured a song by Rage Against the Machine during Rocktober, and that made the choice easy.

Rage Against the Machine was formed in LA in the early '90s, and the band soon established itself as a unique force in the rock world.  Melding politically tinged lyrics with music grounded in metal, funk, and rap, all from a multi-racial band, Rage's music is as American as apple pie, you dirty capitalist.

Of all the Rage songs out there, I decided to go with one I could have included in last year's Coverocktober:  their 2000 cover of hip hop/rap pioneers Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force's 1983 song "Renegades of Funk."  And my choice is somewhat timely, as Bambaataa died earlier this year at the age of 68.

The song is about "renegades" and revolutionary figures throughout history, in thought, politics, civil rights, and the like.  So it was a perfect song for Rage to cover, and they did a hell of a job making it their own.  Rage transformed the song from a electronic hip hop song into a raging (pun intended) funk/rap metal song.  The video is also a nice homage to dozens of funk and hip-hop musicians, as well as the Civil Rights movement.  This is a song that requires you to roll the windows down and crank it when it comes on the radio.  And then jam, sucka.

Tuesday Top Ten: Rocking Songs with "America" in the Title

I forgot to do an America 250 Rocktober-themed Tuesday Top Ten last week, and frankly, we both deserve better.  But if I had done one last week, it would have been songs that contain the word "America" in the title, so let's do it now.  To keep things in line with the America 250 Rocktober parameters, I'm only going with songs from American artists.  I'm also going strictly with "America," rather than expanding it to "American," "Americana," "American't," etc.

And by Jove, remember, this is Rocktober, so this isn't mean to be some "best of" list of songs with "America" in the title, but rather ten songs that rock that have "America" in the title and are maybe from varying genres.  I'm just going in alphabetical order by artist, and I'll put the state where they're from in parentheses after the name).

1.  "New America" by Bad Religion (CA)

The title track to punk rockers Bad Religion's 2000 album has a nice sing-along chorus.

2.  "In America" by Britny Fox (PA)

Britny Fox put out this screamy hair metal song on their self-titled 1988 album.

3.  "Which Way to America" by Living Colour (NY)

Funk rockers Living Colour crush it on this frenetic funk rock song with a message.

4.  "America" by Neil Diamond (NY)

This was the first song I thought of when I started making this list, and then I thought "does this song rock hard enough to be included in Rocktober?"  The answer is yes, it does.

5.  "(You Can Still) Rock in America" by Night Ranger (CA)

Though best known for their sublime power ballad "Sister Christian," Night Ranger could rock with the best of 'em.

6.  "Little America" by REM (GA)

From their 1984 sophomore album, Reckoning, "Little America" is a great, fast-paced, new wavy college rock song.

7.  "Son of An America" by The So So Glos (NY)

You may not have heard of New York punk band The So So Glos, but I saw them years ago at Lollapalooza and then again at a small club here in Chicago.  "Son of An America" is a nice example of their catchy punk style.

8.  "Miss America" by Styx (IL)

"Miss America" is off of Styx's 1977 Grand Illusion album.  It starts out slow and orchestral, but then it kicks into the real song, a gritty rock song with some soulful vocals from James Young.

9.  "Somewhere in America" by Survivor (IL)

"Somewhere in America" is a bluesy, snarly rock song from the western suburbs' own Survivor, kind of like a nod to The Faces.

10.  "Surf Wax America" by Weezer (CA)

Among the many amazing songs on Weezer's iconic 1994 debut album ("The Blue Album"), perhaps "Surf Wax America" may get lost in the mix.  But this is a 

America 250 Rocktober Song #9: "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry

We're sticking in the Midwest for today's America 250 Rocktober selection.  I also realized that all the songs so far have been from the '80s or later, with the exception of ZZ Top's "Just Got Paid."  So I'm going even further back, to the nascent years of rock and roll.

Chuck Berry -- from St. Louis -- is, of course, one of the early stars of rock and roll and one of the most famous and influential musicians in rock history.  His guitar playing and showmanship have influenced countless musicians, from George Harrison to Keith Richards to Angus Young to Marty McFly.

While Berry's catalog is vast and plentiful, I had to go with one of his classics, 1958's "Johnny B. Goode."  We take it for granted by now, but what a hell of a song for the tail-end of the stodgy '50s.  It was the first rock and roll song about being a rock and roll star.  More importantly, it told a rags-to-riches tale of an illiterate country boy with an innate talent for playing the guitar -- telling us that anyone can be a rock star, regardless of socioeconomic backgrounds.  Musically, the song kicks off with that famous opening riff, and it's all energy for the rest of the song.

"Johnny B. Goode" went to #8 on the pre-cursor to the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.  In 1977, it was included as one of the 27 songs (and the only rock and roll song) on the Voyager Golden Record -- a record that was inserted into both the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecrafts, just in case aliens one day find either craft, figure out how to work the record player included in the craft, and then think, "man, that Earth place was super weird back at some point in time before it exploded several hundred thousand years ago."

My favorite sentence from the Wikipedia page about the Voyager Golden Record:  "Although neither Voyager spacecraft is heading toward any particular star, Voyager 1 will pass within 1.6 light-years' distance of the star Gliese 445, currently in the constellation Camelopardalis, in about 40,000 years."  So the closest we're gonna come to any potential alien lifeform discovering this record will be in 40,000 years when Voyager 1 comes within approximately 9.4 trillion miles of some star with a stupid name.  To put that in perspective, you could go to and from Pluto over 1,200 times, and it still wouldn't be 1.6 light years.

But I digress.  I'm embedding a fan video of the song that features the studio recording, but with some Berry TV performances.

America 250 Rocktober Song #8: "Livin' in the '80s" by Zero Boys

First off, I want to wish you all a happy Canadian Thanksgiving.  Second, there will be no Canadian music for you to hear, since we're celebrating American music this Rocktober.  Our next song comes from the Crossroads of America.  Formed in Indianapolis in 1980, Zero Boys were one of the few hardcore punk bands that wasn't from one of the coasts.  I had the pleasure of seeing them at Riot Fest last year, and I'd be lying if I told you I had heard any of their music before making my Riot Fest playlists.  But I liked what I heard!

They put out their self-released debut single, "Livin' in the '80s" in late 1980, and it was also later included on the band's first full-length album, 1981's Vicious Circle.  It starts off with a nice fuzzy guitar riff, and the song is about not being dead in the penultimate decade of the last millennium.  It has a nice sing-along call-and-response chorus, and it also packs in a nice little guitar solo into the two minutes and ten seconds of song.

The band continued to make music throughout the '80s, though most of their output was on compilations.  They broke up in the late '80s, but then reunited shortly thereafter and released studio albums in 1991 and 1993, before breaking up again for another decade.  They reunited in the mid aughts and put out another record in 2014.  Apparently, lead singer Paul Mahern now lives in Bloomington, so that's cool.

America 250 Rocktober Song #7: "Chains Around Heaven" by Black 'N Blue

For our second Hair Band Friday of this Rocktober celebrating American rock and roll, we're going to stay in the Pacific Northwest.  Glam metal rockers Black 'N Blue formed in Portland, Oregon in the early '80s before moving to L.A., as was the style at the time.

They first received attention when their song "Chains Around Heaven" -- the very song I have embedded below -- was included on the now-legendary original Metal Massacre compilation in 1982.  That compilation also featured then-unknown bands Metallica and Ratt, among others.  After moving to L.A., they were soon signed by Geffen, and they put out four records between 1984 and 1988, though none cracked the top 100 of the Billboard album chart.  Their third and fourth albums were produced by Gene Simmons.

The band broke up in 1989, but has gotten back together at various points and in various iterations over the decades.  In 2002, lead guitarist Tommy Thayer became a member of his old producer's band, KISS, playing the role of Spaceman ever since.

But back to the song.  "Chains Around Heaven" is a nice, hard-driving early '80s hard rock song with a catchy sing-along chorus -- a harbinger of what was to become of rock over the next decade.

Hair Band Friday - 10/9/26

1.  "Madalaine" by Winger

2.  "Girl Gone Bad" by Van Halen

3.  "Read My Body" by KISS

4.  "City Boy Blues" by Mötley Crüe

5.  "Rock Your Heart Out" by AC/DC

6.  "I Don't Believe in Love" by Queensrÿche

7.  "I Said the Wrong Thing to the Right Girl" by Keel

8.  "Valley of the Kings" by Blue Murder

9.  "Mystery" by Dio

10.  "The Angel Song" by Great White

America 250 Rocktober Song #6: "Cool Schmool" by Bratmobile

We've dabbled in the South, the Northeast, and the Midwest, but I haven't yet featured a band or artist from the West Coast.  The State of Washington has given us many great bands and artists over the years, including Jimi Hendrix, The Sonics, Heart, and many many grunge bands.  

But grunge wasn't the only genre to come out of the state in the early '90s.  A little more than an hour down I-5 from Seattle is the state capital, Olympia and Evergreen State College, a bastion of liberal thinking and creativity.  Out of Olympia came the riot grrrl scene, a DIY feminist punk genre spearheaded by bands like Bikini Kill, Heavens to Betsy, Bratmobile, Excuse 17, and Sleater-Kinney.

I've already featured songs by Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney in prior Rocktobers, so I'm going with Bratmobile, who I just saw put on a great show at Riot Fest a few weeks ago.  While two of the band's founding members, Allison Wolfe (who is from Olympia) and Molly Neuman met as students at the University of Oregon, the band played their first gig and recorded their first songs in Olympia.  They also played at the now-legendary International Pop Underground Convention in Olympia in August 1991.

Between 1993 and 1994, the band released a full-length album, an EP, and a live album, but then broke up on stage at a show in New York in May 1994.  They reunited just before the dawn of the new millennium and released two more albums, one in 2000 and another in 2002, before going their separate ways again.  But they reunited again a few years ago, which means a new generation (or Gen Xers who didn't really know about them the first time around) get a chance to see them.

Anyway, I'm going with "Cool Schmool," off of the band's debut album, 1993's Pottymouth.  It's a frantic, surf-rock-tinged punk song mostly about not being concerned about being cool, but also partly about hating dogs and loving cats.  So they got that part wrong.

America 250 Rocktober Song #5: "On the Dark Side" by John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band

For out fifth America 250 Rocktober song, we travel to America's smallest state, Rhode Island.  John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band formed in Narragansett -- which is not where Narragansett Brewing Company is located -- in the early '70s.

They achieved fame as the band behind the fictional band Eddie and The Cruisers in the 1983 film of the same name, where John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band played all of the original songs that were featured in the movie, though saxophonist Michael Antunes is the only member of the band who actually appears in the film.  

John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band/Eddie and The Cruisers' biggest hit was "On the Dark Side," a bar band rocker that could have seamlessly fit onto any of Bruce Springsteen's albums in the '80s (other than maybe Nebraska).  When the song was originally released in September 1983 (at the same time the movie was released), it didn't fare too well, only reaching #64 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It probably didn't help that the movie was pulled from theaters after three weeks because of poor ticket sales.

However, the movie found new life a year later on HBO and through video sales.  In fact, the movie did so well on HBO and in video sales that the studio re-released the soundtrack in 1984, and it reached #9 on the Billboard album chart and eventually went multi-platinum.  "On the Dark Side" was re-released as well, in August 1984, and it shot up to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart (where it stayed at the top for five weeks).  

The band continued to put out music for the rest of the decade and had another four Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.  John Cafferty also contributed a solo song, "Heart's On Fire," to the Rocky IV soundtrack.  In April 2025, they released their first studio album in 36 years, though unfortunately, Antunes died a few months later at 85.  Sorry, but I guess I just had to end on the -- wait for it -- dark side.

America 250 Rocktober Song #4: "Duality" by Slipknot

I've never featured a Slipknot song on Rocktober before, and now's as good a time as any, since I'm trying not to repeat bands/artists from the same state, and there aren't a ton of hard rock bands from Iowa.

Formed in 1995 in Des Moines -- which a lot of people don't realize is French for "the moines" -- Slipknot has like six dozen members, all of whom wear a unique creepy mask and jumpsuit.  They also play heavy metal music, and quite successfully at that.  Of the band's six studio albums, only their debut album didn't reach the Top 3 on the Billboard album chart, and three of their albums went to #1.

Released off of the band's third studio album, 2004's platinum-selling Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), "Duality" was one of the band's biggest hits, reaching #5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, #6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, #15 on the UK pop chart, and the Top 40 on the pop charts in Germany and Sweden.

The song is mostly a pretty hard metal song, with Corey Taylor kind of speed-talking the verses before the choruses explode with "I push my fingers into my EEEYYYYYEEEESSSS."  But what I've always liked about the song is that behind the brutal riffs and general hardcore nature of the song, the chorus is pretty damn melodic and hooky.  A duality, if you will.

Perhaps the coolest thing about the song is the video.  It was filmed at a fan's house in West Des Moines.  Apparently, the house was soon going to be renovated.  The band plays inside the house, while dozens of fans descend upon the house in what looks like a scene from Cornheart.  (I assume Cornheart would be the name of a Braveheart-style movie set in Iowa.)  They basically destroy the house in the process, breaking windows, plowing through walls, bustin pipes, and the like.  Hopefully, the renovations went swimmingly.

America 250 Rocktober Song #3: "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" by Dramarama

Thus far, we've had some blues rock and hair metal, so for song #3 on this celebration of American music, we'll go with some '80s alternative rock -- or as the kids used to call it, college rock.

Hailing from Wayne, New Jersey, Dramarama was formed in the early '80s in the basement of a record store owned by founding member and bassist Chris Carter.  For those fellow SiriusXM subscribers, you'll recognize him as the calm-voiced DJ on The Underground Garage's "Chris Carter's British Invasion."  But before he got into the disc jockeying game, his band Dramarama was making power pop and alternative rock in the mid '80s to early '90s.  In the early 2000s, they were featured on VH1's Bands Reunited show, and they got back together and put out another album in 2005 (and then another one in 2020).  

If you've heard only one song by Dramarama, it's probably "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)."  Originally released on the band's 1985 debut album Cinema Verite, the song was then re-released a few years later, when it was featured on the soundtrack to A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.  

I don't recall ever hearing this song until sometime in the last ten years, when I was watching VH1 Classic late at night and the video for this song came on (though it's a different video than the one embedded below, as there were apparently two videos made).  I thought the song was awesome, even if the video I saw looked like it was recorded on a camcorder.  Maybe that added to the song's mysterious charm.  I remember thinking "what is this homemade video I'm seeing of this unknown band singing this fantastic song from a bygone era that I've somehow never heard before?"  It's a frenetically paced song, written by lead singer John Easdale, inspired by his marriage that was falling apart.  His desperation comes through in his impassioned vocals, over the top of a catchy repeating guitar riff.  When I hear the term "college rock," this is exactly the kind of song I think of.  It doesn't fit squarely into any genre that was popular in the late '80s, but it's catchy and it rocks.

Listening to the song, it was certainly ahead of its time.  The song didn't chart in the U.S. (on any chart) either time it was released, and it was a very minor hit in Australia (#85) in 1989 after it was re-released.  I feel like if this song had been released between 1992 and 1994, it would have been a massive hit.

America 250 Rocktober Song #2: "Look But You Can't Touch" by Poison

Our first Hair Band Friday of this America 250 Rocktober comes from a band that I have only featured once previously during Rocktober -- way back in 2017, when the whole Rocktober was dedicated to hair bands.  Man, that was a blurry month.

Poison was formed in Mechanicburg, Pennsylvania, before moving to Los Angeles in 1985.  Despite their hair and makeup, I've always considered them a working-class band, which I very much mean as a compliment.  If you've ever seen them live, they put on a great show, and they always come across as very down to earth and accessible -- well, maybe not CC DeVille, but every band needs a wild card.

Their 1986 debut album Look What the Cat Dragged In was a smash, reaching #3 on the Billboard album chart and eventually going triple platinum.  There was no sophomore slump, as their follow-up, 1988's Open Up and Say . . . Ahh! hit #2 on the Billboard album chart and eventually went quintuple platinum.  The original album cover featured a demonic cat woman with a super long pointy tongue sticking out of her mouth -- which you see on the YouTube video below.  In the era of the PMRC and the "Satanic Panic," such an album cover drew the ire of parents' groups, so they had to change it to a redacted cover that only showed the woman's eyes.  It doesn't get more American than censoring album covers for the sake of the children.

The album featured four songs that charted in the Top 12 of the Billboard Hot 100, including the band's only #1, the iconic power ballad "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."  The others were "Nothin' But a Good Time" (#6), "Fallen Angel" (#12)," and their cover of Loggins & Messina's "Your Mama Don't Dance" (#10).

I'm going with a deep cut, but a good one:  "Look But You Can't Touch."  It's a balls-forward rocker that starts with a crunchy guitar riff, and the chorus is catchy as hell.  But the song is not your usual Decade of Decadence fare about getting laid.  It's quite the opposite.  The girl is chaste, and she staves off the narrator's advances, saying "you can look, but you can't touch, 'cause the best things in life ain't cheap" implying she's not going to do a damn thing with him absent some sort of long-term meaningful relationship, even after she chugs a beer in Bret's hotel room.

Hair Band Friday - 10/2/26

1.  "Smokin' In the Boys Room" by Mötley Crüe

2.  "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" by Tesla

3.  "The Torture Never Stops" by W.A.S.P.

4.  "Give Me More Time" by Whitesnake

5.  "Living in the Grey" by Lillian Axe

6.  "Love Hungry Man" by AC/DC

7.  "Fighting Against the World" by Vandenberg

8.  "You Are the One" by Slaughter

9.  "Secret Dreams" by Bon Jovi

10.  "Good Girl Gone Bad" by KISS

America 250 Rocktober Song #1: "Just Got Paid" by ZZ Top

The first song in this year's America 250 Rocktober is from a band that I have somehow never featured during Rocktober:  the legendary Texas trio ZZ Top.  It's somewhat bittersweet, as earlier this year, we lost drummer Frank Beard -- who was the only member of the band who didn't sport a beard -- leaving guitarist/singer Billy Gibbons as the only surviving member (bassist/singer Dusty Hill died in 2021).

"Just Got Paid" is the second song off of the band's sophomore album, 1972's Rio Grande Mud, and it is probably my favorite ZZ Top song.  This is just a badass blues rock song that should be played at maximum volume with all the windows rolled down while cruising around town in your 1977 Trans Am.  Or in your late-model minivan, for that matter. Gibbons's opening riff is infectious, Hill holds down the bottom with aplomb, and Beard gives us a few delicious fills.

I always imagine this song being played during a scene in a movie when our protagonist is triumphantly walking away from a situation where he or she crushed it when not expected to succeed, maybe throwing on a pair of sunglasses and cracking a wry "I can't believe I did it" smirk.  And yes, Hollywood, I am very open to talking about positions for whatever you might call someone who picks music for movies and/or TV shows.

It's Rocktober!

Dear readers, while I have admittedly shat the bed on posting for most of this year, there is one month that will bring me back into your lives:  Rocktober! 

A few months ago, America celebrated is 250th birthday.  I was still dead and there were no blogs when the bicentennial came and went, and I probably won't still be blogging when the tricentennial comes along, so to celebrate the semiquincentennial, this year's Rocktober theme will be America 250.

All of the songs will be from American bands or artists.  For band to qualify, more than 50% of the band must be American.  For example, the Jimi Hendrix Experience doesn't count because of the three members, only Jimi Hendrix himself was American.  And while Crosby, Stills & Nash would count (as Graham Nash was the only non-American), Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young would not count (because Neil Young is Canadian).

And just to make it significantly more difficult on myself, each band or artist I feature will be from a different state.  That way, we can truly experience music from across our nation, rather than just a bunch of songs by bands or artists from California or New York.  I'm not going to limit myself for any Tuesday Top Tens, as even I have limits.

As I do every October, I'm gonna give you a daily dose of rock, at least on the weekdays when I'm not out of town. There will be no repeated artists during the course of the month.  I'm going to try my best not to repeat songs that I have featured in prior Rocktobers, but I make no promises.  As always, the week leading up to Halloween will feature songs with dark, evil, or macabre themes.  And my Friday choices will, of course, be from hair bands.  Retro Video of the Week will be suspended during Rocktober (not that I've been posting those recently anyway), but Hair Band Friday will continue because Hair Band Friday cannot be killed.  

As always, remember that this is Rocktober, so these will all be bands, artists, and songs that rock, even though they may not always be from genres or artists that you would consider "rocking" or "rockers."  There will be popular songs, songs that you may never had heard before, and maybe even some bands and artists you've never heard of.  But for the sake of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, everything will rock.  

Hair Band Friday - 9/11/26

1.  "How Much Love" by Vixen

2.  "Heart on Fire" by Honeymoon Suite

3.  "Rebel Heart" by Kane Roberts

4.  "You Want What We Got" by Twisted Sister

5.  "The Titanic Overture" by W.A.S.P.

6.  "Owed to Joe" by BulletBoys

7.  "Ruck a Pit Bridge" by Tuff

8.  "Long Distance Love" by Loudness

9.  "Take the Dog Off the Chain" by Babylon A.D.

10.  "Mad Hatter" by Bonham

Hair Band Friday - 8/21/26

1.  "Broken Heart" by White Lion

2.  "Hit Me With The News" by Gorky Park

3.  "Voodoo" by Vandenberg

4.  "Four Barrel Heart of Love" by Twisted Sister

5.  "Get Used to It" by Giant

6.  "Snowballed" by AC/DC

7.  "Main Attraction" by White Lion

8.  "House of Pain" by Faster Pussycat

9.  "Hellraiser" by Ozzy Osbourne

10.  "Can't Get Enough (Part 1)" (live) by Scorpions

Hair Band Friday - 8/14/26

1.  "Two Sides of Love" by Sammy Hagar

2.  "Bad Boys" by Whitesnake

3.  "Forever Young" by Tyketto

4.  "Fade Away" by Spread Eagle

5.  "Hollywood" by Junkyard

6.  "Cutt Your Heart Out" by Rough Cutt

7.  "Coming of Age" by Damn Yankees

8.  "Paralyzed" by KISS

9.  "Summer Nights" by Van Halen

10.  "Only a Man" by Scorpions

Hair Band Friday - 5/15/26

1.  "Heaven's On Fire" by KISS

2.  "Over the Edge" by Hurricane

3.  "I Want You to Rock Me" by Vixen

4.  "2 Late 4 Love" by Tesla

5.  "Lethal Lover" by Giuffria

6.  "Use It or Lose It" by Mötley Crüe

7.  "Lie Like a Rug" by Kix

8.  "Gimme Some Lovin'" by Thunder

9.  "Different Worlds" by Vandenberg

10.  "Me and The Boys" by Twisted Sister

Hair Band Friday - 5/8/26

1.  "What You Give Is What You Get" by Ratt

2.  "Don't Tear Me Down" by Giuffria

3.  "Other Side of Midnight" by Honeymoon Suite

4.  "Gonna Walk" by Faster Pussycat

5.  "Waiting for the Big One" by Femme Fatale

6.  "I Am One" by W.A.S.P.

7.  "I Love It Loud" by KISS

8.  "What They Gonna Say Now" by Sammy Hagar

9.  "An English Man on Holiday" by Thunder

10.  "Rock in the Western World" by Sleeze Beez

Hair Band Friday - 5/1/26

1.  "Is This Love" by Whitesnake

2.  "I Can Hardly Wait" by Nelson

3.  "Higher Ground" by Thunder

4.  "Love You Forever" by Giuffria

5.  "All My Bridges Are Burning" by Warrant

6.  "Buying My Way Into Heaven" by Sammy Hagar

7.  "Spit Like This" by Tuff

8.  "No Surprise" by Ratt

9.  "Fortress" by Gorky Park

10.  "Six Guns Loaded" by Britny Fox

Hair Band Friday - 4/24/26

1.  "Face Down in the Gutter" by XYZ

2.  "Spellbound" by AC/DC

3.  "Toke About It" by Tesla

4.  "Gunfighter" by Dangerous Toys

5.  "All The Way" by Judas Priest

6.  "Cold Chills" by Kix

7.  "Fools" by Van Halen

8.  "Next Time Around" by Mr. Big

9.  "Wicked Sensation" by Lynch Mob

10.  "City Boy Blues" (demo) by Mötley Crüe

Hair Band Friday - 4/17/26

1.  "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake

2.  "Ballcrusher" by W.A.S.P.

3.  "Little Caesar" by KISS

4.  "One For the Money" by Black 'N Blue

5.  "Home Is Where the Heart Is" by FireHouse

6.  "Let's Make It" by AC/DC

7.  "Seven Doors Hotel" by Europe

8.  "Could This Be Magic?" by Van Halen

9.  "Too Big For My Britches" by Roxx Gang

10.  "Sweet Sister Mercy" by Lynch Mob

Hair Band Friday - 4/3/26

1.  "Inside Out" by XYZ

2.  "Don't Shoot Shotgun" by Def Leppard

3.  "We Can Work It Out" (live) by Tesla

4.  "Close My Eyes Forever" by Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne

5.  "Poison Ivy" by Faster Pussycat

6.  "Big Guns" by Skid Row

7.  "Back For More" by Ratt

8.  "Lay Your Hands On Me" by Bon Jovi

9.  "Open Your Heart" by Europe

10.  "Love's Got a Hold On Me" by Roxx Gang

Tuesday Top Ten: Fun Facts About This Year's NCAA Tournament and Final Four

I was out of town last week, so I didn't get to post my usual "Fun Facts About the NCAA Tournament" Tuesday Top Ten after the first two rounds.  But all that means is that I'm combining that with fun facts about the Final Four, so you get an extra long bonus post!

The NIL/transfer portal era continues to wreak havoc on the NCAA Tournament, as things were relatively chalky again this year (more on that below).

In the South, 3-seed Illinois pulled away from Big Ten rival 9-seed Iowa for a 71-59 win, to clinch the Illini's sixth Final Four appearance and first since 2005.  They have never won a national title and lost the only national title game in which they have appeared (also in 2005).

In the West, 1-seed Arizona dominated the overseeded 2-seed Purdue, 79-64.  The Wildcats will be playing in their fifth Final Four and first since 2001, when they lost in the title game to Duke.  They won a national title in 1997.

In the East, in what was the only exciting game in the Elite Eight, 2-seed UConn came back from a 19-point deficit to beat 1-seed Duke, 73-72, on a 35-foot three with 0.4 seconds left.  The Huskies will be playing in their eighth Final Four, and third in the last four years.  They have won six national titles, in 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, and 2024.

In the Midwest, 1-seed Michigan demolished 6-seed Tennessee, 95-62, to put the Wolverines in their ninth Final Four and first since 2018.  They won a national title in 1989.

Here is the schedule for this Saturday's semifinal games (times ET).  Both games are on TBS, TNT, and truTV:

(E2) UConn vs. (S3) Illinois - 6:09 p.m.

(W1) Arizona vs. (MW1) Michigan - 8:49 p.m.

As I do this time of year, I'm going to drop some NCAA Tournament and Final Four statistical knowledge on you.  This is the kind of shit I live for.

23.  First Four 11-seed Texas advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to 2-seed Purdue on a last-second shot.  Since the First Four format started in 2011, 14 First Four teams have advanced to the Round of 32 or beyond, with six making it to the Sweet 16 or beyond.  Here's a list of the years with First Four teams that have advanced to the Second Round or further (with how far they got in parentheses):

-2026:  11-seed Texas (Sweet 16)

-2024:  10-seed Colorado (Round of 32)

-2023:  11-seed Pittsburgh (Round of 32) and 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson (Round of 32)

-2022:  11-seed Notre Dame (Round of 32)

-2021:  11-seed UCLA (Final Four)

-2018:  11-seed Syracuse (Sweet 16)

-2017:  11-seed USC (Round of 32)

-2016:  11-seed Wichita State (Round of 32)

-2015:  11-seed Dayton (Round of 32)

-2014:  11-seed Tennessee (Sweet 16)

-2013:  13-seed LaSalle (Sweet 16)

-2012:  12-seed South Florida (Round of 32)

-2011:  11-seed VCU (Final Four)

22.  Four teams got their first-ever NCAA Tournament win:  

• 4-seed Nebraska, which beat 13-seed Troy in the First Round
• 12-seed High Point, which upset 5-seed Wisconsin in the First Round
• 16-seed Howard, which beat fellow 16-seed UMBC in the First Four
• 16-seed Prairie View A&M, which beat fellow 16-seed Lehigh in the First Four

21.  No 13-, 14-, 15- or 16-seeds won for the second year in a row.  Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, this is only the seventh time this has happened, with 1994, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2017, and 2025 being the other years.

20.  Not only was Nebraska's First Round win over Troy the Cornhuskers' first-ever NCAA Tournament win, but their win over Vanderbilt in the Second Round put them in their first-ever Sweet 16.  It's the 26th time since the tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1985 that a team played in its first Sweet 16.  Here is when it has happened (and the seed numbers of the teams), and to be clear, I am excluding teams that advanced further than the Sweet 16 when the tournament was 16 or fewer teams from 1939 to 1952, but have only advanced to the Sweet 16 once since 1985 (for instance, Washington State was the runner-up in 1941, but has only made it to the Sweet 16 once since 1985):

-2026:  Nebraska (#4)

-2023:  FAU (#9)**

-2022:  St. Peter's (#15)*

-2013:  Florida Gulf Coast (#15)

-2010:  Northern Iowa (#9)

-2005:  Wisconsin-Milwaukee (#12)

-2004:  Nevada (#10)

-2002:  Kent State (#10)*

-2011:  Mississippi (#3), San Diego State (#2), VCU (#11)**

-1999:  Gonzaga (#10)*, Southwest Missouri State (now known as Missouri State) (#12)

-1998:  Valparaiso (#13)

-1997:  Tennessee-Chattanooga (#14)

-1993:  George Washington (#12)

-1992:  UMass (#3)

-1991:  Eastern Michigan (#12)

-1990:  Xavier (#6)

-1989:  Seton Hall (#3)**

-1988:  Rhode Island (#11), Richmond (#13)

-1987:  Florida (#6)

-1986:  Cleveland State (#14)

-1985:  Auburn (#11), Louisiana Tech (#5)

*Advanced to Elite Eight

**Advanced to Final Four

19.  All in all, 8 higher-seeded teams upset lower-seeded teams in the First Round, and 4 higher-seeded teams upset lower-seeded teams in the Second Round.

18.  Iowa and St. John's both made it to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.  You may think a 27-year drought between Sweet 16 appearances is a long time, but relatively speaking, there are teams that waited a lot longer.  Here are the droughts between Sweet 16 appearances of 35 or more years (since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 16 teams in 1951):

-58 years:  LaSalle (1955-2013)

-56 years:  Cornell (1954-2010); Princeton (1967-2023)

-52 years:  Virginia Tech (1967-2019)

-51 years:  Bradley (1955-2006), St. Mary's (1959-2010)

-47 years:  Creighton (1974-2021)

-46 years:  Penn State (1955-2001)

-44 years:  South Carolina (1973-2017)

-42 years:  Oregon (1960-2002)

-41 years:  Butler (1962-2003)

-40 years:  USC (1961-2001)

-39 years:  Davidson (1969-2008), Oregon State (1982-2021), Tulsa (1955-1994)

-38 years:  Ohio (1964-2002)

-35 years:  Houston (1984-2019), West Virginia (1963-1998)

As long as we're looking at droughts, let's look at which schools have current Sweet 16 droughts of 50 or more years.  Again, it's since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 16 teams in 1951.  I'm adding a year, since they obviously didn't make this year's Sweet 16 -- and, of course, teams that are no longer Division 1 teams are not included, nor are teams that have never made the Sweet 16.  Here they are:

-76 years (1951):  Montana State, San Jose State

-74 years (1953):  Holy Cross

-73 years (1954):  Rice

-70 years (1957):  Canisius, Lafayette, St. Louis

-69 years (1958):  Dartmouth, Manhattan

-68 years (1959):  Boston University

-66 years (1961):  Morehead State

-64 years (1963):  Bowling Green

-63 years (1964):  Seattle (although they were not D-1 from 1980 to 2008)

-60 years (1967):  SMU

-59 years (1968):  Columbia, East Tennessee State, TCU

-58 years (1969):  Colorado, Colorado State, Duquesne

-57 years (1970):  Jacksonville, Niagara, Santa Clara, St. Bonaventure, Utah State

-56 years (1971):  Drake, Fordham, Pacific

-55 years (1972):  Weber State

-53 years (1974):  Furman, New Mexico

-52 years (1975):  Central Michigan, Montana

-51 years (1976):  Pepperdine, Western Michigan

-50 years (1977):  Charlotte, Detroit Mercy, Idaho State, VMI

17.  Here's every conference's last Sweet 16 team.  Note that, with all of the conference realignments over the years, this is for the conference itself and teams playing in that conference when they made the Sweet 16, and not necessarily for teams currently in each conference.  I'm going to do it by how many years it's been since the conference's last Sweet 16, listing the relevant teams.  For conferences with no Sweet 16s ever, I'll list the year they were founded.

• Zero years (2026)
• ACC:  Duke, Miami (FL)
• Big 12:  Arizona, Houston, Iowa State
• Big East:  UConn, St. John's
• Big Ten:  Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue
• SEC:  Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas
• 2 years (2024)
• Mountain West:  San Diego State
• West Coast:  Gonzaga
• 3 years (2023):
• AAC:  Houston
• Conference USA:  FAU
• Ivy League:  Princeton
• Pac-12:  UCLA
• 4 years (2022)
• MAAC:  St. Peter's
• 5 years (2021)
• Missouri Valley:  Loyola (IL)
• Summit:  Oral Roberts
• 12 years (2014)
• Atlantic 10:  Dayton
• 13 years (2013)
• Atlantic Sun:  Florida Gulf Coast
• 14 years (2012)
• MAC:  Ohio
• 15 years (2011)
• Colonial:  VCU
• Horizon:  Butler
• 16 years (2008)
• Southern Conference:  Davidson
• Sun Belt:  Western Kentucky
• 22 years (2004)
• WAC:  Nevada
• 34 years (1992)
• Big West:  New Mexico State
• 40 years (1985)
• Southland:  Louisiana Tech
• 41 years (1982)
• Big Sky:  Idaho
• 53 years (1973)
• Ohio Valley:  Austin Peay
• Never
• America East (founded 1979)
• Big South (founded 1983)
• MEAC (founded 1970)
• NEC (founded 1981)
• Patriot League (founded 1986)
• SWAC (founded 1920)

16.  Defending champ Florida lost to 9-seed Iowa in the Second Round.  It was the 28th time since seeding began in 1979 that the defending champ failed to make it to the Sweet 16.  If you're counting, that means a defending champ is nearly twice as likely not to make it to the Sweet 16 than to advance to the Sweet 16.  Here is a breakdown of defending champions who have lost before the Sweet 16 or failed to make the NCAA Tournament since 1979:

2026:  Florida (lost in Round of 32)

2025:  UConn (lost in Round of 32)

2023:  Kansas (lost in Round of 32)

2022:  Baylor (lost in Round of 32)

2021:  Virginia (lost in Round of 64)

2019:  Villanova (lost in Round of 32)

2018:  North Carolina (lost in Round of 32)

2017:  Villanova (lost in Round of 32)

2015:  UConn (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

2013:  Kentucky (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

2012:  UConn (lost in Round of 64)

2010:  North Carolina (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

2008:  Florida (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

2006:  North Carolina (lost in Round of 32)

2005:  UConn (lost in Round of 32)

2000:  UConn (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

1996:  UCLA (lost in Round of 64)

1994:  North Carolina (lost in Round of 32)

1993:  Duke (lost in Round of 32)

1990:  Michigan (lost in Round of 32)

1989:  Kansas (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

1988:  Indiana (lost in Round of 64)

1987:  Louisville (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

1986:  Villanova (lost in Round of 32)

1984:  NC State (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

1982:  Indiana (lost in Round of 32)

1981:  Louisville (lost in Round of 32)

1980:  Michigan State (did not make the NCAA Tournament)

15.  Only 4 double-digit seeds won their First Round games, which is the fewest since 2007 and only the sixth time since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 that fewer than five double-digit seeds made it past the First Round.  In the 42 tournaments since the Tournament expanded to 64 teams, there have been 253 double-digit seeds that have won their First Round games, which is an average of 6.023 per year.  Here is a year-by-year list of every double-digit seed that has won its First Round game since 1985:

2026:  4 (#10 Texas A&M, #11 Texas, VCU, #12 High Point)

2025:  5 (#10 Arkansas, #10 New Mexico, #11 Drake, #12 Colorado State, #12 McNeese)

2024:  8 (#10 Colorado, #11 Duquesne, #11 NC State, #11 Oregon, #12 Grand Canyon, #12 James Madison, #13 Yale, #14 Oakland)

2023:  5 (#10 Penn State, #11 Pitt, #13 Furman, #15 Princeton, #16 Fairleigh Dickinson)

2022:  7 (#10 Miami, #11 Iowa State, #11 Michigan, #11 Notre Dame, #12 New Mexico State, #12 Richmond, #15 St. Peter's)

2021:  9 (#10 Maryland, Rutgers, #11 Syracuse, UCLA, #12 Oregon State, #13 North Texas, #13 Ohio, #14 Abilene Christian, #15 Oral Roberts)

2019:  8 (#10 Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, #11 Ohio State, #12 Liberty, Murray State, Oregon, #13 UC Irvine)

2018:  6 (#10 Butler, #11 Loyola (IL), Syracuse, #13 Buffalo, Marshall, #16 UMBC)

2017:  5 (#10 Wichita State, #11 Rhode Island, USC, Xavier, #12 Middle Tennessee State)

2016:  10 (#10 Syracuse, VCU, #11 Gonzaga, Northern Iowa, Wichita State, #12 Little Rock, Yale, #13 Hawaii, #14 Stephen F. Austin, #15 Middle Tennessee State)

2015:  5 (#10 Ohio State, #11 Dayton, UCLA, #14 UAB, Georgia State)

2014:  6 (#10 Stanford, #11 Dayton, Tennessee, #12 Harvard, North Dakota State, Stephen F. Austin)

2013:  8 (#10 Iowa State, #11 Minnesota, #12 California, Mississippi, Oregon, #13 LaSalle, #14 Harvard, #15 Florida Gulf Coast)

2012:  9 (#10 Purdue, Xavier, #11 Colorado, North Carolina State, #12 South Florida, VCU, #13 Ohio, #15 Lehigh, Norfolk State)

2011:  6 (#10, Florida State, #11 Gonzaga, Marquette, VCU, #12 Richmond, #13 Morehead State)

2010:   8 (#10 Georgia Tech, Missouri, St. Mary's, #11 Old Dominion, Washington, #12 Cornell, #13 Murray State, #14 Ohio)

2009:  8 (#10 Maryland, Michigan, USC, #11 Dayton, #12 Arizona, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin, #13 Cleveland State)

2008:  6 (#10 Davidson, #11 Kansas State, #12 Villanova, Western Kentucky, #13 San Diego, Siena)

2007:  2 (#11 Winthrop, VCU)

2006:  8 (#10 Alabama, NC State, #11 George Mason, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, #12 Montana, Texas A&M, #13 Bradley, #14 Northwestern State)

2005:  5 (#10 NC State, #11 UAB, #12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee, #13 Vermont, #14 Bucknell)

2004:  3 (#10 Nevada, #12 Manhattan, Pacific)

2003:  5 (#10 Arizona State, Auburn, #11 Central Michigan, #12 Butler, #13 Tulsa)

2002:  7 (#10 Kent State, #11 Southern Illinois, Wyoming, #12 Creighton, Missouri, Tulsa, #13 UNC-Wilmington)

2001:  9 (#10 Butler, Georgetown, #11 Georgia State, Temple, #12 Gonzaga, Utah State, #13 Indiana State, Kent State, #15 Hampton)

2000:  3 (#10 Gonzaga, Seton Hall, #11 Pepperdine)

1999:  8 (#10 Creighton, Gonzaga, Miami (OH), Purdue, #12 Detroit, Southwest Missouri State, #13 Oklahoma, #14 Weber State)

1998:  8 (#10 Detroit, West Virginia, St. Louis, #11 Washington, Western Michigan, #12 Florida State, #13 Valparaiso, #14 Richmond)

1997:  5 (#10 Providence, Texas, #12 Charleston, #14 Tennessee-Chattanooga, #15 Coppin State)

1996:  6 (#10 Santa Clara, Texas, #11 Boston College, #12 Arkansas, Drexel, #13 Princeton)

1995:  6 (#10 Stanford, #11 Texas, #12 Miami (OH), #13 Manhattan, #14 Old Dominion, Weber State)

1994:  5 (#10 George Washington, Maryland, #11 Pennsylvania, #12 Tulsa, Wisconsin-Green Bay)

1993:  4 (#11 Tulane, #12 George Washington, #13 Southern, #15 Santa Clara)

1992:  5 (#10 Iowa State, Tulane, #12 New Mexico State, #13 Southwest Louisiana, #14 East Tennessee State)

1991:  8 (#10 BYU, Temple, #11 Connecticut, Creighton, #12 Eastern Michigan, #13 Penn State, #14 Xavier, #15 Richmond)

1990:  5 (#10 Texas, #11 Loyola Marymount, #12 Ball State, Dayton, #14 Northern Iowa)

1989:  8 (#10 Colorado State, #11 Evansville, Minnesota, South Alabama, Texas, #12 DePaul, #13 Middle Tennessee State, #14 Siena)

1988:  4 (#10 Loyola Marymount, #11 Rhode Island, #13 Richmond, #14 Murray State)

1987:  6 (#10 LSU, Western Kentucky, #12 Wyoming, #13 Southwest Missouri State, Xavier, #14 Austin Peay)

1986:  5 (#10 Villanova, #11 LSU, #12 DePaul, #14 Arkansas-Little Rock, Cleveland State)

1985:  5 (#11 Auburn, Boston College, UTEP, #12 Kentucky, #13 Navy)

14.  The average seed number for Sweet 16 teams this year was 3.75, which is a below average and the third year in a row (and only the 13th time since 1979) that it's below 4.  Of course, if the seeding played out as it should (i.e., all teams seeded 1-4 advancing to the Sweet 16, which has never happened), the average seed number would be 2.5. Here is the average seed of Sweet 16 teams since 1979 (with the years when the average seed number was 5 or higher bolded):

2026:  3.75

2025:  3.4375

2024:  3.3125

2023:  4.875

2022:  5.3125

2021: 5.875

2019: 3.0625

2018: 5.3125

2017: 4.0625

2016: 4.125

2015: 4.375

2014: 4.9375

2013: 5.0625

2012: 4.5625

2011: 5

2010: 5

2009: 3.0625

2008: 4.375

2007: 3.1875

2006: 4.4375

2005: 4.5

2004: 4.5625

2003: 4.1875

2002: 4.6875

2001: 4.5625

2000: 5.3125

1999: 5.5

1998: 4.75

1997: 4.8125

1996: 3.6875

1995: 3.1875

1994: 4.25

1993: 4.0625

1992: 4.1875

1991: 4

1990: 5.5

1989: 3.125

1988: 4.3125

1987: 4.25

1986: 5.5625

1985: 4.875

1984: 3.8125

1983: 3.5

1982: 3.1875

1981: 4.5625

1980: 4.125

1979: 3.8125

13.  In what may be another sign of the NIL/transfer portal era -- where mid-major and low-major studs transfer up to major conferences after a good year -- for the second year in a row and second time since seeding began in 1979, there were no mid-majors in the Sweet 16. (I consider schools in conferences other than the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 (until 2024), and SEC to be mid-majors, even if a school is now in one of those conferences, so, for instance, Butler and Xavier were mid-majors before joining the Big East a couple years ago, but are no longer mid-majors. It's not a perfect science. Deal with it.)  29 mid-majors have advanced to the Final Four since 1979.  Here is a year-by-year breakdown of the number of mid-major teams that made it to the Sweet 16 since 1979:

2026:  0

2025:  0

2024:  2 (San Diego State, Gonzaga)

2023:  5 (FAU*, Gonzaga, Houston, Princeton, and San Diego State*)

2022:  3 (Gonzaga, Houston, St. Peter's)

2021:  4 (Gonzaga*, Houston*, Loyola (IL), Oral Roberts)

2019: 2 (Gonzaga, Houston)

2018: 3 (Gonzaga, Loyola (IL)*, Nevada)

2017: 1 (Gonzaga*)

2016: 1 (Gonzaga)

2015: 2 (Gonzaga, Wichita State)

2014: 2 (Dayton, San Diego State)

2013: 3 (Florida Gulf Coast, LaSalle, Wichita State*)

2012: 2 (Ohio, Xavier)

2011: 5 (Butler*, BYU, Richmond, San Diego State, VCU*)

2010: 5 (Butler*, Cornell, Northern Iowa, St. Mary's, Xavier)

2009: 3 (Gonzaga, Memphis, Xavier)

2008: 4 (Davidson, Memphis*, Western Kentucky, Xavier)

2007: 4 (Butler, Memphis, Southern Illinois, UNLV)

2006: 5 (Bradley, George Mason*, Gonzaga, Memphis, Wichita State)

2005: 2 (Utah, UW-Milwaukee)

2004: 4 (Nevada, St. Joseph's, UAB, Xavier)

2003: 2 (Butler, Marquette*)

2002: 2 (Kent State, Southern Illinois)

2001: 2 (Cincinnati, Gonzaga, Temple)

2000: 2 (Gonzaga, Tulsa)

1999: 4 (Gonzaga, Miami (OH), SW Missouri State, Temple)

1998: 3 (Rhode Island, Utah*, Valparaiso)

1997: 3 (St. Joseph's, Utah, UT-Chattanooga)

1996: 3 (Cincinnati, Massachusetts*, Utah)

1995: 3 (Massachusetts, Memphis, Tulsa)

1994: 2 (Marquette, Tulsa)

1993: 4 (Cincinnati, George Washington, Temple, Western Kentucky)

1992: 5 (Cincinnati*, Memphis State, Massachusetts, New Mexico State, UTEP)

1991: 4 (Eastern Michigan, Temple, UNLV*, Utah)

1990: 4 (Ball State, Loyola Marymount, UNLV**, Xavier)

1989: 2 (Louisville, UNLV)

1988: 4 (Louisville, Rhode Island, Richmond, Temple)

1987: 3 (DePaul, UNLV*, Wyoming)

1986: 5 (Cleveland State, DePaul, Louisville**, Navy, UNLV)

1985: 3 (Louisiana Tech, Loyola (IL), Memphis State*)

1984: 6 (Dayton, DePaul, Houston*, Louisville, Memphis State, UNLV)

1983: 4 (Houston*, Louisville, Memphis State, Utah)

1982: 6 (Fresno State, Houston*, Idaho, Louisville*, Memphis State, UAB)

1981: 5 (BYU, St. Joseph's, UAB, Utah, Wichita State)

1980: 2 (Lamar, Louisville**)

1979: 8 (DePaul*, Indiana State*, Louisville, Marquette, Penn*, Rutgers, San Francisco, Toledo)

*Advanced to Final Four

**Won NCAA title

12.  There were two teams seeded 8 or lower that advanced to the Sweet 16 (9-seed Iowa in the South Region and 11-seed Texas in the West Region), which is below the average.  Since 1979, 118 teams seeded 8 or lower have advanced to the Sweet 16, for an average of 2.51 teams per year.  Seventeen teams seeded 8 or higher have advanced to the Final Four (Villanova in 1985 was the only national champion).  Here is a year-by-year breakdown of the number of teams seeded #8 or lower that made it to the Sweet 16 since 1979:

2026:  2 (#9 Iowa, #11 Texas)

2025:  1 (#10 Arkansas)

2024:  1 (#11 NC State*)

2023:  3 (#8 Arkansas, #9 FAU*, #15 Princeton)

2022:  5 (#8 North Carolina*, #10 Miami, #11 Iowa State, #11 Michigan, #15 St. Peter's)

2021:  5 (#8 Loyola (IL), #11 Syracuse, #11 UCLA*, #12 Oregon State, #15 Oral Roberts)

2019: 1 (#12 Oregon)

2018: 4 (#9 Florida State, #9 Kansas State, #11 Loyola (IL)*, #11 Syracuse)

2017: 2 (#8 Wisconsin, #11 Xavier)

2016: 2 (#10 Syracuse*, #11 Gonzaga)

2015: 2 (#8 NC State, #11 UCLA)

2014: 4 (#8 Kentucky*, #10 Stanford, #11 Dayton, #11 Tennessee)

2013: 4 (#9 Wichita State*, #12 Oregon, #13 LaSalle, and #15 Florida Gulf Coast)

2012: 3 (#10 Xavier, #11 NC State, and #13 Ohio)

2011: 5 (#8 Butler*, #10 Florida State, #11 Marquette, #11 VCU*, and #12 Richmond)

2010: 4 (#9 Northern Iowa, #10 St. Mary's, #11 Washington, #12 Cornell)

2009: 1 (#12 Arizona)

2008: 3 (#10 Davidson, #12 Villanova, #12 Western Kentucky)

2007: 0

2006: 2 (#11 George Mason*, #13 Bradley)

2005: 2 (#10 North Carolina State, #12 UW-Milwaukee)

2004: 3 (#8 Alabama, #9 UAB, #10 Nevada)

2003: 2 (#10 Auburn, #12 Butler)

2002: 4 (#8 UCLA, #10 Kent State, #11 Southern Illinois, #12 Missouri)

2001: 3 (#10 Georgetown, #11 Temple, #12 Gonzaga)

2000: 4 (#8 North Carolina*, #8 Wisconsin*, #10 Seton Hall, #10 Gonzaga)

1999: 5 (#10 Gonzaga, #10 Miami (OH), #10 Purdue, #12 Southwest Missouri State, #13 Oklahoma)

1998: 4 (#8 Rhode Island, #10 West Virginia, #11 Washington, #13 Valparaiso)

1997: 3 (#10 Texas, #10 Providence, #14 UT-Chattanooga)

1996: 2 (#8 Georgia, #12 Arkansas)

1995: 0

1994: 2 (#9 Boston College, #10 Maryland, #12 Tulsa)

1993: 1 (#12 George Washington)

1992: 2 (#9 UTEP, #12 New Mexico State)

1991: 3 (#10 Temple, #11 Connecticut, #12 Eastern Michigan)

1990: 4 (#8 North Carolina, #10 Texas, #11 Loyola Marymount, #12 Ball State)

1989: 1 (#11 Minnesota)

1988: 2 (#11 Rhode Island, #13 Richmond)

1987: 2 (#10 LSU, #12 Wyoming)

1986: 4 (#8 Auburn, #11 LSU*, #12 DePaul, #14 Cleveland State)

1985: 4 (#8 Villanova**, #11 Auburn, #11 Boston College, #12 Kentucky)

1984: 1 (#10 Dayton)

1983: 1 (#10 Utah)

1982: 1 (#8 Boston College)

1981: 2 (#8 Kansas State, #9 St. Joseph's)

1980: 2 (#8 UCLA*, #10 Lamar)

1979: 2 (#9 Penn*, #10 St. John's)

*Advanced to Final Four

**Won NCAA title

11.  All four schools in the Final Four -- Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and UConn -- are public schools.  That has happened 24 other times.  Here they are (winner listed first, runner-up second, other two after):

-2024:  UConn, Purdue, Alabama, NC State

-2019:  Virginia, Texas Tech, Auburn, Michigan State

-2014:  UConn, Kentucky, Florida, Wisconsin

-2012:  Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State, Louisville

-2008:  Kansas, Memphis, UCLA, North Carolina

-2006:  Florida, UCLA, LSU, George Mason

-2005:  North Carolina, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan State

-2002:  Maryland, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma

-2000:  Michigan State, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin

-1997:  Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina

-1995:  UCLA, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma State

-1993:  North Carolina, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas

-1983:  NC State, Houston, Louisville, Georgia

-1981:  Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, LSU

-1980:  Louisville, UCLA, Purdue, Iowa

-1976:  Indiana, Michigan, UCLA, Rutgers

-1972:  UCLA, Florida State, North Carolina, Louisville

-1968:  UCLA, North Carolina, Ohio State, Houston

-1959:  California, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Louisville

-1953:  Indiana, Kansas, Washington, LSU

-1951:  Kentucky, Kansas State, Illinois, Oklahoma A&M

-1949:  Kentucky, Oklahoma A&M, Illinois, Oregon State

-1946:  Oklahoma A&M, North Carolina, Ohio State, California

-1941:  Wisconsin, Washington State, Arkansas, Pittsburgh

10.  Here's every conference's last Final Four team.  Again, note that, with all of the conference realignments over the years, this is for the conference itself and teams playing in that conference when they made the Final Four, and not necessarily for teams currently in each conference.  I'm going to do it by how many years it's been since the conference's last Final Four, listing the relevant teams, and even though there wasn't an NCAA Tournament in 2020, I'm just going with actual years, rather than not including 2020.  For conferences with no Final Fours ever, I'll list the year they were founded (and I'm not including defunct conferences).

• Zero years (2026)
• Big 12:  Arizona
• Big East:  UConn
• Big Ten:  Illinois, Michigan
• 1 year (2025):
• ACC:  Duke
• SEC:  Auburn, Florida
• 3 years (2023):
• Conference USA:  FAU
• Mountain West:  San Diego State
• 5 years (2021)
• AAC:  Houston
• Pac-12:  UCLA
• WCC:  Gonzaga
• 8 years (2018)
• Missouri Valley:  Loyola (IL)
• 15 years (2011)
• Colonial:  VCU
• Horizon:  Butler
• 28 years (1998)
• WAC:  Utah
• 30 years (1996)
• Atlantic 10:  UMass
• 35 years (1991)
• Big West:  UNLV
• 47 years (1979)
• Ivy League:  Penn
• 49 years (1977)
• Sun Belt:  UNC Charlotte
• 55 years (1971)
• Ohio Valley:  Western Kentucky
• 76 years (1950)
• SoCon:  NC State
• Never
• America East (founded 1979)
• Atlantic Sun (founded 1978)
• Big Sky (founded 1963)
• Big South (founded 1983)
• MAAC (founded 1980)
• MAC (founded 1946)
• MEAC (founded 1970)
• NEC (founded 1981)
• Patriot League (founded 1986)
• Southland (founded 1963)
• Summit League (founded 1982)
• SWAC (founded 1920)

9.  With Illinois and Michigan both making it to the Final Four, the Big Ten has a 50% chance to end its 26-year national title drought.  Here is every conference's last national title.  For conferences with no national titles ever, I'll list the year they were founded (and I'm not including defunct conferences).  I'll list the conferences that have won a national title first, followed by those conferences that have never won a title.  I'm also including the Pac-10/Pac-12, since it's coming back in 2027.

• Conferences with national titles
• AAC:  12 years (UConn, 2014)
• ACC:  7 years (Virginia, 2019)
• Big 12:  4 years  (Kansas, 2022)
• Big East:  2 years (UConn, 2024)
• Big Ten:  26 years (Michigan State, 2000)
• Big West:  36 years (UNLV, 1990)
• Missouri Valley:  64 years (Cincinnati, 1962)
• Pac-10/Pac-12:  29 years (Arizona, 1997)
• SEC:  1 year (Florida, 2025)
• WCC/West Coast Athletic Conference/California Basketball Association:  69 years (San Francisco, 1956)
• Conferences without national titles
• America East (founded 1979)
• Atlantic 10 (founded 1976)
• Atlantic Sun (founded 1978)
• Big Sky (founded 1963)
• Big South (founded 1983)
• Coastal/Colonial (founded 1979)
• Conference USA (founded 1995)
• Horizon (founded 1979)
• Ivy League (founded 1954)
• MAAC (founded 1980)
• MAC (founded 1946)
• MEAC (founded 1970)
• Mountain West (founded 1998)
• NEC (founded 1981)
• Ohio Valley (founded 1948)
• Patriot League (founded 1986)
• Southern Conference (founded 1921)
• Southland (founded 1963)
• Summit League (founded 1982)
• Sun Belt (founded 1976)
• SWAC (founded 1920)
• WAC (founded 1962)

8.  Since 2000, the ACC has sent 8 different schools to the Final Four, for a total of 20 appearances, the latter of which is the most of any conference this millennium.  With Arizona going to the Final Four for the first time as a member of the Big 12, the Big 12 has now also sent 8 different schools to the Final Four since 2000.  Here are the conferences ranked by number of teams that have made it to the Final Four since 2000:

1.  ACC - 8 schools for 20 appearances:  North Carolina (7), Duke (6), Maryland (2), Georgia Tech (1), Miami (1), NC State (1), Syracuse (1), Virginia (1)

2.  Big Ten - 7 schools for 17 appearances:  Michigan State (7), Michigan (3), Wisconsin (3), Ohio State (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (1), Purdue (1)

3.  Big 12 - 8 schools for 14 appearances:  Kansas (6), Oklahoma (2), Arizona (1), Baylor (1), Oklahoma State (1), Texas (1), Texas Tech (1), Houston (1)

4 (tie).  Big East - 6 schools for 16 appearances:  UConn (6), Villanova (4), Louisville (2), Syracuse (2), Georgetown (1), West Virginia (1)

4 (tie).  SEC - 6 schools for 14 appearances:  Florida (5), Kentucky (4), Auburn (2), Alabama (1), LSU (1), South Carolina (1)

6.  Conference USA - 4 schools for 4 appearances:  FAU (1), Louisville (1), Marquette (1), Memphis (1)

7.  Pac-10/Pac-12 - 3 schools for 6 appearances:  UCLA (4), Arizona (1), Oregon (1)

8 (tie):  Colonial - 2 schools for 2 appearances:  George Mason (1), VCU (1)

8 (tie):  Missouri Valley - 2 schools for 2 appearances:  Loyola (IL) (1), Wichita State (1)

8 (tie).  American Athletic Conference - 2 schools for 2 appearances:  UConn (1), Houston (1)

11 (tie).  West Coast - 1 school for 2 appearances:  Gonzaga (2)

11 (tie):  Horizon - 1 schools for 2 appearances:  Butler (2)

11 (tie).  Mountain West - 1 school for 1 appearance:  San Diego State (1)

7.  Michigan coach Dusty May previously took FAU to the Final Four in 2023, becoming the 15th head coach to guide two or more schools to the Final Four (including vacated appearances).  Here is the list of everyone who's done it:

Forddy Anderson (Bradley, 1950, 1954; Michigan State, 1957)

Gene Bartow (Memphis, 1973; UCLA, 1976)

Larry Brown (UCLA, 1980; Kansas, 1986, 1988)

John Calipari (UMass, 1996; Memphis, 2008; Kentucky, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015)

Hugh Durham (Florida State, 1972; Georgia, 1983)

Jack Gardner (Kansas State, 1948, 1951; Utah, 1961, 1966)

Lou Henson (New Mexico State, 1970; Illinois, 1989)

Bob Huggins (Cincinnati, 1992; West Virginia, 2010)

Lon Kruger (Florida, 1994; Oklahoma, 2016)

Jim Larranaga (George Mason, 2006; Miami (FL), 2023)

Dusty May (FAU, 2023; Michigan, 2026)

Frank McGuire (Kansas, 1952; North Carolina, 1957)

Lute Olson (Iowa, 1980; Arizona, 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001)

Rick Pitino (Providence, 1987; Kentucky, 1993, 1996, 1997; Louisville, 2005, 2012, 2013)

Lee Rose (Charlotte, 1977; Purdue, 1980)

Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma, 2002; Houston, 2021, 2025)

Eddie Sutton (Arkansas, 1978; Oklahoma State, 1995, 2004)

Roy Williams (Kansas, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2003; North Carolina, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017)

6.  UConn head coach Dan Hurley will be coaching in his third Final Four in the last four years, becoming the 38th head coach to go to the Final Four at least three times (including vacated appearances).  Here is the list of each head coach who has gone to three or more Final Fours:

• 13 times
• Mike Krzyzewski (Duke, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015, 2022)
• 12 times
• John Wooden (UCLA, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975)
• 11 times
• Dean Smith (North Carolina, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997)
• 9 times
• Roy Williams (Kansas, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2003; North Carolina, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017)
• 8 times
• Tom Izzo (Michigan State, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019)
• 7 times
• Rick Pitino (Providence, 1987; Kentucky, 1993, 1996, 1997; Louisville, 2005, 2012, 2013)
• 6 times
• John Calipari (UMass, 1996; Memphis, 2008; Kentucky, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015)
• Denny Crum (Louisville, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986)
• Adolph Rupp (Kentucky, 1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966)
• 5 times
• Jim Boeheim (Syracuse, 1987, 1996, 2003, 2013, 2016)
• Bob Knight (Indiana, 1973, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1992)
• Guy Lewis (Houston, 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984)
• Lute Olson (Iowa, 1980; Arizona, 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001)
• 4 times
• Jim Calhoun (UConn, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2011)
• Billy Donovan (Florida, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2014)
• Jack Gardner (Kansas State, 1948, 1951; Utah, 1961, 1966)
• Henry Iba (Oklahoma State (then A&M), 1945, 1946, 1949, 1951)
• Harold Olsen (Ohio State, 1939, 1944, 1945, 1946)
• Bill Self (Kansas, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022)
• Jerry Tarkanian (UNLV, 1977, 1987, 1990, 1991)
• Fred Taylor (Ohio State, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1968)
• Jay Wright (Villanova , 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022)
• 3 times
• Phog Allen (Kansas, 1940, 1952, 1953)
• Forddy Anderson (Bradley, 1950, 1954; Michigan State, 1957)
• Larry Brown (UCLA, 1980; Kansas, 1986, 1988)
• Vic Bubas (Duke, 1963, 1964, 1966)
• Harry Combes (Illinois, 1949, 1951, 1952)
• Steve Fisher (Michigan, 1989, 1992, 1993)
• Joe B. Hall (Kentucky, 1975, 1978, 1984)
• Ben Howland (UCLA, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• Dan Hurley (UConn, 2023, 2024, 2026)
• Ed Jucker (Cincinnati, 1961, 1962, 1963)
• Nolan Richardson (Arkansas, 1990, 1994, 1995)
• Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma, 2002; Houston, 2021, 2025)
• Eddie Sutton (Arkansas, 1978; Oklahoma State, 1995, 2004)
• John Thompson (Georgetown, 1982, 1984, 1985)
• Phil Woolpert (San Francisco, 1955, 1956, 1957)

5.  On the flipside, Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Illinois's Brad Underwood are both coaching in their first Final Fours.  If either win the title, it will be the 30th time that a first-time Final Four coach will have won the championship.  Of course, those numbers are heavily skewed towards the beginning decades of the NCAA Tournament.  Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, it has only happened 10 times, though in three of the last five tournaments.  Here is everyone (including before 1985), in reverse chronological order:

-Dan Hurley (UConn, 2023)

-Scott Drew (Baylor, 2021)

-Tony Bennett (Virginia, 2019)

-Kevin Ollie (UConn, 2014)

-Bill Self (Kansas, 2008)

-Jim Calhoun (UConn, 1999)

-Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 1998)

-Jim Harrick (UCLA, 1995)

-Steve Fisher (Michigan, 1989)

-Rollie Massimino (Villanova, 1985)

-Jim Valvano (NC State, 1983)

-Jud Heathcote (Michigan State, 1979)

-Norm Sloan (NC State, 1974)

-Don Haskins (Texas Western, 1966)

-George Ireland (Loyola (IL), 1963)

-Ed Jucker (Cincinnati, 1961)

-Fred Taylor (Ohio State, 1960)

-Pete Newell (California, 1959)

-Phil Woolpert (San Francisco, 1955)

-Ken Loeffler (LaSalle, 1954)

-Doggie Julian (Holy Cross, 1947)

-Henry Iba (Oklahoma A&M, 1945)

-Vadal Peterson (Utah, 1944)

-Everett Shelton (Wyoming, 1943)

-Everett Dean (Stanford, 1942)

-Harold E. Foster (Wisconsin, 1941)

-Branch McCracken (Indiana, 1940)

-Howard Hobson (Oregon, 1939)

4.  With UConn going to the Final Four this year, there are now 11 schools with 8 or more Final Fours (including vacated appearances):  North Carolina (21), UCLA (19), Duke (18), Kentucky (17), Kansas (16), Ohio State (11), Louisville (10), Michigan State (10), Michigan (9), Indiana (8), and UConn (8).  One of those teams has been in every Final Four since the year after the Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985 and all but 8 of 87 Final Fours overall (1941, 1943, 1947, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1985).

3.  Two 1-seeds made it to the Final Four, which is a little above average.  Overall, 77 1-seeds have made it to the Final Four in the 47 tournaments since seeding began in 1979, for an average of 1.638 1-seeds in the Final Four each year.  That means a little under 41% of all 1-seeds have advanced to the Finals Four.  However, the 1-seeds that do make it to the Final Four have a pretty good shot at winning it all, as 1-seeds have won 28 national titles since 1979 (nearly 61%), including 7 of the last 8.  Here is a breakdown of how many #1 seeds have advanced to the Final Four each year since 1979.

2026:  2 (Arizona, Michigan)

2025:  4 (Florida*, Houston**, Auburn, Duke)

2024:  2 (UConn*, Purdue**)

2023:  0

2022:  1 (Kansas*)

2021:  2 (Baylor*, Gonzaga**)

2019:  1 (Virginia*)

2018:  2 (Villanova*, Kansas)

2017:  2 (North Carolina*, Gonzaga**)

2016: 1 (North Carolina**)

2015: 3 (Duke*, Wisconsin**, Kentucky)

2014: 1 (Florida)

2013: 1 (Louisville*)

2012: 1 (Kentucky*)

2011: 0

2010: 1 (Duke*)

2009: 2 (North Carolina*, Connecticut)

2008: 4 (Kansas*, Memphis**, North Carolina, UCLA)

2007: 2 (Florida*, Ohio State**)

2006: 0

2005: 2 (North Carolina*, Illinois**)

2004: 1 (Duke)

2003: 1 (Texas)

2002: 2 (Maryland*, Kansas)

2001: 2 (Duke*, Michigan State)

2000: 1 (Michigan State*)

1999: 3 (Connecticut*, Duke**, Michigan State)

1998: 1 (North Carolina)

1997: 3 (Kentucky**, North Carolina, Minnesota)

1996: 2 (Kentucky*, Massachusetts)

1995: 1 (UCLA*)

1994: 1 (Arkansas*)

1993: 3 (North Carolina*, Michigan**, Kentucky)

1992: 1 (Duke*)

1991: 2 (UNLV, North Carolina)

1990: 1 (UNLV*)

1989: 1 (Illinois)

1988: 2 (Oklahoma**, Arizona)

1987: 2 (Indiana*, UNLV)

1986: 2 (Duke**, Kansas)

1985: 2 (Georgetown**, St. John's)

1984: 2 (Georgetown*, Kentucky)

1983: 2 (Houston**, Louisville)

1982: 2 (North Carolina*, Georgetown**)

1981: 2 (LSU, Virginia)

1980: 0

1979: 1 (Indiana State**)

*Champions

**Advanced to championship game

2.  The average seed for this year's Final Four is 1.75, which is only the fifth time this millennium and 11th time since seeding began in 1979 that the average has been below 2 -- and the second year in a row.  Here are the average seeds for the Final Four since 1979 (with the years it was lower than 2 bolded):

2026:  1.75

2025:  1

2024:  4.25

2023:  5.75

2022:  3.25

2021:  3.75

2019:  2.75

2018:  4

2017:  3

2016: 3.75

2015: 2.5

2014: 4.5

2013: 4.5

2012: 2.25

2011: 6.5

2010: 3.25

2009: 1.75

2008: 1

2007: 1.5

2006: 5

2005: 2.75

2004: 2

2003: 2.25

2002: 2.25

2001: 1.75

2000: 5.5

1999: 1.75

1998: 2.25

1997: 1.75

1996: 2.75

1995: 2.25

1994: 2

1993: 1.25

1992: 3.25

1991: 1.75

1990: 3

1989: 2.25

1988: 2.5

1987: 2.5

1986: 3.75

1985: 3

1984: 2.75

1983: 3

1982: 2.75

1981: 1.75

1980: 5.25

1979: 3.5

1.  With Illinois and Michigan both making the Final Four this year, it is the 27th time that one conference has had two or more teams in the same Final Four.  The Big Ten has now done that 9 times, ahead of the ACC (6), SEC (5), Big East (4), and Big 8/Big 12 (3).  Here is when it has happened (note:  the NCAA Tournament began giving out at-large bids in 1975, so that was the first year there could have been more than one team from the same conference in an NCAA Tournament):

2026:  Big Ten - Illinois, Michigan

2025:  SEC - Auburn, Florida

2022:  ACC - Duke, North Carolina

2016:  ACC – North Carolina, Syracuse

2015:  Big Ten - Michigan State, Wisconsin

2014:  SEC – Florida, Kentucky

2013:  Big East – Louisville, Syracuse

2009:  Big East – Connecticut, Villanova

2006:  SEC – Florida, LSU

2005:  Big Ten – Illinois, Michigan State

2003:  Big 12 – Kansas, Texas

2002:  Big 12 – Kansas, Oklahoma

2001:  ACC – Duke, Maryland

2000:  Big Ten – Michigan State, Wisconsin

1999:  Big Ten – Michigan State, Ohio State

1996:  SEC – Kentucky, Mississippi State

1994:  SEC – Arkansas, Florida

1992:  Big Ten – Indiana, Michigan

1991:  ACC – Duke, North Carolina

1990:  ACC – Duke, Georgia Tech

1989:  Big Ten – Illinois, Michigan

1988:  Big 8 – Kansas, Oklahoma

1987:  Big East – Providence, Syracuse

1985:  Big East – Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova

1981:  ACC – North Carolina, Virginia

1980:  Big Ten – Iowa, Purdue

1976:  Big Ten – Indiana, Michigan