But as David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash once sang in perfect harmony, don't let the past remind us of what we are not now. Seven of the Sweet 16 teams are repeats from last year, but Michigan is the only one left that made it to the Final Four last year. Here are the Sweet 16 teams, along with the last time they made the Sweet 16 (and their region, seeds, game time, and what station is televising the game):
West Region (Anaheim)
(1) Gonzaga (2018) vs. (4) Florida State (2018) - Thursday 3/28 7:09 ET CBS
(2) Michigan (2018) vs. (3) Texas Tech (2018) - Thursday 3/28 9:39 ET TBS
(2) Tennessee (2014) vs. (3) Purdue (2018) - Thursday 3/28 7:29 ET TBS
(1) Virginia (2016) vs. (12) Oregon (2017) - Thursday 3/28 9:59 ET TBS
East Region (Washington, DC)
(2) Michigan State (2015) vs. (3) LSU (2006) - Friday 3/29 7:09 ET CBS
(1) Duke (2018) vs. (4) Virginia Tech (1967) - Friday 3/29 9:39 ET CBS
(1) North Carolina (2017) vs. (5) Auburn (2003) - Friday 3/29 7:29 ET TBS
(2) Kentucky (2018) vs. (3) Houston (1984) - Friday 3/23 9:59 ET TBS
If you're like me -- and you better pray to Dr. Zaius that you're not –- you not only love the NCAA Tournament, but you are fascinated with the history and statistical minutiae associated with the tournament. Like I've done the last couple years, I'm going to drop knowledge bombs on your mind. Here are 16 fun facts about this year's NCAA tournament. You know, 16. For the Sweet 16.
16. Illinois, while not in the NCAA Tournament, had three former coaches who were coaching in the tournament -- Oklahoma's Lon Kruger, Kansas's Bill Self, and Kansas State's Bruce Weber. None advanced to the second weekend. Technically neither did Lou Henson or John Groce, I suppose. Oh, and just so we're clear, Loyola is still the only school in Illinois to have won an NCAA Division 1 men's basketball championship.
15. Six schools got their first-ever NCAA Tournament victories:
-7-seed Wofford over 10-seed Seton Hall, 84-68, in the First Round
-9-seed UCF over 8-seed VCU, 73-58, in the First Round
-11-seed Belmont over 11-seed Temple, 81-70, in the First Four
-12-seed Liberty over 5-seed Mississippi State, 80-76, in the First Round
-13-seed UC Irvine over 4-seed Kansas State, 70-64, in the First Round
-16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson over 16-seed Prairie View A&M, 82-76, in the First Four
14. For the fifth time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, three 12-seeds won their first round games (Liberty, Murray State, and Oregon) -- and the fourth (New Mexico State) came within a buzzer beater of making it four. All four 12-seeds have never won, but the other years in which three won were 2002, 2009, 2013, and 2014. Of the 5-seeds that survived the first round in those years (and this year), the only 5-seeds to advance to the Sweet 16 were Indiana in 2002, Purdue in 2009, and Auburn in 2019. In 2002, the Hoosiers made it all the way to the title game. We all know damn well Purdue didn't make it past the Sweet 16 in 2009.
13. For the second time ever (2009 being the other year), the top 3 seeds in all four regions advanced to the Sweet 16. And everyone's brackets are still intact as a result. Stupid UCF.
12. Houston is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since going to their third Final Four in a row in 1984, during the inimitable Phi Slamma Jamma era. Not to be droughtdone (see what I did there?), Virginia Tech is playing in its first Sweet 16 since going to the Elite Eight in 1967. Here's how they stack up with the longest-ever droughts between Sweet 16 appearances (since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 16 teams in 1951):
-58 years: LaSalle (1955-2013)
-56 years: Cornell (1954-2010)
-52 years: Virginia Tech (1967-2019)
-51 years: Bradley (1955-2006), St. Mary's (1959-2010)
-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), 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, I decided to see 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 aren't in 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:
-69 years (1951): Montana State, San Jose State
-67 years (1953): Holy Cross
-66 years (1954): Rice
-63 years (1957): Canisius, Lafayette, St. Louis
-62 years (1958): Dartmouth, Manhattan
-61 years (1959): Boston University
-59 years (1961): Morehead State
-57 years (1963): Bowling Green
-56 years (1964): Seattle (although they were not D-1 from 1980 to 2008)
-53 years (1967): Princeton, SMU
-52 years (1968): Columbia, East Tennessee State, TCU
-51 years (1969): Colorado, Colorado State, Duquesne
-50 years (1970): Jacksonville, Niagara, Santa Clara, St. Bonaventure, Utah State
11. For the first time since the First Four format was introduced in 2011, none of the First Four winners advanced to the Round of 32. Where for art thou, VCU?
10. For the first time since 2001 and only the fifth time since the tournament began seeding in 1979, no 8-seeds won (1989, 1994, and 1999 being the years other than 2001 and 2019). That's a weird fucking stat, isn't it? Not so weird is that, in all but one of those years, all four 9-seeds lost to 1-seeds in the second round. The only 9-seed to advance past the second round in any of those years was Boston College in 1994, when the Golden Eagles got to the Elite Eight before losing to Florida.
9. Only two teams seeded higher than 4 advanced to Sweet 16 -- #5 Auburn in the Midwest and #12 Oregon in the South. This is only the second time since the tournament began seeding in 1979 that two or fewer teams seeded 5 or lower have advanced to the Sweet 16. 2009 was the other year, and it was also a 5-seed (Purdue) and a 12-seed (Arizona), although neither advanced past the Sweet 16.
8. The top 4 seeds in two or more regions advanced to the Sweet 16 for the sixth time since the tournament began seeding in 1979. Here are the other five times (with the number of regions with the top 4 seeds in parentheses): 1982 (3), 1983 (2), 1989 (2), 1991 (2), 2009 (2).
7. For the first time since 2016, all 1-seeds survived the first weekend and advanced to the Sweet 16. If all four 1-seeds win their Sweet 16 games, it will only be the 9th time since seeding began in 1979 that all four 1-seeds will have advanced to the Elite 8. 1987, 1993, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2016 were the other years. Of course, 2008 is the only year in which all four 1-seeds advanced to the Final Four.
6. The ACC, Big Ten, and SEC each have three or more teams in the Sweet 16. Here are the years in which at least three conferences have had at least three teams in the Sweet 16. Note that 1980 was the first year in which more than one at-large bid could be awarded to each conference, so that was the starting point:
2019: ACC (5), Big Ten (3), SEC (4)
2017: Big 12 (3), Big Ten (3), Pac-12 (3), SEC (3)
2016: ACC (6), Big 12 (3), Big Ten (3)
2014: Big Ten (3), Pac-12 (3), SEC (3)
2004: ACC (3), Big 12 (3), Big East (3)
2003: Big 12 (3), Big East (4), Big Ten (3)
2000: Big East (3), Big Ten (3), SEC (3)
1998: ACC (3), Big East (3), Pac-10 (4)
1989: ACC (4), Big East (3), Big Ten (4)
1985: ACC (4), Big East (4), SEC (3)
1983: ACC (3), Big East (3), Big Ten (3)
5. Defending champ Villanova got curb-stomped by Purdue in the Round of 32, losing 87-61. It was the third year in a row that the defending champ lost in the Round of 32 and the 23rd 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 more likely than not to fail to make it to the Sweet 16. Setting aside that grammatical garble, here is a breakdown of defending champions who have lost before the Sweet 16 or failed to make the NCAA Tournament since 1979:
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)
4. 8 double-digit seeds won their first round games, which is above average. In the 35 years since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, there have been 215 double-digit seeds that have won their first round games, which is an average of 6.14 per year. Here is a year-by-year list of every double-digit seed that has won its first round game since 1985:
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)
3. The average seed number for Sweet 16 teams this year is 3.0625, making this tied with 2009 for the lowest average seed number in the Sweet 16 since since seeding began in 1979. 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:
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
2. We have two mid-majors in the Sweet 16 -- Gonzaga and Houston. (I consider schools in conferences other than the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12, 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.) 25 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:
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
1. For the first time since 2009, there is only one team seeded 8 or lower that advanced to the Sweet 16 -- Oregon, the 12-seed in the South. Thirteen 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:
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
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