As March Madness kicks into high gear, the burning question for fans and bracket enthusiasts alike is whether a No. 1 seed will once again claim the NCAA Tournament crown. If you're looking to make a savvy bracket choice, history suggests leaning heavily on those top seeds.
In a recent discussion on "Pardon My Take," Big Cat from Barstool Sports highlighted a compelling trend: 17 of the last 18 national champions have been either No. 1 seeds or UConn. The outlier?
Villanova, a No. 2 seed, who clinched the title in 2016 with a thrilling buzzer-beater from Kris Jenkins against No. 1 seed North Carolina. Despite not being a top seed, Villanova entered the tournament with undeniable championship potential.
The most significant upset in recent memory came in 2014, when UConn, led by Kevin Ollie, defied the odds as a No. 7 seed. Their remarkable journey to the title included victories over several higher-seeded teams: No.
2 Villanova, No. 3 Iowa State, No.
4 Michigan State, No. 1 Florida, and No.
8 Kentucky.
Looking at this year's tournament, if you're guided by past patterns, backing one of the No. 1 seeds-Arizona, Duke, Florida, or Michigan-seems a wise choice. However, don't overlook No. 2 seed UConn, which shares a region with Duke. With Dan Hurley's proven track record of leading teams to championships, UConn could very well make another deep run.
As the opening round tips off this Thursday afternoon, fans are eager to see if history will repeat itself or if another Cinderella story is waiting in the wings.