Convention tournaments are every thing for a lot of colleges. These few video games in March make all of the distinction between a staff having an opportunity to dwell out its NCAA event desires and watching it on TV like everybody else.
For different powerhouse groups, convention tournaments imply little moreover staying contemporary for the Huge Dance, enhancing event seeding and perhaps taking some delight factors by hoisting the convention trophy.
Or do they?
Is a staff’s efficiency within the single-elimination convention event a superb predictor of the way it will do on the most important stage? And once you fill out your bracket, must you be placing a bit extra religion in groups that carried out nicely the week or two prior?
Let’s check out every nationwide champion since 1994 and see how they did in convention event play.
| Yr | College | Convention consequence |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | UConn | Gained Huge East |
| 2023 | UConn | Misplaced, Huge East semifinals |
| 2022 | Kansas | Gained Huge 12 |
| 2021 | Baylor | Misplaced, Huge 12 semifinals |
| 2019 | Virginia | Misplaced, ACC semifinals |
| 2018 | Villanova | Gained Huge East |
| 2017 | North Carolina | Misplaced, ACC semifinals |
| 2016 | Villanova | Misplaced, Huge East finals |
| 2015 | Duke | Misplaced, ACC semifinals |
| 2014 | UConn | Misplaced, AAC finals |
| 2013 | Louisville* | Gained Huge East |
| 2012 | Kentucky | Misplaced, SEC finals |
| 2011 | UConn | Gained Huge East |
| 2010 | Duke | Gained ACC |
| 2009 | North Carolina | Misplaced, ACC semifinals |
| 2008 | Kansas | Gained Huge 12 |
| 2007 | Florida | Gained SEC |
| 2006 | Florida | Gained SEC |
| 2005 | North Carolina | Misplaced, ACC semifinals |
| 2004 | UConn | Gained Huge East |
| 2003 | Syracuse | Misplaced, Huge East semifinals |
| 2002 | Maryland | Misplaced, ACC semifinals |
| 2001 | Duke | Gained ACC |
| 2000 | Michigan State | Gained Huge Ten |
| 1999 | UConn | Gained Huge East |
| 1998 | Kentucky | Gained SEC |
| 1997 | Arizona | No event |
| 1996 | Kentucky | Misplaced, SEC finals |
| 1995 | UCLA | No event |
| 1994 | Arkansas | Misplaced, SEC semifinals |
*Louisville’s participation within the 2013 NCAA event was vacated
There you will have it. Now let’s dig into the numbers and see what all of it means:
- From 1998-2011, it was very good to place your religion in groups that carried out nicely within the convention event. Of the 14 nationwide champions in that point, all however 4 went the gap of their convention tournaments.
- Since then, issues have actually rotated. Eight of the final 11 champions all fell of their convention tournaments. However Kansas gained the Huge 12 title in 2022, and UConn gained the Huge East title in 2024.
- What about simply reaching the finals in your convention? Since 1993, no nationwide champion has fallen wanting making the convention event semifinals.
- North Carolina does not sweat ACC event losses in any respect: Within the Tar Heels’ 4 nationwide championship seasons since 1993, they’ve zero convention event titles and reached the ACC event ultimate solely as soon as.
- Duke, however, has gained the ACC event in three of its final 4 nationwide championship years, with solely its most up-to-date nationwide championship that includes a loss within the ACC event.
So once you fill out your brackets, definitely pay attention to conference-tournament efficiency, however do not feel pressured to select your champion based mostly off of who regarded strongest in opposition to convention foes. On the identical time, watch out driving groups that do not at the very least make a deep run. If a staff loses within the semifinals, it is taking part in in opposition to lengthy odds. If it falls within the quarters or sooner, it must make historical past.
