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Colleges with the Most March Madness Wins

Colleges with the Most March Madness Wins

March Madness is one of the most exciting times in a sports fan’s year. During the NCAA Tournament, anything seems possible — from buzzer beating shots to Cinderella teams making deep runs and clutch performances.

While everyone loves pulling for an underdog, the reality is that the established programs are likely going to dominate the competition. As of 2018, there have been 80 NCAA Tournaments. Most of those tournament championships, 48 to be exact, were won by just 10 different teams.

Certain schools — whether it’s because of their rich history, particularly good coach, or a large endowment that allows the school to invest in sports facilities — have been able to achieve sustained success over decades and rack up dozens of NCAA Tournament wins.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed all-time college basketball data from Sports-reference.com to determine the colleges with the most March Madness wins as of 2018.  

Of the 22 teams that have won 40 or more NCAA Tournament games, 10 have been involved in some sort of violation or scandal for which they were penalized. Some teams that were forced to vacate some NCAA Tournament wins were still credited with an NCAA Tournament appearance, but those vacated wins are still included on this list.

To determine the colleges with the most March Madness wins, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed college basketball data on Sports-reference.com, ranking teams based on the number of NCAA Tournament wins in that program’s history. The stats are as of the end of the 2018 season, so appearances and wins from 2019 were not considered. Wins vacated due to NCAA infractions were included.

Source: Doug Pensinger / Allsport / Getty Images

22. Illinois
> Tournament wins: 40
> Championships: 0
> Tournament appearances: 30
> Tournament win pct.: 56.3%

Though the Fighting Illini have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2013, the school has one of the richest basketball traditions in NCAA history. Illinois has never won a championship, but it has made it to five Final Fours, most recently losing to North Carolina in the 2005 National Championship.

Source: J Pat Carter / Getty Images

21. Oklahoma
> Tournament wins: 41
> Championships: 0
> Tournament appearances: 31
> Tournament win pct.: 56.9%

Oklahoma made the Final Four in the first iteration of the NCAA Tournament in 1939. It made two more Tournaments in the 1940s before going into a three-decade tournament drought. Since then, the Sooners have been a Big Dance mainstay, appearing in 31 total tournaments and five Final Fours.

Source: Mitchell Layton / Getty Images

20. Maryland
> Tournament wins: 41
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 2002)
> Tournament appearances: 27
> Tournament win pct.: 61.2%

With 27 appearances, Maryland may not make it to the tournament as often as the other schools on this list, but they usually make some noise once they’re there. The Terrapins have only lost in the first round three times. Maryland made back-to-back deep runs in 2001 and 2002, losing in the Final Four in 2001, then coming back to cut down the nets in 2002.

Source: Rob Carr / Getty Images

19. Marquette
> Tournament wins: 41
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 1977)
> Tournament appearances: 32
> Tournament win pct.: 56.2%

Before joining the Big East in 2005, Marquette was a small school success story. The Golden Eagles had no conference, playing as an independent, but still made the tournament 14 times from 1968-1983, and won the 1977 NCAA Championship.

Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

18. Arkansas
> Tournament wins: 42
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 1994)
> Tournament appearances: 32
> Tournament win pct.: 56.8%

Though Arkansas’ basketball team has struggled in recent years, the Razorbacks had a 25-year stretch of excellence under legendary head coaches Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson. The Razorbacks only missed the tournament three times from 1977-2001. Richardson led Arkansas to their only championship in 1994.

Source: Elsa / Getty Images

17. Cincinnati
> Tournament wins: 46
> Championships: 2 (Most recent: 1962)
> Tournament appearances: 32
> Tournament win pct.: 59.7%

Cincinnati basketball has been feast or famine as the program has alternated long streaks of NCAA Tournament success with yearslong absences from the postseason. After the NCAA Tournament was first played in 1939, it took the Bearcats more than 20 years to make their first Big Dance. The squad made six straight tournaments starting in 1958, including the school’s back-to-back titles in 1961 and 1962. Cincinnati made just three tournament appearances from 1967-1991, before making 14 straight, starting in 1992 under coach Bob Huggins.

Source: Darryl Oumi / Getty Images

16. Georgetown
> Tournament wins: 47
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 1984)
> Tournament appearances: 30
> Tournament win pct.: 61.8%

Georgetown has produced some of the NBA’s greatest ever players, including Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, and Allen Iverson. All of these players led the Hoyas on great tournament runs, but few can match up with the school’s teams of the early 1980s. Coach John Thompson took Georgetown to three title games in four years from 1982-1985, winning it all in 1984.

Source: Streeter Lecka / Getty Images

15. Florida
> Tournament wins: 49
> Championships: 2 (Most recent: 2007)
> Tournament appearances: 21
> Tournament win pct.: 71.0%

With just 21 bids, Florida has by far the fewest NCAA Tournament appearances on this list. The Gators never even made the Big Dance until 1987. When the Gators get in the tournament, they tend to do well — making nine Elite Eights, five Final Fours, and winning back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007. The 2007 team had six players who would go on to the NBA, including Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Marreese Speights.

Source: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images

14. Ohio State
> Tournament wins: 56
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 1960)
> Tournament appearances: 32
> Tournament win pct.: 64.4%

Though the school is much more renowned for its football team, Ohio State is a storied basketball program as well. The Buckeyes lost the first ever NCAA Tournament championship game in 1939 to the University of Oregon and made three straight Final Fours from 1944-1946. Ohio State won its lone title in 1960 and lost the championship game the next two years.

Source: Todd Warshaw / Getty Images

13. Arizona
> Tournament wins: 56
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 1997)
> Tournament appearances: 35
> Tournament win pct.: 62.2%

Arizona had almost no basketball history before head coach Lute Olson arrived in 1984. From 1985 until he retired in 2008, the Wildcats never missed the tournament. During Olson’s tenure, Arizona made four Final Fours and, led by NBA legends Mike Bibby and Jason Terry, won the 1997 National Championship.

Source: Mitchell Layton / Getty Images

12. Michigan
> Tournament wins: 59
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 1989)
> Tournament appearances: 28
> Tournament win pct.: 68.6%

Michigan basketball may be best known for the flashy, talented Fab 5 team of highly touted recruits that came to Ann Arbor in 1991. But the best-ever Wolverines squad may have been the 1989 team that won Michigan its only hoops title. Michigan struggled in the early 2000s, but current coach John Beiline has turned the program around. The Wolverines have consistently made the Big Dance and narrowly lost the 2018 National Championship game to Villanova.

Source: Christian Petersen / Getty Images

11. Connecticut
> Tournament wins: 59
> Championships: 4 (Most recent: 2014)
> Tournament appearances: 32
> Tournament win pct.: 66.3%

Almost all of Connecticut’s best basketball moments are fairly recent. The Huskies frequently missed the Tournament or were bounced in the first round before coach Jim Calhoun took the UConn job. Calhoun led his teams to three championships before retiring in 2012. In 2014, his successor, Kevin Ollie, led the 7 seed Huskies to a shock championship.

Source: Chris Covatta / Getty Images

10. Villanova
> Tournament wins: 64
> Championships: 3 (Most recent: 2018)
> Tournament appearances: 38
> Tournament win pct.: 64.0%

The reigning NCAA Tournament champions, the Villanova Wildcats are currently one of the greatest programs in the country under coach Jay Wright. The Wildcats also won the 2016 championship over North Carolina on a buzzer-beating three pointer. Before Wright, Villanova won its first title in 1985. That team was an 8 seed in the first year of the 64-team tournament and is still the lowest-ever seeded team to win a title.

Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images

9. Michigan State
> Tournament wins: 66
> Championships: 2 (Most recent: 2000)
> Tournament appearances: 32
> Tournament win pct.: 68.0%

Before coach Tom Izzo came to East Lansing, Michigan State’s basketball legacy was practically all related to Magic Johnson and his legendary 1979 championship-winning season. Izzo missed the tournament his first two seasons in 1996 and 1997. Since then, the Spartans have made the NCAA Tournament every year, including seven Final Fours and one title in 2000.

Source: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images

8. Indiana
> Tournament wins: 66
> Championships: 5 (Most recent: 1987)
> Tournament appearances: 39
> Tournament win pct.: 66.0%

There may be no state that loves basketball more than Indiana, so there is always pressure on the Hoosiers to perform well. Coach Branch McCracken led Indiana to two championships in early NCAA Tournament history — 1940 and 1953. Fiery coach Bob Knight is responsible for the other three Hoosier titles in 1976, 1981, and 1987. Since Knight was fired for grabbing a player in 2000, Indiana has struggled to find the same postseason success.

Source: Tom Pennington / Getty Images

7. Syracuse
> Tournament wins: 68
> Championships: 1 (Most recent: 2003)
> Tournament appearances: 39
> Tournament win pct.: 63.6%

Syracuse owes almost all of its basketball history and success to one man — Jim Boeheim. Since 1976, Boeheim has led the Orange to 34 of the school’s 39 NCAA bids, five of Syracuse’s six Final Fours, and its lone title in 2003. That 2003 team is still remembered for the incredible postseason performance from star freshman Carmelo Anthony.

Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

6. Louisville
> Tournament wins: 76
> Championships: 3 (Most recent: 2013, vacated)
> Tournament appearances: 42
> Tournament win pct.: 63.9%

Though Louisville has won 76 tournament games and three NCAA Championships, the NCAA official record does not reflect that. The school was stripped of its 2013 title and other accolades from coach Rick Pitino’s tenure because of recruiting violations and improper conduct, but we have decided to include these wins on our list. Even with the infractions, Louisville is one of college basketball’s most legendary programs, winning two titles in the 1980s.

Source: Al Bello / ALLSPORT / Getty Images

5. UCLA
> Tournament wins: 106
> Championships: 11 (Most recent: 1995)
> Tournament appearances: 49
> Tournament win pct.: 71.6%

From 1964-1975, UCLA won an astonishing 10 championships under legendary coach John Wooden. This string of deep tournament runs accounts for a large portion of UCLA’s total tournament wins. Outside of Wooden’s tenure and a 1995 championship, UCLA has not won as consistently as some of the other blue-blood programs on this list, which is why the Bruins rank fifth on this list, despite having by far the most total championships.

Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

4. Kansas
> Tournament wins: 107
> Championships: 3 (Most recent: 2008)
> Tournament appearances: 47
> Tournament win pct.: 69.9%

Kansas is one of the most storied programs in college basketball, largely in part because the team’s first coach, Dr. James Naismith, who actually invented the sport. Kansas is an NCAA Tournament mainstay — the Jayhawks have not missed the postseason since 1989 and are almost always highly seeded. Despite the high expectations, Kansas has just three championships, which came in 1952 under Phog Allen, in 1988 under Larry Brown, and in 2008 under current head coach Bill Self.

Source: Bryan Horowitz / Wikimedia Commons

3. Duke
> Tournament wins: 112
> Championships: 5 (Most recent: 2015)
> Tournament appearances: 42
> Tournament win pct.: 74.7%

Though Duke had some deep NCAA Tournament runs in the 1960s, almost all of the Blue Devils’ postseason wins have come under the leadership of Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K has led Duke to five titles, only missing the tournament once since 1984. A dozen of Duke’s 16 Final Four appearances occurred during the coach K era. Among teams with 40 or more NCAA Tournament wins, no school has won more games per appearance than Duke, with 2.6.

Source: Grant Halverson / Getty Images

2. North Carolina
> Tournament wins: 124
> Championships: 6 (Most recent: 2017)
> Tournament appearances: 49
> Tournament win pct.: 72.9%

North Carolina is always a threat to win the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels have reached 20 Final Fours, more than any other school. UNC won the 1957 NCAA Tournament but struggled to achieve consistency — until the school hired coach Dean Smith. The coach and his vaunted four corners offense took the Tar Heels to 11 Final Fours and two championships. Current coach Roy Williams picked up where Smith left off, winning three championships since he arrived in Chapel Hill in 2004.

Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

1. Kentucky
> Tournament wins: 128
> Championships: 8 (Most recent: 2012)
> Tournament appearances: 58
> Tournament win pct.: 71.1%

With 58 NCAA Tournament appearances as of 2018, no school has attended the Big Dance more than the Kentucky Wildcats. The Cats have won eight championships — four of which came during the 41-year tenure of legendary coach Adolph Rupp. Kentucky seems to always be well-prepared for the tournament, as the team has only lost in the first round three times in school history.

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