When was the last time a number 2 overall seed won NCAA Tournament? Looking back at competitive history of March Madness
The NCAA Tournament is underway, with the First Four beginning on Tuesday, followed by the first round on Thursday. The Houston Cougars will enter March Madness as the No. 2 overall seed for the second consecutive year, but also just the second time since the Selection Committee began announcing the rankings of the No. 1 seeds in 2004.
While they have had some success in the past, the second-ranked Cougars (30-4), who are the No. 1 seed in the South Region, are still looking to win their first title in program history. If they win it all, Houston would join an exclusive list of teams that have won a championship after receiving the No. 2 overall seed.
Take a look at the list of teams who have done so below.
How many No. 2 overall seeds in the NCAA Tournament have won a championship?
In the 19 NCAA tournaments since the selection committee began ranking No. 1 seeds in 2004, there have been just four teams to receive the No. 2 overall ranking in the tournament that went on to win a national title.
The 2005 North Carolina Tar Heels were the first to accomplish the feat.
The Tar Heels, who had a roster filled with NBA talent, entered March Madness with a 27-4 record; however, they were unable to win the ACC Tournament, losing to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the semifinals. It didn't matter in the end as North Carolina took home the fourth NCAA championship in program history.
It took another 13 years before another No. 2 overall seed became a national champion as the 2018 Villanova Wildcats joined the Tar Heels on the exclusive list. The Wildcats, who were also stacked with NBA talent, entered the NCAA Tournament with a 30-4 record.
They ended the season on an 11-game winning streak, including three in a row to win the Big East Tournament, while capturing their third title in program history and second in three seasons.
The following season, the Virginia Cavaliers joined the list. Led by a roster that featured several future NBA players, the Cavaliers entered the NCAA Tournament with a 29-3 record. They lost to the Florida State Seminoles in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in the semifinals but went on to win their first national title in program history.
Two years later, after the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baylor Bears became the third consecutive No. 2 seed to win a national championship. Led by a balanced attack, the Bears, who lost in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals, entered the tournament with a 22-2 record. Baylor bounced back to capture the first championship in program history.