2-Seeds

Before 2012, 2-seeds went 10 straight years without losing in the First Round.  In the twelve tournaments since that streak, we’ve seen seven 2-seeds drop their first game.  Is this the start of a new trend?  Or a weird statistical anomaly?  Who knows?  Let’s see what happens this year!

Overall Performance

• 145 (of 156) advanced to the Second Round
• 99 went on to the Sweet 16
• 69 reached the Elite 8
• 31 reached the Final 4
• 13 made the championship game
• 5 won the tournament

Performance Over the Last 10 Years

• 36 (of 40) advanced to the Second Round
• 24 went on to the Sweet 16
• 15 reached the Elite 8
• 7 reached the Final 4
• 1 made it to the championship game and won it

Record in the Second Round

• vs 7-seeds:  63-27
• vs 10-seeds:  36-19

Feats of Strength

• 2016 Villanova was the last team to win the tournament as a 2-seed.
• The previous 2-seed winner was Connecticut, 12 years earlier, in 2004.
• All four 2-seeds advanced to the Elite 8 twice:
  • 1995 – Massachusetts, Connecticut, North Carolina, and Arkansas
  • 1996 – Georgetown, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, and Kansas