5-Seeds

Uh-oh.  Everyone knows these guys are in danger of being the victim of the classic 5-12 upset.  All four 5-seeds have advanced to the Second Round only five times in 35 years.  Only 60% of the last 40 5-seeds got past their 12-seed opponent.  Besides the 9-seed, the 5-seed is the only other single-digit seed to not win a Championship.

Overall Performance

  • 90 (of 140) 5-seeds advanced to the Second Round
  • 47 went on to the Sweet 16
  • 9 reached the Elite 8
  • 7 reached the Final 4
  • 3 reached the championship game

Performance Over the Last 10 Years

  • 24 (of 40) advanced to the Second Round
  • 11 went on to the Sweet 16
  • 4 reached the Elite 8
  • 3 reached the Final 4
  • 1 reached the championship game

Bracket Performance History and Advice

  • First Round:  Only 64% of all 5-seeds have won their first game of the tournament.  This equates to an 83% chance of at least one upset.
  • Second Round:  34% of 5-seeds advance past the Second Round.
  • Sweet 16:  This is where we lose the 5-seeds that have made it this far.  34% of 5-seeds reach this round, but only 6% continue further.
  • Elite 8:  A 5-seed in the Elite 8 is a rare occurrence.  It’s only happened 9 times.
  • Final 4:  Only seven 5-seeds have reached the Final 4.
  • Final:  A 5-seed has never won the tournament.  Only three of them have even reached the final game.

Record in the Second Round

  • vs 4-seeds:  33-41
  • vs 13-seeds:  14-3

Feats of Strength

  • Three 5-seeds have reached the Final 4 in the last 10years.
    • 2019 – Auburn lost by 1 to eventual champion 1-seed Virginia
    • 2010 – Michigan State and Butler (both 5-seeds) faced off against each other in the Final 4.  Butler went on to lose to 1-seed Duke (by 2 points!!) in the championship game.
  • Two other 5-seeds reached the championship game.  Both lost.
    • 2000 – Florida
    • 2002 – Indiana

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