6-Seeds

6-seeds have been generally unremarkable.  If, and that’s a significant if, they get past their 11-seed foe, their next opponent is usually a 3-seed.  The 6-seed made somewhat regular appearances in the Elite 8 through the first 17 years of the expanded tournament.  It’s only happened three times since then.  It’s been 27 years since the last time a 6-seed made the Final 4.  Maybe they’re due??

Overall Performance

  • 85 (of 136) 6-seeds advanced to the Second Round
  • 42 went on to the Sweet 16
  • 14 reached the Elite 8
  • 3 reached the Final 4
  • 2 made the championship game
  • 1 was crowned champion

Performance Over the Last 10 Years

  • 19 (of 40) advanced to the Second Round
  • 7 went on to the Sweet 16
  • 2 reached the Elite 8

Bracket Performance History and Advice

  • First Round:  Only 63% of all 6-seeds have won their first game of the tournament.  This equates to an 84% chance of at least one upset.
  • Second Round:  31% of 6-seeds advance past the Second Round.
  • Sweet 16:  6-seeds don’t have to play the 1-seed in this Round.  They’ve advanced to the Elite 8 almost twice as often as 5-seeds.  Still, there is only a 35% we’ll see a 6-seed get past this round.
  • Elite 8:  Only 10% of all 6-seeds make it this far.
  • Final 4:  A 6-seed hasn’t reached the Final 4 since 1992, so it would be a shocker to see one make it this year.
  • Final:  Of the three teams that reached the Final 4, two of them played for the title, and one of them won it.

Record in the Second Round

  • vs 3-seeds:  28-41
  • vs 14-seeds:  14-2

Feats of Strength

  • The only two 6-seeds to make a Championship Game run are:
    • 1992:  Michigan – lost to 1-seed Duke 71-51
    • 1988:  Kansas – defeated 1-seed Oklahoma 83-79
  • Three 6-seeds have reached the Elite 8 in the last 16 years:  Wisconsin in ’05, Tennessee in ’10, and Notre Dame in ‘16.

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