March Madness Magic: The Unforgettable Triumphs of Underdog Champions!
March Madness isn’t just about the big dogs barking; it’s also about those scrappy underdogs sinking their teeth into victory! Since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, only five unranked teams have strutted their stuff and snatched the championship trophy. Let’s dive into these epic tales of David vs. Goliath on the hardwood!
Our first Cinderella story kicks off in 1985 with Villanova, a team that wasn’t even on the preseason radar. Despite a lackluster start, they clawed their way to an unforgettable championship win as an 8th seed. Talk about starting from the bottom and now we’re here!
Fast forward to 2003, and Syracuse pulls off a similar feat. After a rocky start, they caught fire and blazed through March Madness, led by none other than freshman sensation Carmelo Anthony. Who needs a ranking when you’ve got Melo magic?
In 2006, unranked Florida burst onto the scene with a dazzling 17-game winning streak. Despite stumbling at the finish line, they bounced back to clinch their first-ever national title, proving that perseverance pays off in spades!
And let’s not forget UConn’s triumph in 2022-23, when they defied the odds and danced their way to victory despite starting unranked. Double-digit wins in every game of the tournament? Now that’s what we call dominance!
But hey, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the preseason darlings. Louisville, Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina have all felt the sting of disappointment despite high rankings. From shocking losses to missed tournaments, they learned the hard way that being a preseason favorite doesn’t guarantee success.
So, as we gear up for another thrilling March Madness, let’s remember that anything can happen on the court. Whether you’re cheering for the favorites or rooting for the underdogs, one thing’s for sure: the madness never disappoints! 🏀🎉
| YEAR | TEAM | PRESEASON AP RANK | LOWEST AP RANK | HIGHEST AP RANK | FINAL AP RANK | TOURNAMENT SEED | FINAL RECORD | RUNNER-UP |
| 2023 | UConn | NR | NR | 2 | 10 | 4 | 31-8 | San Diego St. |
| 2022 | Kansas | 3 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 34-6 | UNC |
| 2021 | Baylor | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 28-2 | Gonzaga |
| 2019 | Virginia | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 35-3 | Texas Tech |
| 2018 | Villanova | 6 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 36-4 | Michigan |
| 2017 | UNC | 6 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 33-7 | Gonzaga |
| 2016 | Villanova | 11 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 35-5 | UNC |
| 2015 | Duke | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 34-4 | Wisconsin |
| 2014 | UConn | 18 | NR | 9 | 18 | 7 | 32-8 | Kentucky |
| 2013 | Louisville | 2 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 35-5 | Michigan |
| 2012 | Kentucky | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 38-2 | Kansas |
| 2011 | UConn | NR | NR | 4 | 9 | 3 | 32-9 | Butler |
| 2010 | Duke | 9 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 35-5 | Butler |
| 2009 | UNC | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 34-4 | Mich. St. |
| 2008 | Kansas | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 37-3 | Memphis |
| 2007 | Florida | 1 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 35-5 | Ohio State |
| 2006 | Florida | NR | NR | 2 | 11 | 3 | 33-6 | UCLA |
| 2005 | UNC | 4 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 33-4 | Illinois |
| 2004 | UConn | 1 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 33-6 | Ga. Tech |
| 2003 | Syracuse | NR | NR | 11 | 13 | 3 | 30-5 | Kansas |
| 2002 | Maryland | 2 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 32-4 | Indiana |
| 2001 | Duke | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 35-4 | Arizona |
| 2000 | Mich. St. | 3 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 32-7 | Florida |
| 1999 | UConn | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 34-2 | Duke |
| 1998 | Kentucky | 8 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 35-4 | Utah |
| 1997 | Arizona | 19 | 19 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 25-9 | Kentucky |
| 1996 | Kentucky | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 34-2 | Syracuse |
| 1995 | UCLA | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 31-2 | Arkansas |
| 1994 | Arkansas | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 31-3 | Duke |
| 1993 | UNC | 7 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 34-4 | Michigan |
| 1992 | Duke | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 34-2 | Michigan |
| 1991 | Duke | 6 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 32-7 | Kansas |
| 1990 | UNLV | 1 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 35-5 | Duke |
| 1989 | Michigan | 3 | 13 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 30-7 | Seton Hall |
| 1988 | Kansas | 7 | NR | 7 | NR | 6 | 27-11 | Oklahoma |
| 1987 | Indiana | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 30-4 | Syracuse |
| 1986 | Louisville | 9 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 32-7 | Duke |
| 1985 | Villanova | NR | NR | 14 | NR | 8 | 25-10 | Georgetown |
