March Madness, or the NCAA Tournament is played every March and April, determining collegiate basketball champions in a single-elimination format. Known as "The Big Dance," it's an annual sports spectacle in the U.S. The tournament comprises 68 teams engaging in seven intense rounds, seeking the national championship in Division I men's basketball. The penultimate round, the Final Four, features the last four standing teams.
In 1939, the inaugural March Madness involved eight teams Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah State, Villanova, Brown, Wake Forest, and Ohio State. Oregon secured victory against Ohio State with a 46-33 score. The 32 Division I conference winners, along with the 36 at-large bid recipients, form the tournament teams. A Selection Sunday event, airing nationally, unveils the chosen "at-large" teams selected by the NCAA committee.
2-Seeds Won March Madness
Five of the 17 teams seeded second have emerged victorious in the national title game. Villanova was the last No. 2 seed to win the championship in 2016, as per the NCAA.
| Year | Champion | Opponent |
| 1986 | No. 2 Louisville | No. 1 Duke |
| 1991 | No. 2 Duke | No. 3 Kansas |
| 1998 | No. 2 Kentucky | No. 3 Utah |
| 2004 | No. 2 Connecticut | No. 3 Georgia Tech |
| 2016 | No. 2 Villanova | No. 1 North Carolina |
Read more: Who was the lowest seed to win the NCAA Tournament?
History of 15 seeds vs. 2 seeds in March Madness
There are 11 NCAA tournament teams in history that have upset two-seed teams. 15th seeded had an all-time record of 11-145 against 2s, or a 7.05 victory percentage, going into 2025, as per the NCAA.
The teams with the most appearances at the No. 15 seed are Louisiana Monroe and Belmont, and each has received four berths at that position since the tournament's expansion. 2012 was the only event in which two No. 15 seeds won twice. On the same night, No. 15 Norfolk State defeated Missouri, while Lehigh upset Duke.
Four No. 15 seeds made it to the Sweet 16, beginning with Florida Gulf Coast in 2013, Oral Roberts in 2021, Saint Peter's in 2022, and Princeton in 2023. A 15-seed, Saint Peter's, advanced to the Elite Eight in 2022 after defeating No. 2 Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State, and No. 3 Purdue.
| Year | Result | Score |
| 1991 | Richmond defeated Syracuse | 73-69 |
| 1993 | Santa Clara defeated Arizona | 64-61 |
| 1997 | Coppin State defeated South Carolina | 78-65 |
| 2001 | Hampton defeated Iowa State | 58-57 |
| 2012 | Lehigh defeated Duke | 75-70 |
| 2012 | Norfolk State defeated Missouri | 86-84 |
| 2013 | Florida Gulf Coast defeated Georgetown | 78-68 |
| 2016 | Middle Tennessee defeated Michigan State | 90-81 |
| 2021 | Oral Roberts defeated Ohio State | 75-72 |
| 2022 | Saint Peter's defeated Kentucky | 85-79 |
| 2023 | Princeton defeated Arizona | 59-55 |
Discover: When does March Madness start?
FAQs on March Madness
A. Only five 2-seeded teams have won March Madness. The latest was Villanova in 2016.
A. 68 teams compete in the thrilling single-elimination tournament of March Madness to determine the national collegiate basketball champion.
A. Selection Sunday is scheduled for March 16, 2025. On this day, the 68-team field, their seeds, and brackets for the NCAA Tournament will be revealed.
A. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) holds the record with eleven national titles. Kentucky follows with eight championships.
