Has a 5 seed ever won March Madness? Exploring the trends and patterns of past winners and their seeds

The NCAA Tournament bracket is set and includes promising No. 5 seeds Michigan, Oregon, Clemson and Memphis. Let's take a look at the history of No. 5 seeds in March Madness to better understand the possible fate of these teams.

Has a 5 seed ever won March Madness?

A No. 5 seed has never won the NCAA Tournament, making it the only seed among the top eight without a championship title. Despite being admirable contendors, No. 5 seeds often fall sooner than many would expect. In 33 of the last 39 tournaments, a No. 12 seed has upset a No. 5 seed in at least one first round game. Last season, two No. 12 teams eliminated No. 5 seeds in the Round of 64.

Memorable 5 Seed Performances in March Madness History

Only four No. 5 seeds have made it to the March Madness title game, with the most recent being in 2023. Let's examine these memorable performances.

2023 San Diego State

San Diego State is the most recent No. 5 seed to play in the NCAA Tournament championship game. The Aztecs finished the season ranked No. 18 in the AP Poll to secure a five seed. They went 15-3 in conference to finish atop the Mountain West and won the conference tournament.

The first tournament game for San Diego State was a close one as the team defeated No. 12 seed College of Charleston by six points. They dominated in the next two rounds, beating No. 13 seed Furman and top-seeded Alabama by double digits. A one-point victory over No. 6 seed Creighton to advance to the Final Four.

In the Final Four, San Diego State once again won by one point, this time against No. 9 seed FAU. The Aztecs faced off against UConn in the final but fell 76-59 as the Huskies picked up their first of back-to-back national titles.

2010 Butler

Before 2023, the last No. 5 seed to make a title game appearance was Butler in 2010. The Bulldogs entered the NCAA Tournament as the 11th ranked team in the country, having gone undefeated in conference.

Butler cruised past No. 12 seed UTEP in the Round of 64 before edging No. 13 Murray State by two points in the second round. The Bulldogs upset top-seeded Syracuse with a 63-59 win in the Sweet Sixteen to advance to face No. 2 Kansas State in the Elite Eight.

This matchup resulted in a 63-56 win for Butler, who then headed to the Final Four for a game against fellow No. 5 seed Michigan State. After a two point defeat, the Bulldogs advanced to the championship game, where they narrowly fell 61-59 to No. 1 seed Duke.

2002 Indiana

Indiana finished third in the Big Ten to receive a No. 5 seed in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. In the first round, the Hoosiers dominated over No. 12 seed Utah, winning 75-56. They then faced No. 13 seed UNC Wilmington in the second round, earning a nine-point win to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

In their next game, Indiana faced No. 1 seed Duke and squeezed by with a one-point win. The Elite Eight contest served to be easier, as the Hoosiers defeated No. 10 Kent State 81-69.

The Hoosiers beat No. 2 Oklahoma 73-64 in the Final Four but were defeated by No. 1 seed Maryland 64-52 in the title game as the Terrapins won their first NCAA Tournament.

2000 Florida

Florida was the first No. 5 seed to make the March Madness title game back in 2000. The Gators were ranked No. 13 nationally in the final AP Poll that season.

The first round proved difficult for Florida, who defeated No. 12 Butler by one point. Things looked up in the round of 32, as the SEC squad beat No. 4 Illinois 93-76. The Sweet Sixteen saw the Gators match up against top-seeded Duke, but they rose to the challenge, securing a nine-point win.

The Gators saw No. 3 Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight and advanced with a 12 point win. Florida faced another ACC Blue Blood in the Final Four and beat No. 8 North Carolina 71-59.

The title game was a matchup against No. 1 seed Michigan State, and this time, Florida didn't find as much success against a top seed. The Gators fell 89-76 in the title game.

Why did Michigan get a 5 seed?

With a 25-9 record and a Big Ten Tournament title, Michigan was probably expecting to be a higher seed than No. 5. However, the Wolverines' season took a turn for thr worst toward the end.

On Feb. 16, Michigan had a 20-5 record, including 12-2 in conference play. In the last three weeks of the regular season, the Wolverines went from top 40 to sub-230 in adjusted offensive efficiency, casting doubts on their ability to compete in March Maddness.

It was a competitive season, with Maryland finishing second in the Big Ten ahead of Michigan but earning only a No. 4 seed. While Michigan is likely the strongest No. 5 seed this season, their late-season struggles make their seed in the bracket reasonable.