Which team has won the most national championships in college basketball? 10 most successful NCAAB programs explored

Winning a national championship is considered the highest honor for a program in college sports. To achieve this honor just once is considered a massive accomplishment for many schools, but doing it multiple times puts a program in a historic category.

With another March Madness tournament upon us, 68 teams will battle for their chance at a national title. In this article, we explore the history of the 10 college basketball teams who have won the most national championships.

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Ten NCAA college basketball programs that have won the most national championships

#1 UCLA: 11

The UCLA Bruins have won three more national championships than the closest team behind them. Although they've been in a title drought since 1995, they dominated the 1960s and 70s, winning 10 titles in the span of 12 seasons.

The Bruins first title came in 1964, and they would repeat as champions in 1965. Their quest for a three-peat was cut short in 1966, but they would bounce back to win an incredible seven consecutive titles from 1967–1973.

Legendary coach John Wooden would lead the Bruins to 10 national titles with UCLA before Jim Harrick won the program's 11th title in 1995.

#2 Kentucky: 8

The Kentucky Wildcats' success began early on in 1948, when they won their first national championship under coach Adolph Rupp.

He would go on to win four titles with the Wildcats during the 1940s and 1950s. It would be 20 years before the Wildcats won their fifth championship in 1978, followed by titles in 1996, 1998 and their most recent in 2012.

#3 North Carolina: 6

North Carolina's six national championships are spread out over a 60-year span. The Tar Heels won their first title in 1957, beating Kansas 54-53. They would earn their second in 1982 with a legendary roster that included James Worthy, Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins.

The Heels would win another title in 1993, beating Michigan's "Fab Five" in the championship game. North Carolina's next three titles were all won under Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams in 2005, 2009 and 2017.

#4 Duke: 5

Duke found success in the more recent years of college basketball. Their first NCAA championship was won in 1991 with a loaded roster that featured five future NBA players like Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, Brian Davis and Antonio Lang.

The Blue Devils would repeat as champions in 1992 before winning their three most recent titles in 2001, 2010 and 2015. All five of Duke's national championships have come under Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, who recently retired in 2022.

#5 Indiana: 5

Indiana is one of the most historic programs on this list, with their first national championship win coming in 1940. They have made the NCAA Tournament 41 times, appearing in eight Final Fours and winning five titles.

After their win in 1940, it would take 13 years before they won their second in 1953. The Hoosiers next three title wins were spread out between 1976, 1981 and 1987, all of which were under legendary coach Bob Knight.

#6 UConn: 5

The UConn Huskies are the most recent national champions on this list, winning it all in the 2023 NCAA tournament. All five of their national championships were won in the late 90s or 2000s. Their first title was won in 1999, when they beat No. 1 seed Duke in the title game.

They would then go on to win the tournament in 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2023. The Huskies 2014 historic tournament run came as the No. 7 seed under coach Kevin Ollie. They beat four top-five seeds en route winning their fourth championship.

#7 Kansas: 4

The Kansas Jayhawks have been one of the most dominant programs in recent history, so it may come as a surprise that they come in at seven on this list with four national championships.

Their first title win came in 1952, and they wouldn't achieve that feat again until 1988. Their most recent championships was in 2008 and just two years ago, in 2022. Current Jayhawks coach Bill Self led them to their two most recent titles.

#8 Villanova: 3

Villanova may not come to mind when thinking of the dominant programs in college basketball history. However, it has made seven Final Four appearances in 41 tournament bids.

The team won their first national title in 1985 as the No. 8 seed. It shocked a stacked Georgetown team that included five future NBA players, including Patrick Ewing. Its next two titles both came under coach Jay Wright in 2016 and 2018.

#9 Louisville: 3 (2 due to a vacated title in 2013)

The Louisville Cardinals have won the national championship three times but were forced to vacate their most recent title in 2013 by the Committee on Infractions. Louisville won their first title in 1980 and took just six years before winning their second in 1986.

They wouldn't win their next title until 2013, when they beat the Michigan Wolverines as the top seed in the Midwest. However, this victory is not recognized by the NCAA anymore due to violations by the team during this time under coach Rick Pitino.

#10 Cincinnati: 2

There are seven teams tied for two national championships. So to break the tie, the last two spots will be determined by the program win percentage. Therefore, ninth place belongs to the Cincinnati Bearcats, whose two titles were won back-to-back in 1961 and 1962.

Both titles were won under coach Ed Jucker on teams that had multiple future NBA talent on the roster. They beat Ohio State to win their first title and once again beat the Buckeyes in a rematch to complete their quest for back-to-back championships.