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No. 1 Seeds Fall Short: 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Sees Historic Lack of Success for Top Teams

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Key takeaways:

  • No. 1 seeds have combined to win only five tournament games, three fewer than the previous record.
  • The Elite Eight and Final Four will not have a No. 1 seed for the first time since 1979 and 2011, respectively.
  • The parity in the tournament has been attributed to the lack of success for the No. 1 seeds, making the Final Four wide open for any of the remaining teams.

The 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has seen a historic lack of success for the four teams deemed to be the best in the country. For the first time since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the No. 1 seeds have combined to win only five tournament games. This is three fewer than the previous record.

San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher commented on the lack of difference between the best and worst teams in the country. His team’s win over Alabama on Friday night, combined with Miami’s win over Houston, has ensured that the Elite Eight will not have a No. 1 seed for the first time since seeding began in 1979.

The Final Four will also not have a No. 1 seed for the first time since 2011 and the third overall. Purdue, Kansas, Houston and Alabama have all been eliminated, leaving the tournament without any of the four teams deemed to be the best in the country.

The lack of success for the No. 1 seeds has been attributed to the parity in the tournament. With the top teams eliminated, the Final Four is wide open and any of the remaining teams have a chance to make history. As Dutcher put it, “You’re seeing that on this stage.”

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