WATCH: KSR explains why being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is so important

MrsTylerKSR

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The NCAA Tournament may seem like a game of chance, but if your team isn’t a No. 1 seed, its odds of winning it all are not good; In fact, only three schools in the last 20 years have done it.

In his last “KSR Explains” feature, our videographer Steven Peake shares something that’s been on his mind for the past several years: the importance of being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and, therefore, the regular season. Peake crunched the numbers and found that 25 of the last 34 NCAA Tournaments have been won by No. 1 seeds (73.5%). Since Kentucky won it all as a No. 2 seed in 1998, only four schools have won the tournament as non-No. 1 seeds: Syracuse (No. 3 seed, 2003), UConn (No. 2 seed, 2004; No. 3 seed, 2011; No. 4 seed, 2023), Florida (No. 3 seed, 2006), and Villanova (No. 2 seed, 2016). In the last 20 years, that number is three: UConn, Florida, and Villanova.

What impact did the NET Rankings have? Since the NCAA Selection Committee started using the NET to help seed teams in 2019, five of six champions have been No. 1 seeds. Three of the six championship games have only featured No. 1 seeds. So, despite what John Calipari told us for years, the regular season really does matter. Kentucky has only been a No. 1 seed five times since Rick Pitino left in 1997. Duke and Kansas have earned No. 1 seeds 12 times each during that span; North Carolina, nine.

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If you’ve spent any time at all around Steven Peake, you’ve likely heard this rant — and once you watch the video, you’ll be equally as frustrated and fixated. Let’s hope Mark Pope’s Kentucky team hits the ground running in November.

More Kentucky News and Views on the KSR YouTube Channel

Kentucky Sports Radio has expanded its coverage of the Wildcats in the most ridiculous manner possible on our YouTube Channel. Here you will be able to find interviews with coaches and players, as well as commentary from the KSR crew. From Rapid Reactions following big events to our lengthy lineup of live shows, subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel to stay up to date on everything happening around the Big Blue Nation.