Colleges With The Most March Madness Wins
With March Madness right around the corner, college basketball fans around the world are hoping that their team can achieve the pinnacle of NCAA College Basketball: the championship title. Let's take a stroll down memory lane to see which teams have racked up the most titles in March Madness history.
Which colleges have the most March Madness wins?
- UCLA Bruins - 11 wins
- Kentucky Wildcats - 8 wins
- North Carolina Tar Heels - 6 wins
- Duke Blue Devils - 5 wins
- Indiana Hoosiers - 5 wins
1. UCLA Bruins - 11 wins
The UCLA Bruins stand alone at the top with eleven championships, the only team with double digit wins. Coach John Wooden was with the team for their first ten wins. The New York Times wrote that Wooden "made UCLA the most successful team in college basketball." UCLA also holds the record for the most consecutive national titles as well. From 1967 to 1973, the team racked up seven consecutive championships. They are a historic franchise that has continued to see team success and tournament births, despite their most recent win coming in 1995.
Below is a list of UCLA Bruins March Madness Wins:
- 1964 UCLA Bruins vs Duke Blue Devils
- 1965 UCLA Bruins vs Michigan Wolverines
- 1967 UCLA Bruins vs Dayton Flyers
- 1968 UCLA Bruins vs North Carolina Tar Heels
- 1969 UCLA Bruins vs Purdue Boilermakers
- 1970 UCLA Bruins vs Jacksonville Dolphins
- 1971 UCLA Bruins vs Villanova Wildcats
- 1972 UCLA Bruins vs Florida State Seminoles
- 1973 UCLA Bruins vs Memphis State Tigers
- 1975 UCLA Bruins vs Kentucky Wildcats
- 1995 UCLA Bruins vs Arkansas Razorbacks
2. Kentucky Wildcats - 8 wins
The runner-up thus far in the quest for national titles, the Kentucky Wildcats picked up their first tournament victory in 1948. Most recently the Wildcats won it all in 2012 when star player Anthony Davis broke the NCAA freshman block record, tallying up 183 blocks over the course of the season.
Below is a list of Kentucky Wildcats March Madness Wins:
- 1948 Kentucky Wildcats vs Baylor Bears
- 1949 Kentucky Wildcats vs Oklahoma A&M; Cowboys
- 1951 Kentucky Wildcats vs Kansas State Wildcats
- 1958 Kentucky Wildcats vs Seattle Chieftains
- 1978 Kentucky Wildcats vs Duke Blue Devils
- 1996 Kentucky Wildcats vs Syracuse Orangemen
- 1998 Kentucky Wildcats vs Utah Utes
- 2012 Kentucky Wildcats vs Kansas Jayhawks
3. North Carolina Tar Heels - 6 Wins
Up next is UNC in the third place slot, with six total tournament titles. Back in 1957 the Tar Heels won their first championship title in a third overtime period, the only three-overtime game in the history of the NCAA finals. North Carolina claimed their most recent title in 2017 under coach Roy Williams, who remains their head coach to this day.
Below is a list of North Carolina Tar Heels March Madness Wins:
- 1957 North Carolina Tar Heels vs Kansas Jayhawks
- 1982 North Carolina Tar Heels vs Georgetown Hoyas
- 1993 North Carolina Tar Heels vs Michigan Wolverines
- 2005 North Carolina Tar Heels vs Illinois Fighting Illini
- 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels vs Michigan State Spartans
- 2017 North Carolina Tar Heels vs Gonzaga Bulldogs
4. Duke Blue Devils - 5 Wins
Not far behind the Tar Heels is a fellow North Carolina program: the Duke Blue Devils. The Blue Devils earned their first title a farther down the line than the other teams on this list, defeating Kansas in 1991 with a score of 72-65. Duke won again in 1992, achieving back-to-back consecutive titles. They continue to be a competitive team, having secured their most recent championship in 2015.
Below is a list of Duke Blue Devils March Madness Wins:
- 1991 Duke Blue Devils vs Kansas Jayhawks
- 1992 Duke Blue Devils vs Michigan Wolverines
- 2001 Duke Blue Devils vs Arizona Wildcats
- 2010 Duke Blue Devils vs Butler Bulldogs
- 2015 Duke Blue Devils vs Wisconsin Badgers
5. Indiana Hoosiers - 5 Wins
The Indiana Hoosiers are tied with Duke University for the most March Madness titles, holding a total of five. Coach Bob Knight led his team to an undefeated 32-0 record in their 1975-76 season, but their most recent victory in 1987 was because of the winning shots by guard Keith Smart. Smart had the two final shots, one of which was made with 5 seconds left on the clock, and the other a near buzzer beater.
Below is a list of Indiana Hoosiers March Madness Wins:
- 1940 Indiana Hoosiers vs Kansas Jayhawks
- 1953 Indiana Hoosiers vs Kansas Jayhawks
- 1976 Indiana Hoosiers vs Michigan Wolverines
- 1981 Indiana Hoosiers vs North Carolina Tar Heels
- 1987 Indiana Hoosiers vs Syracuse Orangemen