Amazingly, in the 22 tournament appearances, UNC has only lost in the first round once. This came in 1999 when they were upset as a No. 3 seed by No. 14-seeded Weber State.
North Carolina has reached at least the Final Four eight times. They won the national championship in 1993 as a No. 1 seed by defeating No. 1-seeded Michigan. Then, after their only other Final Four victory in this time period, UNC won another national championship in 2005. They defeated No. 1-seeded Illinois as a No. 1 seed.
The Tar Heels also had six losses in the semifinals (1991, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2008).
1) Duke Blue Devils – Total Points: 1,135
- Three NCAA Championships, four Championship Game Appearances, three Final Four Appearances, one Elite Eight Appearance, six Sweet 16 Appearances, one Missed Tournament
- ESPN Rank: 1
The number one most prestigious team in the last 24 seasons is the Duke Blue Devils. It seems no matter what criteria you use, Duke has been the top program in college basketball in this time period.
The Blue Devils have only missed one tournament, in 1995. They have also only lost in the first round twice out of their 23 tournament appearances.
Duke has made it to at least the Final Four 10 times since 1985, easily more than any other team. Duke won the national championship in 1991, 1992, and 2001. In 1991 they defeated No. 3-seeded Kansas in the finals as a No. 2 seed. Then the next season they beat No. 6-seeded Michigan in the championship game as a No. 1 seed.
They also won the tournament in 2001 as a No. 1 seed, when they defeated No. 2-seeded Arizona in the finals.
Duke has also lost in the championship four times. They lost to No. 2-seeded Louisville as a No. 1 seed in 1986, to No. 1-seeded UNLV as a No. 3 seed in 1990, to No. 1-seeded Arkansas as a No. 2 seed in 1994, and finally to No. 1-seeded UConn as a No. 1 seed in 1999.
Duke also made the Final Four in 1988, 1989, and 2004, but lost all of their semifinal games in those years.
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