Estimated read time: Less than a minute
The top seeds in March Madness are facing a trickier path to the Final Four. The past four NCAA Tournaments have seen more lower-seeded teams making deeper runs. That coincides with coaches' growing use of the transfer portal to find talent. Notably, the average combined seeds of Final Four teams from 2021-24 was 17.0. That's up from 13.5 in the four tournaments before the COVID-19 pandemic. There also has been at least one team seeded eighth or lower in four consecutive Final Fours, a first since the tournament's expansion to 64 teams in 1985.
×
Photos
Show All 6 Photos
Collapse
Show Caption
Fairleigh Dickinson guard Grant Singleton (4) celebrates after a basket against Purdue during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, March 17, 2023. - AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File
