Regardless of who wins comes out as the victor of the Final Four and National Championship, they’ll be doing something that only a small handful of programs have done in the past.
The 2023 NCAA tournament was one of the most unpredictable iterations of the event that we have ever seen. There were upsets at every turn, causing the top seeds to be eliminated from contention, many of them within the first three rounds.
2023 Final Four Field Makes History With Amount Of Parity
THE MEN'S FINAL FOUR IS SET!
And for the first time EVER, no top-3 seed is in it 😳 pic.twitter.com/5qzto3E4Za
— ESPN (@espn) March 26, 2023
This has caused a very odd looking Final Four field. Not only are all of the 1-seeds eliminated, but there aren’t any 2-seeds left either. And thanks to Gonzaga and Kansas State losing in the Elite 8, the field is devoid of 3-seeds, as well.
UConn stops the “bleeding” in that regard, qualifying for the Final Four as a 4-seed. They will be the heavy favorites going in, with an early listing of -125. As a program, they certainly the most recognizable. Not only do they make it to plenty of these tournaments, but they win a lot of them, too. Since 2004, the Huskies have won three National Championships, and have a great shot at nabbing a fourth.
UConn would be the second 4-seed to ever win an NCAA Tournament, joining the 1997 Arizona Wildcats.
History Will Be Made Regardless Of Who The Winner Is
HISTORY FOR SAN DIEGO STATE‼️
The Aztecs are headed to the men's Final Four for the first time ever 👏 pic.twitter.com/Iiyt1khizQ
— ESPN (@espn) March 26, 2023
There are also the two 5-seeds in San Diego State and Miami. Both are surprise additions to the field for this season, though the Aztecs could be considered more of an underdog on their run. Regardless of who is the better team, should either of them hoist the trophy when all is said and done, it will be a first. No 5-seed has ever won a National Championship.
And then there are the 9-seeded FAU Owls, who have a chance to make some serious Final Four history. There has only been one team ranked 8th or higher that has been crowned as champions, and that was when the 8-seeded Villanova Wildcats came out victorious in 1985. There has never been a program that entered the tournament seeded 9th through 16th that has ever gone on to win the National Championship.
For the first time in NCAA Tournament history, the Final Four will not feature a 1, 2, or 3 seed.
UConn as a 4 is the highest-seeded team this year.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 26, 2023
Can they do it? The Owls are long shots as far as the odds are concerned, coming in at +650 in the early rounds of wagering. But they were one of the strongest regular season teams in the nation, despite playing against lesser-quality opponents in conference play. There will be plenty of action placed on FAU, and they could allow some bettors to cash in some serious winnings.
The Final Four will take place inside NRG Stadium in Houston this weekend. The semi-final games will be played on Saturday, with the National Championship taking place on Monday evening.
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