The College Basketball Belt
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The heartbreak list

Belt games decided by 3 points or less

350 belt games have come down to 3 points or less. These are the programs who got closest without taking it, and the holders who survived by a whisker.

So close: challengers

Lost a belt game by 3 or less

Indiana8
Maryland7
Kansas5
Iowa5
Purdue5
Kentucky5
Michigan State4
LSU4
Duke4
Wake Forest4
Notre Dame4
Wisconsin4

Lost it by a whisker

Holders beaten by 3 or less

Duke9
Louisville6
Georgia Tech5
UCLA5
Syracuse5
UConn5
West Virginia4
Houston4
Clemson4
Indiana4
Notre Dame4
NC State4

Escape artists

Holders who defended by 3 or less

Latest nail-biters

Feb 28, 2026Baylor beat UCF 87–86Title change
Feb 16, 2026Iowa State beat Houston 70–67Defense
Jan 26, 2026Arizona beat BYU 86–83Defense
Apr 7, 2025Florida beat Houston 65–63Title change
Apr 5, 2025Houston beat Duke 70–67Title change
Mar 14, 2025Louisville beat Clemson 76–73Title change
Mar 13, 2025Clemson beat SMU 57–54Defense
Nov 25, 2024Memphis beat UConn 99–97Title change
Mar 28, 2024Illinois beat Iowa State 72–69Title change
Mar 2, 2024Houston beat Oklahoma 87–85Defense
Jan 27, 2024Texas Tech beat Oklahoma 85–84Defense
Jan 6, 2024Kansas beat TCU 83–81Defense
Apr 1, 2023San Diego State beat Florida Atlantic 72–71Defense
Mar 26, 2023San Diego State beat Creighton 57–56Title change
Mar 11, 2023Arizona beat UCLA 61–59Title change
Jan 14, 2023Washington State beat Stanford 60–59Defense
Jan 5, 2023Arizona beat Washington 70–67Defense
Dec 11, 2022Tennessee beat Maryland 56–53Defense
Nov 24, 2022Kansas beat Wisconsin 69–68Defense
Apr 4, 2022Kansas beat North Carolina 72–69Defense
Mar 2, 2022Arkansas beat LSU 77–76Defense
Feb 26, 2022Arkansas beat Kentucky 75–73Defense
Jan 24, 2022Kansas beat Texas Tech 94–91Defense
Jan 22, 2022Kansas beat Kansas State 78–75Title change
Jan 18, 2022Kansas State beat Texas 66–65Defense

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