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The belt versus the bracket

Every NCAA tournament since 1950

Who carried the belt into each NCAA tournament, and how it ended. 8 holders took the belt into March and kept it all the way to the title; 14 times the holder wasn't in the NCAA field at all.

SeasonEntered March with itWhat happenedNCAA championChanges
2025–26ArizonaLost it in the Final Four to MichiganMichigan1
2024–25DukeLost it in the Final Four to HoustonFlorida2
2023–24Iowa StateLost it in the Sweet 16 to IllinoisUConn2
2022–23ArizonaLost it in the first round to PrincetonUConn4
2021–22TennesseeLost it in the second round to MichiganKansas3
2020–21GeorgetownLost it in the first round to ColoradoBaylor6
2018–19Michigan StateLost it in the Final Four to Texas TechVirginia2
2017–18MichiganLost it in the title game to VillanovaVillanova1
2016–17VillanovaLost it in the second round to WisconsinNorth Carolina5
2015–16North CarolinaLost it in the title game to VillanovaVillanova1
2014–15KentuckyLost it in the Final Four to WisconsinDuke2
2013–14Saint Joseph'sLost it in the second round to UConnUConn1
2012–13MiamiLost it in the Sweet 16 to MarquetteLouisville4
2011–12LouisvilleLost it in the Final Four to KentuckyKentucky1
2010–11DukeLost it in the Sweet 16 to ArizonaUConn2
2009–10West VirginiaLost it in the Final Four to DukeDuke1
2008–09Northern IowaLost it in the first round to PurdueNorth Carolina4
2007–08DrakeLost it in the first round to Western KentuckyKansas4
2006–07VCULost it in the ncaa tournament to PittsburghFlorida3
2005–06IowaLost it in the ncaa tournament to Northwestern StateFlorida6
2004–05DukeLost it in the ncaa tournament to Michigan StateNorth Carolina2
2003–04XavierLost it in the ncaa tournament to DukeUConn2
2002–03LouisvilleLost it in the ncaa tournament to ButlerSyracuse3
2001–02DukeLost it in the Sweet 16 to IndianaMaryland2
2000–01IowaLost it in the second round to KentuckyDuke3
1999–00StanfordLost it in the second round to North CarolinaMichigan State3
1998–99DukeLost it in the title game to UConnUConn1
1997–98MichiganLost it in the second round to UCLAKentucky2
1996–97UtahLost it in the Elite Eight to KentuckyArizona2
1995–96CincinnatiLost it in the Elite Eight to Mississippi StateKentucky3
1994–95IndianaLost it in the first round to MissouriUCLA2
1993–94TempleLost it in the second round to IndianaArkansas5
1992–93Georgia TechLost it in the first round to SouthernNorth Carolina4
1991–92DukeKept it all the way: national championsDuke0
1990–91UNLVLost it in the Final Four to DukeDuke1
1989–90UConnLost it in the Elite Eight to DukeUNLV2
1988–89GeorgetownLost it in the Elite Eight to DukeMichigan3
1987–88KentuckyLost it in the Sweet 16 to VillanovaKansas3
1986–87MichiganLost it in the second round to North CarolinaIndiana3
1985–86DukeLost it in the title game to LouisvilleLouisville1
1984–85GeorgetownLost it in the title game to VillanovaVillanova1
1983–84RichmondLost it in the second round to IndianaGeorgetown4
1982–83St. John'sLost it in the Sweet 16 to GeorgiaNC State2
1981–82ArkansasLost it in the second round to Kansas StateNorth Carolina4
1980–81Cincinnatinot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonIndiana0
1979–80Notre DameLost it in the second round to MissouriLouisville3
1978–79Wisconsinnot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonMichigan State0
1977–78UtahLost it in the Sweet 16 to Notre DameKentucky3
1976–77Washingtonnot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonMarquette0
1975–76IndianaKept it all the way: national championsIndiana0
1974–75North CarolinaLost it in the Sweet 16 to SyracuseUCLA3
1973–74USCnot in the NCAA fieldMissed the NCAA field; lost it to UCLA (Postseason)NC State2
1972–73UCLAKept it all the way: national championsUCLA0
1971–72UCLAKept it all the way: national championsUCLA0
1970–71UCLAKept it all the way: national championsUCLA0
1969–70San Francisconot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonUCLA0
1968–69UCLALost it in the postseason to USCUCLA1
1967–68KentuckyLost it in the Elite Eight to Ohio StateUCLA3
1966–67Tulsanot in the NCAA fieldMissed the NCAA field; lost it to Marquette (NIT)UCLA1
1965–66DavidsonLost it in the Sweet 16 to SyracuseUTEP4
1964–65MichiganLost it in the postseason to Ohio StateUCLA1
1963–64Arizona StateLost it in the first round to Utah StateUCLA3
1962–63Duquesnenot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonLoyola Chicago0
1961–62CincinnatiKept it all the way: national championsCincinnati0
1960–61Ohio StateLost it in the title game to CincinnatiCincinnati1
1959–60CaliforniaLost it in the title game to Ohio StateOhio State1
1958–59KentuckyLost it in the Sweet 16 to LouisvilleCalifornia3
1957–58Mississippi Statenot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonKentucky0
1956–57Vanderbiltnot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonNorth Carolina0
1955–56San FranciscoKept it all the way: national championsSan Francisco0
1954–55KentuckyLost it in the Sweet 16 to MarquetteSan Francisco4
1953–54St. John'snot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonLa Salle0
1952–53Kansas Statenot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonIndiana0
1951–52Oklahoma Statenot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonKansas0
1950–51Pennsylvanianot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonKentucky0
1949–50Villanovanot in the NCAA fieldKept it through the postseasonCity College of New York0

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