Double Your Pleasure: Wisconsin and MSU Duplicate 2000 Final Four Run

March 29th, 2015 - 18:42

Wisconsin and Michigan State, which ushered in the 21st Century by appearing at the Final Four, have returned to the national semifinals at the same time again. The Big Ten Conference has achieved the feat on eight occasions. Two teams from the same conference reached the Final Four eight consecutive years from 1999 through 2006.

Teams from the same league have met in the national championship game on three occasions - 1976 (champion Indiana and runner-up Michigan/from Big Ten), 1985 (Villanova and Georgetown/Big East) and 1988 (Kansas and Oklahoma/Big Eight).

At least one of the two members from the same league participated in the national championship game in 18 of the first 22 years two teams from the same alliance advanced to the Final Four.

Year Final Four Results of Two Teams From the Same Conference
1976 Indiana (1st in regular-season competition) defeated fellow Big Ten Conference member Michigan (2nd) in championship game.
1980 Purdue (3rd) defeated fellow Big Ten member Iowa (T4th) in national third-place game.
1981 North Carolina (2nd) defeated fellow ACC member Virginia (1st) in national semifinals before the Tar Heels bowed against Indiana in final.
1985 Villanova (T3rd) defeated fellow Big East member Georgetown (2nd) in national final after the Hoyas defeated St. John's (1st) in national semifinals.
1987 Syracuse (T1st) was runner-up to Indiana after defeating fellow Big East member Providence (T4th) in national semifinals.
1988 Kansas (3rd) defeated fellow Big Eight member Oklahoma (1st) in championship game.
1989 Michigan (3rd) won championship game against Seton Hall after the Wolverines defeated fellow Big Ten member Illinois (2nd) in national semifinals.
1990 UNLV defeated ACC members Georgia Tech (T3rd) in national semifinals and Duke (2nd) in championship game.
1991 Kansas split two games with ACC members, defeating North Carolina (2nd) in national semifinals before losing against Duke (1st) in championship game.
1992 Duke defeated Big Ten members Indiana (2nd) in national semifinals and Michigan (T3rd) in championship game.
1994 Arkansas (1st in West Division) won championship game against Duke after the Blue Devils defeated the Hogs' fellow SEC member Florida (T1st in East) in national semifinals.
1996 Kentucky (1st in East Division) won championship game against Syracuse after the Orangemen defeated the Wildcats' fellow SEC member Mississippi State (1st in West Division) in national semifinals.
1999 Michigan State (1st) and fellow Big Ten member Ohio State (2nd) lost against Duke and Connecticut, respectively, in national semifinals.
2000 Michigan State (T1st) won national championship after defeating fellow Big Ten member Wisconsin (6th) in national semifinals.
2001 Duke (T1st) won national championship after defeating fellow ACC member Maryland (3rd) in national semifinals.
2002 Kansas (1st) and Big 12 rival Oklahoma (2nd) lost against Maryland and Indiana, respectively, in national semifinals.
2003 Kansas (1st) finished national runner-up and Big 12 rival Texas (2nd) lost against eventual champion Syracuse in national semifinals.
2004 Georgia Tech (T3rd) finished national runner-up and ACC rival Duke (1st) lost against eventual champion Connecticut in national semifinals.
2005 Illinois (1st) finished national runner-up and Big Ten rival Michigan State (2nd) lost against eventual champion North Carolina in national semifinals.
2006 Florida (2nd in Eastern Division) won national championship and SEC rival LSU (1st in Western Division) lost against UCLA in national semifinals.
2009 Big East rivals Connecticut (T2nd) and Villanova (4th) each lost in national semifinals.
2013 Louisville (T1st) won national championship against Michigan after the Wolverines defeated Syracuse (T5th) in national semifinals in their Big East swan songs.
2014 SEC members Florida (1st) and Kentucky (T2nd) were on opposite sides of the bracket in Arlington, TX. Connecticut defeated top-ranked Florida in national semifinals and preseason #1 UK in national final.
2015 Big Ten members Michigan State (T3rd) and Wisconsin (1st) were on opposite sides of the bracket in Indianapolis. Wisconsin reached title game and MSU was eliminated by Duke.