Double Your Pleasure: ACC Assured of Having Member in NCAA Title Game
March 28th, 2016 - 7:53
The ACC boasts two members at the Final Four for the first time in 12 years. Two teams from the same conference reached the Final Four eight consecutive years from 1999 through 2006.
Squads 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 19 of the first 23 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. |
| 2016 | North Carolina (1st) lost in national championship game after defeating fellow ACC member Syracuse (T9th) in semifinals. |