Twin Peaks: Louisville and Syracuse Leaving Big East Conference in Style
March 31st, 2013 - 22:54
Louisville and Syracuse are future members of the ACC. But for now, they are the pride of the Big East Conference before the unraveling league turns into the Big Least or whatever its new name will be.
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 17 of the first 21 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 member Michigan (2nd) in the championship game. |
| 1980 | Purdue (3rd) defeated fellow Big Ten member Iowa (T4th) in the national third-place game. |
| 1981 | North Carolina (2nd) defeated fellow ACC member Virginia (1st) in the national semifinals before the Tar Heels bowed to Indiana in the final. |
| 1985 | Villanova (T3rd) defeated fellow Big East member Georgetown (2nd) in the national final after the Hoyas defeated St. John's (1st) in the national semifinals. |
| 1987 | Syracuse (T1st) was runner-up to Indiana after defeating fellow Big East member Providence (T4th) in the national semifinals. |
| 1988 | Kansas (3rd) defeated fellow Big Eight member Oklahoma (1st) in the championship game. |
| 1989 | Michigan (3rd) won the championship game against Seton Hall after the Wolverines defeated fellow Big Ten member Illinois (2nd) in the national semifinals. |
| 1990 | UNLV defeated two ACC members - Georgia Tech (T3rd) in the national semifinals and Duke (2nd) in the championship game. |
| 1991 | Kansas split two games with ACC members. The Jayhawks defeated North Carolina (2nd) in the national semifinals before losing to Duke (1st) in the championship game. |
| 1992 | Duke defeated two Big Ten members - Indiana (2nd) in the national semifinals and Michigan (T3rd) in the championship game. |
| 1994 | Arkansas (1st in West Division) won the championship game against Duke after the Blue Devils defeated the Hogs' fellow SEC member Florida (T1st in East) in the national semifinals. |
| 1996 | Kentucky (1st in East Division) won the championship game against Syracuse after the Orangemen defeated the Wildcats' fellow SEC member Mississippi State (1st in West Division) in the national semifinals. |
| 1999 | Michigan State (1st) and fellow Big Ten member Ohio State (2nd) lost to Duke and Connecticut, respectively, in the national semifinals. |
| 2000 | Michigan State (T1st) won the national championship after defeating fellow Big Ten member Wisconsin (6th) in the national semifinals. |
| 2001 | Duke (T1st) won the national championship after defeating fellow ACC member Maryland (3rd) in the national semifinals. |
| 2002 | Kansas (1st) and Big 12 rival Oklahoma (2nd) lost to Maryland and Indiana, respectively, in the national semifinals. |
| 2003 | Kansas (1st) finished national runner-up and Big 12 rival Texas (2nd) lost to eventual champion Syracuse in the national semifinals. |
| 2004 | Georgia Tech (T3rd) finished national runner-up and ACC rival Duke (1st) lost to eventual champion Connecticut in the national semifinals. |
| 2005 | Illinois (1st) finished national runner-up and Big Ten rival Michigan State (2nd) lost to eventual champion North Carolina in the national semifinals. |
| 2006 | Florida (2nd in Eastern Division) won the national championship and SEC rival LSU (1st in Western Division) lost to UCLA in the national semifinals. |
| 2009 | Big East rivals Connecticut (T2nd) and Villanova (4th) both lost in the national semifinals. |
| 2013 | Big East members Louisville (T1st) and Syracuse (T5th) advanced to the Final Four in Atlanta. |