Making the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament is a pretty big deal. Heading into all the March Mayhem as a No. 1 seed is an even bigger deal.
But some teams have a No. 1 next to their name more often than others. Teams like North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky are at the top of the bracket far more often than others, but when you look at the Big Ten, it’s a more even game of parity.
So which Big Ten programs have enjoyed more No. 1 seeds than others? The results might be a bit surprising. We’re only going back to the year 1979 when the field expanded to 40 teams and every team received a seed.
Here’s a look at Big Ten basketball teams and the times they’ve received the coveted No. 1 seed in all the March Madness.