2022 Final Four Fun Facts
Final Four Fun Facts
The 2022 Final Four features four blue blood programs in Duke, Kansas, North Carolina and Villanova. Here are some interesting facts about all four programs.
1)North Carolina is in their record-breaking Final Four and is looking for their eighth national title (seventh NCAA title). All four teams have combined to make the Final Four 61 times and have won 17 titles.
2)Duke and North Carolina will meet for the 257th time going back to 1920. North Carolina leads 142-115 and won the last game on March 5 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, 94-81, spoiling Mike Krzyzewski’s last home game. These teams have never met in the NCAA Tournament, but did meet in the 1971 NIT with Carolina winning 73-67 in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden.
3)Villanova is now 20-3 in its last 23 NCAA Tournament games, They have three National Championships, with the latest coming in 2018 as a No. 1 seed. They’ve reached the Final Four six times and in 2016 won as the No. 2 seed defeating North Carolina 77-74 on a Kris Jenkins three-pointer at the buzzer.
4)Villanova made all 15 of its free throws against Houston in their win on Saturday. They lead the nation in free throw shooting (82%). In four NCAA Tournament games, they are 53-for-59, shooting 90%. The last team that reached at least the Sweet 16 and shot 90% from the line was in 2016 with UConn which shot 91%. (courtesy Yahoo Sports)
5)Kansas has won three NCAA titles and has gone to nine NCAA title games. This will be their 15th Final Four. They were last in the Final Four in 2018 when they fell to Villanova 95-79 in 2018. They were last in the a title game in 2012, when they fell at Kentucky 67-59. They won their last title in 2008, when they defeated Memphis in overtime 75-68.
6)Duke has won five NCAA Championships and appeared in 11 Championship Game (third all-time). This will be their 17th Final Four and they have the record for best winning percentage in an NCAA Tournament at .755. Coach K has been to 13 Final Fours and is second all-time with five National Championships. This is Duke’s first Final Four since 2015 when they won the National title, beating Wisconsin 68-63.
7)While this looks like a chalk Final Four, it is not. The last year when all four seeds were No. 1 came in 2008. Duke and Villanova are at No. 2, North Carolina is the eighth seed and Kansas at No. 1.
8)Coach K. will attempt to become the oldest coach to win a National Title (he’s 75). Jim Calhoun won the National title with UConn in 2011 at the age of 68.
