UNDATED (AP) — There’s no room for a surprise team at this Final Four. Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Villanova have combined for 17 national championships. Each of these schools has won at least three titles. That makes this the first Final Four in which each of the teams already had won multiple championships. The closest thing to a Final Four party crasher is North Carolina. The Tar Heels were seeded eighth in the East Region but have won 10 of their last 11 games.
UNDATED (AP) — This year’s Final Four is either unprecedented or pretty close. North Carolina is making a record 21st appearance in the Final Four. Its semifinal opponent, Duke, is waiting with the sport’s winningest coach. Mike Krzyzewski surpassed 1,200 victories during this postseason run. Kansas arrives having recently taken over the Division I lead in all-time wins. Villanova doesn’t have quite the storied history of the other three schools, but the Wildcats are trying for their third national title in seven years. So the quartet of programs in this year’s Final Four is truly special. Only a few others can really compare.
