Which schools have the most consecutive NCAA Men’s Tournament appearances of all-time?

Michigan State has grow to be an NCAA Match mainstay below Tom Izzo, reaching the event in each season since his third 12 months on the job.

The Spartans are dancing as soon as once more this March. They had been positioned because the No. 2 seed within the South Area, giving them their highest seed within the event since 2019.

As Michigan State’s consecutive event appearances streak elevated to 27 on Sunday, Izzo and the Spartans are on the precipice of constructing historical past. The place does their consecutive event appearances streak rank all time? Let’s have a look.

(Be aware: Vacated event appearances not counted)

Most consecutive NCAA Males’s Match appearances of all-time

T9. Texas (14; 1999-2012)

Rick Barnes helped Texas attain new heights within the fashionable period, immediately bringing the Longhorns again to the NCAA Match in his first 12 months on the job. That started a streak of 14 straight NCAA Match appearances, which included six Candy 16 journeys and 4 Elite Eight appearances.

Texas additionally reached the Last 4 as soon as through the streak, making it there in 2003 behind star guard TJ Ford. LaMarcus Aldridge and PJ Tucker almost bought the Longhorns again to the Last 4 in 2005, however they misplaced to LSU in time beyond regulation within the Elite Eight. 

In fact, that streak included Kevin Durant’s lone season in Austin. Nevertheless, Texas did not make it previous the primary weekend with the Nationwide Participant of the Yr on its roster, getting upset by USC within the second spherical in 2007. Texas made it to the Elite Eight within the following season, however solely received two event video games within the closing 4 years of the streak.

John Thompson etched himself as a university basketball icon through the Eighties, constantly teaching a Georgetown staff that was a nationwide title contender. Throughout Georgetown’s 14-year event look streak, the Hoyas reached the Elite Eight six occasions and three Last Fours.

Georgetown performed within the nationwide championship sport in every of these Last 4 journeys. After shedding to North Carolina on Michael Jordan’s game-winning shot within the closing seconds of the 1982 title sport, Patrick Ewing and Georgetown avenged that loss in 1984 by beating Houston within the title sport. Ewing, Thompson and Georgetown reached the title sport once more within the following season, however had been upset by Villanova. 

Whereas Georgetown did not make the Last 4 once more after these journeys through the streak, Alonzo Mourning’s arrival helped the Hoyas win a Large East title and lengthen the streak to 14 years.

T9. Arizona (14; 1985-98)

Lute Olson made Arizona one of many premier applications on the West Coast within the Eighties and ’90s, technically serving to the Wildcats play in an NCAA Match sport in 25 straight seasons (1985-2008) as head coach. Nevertheless, its 1999 and 2008 appearances had been vacated.

Nonetheless, Arizona was in a position to contend for titles for a lot of Olson’s tenure. It made the Last 4 thrice through the course of the streak, successful the nationwide championship in 1997. That staff had a handful of gamers who went on to be drafted, with Mike Bibby and Jason Terry main the way in which. 

8. Kentucky (17; 1992-2008)

A real signal of a blue blood may be its capability to maintain success over a number of coaches. That is what Kentucky did between the Nineties and thru the late 2000s, with Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith and Billy Gillispie every teaching the Wildcats over the course of the streak.

Kentucky returned to prominence below Pitino, making it to no less than the Elite Eight in 5 of the primary six event appearances within the streak. It received the nationwide title within the 1995-96 season and almost went back-to-back in 1997, shedding to Arizona in time beyond regulation of the title sport.

Following Pitino’s departure in 1997, Smith had the Wildcats nonetheless enjoying at a nationwide championship degree. They received the nationwide championship in Smith’s first 12 months and made three extra Elite Eight appearances within the following seven seasons. 

As Smith did not make it out the primary weekend in his closing two seasons on the helm, he resigned to take the job at Minnesota. Gillispie prolonged Kentucky’s streak in his first season, but it surely led to his second 12 months in Lexington, resulting in his firing. 

7. Indiana (18; 1986-2003)

After a uncommon hiccup below Bobby Knight in 1985, the Hoosiers started one of many longest event look streaks ever. Within the second season of the streak, Indiana received its third nationwide championship below Knight, with Steve Alford and Keith Good main the way in which.

Indiana solely made the Elite Eight twice and one Last 4 within the 13 seasons following that title win, with Knight’s tenure in Bloomington coming to an unceremonious finish in 2000. Mike Davis helped lengthen the streak for a number of seasons after he took over, main Indiana to a shock title sport look in 2002. However the Hoosiers’ consecutive event appearances streak led to 2004, with Davis resigning in 2006.

6. Wisconsin (19; 1999-2017)

Wisconsin won’t be seen as a lot of a basketball energy in contrast toF the opposite colleges on this record, however Bo Ryan introduced a powerful degree of consistency throughout his 15 seasons as head coach. After taking on in 2001, Ryan led the Badgers to a event look in every full season he was the top coach, making the Candy 16 seven occasions.

Ryan lastly bought over the hump to guide Wisconsin to the Last 4 in 2014, the primary of two straight appearances. It almost beat Duke for the title in 2015, with Ryan resigning early on within the following season.

Greg Gard helped Wisconsin lengthen the streak for a few extra seasons following Ryan’s departure, making the Swwet 16 in each years.

5. Duke (24; 1996-2019)

Arguably the peak of Mike Krzyzewski’s 42-year tenure as Duke’s head coach got here within the early Nineties, successful two nationwide titles and reaching the Last 4 six occasions in a seven-year stretch.

Nevertheless, Krzyzewski saved the ball rolling effectively after Grant Hill and Christian Laettner left Durham. As Krzyzewski a superb portion of the 1994-95 season on account of a again problem that triggered Duke to overlook the event, the Blue Devils continued one other streak of excellence. They reached the title sport in 1999 and received all of it in 2001.

There was a little bit of a title lull for Duke within the ensuing 9 seasons, solely making the Last 4 as soon as throughout that point. However it received all of it once more in 2010. Because the one-and-done period took over school basketball round that point, Krzyzewski embraced that, together with his closing title staff being led by freshmen in 2015.

Duke’s streak got here to an finish in 2021, going 13-11 that season.

4. Gonzaga (26; 1999-2025)

Whereas Michigan State has the longest energetic consecutive event streak look, Gonzaga is not that far behind. After Dan Monson coached the Zags to the Elite Eight in 1999, Mark Few took over and this system hasn’t seemed again.

Beneath Few, Gonzaga has remodeled from a mid-major to one of many prime applications within the sport, with a number of prime NBA prospects spending time there in recent times. Whereas Gonzaga hasn’t received a title within the streak, it got here shut in 2017, reaching the title sport that 12 months. It made the title sport once more in 2021.

Gonzaga has made it to the Candy 16 13 occasions over the streak. Forward of the 2025 event, it is received no less than one event sport in every of the final 16 tournaments. 

T2. North Carolina (27; 1975-2001)

Dean Smith helped UNC grow to be one of many sport’s blue bloods over his 36 seasons as head coach, serving as its head coach in all however 4 seasons of the streak.

UNC made the Last 4 seven occasions over the 27 straight seasons it made the event, successful the title twice. Each title wins had been memorable, however for utterly totally different causes. In 1982, Michael Jordan’s leap shot within the closing seconds gave Smith his first title win. Eleven years later, UNC was in a position to safe a title win due to Chris Weber’s timeout blunder within the closing seconds of its win over Michigan.

Invoice Guthridge was in a position to preserve the streak going when he changed Smith in 1997, making the Last 4 twice in three years. Following Guthridge’s retirement, Matt Doherty was solely in a position to lengthen the streak for another season earlier than lacking the event two years in a row. He was fired after the 2002-03 season.

T2. Michigan State (27; 1998-2025)

Tom Izzo has made loads of historical past at Michigan State already, turning into the winningest coach in Large Ten historical past in February. He is shut to creating much more historical past, too.

Michigan State’s present streak of 27 straight event appearances is simply in need of the file. The Spartans have additionally been the most effective groups within the event since Izzo took over as head coach, going 56-25 within the event video games forward of the 2025 event.

Izzo has led the Spartans to eight Last 4 appearances, with 26 of his first 29 recruiting courses of four-year gamers experiencing a visit to the Last 4. Michigan State has additionally received a title through the streak, successful all of it in 2000.

1. Kansas (28; 1990-2017)

When you’ve gotten three consecutive Corridor of Famers coach your program, it would be tough to not make historical past.

Kansas at the moment holds the file for the longest consecutive event appearances of all time. The file started in Roy Williams’ second season as head coach as he changed Larry Brown. Whereas Williams did not make the event in his first 12 months as head coach, the Jayhawks had been a title contender for a lot of his 15 seasons as head coach. Kansas made it to the Last 4 on 4 events with Williams, shedding within the title sport in 1991 and 2003.

Williams left Kansas following the 2003 title sport loss to grow to be the top coach of UNC, however the Jayhawks did not take any steps again with Invoice Self. The streak continued in his first 14 seasons, reaching the Elite Eight 4 occasions.

Kansas has constantly remained one of many prime applications all through Self’s 22 seasons as head coach. The one purpose why the streak got here to an finish was on account of recruiting violations within the 2017-18 season, which led to Kansas’ journey to the Last 4 journey from that 12 months being vacated. Had that not occurred, the streak could be at a whopping 35 straight.

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