The NCAA field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. A 65th was added via a single "opening round" game in 2001, two teams playing for the right to be the lowest-rated 16th seed. Since then, the ACC has emerged as the premier conference on the national stage, a status that has taken a bit of a hit the past two seasons.Over those 23 years, 92 teams have reached the Final Four. Twenty-one came from the ACC, about 23 percent. The Big 10 is next closest, with 16.
No school has gone more often to the Final Four since 1985 than Duke, and only Duke has gone more often than North Carolina. Between them, the Triangle schools had 17 of the 92 berths in the national semifinals, 18 percent, and more than any league.
The Blue Devils reached the championship game seven times in that span, more often than any team except UNC even got to the Final Four - 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001. Duke also won more titles, three, during those 23 years than any other program. UNC, Kentucky and Connecticut each won two championships since 1985.
Twenty-three teams achieved multiple appearances in the Final Four since '85, including Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland and North Carolina from the ACC. All four of this year's entrants have appeared since 1985 - Florida and UCLA most recently in 2006, Ohio State in 1999, and Georgetown in '85.
The ACC has won six NCAA titles in the past 23 years: Duke in 1991, 1992, and 2001; North Carolina in 1993 and 2005; and Maryland in 2002. Next-closest with five titles after Monday night's win by Florida is the SEC with five (Florida in 2006 and 2007; Kentucky in 1996 and 1998; and Arkansas, 1994) The Big East can claim four (UConn in 1999 and 2004; Syracuse in 2003; Villanova in 1985).
| FAMILIAR FACES | ||
| Final Four Appearances Since 1985 (When NCAA Field Expanded To 64+) | ||
| 10 | Duke | 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991*, 1992*, 1994, 1999, 2001*, 2004 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 1991, 1993*, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2005* |
| 6 | Kansas | 1986, 1988*, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2003 |
| 4 | Florida | 1994, 2000, 2006*, 2007* |
| 4 | Michigan State | 1999, 2000*, 2001, 2005 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 1993, 1996*, 1997, 1998* |
| 4 | Arizona | 1988, 1994, 1997*, 2001 |
| 3 | UCLA | 1995*, 2006, 2007 |
| 3 | Arkansas | 1990, 1994*, 1995 |
| 3 | Syracuse | 1987, 1996, 2003* |
| 3 | Indiana | 1987*, 1992, 2002 |
| 3 | Michigan | 1989*, 1992, 1993 |
| 3 | UNLV | 1987, 1990*, 1991 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 1999, 2007 |
| 2 | Georgetown | 1985, 2007 |
| 2 | Connecticut | 1999*, 2004* |
| 2 | Maryland | 2001, 2002* |
| 2 | Louisville | 1986*, 2005 |
| 2 | LSU | 1986, 2006 |
| 2 | Illinois | 1989, 2005 |
| 2 | Georgia Tech | 1990, 2004 |
| 2 | Oklahoma State | 1995, 2004 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 1988, 2002 |
| * Won title. | ||
Schools appearing once since 1985: Villanova (the champion in 1985), St. John's (1985), Memphis (1985), Providence (1987), Seton Hall (1989), Cincinnati (1992), UMass (1996), Mississippi State (1996), Minnesota (1997), Utah (1998), Stanford (1998), Wisconsin (2000), Marquette (2003), Texas (2003), George Mason (2006).