Which Conference Has The Best Record in The Men’s NCAA Tournament So Far? Results Through The Sweet 16

Which conference has the best record in this year’s tournament?

The Sweet 16 is now in the books as just eight teams remain in the running in the men’s NCAA tournament: No. 1 Kansas, No. 2 Villanova, No. 2 Duke, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 5 Houston, No. 8 North Carolina, No. 10 Miami (Fla.) and No. 15 Saint Peter’s.

However, before a national champion is crowned, it’s important to take stock of how the various conferences have performed in this year’s edition of March Madness. 

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has led the way in terms of winning percentage thus far thanks to the efforts of No. 15 Saint Peter’s. The Peacocks are perhaps the greatest Cinderella in tournament history, becoming the first 15-seed ever to advance to the Elite Eight, with wins over No. 2 Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue. 

When it comes to conferences that received more than one bid to the Big Dance, the ACC surprisingly holds the best record at 11–2. Led by its three Elite Eight representatives, the ACC has impressed in what many considered to be a down year for the usual powerhouse league. 

The Big 12 ranks second among Power Five conferences as its six programs have posted a 10–5 record through the Sweet 16. No. 1 Kansas is the lone Big 12 team remaining but is one of the current favorites to walk away with this year’s national championship.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Big Ten, the SEC and the Pac-12 have floundered, despite each having multiple programs that were considered title contenders.  Arkansas is the only team the remains from the three Power Five conferences that have posted a combined 18–17 record.

Here’s a look at the records for each conference that had at least one team represented in this year’s tournament through the Sweet 16:

MAAC: 3–0
ACC: 11–2
AAC: 4–1
Big 12: 10–5
Pac-12: 4–3
Big East: 6–5
Big Ten: 9–9
SEC: 5–5
WCC: 3–3
WAC: 1–1
OVC: 1–1
SWAC: 1–1
Horizon: 1–1
A-10: 1–2
MWC: 0–4

These records are subject to change following the Elite Eight on March 26 and March 27, the Final Four on April 2 and the national championship game on April 4.

• Daily Cover: Leaky Roofs, Disappearing Balls and Frozen Offices: Inside a Real Cinderella Story