UConn seeks 5th national title in low-seeded title game. The Huskies will face San Diego State on Monday in the 4th National Championship Game since seeding began in 1979 that will be played without a Top-2 seed.
It's also the second time without a Top-3 seed.
UConn Vs San Diego State Fun Facts
San Diego State is seeking to become just the 2nd team over the last 50 years to win the national championship in its first Final Four appearance. The only other team to accomplish that feat over this span? UConn in 1999.
UConn is seeking to win it all after starting the season unranked in the AP Preseason Poll.
Since the AP debuted the Preseason Poll in 1961-62, only 6 teams have won it all after being unranked to start the year.
Won National Championship
Unranked in AP Preseason Poll (Since 1961-62)
2011 UConn
2006 Florida
2003 Syracuse
1985 Villanova
1966 Texas Western (now UTEP)
1964 UCLA
Both San Diego State and UConn were listed at 60-1 at the start of the season to win the National Championship. Regardless of who wins, that will be the longest preseason odds by an eventual national champion since UConn in
2014 (65-1).
Since the tournament field expanded in 1985, teams favored by 7 points or more in the National Championship Game are just 4-3 outright.
This would be the largest spread since 2010 and tie for the seventh-largest spread in a national title game since the Tournament expanded in 1985.
Everything is BIG for the Huskies In Texas
Connecticut may have some differences from Texas, but the Huskies have historically felt right at home in the Lone Star State.
Each of UConn’s last 3 titles have been won in Texas, tied for the most by any team in a state in NCAA Tournament history.
Since seeding began in 1979, a non-No. 1 seed has won the title 17 times. Only one of those teams didn’t defeat a 1 seed at any point in their tournament run: 2011 UConn. The Huskies look to repeat that history.
History and Pete's Prediction
This will be the 2nd meeting in the NCAA Tournament between the Aztecs and Huskies. UConn beat San Diego State back in the 2011 Sweet 16 en route to winning the national title.
That game featured a matchup between future NBA stars Kawhi Leonard (SDSU) and Kemba Walker (UConn) in what was then the Aztecs’ first Sweet 16 appearance in school history.
Its says here: UConn 75 San Diego State 62. More on Shemon and Sheppard 2-6pm today.
