Yearly, No. 1 and No. 2 seeds within the NCAA males’s bracket get many of the championship picks amongst Bracket Problem Recreation gamers. However generally one crew takes up a lot consideration that there is a sizable hole among the many most-picked decisions. Different years, BCG customers unfold out the picks.
Here is a take a look at probably the most picked Bracket Problem Recreation championship winners, going again to 2014. We additionally checklist the champion and its share — if that winner wasn’t the identical because the most-chosen champ.
2024The hottest decide (and champion): UConn — 26.09 p.c
The Huskies repeated as nationwide champs and have become the primary title crew to be the most-picked BCG champ since Villanova in 2018. UConn was the No. 1 total seed and the runaway best choice for bracket fillers, as Houston was a distant second (champion on 10.94 p.c of brackets). Huskies romped to a different title, profitable their six video games by 39, 17, 30, 25, 14 and 15 factors.
2023The hottest decide: Houston — 20.18 percentThe champ: UConn — 2.08 p.c
Houston was the highest decide to win all of it, getting into the event tied for probably the most wins of any crew within the nation. But, the Cougars fell within the Candy 16 in a loss to No. 5 Miami.
The eventual champion UConn Huskies had the Eleventh-most brackets decide them to win the championship at 2.08 p.c.
2022The hottest decide: Gonzaga — 30.26 percentThe champ: Kansas — 7.87 p.c
Gonzaga was the highest decide for the second yr in a row, because the Bulldogs have been the No. 1 total seed once more. However Gonzaga fell within the Candy 16 in an upset loss to No. 4 Arkansas.
The eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks weren’t far down the checklist — at 7.87 p.c, KU was the third-most widespread choice amongst BCG brackets. For reference, No. 1 Arizona was second at 13.76.
2021The hottest decide: Gonzaga — 38.84 percentThe champ: Baylor — 8.44 p.c
Gonzaga virtually grew to become the game’s first undefeated champion since Indiana in 1975-76. The Bulldogs entered the event unbeaten and reached the title recreation earlier than falling to Baylor. These Bears have been the third-most widespread decide — however you possibly can see the hole between the 2 (and Illinois, the No. 2 favourite decide at 15.70 p.c)
2019The hottest decide: Duke — 39.12 percentThe champ: Virginia — 5.86 p.c
Duke seemingly had all of it. The Blue Devils gained the ACC event title, have been 29-5, grabbed the No. 1 total seed — and had Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and others. Add that each one up and greater than 39 p.c of BCG gamers picked Duke to chop down the nets. The Blue Devils had shut calls with No. 9 UCF and No. 4 Virginia Tech earlier than falling to No. 2 Michigan State in an Elite Eight thriller.
Virginia, the ACC regular-season champ, went all the best way on solely 5.86 p.c of BCG brackets. However one yr after UVA misplaced to UMBC within the historic 16-over-1 shocker, the Cavaliers gained their first nationwide title.
2018The hottest decide (and champion): Villanova — 17.52 p.c
Virginia had the No. 1 total seed at 31-2, however De’Andre Hunter broke his wrist within the ACC event and needed to miss the NCAA event. The Cavaliers’ keep did not final, nonetheless, with No. 16 UMBC’s monumental upset leaving 16.46 p.c of customers with out their champion within the event after the primary spherical.
However Virginia wasn’t even the most well-liked decide. That will be Villanova. The Wildcats, one other No. 1 seed, dominated their opponents that yr, profitable all six NCAA event video games by double digits.
2017
The most well-liked decide (and champion): North Carolina — 14.55 p.c
UNC was each the most well-liked decide and the eventual 2017 champion, however there was not a lot of a spot between the Tar Heels and different favourite BCG title picks. Here is how bunched up it was on the high, together with what could be North Carolina’s last opponent (Gonzaga):
North Carolina: 14.55 p.c
Kansas: 12.44 p.c
Villanova: 12.26 p.c
Duke: 11.69 p.c
UCLA: 11.14 p.c
Gonzaga: 9.99 p.c
TAKE A CHANCE: Listed below are the chances of getting an ideal bracket
2016
The most well-liked decide: Kansas — 24.87 percentThe champ: Villanova — 2.36 p.c
Champion Villanova took down the most well-liked BCG decide, Kansas, within the Elite Eight. The Jayhawks claimed the No. 1 total seed, however they weren’t the runaway favourite alternative — Michigan State got here in second. Nonetheless, the No. 2 Spartans misplaced to No. 15 Center Tennessee, disappointing practically 22 p.c of BCG gamers who had Tom Izzo and Michigan State profitable all of it.
2015The hottest decide: Kentucky — 46.57 percentThe champ: Duke — 10.54 p.c
With the undefeated Wildcats within the area, was there any doubt about their reputation right here?
Kentucky began the season ranked No. 1 and by no means fell out of the highest spot, selecting up the No. 1 total seed and going into March Insanity 34-0. 4 wins adopted, however Wisconsin upset UK within the Last 4.
That Wisconsin crew virtually matched Duke on the ground and when it got here to BCG picks — 10.69 p.c of customers selected the Badgers to win all of it in comparison with Duke’s 10.54 p.c. However Duke gained the showdown, 68-63, for Mike Krzyzewski’s fifth title.Â
2014The hottest decide: Florida — 26.04 percentThe champ: UConn — 0.23 p.c
Here is the most important shock of all of them, at the least going again to 2014.
The Huskies have been solely a No. 7 seed and 26-8 after they took the court docket to face No. 10 Saint Joseph’s to start their event run. UConn gained that one in OT earlier than defeating No. 2 Villanova, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 4 Michigan State, No. 1 Florida and No. 8 Kentucky to win for the second time in 4 years. UConn was the No. 22 hottest champion decide in 2014.
Florida was the clear No. 1 decide in 2014, as Michigan State (13.30) was the one different BCG champion decide for greater than 10 p.c of gamers. Of the Gators’ three losses that season, two got here to UConn.
