NCAA Tournament Odds, Butler Vs. Florida: Has An 8-Seed Ever Beaten A 2-Seed?

We’re hours away from the first Elite Eight game of the NCAA Tournament, when 8-seed Butler tips off against 2-seed Florida. The Bulldogs are looking to earn a surprising Final Four berth for the second consecutive year. Before the game, let’s see how 8-seeds have fared historically against 2-seeds. Thanks in part to how the bracket is structured, an 8-seed has only played a 2-seed four times:

↵2004: 2-seed UConn 87, 8-seed Alabama 71.
1986: 2-seed Louisville 84, 8-seed Auburn 76.
1985: 8-seed Villanova 56, 2-seed North Carolina 44.
1985: 8-seed Villanova 52, 2-seed Memphis State 45.

↵The NCAA Tournament was kind of a weird thing in its early days. In 1985, the first year it expanded to a 64-team format, 8-seed Villanova won the championship. But since 1990, a 1-seed or 2-seed has won all but two tournaments, and those tournaments were won by a 3-seed and 4-seed.

↵Anyway, all in all, 8-seeds are batting .500 against 2-seeds. Do not take this as betting advice unless Magic 8-balls are your thing.

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