The 2024 Men’s Final Four has it all – a defending national champion (UConn), a football powerhouse making its first appearance (Alabama) and two tradition-laden programs that haven’t been here in more than 40 years (Purdue and North Carolina State).
And all are on their way to Phoenix!
Connecticut Huskies / No. 1 seed in East
Location: Storrs, CT. Distance from Glendale: 2,236 miles
Men’s Final Four appearances: 7 (most recent: 2023)
National titles: 5 (most recent: 2023)
Record: 35-3
Conference: Big East
Coach: Danny Hurley
- Brother of ASU coach Bobby Hurley
- Has led the Huskies to 2 Men’s Final Fours and 1 national title
Form: The Huskies look like the team to beat after annihilating the East Region, winning every game by an average of 28 points. UConn is trying to become the first back-to-back national champion since Florida in 2006-07.
Alabama Crimson Tide / No. 4 seed in the West
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL. Distance from Glendale: 1,420 miles
Men’s Final Four appearances: 1
National titles: 0
Record: 25-11
Conference: Southeastern
Coach: Nate Oats
- First Men’s Final Four
- In last four years, has led Tide to two Sweet Sixteens and a Men’s Final Four
Form: Renowned as a gridiron power, Alabama shocked top-seeded North Carolina in the West semis and then held off No. 6 seed Clemson to reach its first Men’s Final Four. The Crimson Tide have a rare opportunity to win national titles in two sports in the same building; they defeated Clemson in the 2016 CFP National Championship Game in State Farm Stadium.
Purdue Boilermakers / No. 1 seed in the Midwest
Location: West Lafayette, IN. Distance from Glendale: 1,468 miles
Men’s Final Four appearances: 3 (most recent: 1980)
National titles: 0
Record: 33-4
Conference: Big Ten
Coach: Matt Painter
- First Men’s Final Four
- Purdue graduate (1994) and former student-athlete has led alma mater to NCAA tournament 16 times in 19 years
Form: Rolled through the Midwest Region, with 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey scoring 40 points against Tennessee to clinch a trip to Glendale. The Boilermakers are a perennial tourney team, but this is probably their best shot at that elusive first national title. They’ve been striving for redemption since losing in the first round as a No. 1 seed a year ago.
North Carolina State Wolfpack / No. 11 seed in the South
Location: Raleigh, NC. Distance from Glendale: 1,903 miles
Men’s Final Four appearances: 4 (most recent: 1983)
National titles: 2 (most recent: 1983)
Record: 26-14
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Coach: Kevin Keatts
- Has the Pack in the Men’s Final Four just two years after finishing last in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- Taking his fifth team to the NCAA tournament – the first two were UNC-Wilmington
Form: NC State has a storied basketball tradition, but the Wolfpack is the Cinderella of the Men’s Final Four. The Pack arrives in Phoenix on one of the most incredible postseason runs in NCAA history. They had to win FIVE straight games in the ACC tourney to earn an NCAA tournament bid, then win four more in the NCAAs, defeating a 2, 4 and 6 seed in the process. They stunned ACC rival Duke in the South Region final. No one saw this coming after NC State lost its last four regular season contests.