The 8-9 matchup is the toughest first round game to pick when you're filling out your NCAA tournament bracket. That's because 8 and 9 seeds have the closest head-to-head record against one another since the March Madness field expanded in 1985. After the 2022 tournament, 9 seeds hold a 76-72 edge.
Here's everything else you need to know about 8 seeds vs. 9 seeds.
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History of 9 vs. 8 seeds in March Madness
Here's how these seeds have fared against one another in recent years. Both No. 8s and No. 9s have swept years since 2015, with the 8s taking all four games in 2015 and 9s sweeping in 2019.
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 3-1, 8s |
| 2019 | 4-0, 9s |
| 2018 | 3-1, 9s |
| 2017 | 3-1, 8s |
| 2016 | 3-1, 9s |
| 2015 | 4-0, 8s |
| 2014 | 3-1, 8s |
| 2013 | 2-2, tie |
| 2012 | 3-1, 8s |
| 2011 | 3-1, 8s |
| 2010 | 2-2, tie |
Some more tidbits:
- Kentucky is tied with BYU for the most appearances as an 8 seed and has a 3-1 record compared to the Cougars' 0-4 record.
- 9 seeds went 4-0 against 8 seeds in the 2019 NCAA tournament and 3-1 in 2018. No. 8 seeds then went 3-1 in 2021.
- In 2017, 8 seeds went 3-1 against 9s. Northwestern earned its first NCAA tournament win in school history as an 8 that year.
- It is rare for all four 8 seeds to sweep 9 seeds and it has occurred only three times since 1985, including 2015’s tournament field of North Carolina State, Cincinnati, Oregon and San Diego State.
- Villanova won the national championship in 1985 as an 8 seed, and it is still the lowest-seeded school to win it all. But the Wildcats barely beat 9 seed Dayton in the first round that year, prevailing by a score of 51-49.
How much more likely is a 9 beating an 8 than a 10 beating a 7?
In total, 10 seeds hold a 58-89 record against 7 seeds since the NCAA tournament field expanded.. So, 9 seeds are more likely to beat an 8 than a 10 is to beat a 7.
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Recent/noteworthy 8-9 games
In 2017, Northwestern made its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance — and beat No. 9 Vanderbilt 68-66 in their first game.
Kentucky reached the national championship game in 2014 as an 8 seed. To get there, it had to beat Kansas State 56-49 in the 8-9 game:
And Butler reached the title game in 2011, but it barely escaped No. 9 Old Dominion in its first matchup. The Bulldogs advanced with these late heroics from Matt Howard:
