Every team in college basketball has one grand mission every season, and that is to win the NCAA Basketball Tournament. We are down to 68 teams now, as the First Four for March Madness starts on March 19. This year's tournament is expected to be one of the craziest ever, and the championship title is truly up for grabs.

Additionally, the tides have turned in recent seasons in regards to which teams dominate in the Big Dance. For example, UConn has emerged as a powerhouse with the most championships this century. The team has emerged as a true blue-blood school, and they even have a chance to become the first back-to-back champion since March Madness expanded to a 68-team format.

With that said, there have been plenty of other great teams and unforgettable dynasties throughout the history of college basketball. To truly be considered one of the greats in college basketball's history, a program's resume has to include multiple championships. Therefore, we decided to look at the teams that have won the most National Championship Games in the NCAA Tournament.

Multi-time March Madness winners

Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, Christian Laettner, Bill Russell, Joakim Noah all in March Madness

  • UCLA (11 wins): 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1995
  • Kentucky (8 wins): 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012
  • North Carolina (6 wins): 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, 2017
  • Duke (5 wins): 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015
  • Indiana (5 wins): 1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987
  • UConn ( 5 wins): 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023
  • Kansas (4 wins): 1952, 1988, 2008, 2022
  • Villanova (3 wins): 1985, 2016, 2018
  • Louisville (3 wins): 1980, 1986, 2013
  • Cincinnati (2 wins): 1961, 1962
  • Florida (2 wins): 2006, 2007
  • Michigan State (2 wins): 1979, 2000
  • NC State (2 wins): 1974, 1983
  • Oklahoma State (2 wins): 1945, 1946
  • San Francisco (2 wins): 1955, 1956

UCLA is considered by many to have the claim for the best dynasty, not just in college basketball history but in sports history overall. The team has a record 11 national championships, 10 of which were under the tutelage of John Wooden. Wooden's Bruins won back-to-back championships, missed the tournament in 1966, and then won seven straight championships. Wooden added one more ring to his collection in 1975 before retiring, and 20 years later, the team got back to the top of the league.

Despite being the most winningest team in March Madness history, UCLA hasn't won it all this century. The Bruins only have two losses in the National Championship Game, though, illustrating their ability to finish the deal when they do get to the top stage.

Kentucky is the program that has best stood the test of time. Their eight wins are the second most ever, and with wins in the '40s, they have been winning since the early days of March Madness (1939 was the first year of the tournament). They have wins in five different decades, including a win as recently as 2012. Kentucky has always been known for their strong recruiting ability, and it is somewhat surprising they only have one championship this century. However, it is very common for Kentucky's best players to only play one year of college basketball before bolting for the NBA.

North Carolina is the other program with sustained success. They have one less championship than Kentucky, but they do have national championship wins in five different decades. The Tar Heels are one of the most prestigious basketball teams in the nation, and along with UCLA, Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, (and now UConn), they are considered one of the blue-blood programs.

Duke and UConn have been two of the best teams in recent years. Duke has been a powerhouse since winning their first championship in 1991, and UConn has the most championships this century. UConn is the odds-on favorite to win March Madness again this year. They would become the first team to win it all in back-to-back seasons since the tournament expanded to 68 teams.

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Kansas has four national championships to their name, while Villanova has three. Louisville also has three March Madness victories, but their most recent championship (2013) was vacated. That is the only national title to be vacated in the history of the Big Dance. Six teams have two national titles. Cincinnati, San Francisco, Oklahoma State (then known as Oklahoma A&M), and Florida all won their championships in consecutive seasons, with the latter of those programs being the most recent to do so. Michigan State and NC State are the other two teams with two championships.

One-time NCAA Tournament winners

  • Arizona: 1997
  • Arkansas: 1994
  • Baylor: 2021
  • California: 1959
  • CCNY: 1950
  • Georgetown: 1984
  • Holy Cross: 1947
  • La Salle: 1954
  • Loyola Chicago: 1963
  • Marquette: 1977
  • Maryland: 2002
  • Michigan: 1989
  • Ohio State: 1960
  • Oregon: 1939
  • UNLV: 1990
  • Stanford: 1942
  • Syracuse: 2002
  • UTEP: 1966
  • Utah: 1944
  • Virginia: 2019
  • Wisconsin: 1941
  • Wyoming: 1943

On top of all of the multi-time winners, 22 teams have won the Big Dance exactly once. The NCAA Basketball Tournament first came into existence in 1939. Oregon won their only championship that year, and March Madness has been played every year since except for in 2020, when it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.