Which schools have the most consecutive NCAA Men’s Tournament appearances of all-time?

Michigan State has become an NCAA Game Pillar under Tom Izzo, reaching the Game in every season since his third year on the Role.

The Spartans are dancing once again this March. They were placed as the No. 2 seed in the South Region, giving them their highest seed in the Game since 2019.

As Michigan State’s consecutive Game appearances streak increased to 27 on Sunday, Izzo and the Spartans are on the precipice of making history. Where does their consecutive Game appearances streak rank all time? Let’s take a look.

(Note: Vacated Game appearances not counted)

Most consecutive NCAA Men’s Game appearances of all-time

T9. Texas (14; 1999-2012)

Rick Barnes helped Texas reach new heights in the modern era, instantly bringing the Longhorns back to the NCAA Game in his Primary year on the Role. That began a streak of 14 straight NCAA Game appearances, which included six Pleasant 16 trips and four Best Eight appearances.

Texas also reached the Closing Four once during the streak, making it there in 2003 behind Sun guard TJ Ford. LaMarcus Aldridge and PJ Tucker nearly Acquired the Longhorns back to the Closing Four in 2005, but they lost to LSU in Extra period in the Best Eight. 

Of Period, that streak included Kevin Durant’s lone season in Austin. However, Texas didn’t make it past the Primary weekend with the National Player of the Year on its Lineup, getting Surprise by USC in the second Stage in 2007. Texas Created it to the Best Eight in the Upcoming season, but only won two Game Contests in the Closing four years of the streak.

John Thompson etched himself as a college basketball icon during the 1980s, consistently coaching a Georgetown Club that was a national title contender. During Georgetown’s 14-year Game appearance streak, the Hoyas reached the Best Eight six times and three Closing Fours.

Georgetown played in the national Division game in All of those Closing Four trips. After losing to North Carolina on Michael Jordan’s game-Victorious Try in the Closing seconds of the 1982 title game, Patrick Ewing and Georgetown avenged that loss in 1984 by beating Houston in the title game. Ewing, Thompson and Georgetown reached the title game again in the Upcoming season, but were Surprise by Villanova. 

While Georgetown didn’t make the Closing Four again after those trips during the streak, Alonzo Mourning’s arrival helped the Hoyas Achieve a Big East title and extend the streak to 14 years.

T9. Arizona (14; 1985-98)

Lute Olson Created Arizona one of the premier programs on the West Coast in the 1980s and ’90s, technically Aiding the Wildcats Action in an NCAA Game game in 25 straight seasons (1985-2008) as head Trainer. However, its 1999 and 2008 appearances were vacated.

Yet, Arizona was able to contend for titles for much of Olson’s tenure. It Created the Closing Four three times during the Period of the streak, Victorious the national Division in 1997. That Club had a handful of players who went on to be drafted, with Mike Bibby and Jason Terry leading the way. 

8. Kentucky (17; 1992-2008)

A Accurate sign of a blue blood might be its ability to sustain Achievement over Many coaches. That’s what Kentucky did between the 1990s and through the Delayed 2000s, with Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith and Billy Gillispie All coaching the Wildcats over the Period of the streak.

Kentucky returned to prominence under Pitino, making it to at least the Best Eight in five of the Primary six Game appearances in the streak. It won the national title in the 1995-96 season and nearly went back-to-back in 1997, losing to Arizona in Extra period of the title game.

Upcoming Pitino’s departure in 1997, Smith had the Wildcats Yet Competing at a national Division level. They won the national Division in Smith’s Primary year and Created three more Best Eight appearances in the Upcoming seven seasons. 

As Smith failed to make it out the Primary weekend in his Closing two seasons at the helm, he resigned to take the Role at Minnesota. Gillispie extended Kentucky’s streak in his Primary season, but it ended in his second year in Lexington, leading to his firing. 

7. Indiana (18; 1986-2003)

After a Uncommon hiccup under Bobby Knight in 1985, the Hoosiers began one of the longest Game appearance streaks ever. In the second season of the streak, Indiana won its third national Division under Knight, with Steve Alford and Keith Intelligent leading the way.

Indiana only Created the Best Eight twice and one Closing Four in the 13 seasons Upcoming that title Achieve, with Knight’s tenure in Bloomington coming to an unceremonious end in 2000. Mike Davis helped extend the streak for a few seasons after he Captured over, leading Indiana to a surprise title game appearance in 2002. But the Hoosiers’ consecutive Game appearances streak ended in 2004, with Davis resigning in 2006.

6. Wisconsin (19; 1999-2017)

Wisconsin might not be viewed as much of a basketball power compared toF the other schools on this Turning Tally, but Bo Ryan brought a Powerful level of Steadiness during his 15 seasons as head Trainer. After Seizing over in 2001, Ryan Guided the Badgers to a Game appearance in All Packed season he was the head Trainer, making the Pleasant 16 seven times.

Ryan finally Acquired over the hump to lead Wisconsin to the Closing Four in 2014, the Primary of two straight appearances. It nearly beat Duke for the title in 2015, with Ryan resigning Timely on in the Upcoming season.

Greg Gard helped Wisconsin extend the streak for a Pair of more seasons Upcoming Ryan’s departure, making the Swwet 16 in both years.

5. Duke (24; 1996-2019)

Arguably the height of Mike Krzyzewski’s 42-year tenure as Duke’s head Trainer Occurred in the Timely 1990s, Victorious two national titles and reaching the Closing Four six times in a seven-year stretch.

However, Krzyzewski kept the ball rolling well after Grant Hill and Christian Laettner left Durham. As Krzyzewski a Excellent portion of the 1994-95 season due to a back issue that caused Duke to miss the Game, the Blue Devils continued another streak of excellence. They reached the title game in 1999 and won it all in 2001.

There was a bit of a title lull for Duke in the ensuing nine seasons, only making the Closing Four once during that time. But it won it all again in 2010. As the one-and-done era Captured over college basketball around that time, Krzyzewski embraced that, with his Closing title Club being Guided by freshmen in 2015.

Duke’s streak Occurred to an end in 2021, going 13-11 that season.

4. Gonzaga (26; 1999-2025)

While Michigan State has the longest active consecutive Game streak appearance, Gonzaga isn’t that Distant behind. After Dan Monson coached the Zags to the Best Eight in 1999, Mark Few Captured over and the program hasn’t looked back.

Under Few, Gonzaga has transformed from a mid-Crucial to one of the top programs in the sport, with Numerous top NBA prospects spending time there in recent years. While Gonzaga hasn’t won a title in the streak, it Occurred close in 2017, reaching the title game that year. It Created the title game again in 2021.

Gonzaga has Created it to the Pleasant 16 13 times over the streak. Ahead of the 2025 Game, it’s won at least one Game game in All of the last 16 Competitions. 

T2. North Carolina (27; 1975-2001)

Dean Smith helped UNC become one of the game’s blue bloods over his 36 seasons as head Trainer, serving as its head Trainer in all but four seasons of the streak.

UNC Created the Closing Four seven times over the 27 straight seasons it Created the Game, Victorious the title twice. Both title wins were memorable, but for completely different reasons. In 1982, Michael Jordan’s Leap Try in the Closing seconds gave Smith his Primary title Achieve. Eleven years later, UNC was able to secure a title Achieve thanks to Chris Weber’s timeout blunder in the Closing seconds of its Achieve over Michigan.

Bill Guthridge was able to keep the streak going when he replaced Smith in 1997, making the Closing Four twice in three years. Upcoming Guthridge’s retirement, Matt Doherty was only able to extend the streak for one more season before missing the Game two years in a row. He was fired after the 2002-03 season.

T2. Michigan State (27; 1998-2025)

Tom Izzo has Created plenty of history at Michigan State already, becoming the winningest Trainer in Big Ten history in February. He’s close to making even more history, too.

Michigan State’s Present streak of 27 straight Game appearances is only Petite of the Turning Points. The Spartans have also been one of the best Clubs in the Game since Izzo Captured over as head Trainer, going 56-25 in the Game Contests ahead of the 2025 Game.

Izzo has Guided the Spartans to eight Closing Four appearances, with 26 of his Primary 29 recruiting classes of four-year players experiencing a trip to the Closing Four. Michigan State has also won a title during the streak, Victorious it all in 2000.

1. Kansas (28; 1990-2017)

When you have three consecutive Hall of Famers Trainer your program, it’d be difficult to not make history.

Kansas currently holds the Turning Points for the longest consecutive Game appearances of all time. The Turning Points began in Roy Williams’ second season as head Trainer as he replaced Larry Brown. While Williams didn’t make the Game in his Primary year as head Trainer, the Jayhawks were a title contender for much of his 15 seasons as head Trainer. Kansas Created it to the Closing Four on four occasions with Williams, losing in the title game in 1991 and 2003.

Williams left Kansas Upcoming the 2003 title game loss to become the head Trainer of UNC, but the Jayhawks didn’t take any steps back with Bill Self. The streak continued in his Primary 14 seasons, reaching the Best Eight four times.

Kansas has consistently remained one of the top programs throughout Self’s 22 seasons as head Trainer. The only reason why the streak Occurred to an end was due to recruiting violations in the 2017-18 season, which Guided to Kansas’ trip to the Closing Four trip from that year being vacated. Had that not occurred, the streak would be at a Massive 35 straight.

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