Earning a spot in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is challenging. Making those appearances together is considerably more difficult.
As the regular season nears the end, not every March Madness streak is secure ahead of Selection Sunday.
From Michigan to Illinois: Who’s Keeping Their NCAA Streak Alive?
As the 2025 tournament approaches, some of the longest active NCAA Tournament streaks are at stake. The focus is on programs that have shown extraordinary consistency in prevailing tournament berths.
Michigan State and Gonzaga are leading the race, with impressive streaks highlighting their constant success in men’s college basketball.
Brad Underwood’s Illinois Fighting Illini is set to enter this exclusive list, strengthening their position as a rising force in college basketball.
While Illinois hits this milestone, two standout programs continue to set the benchmark for consistency.
Michigan State Spartans – 26 Straight Appearances
Tom Izzo owns the month of March. It’s been 26 years since he won the national championship, but the Michigan State coach is perhaps the most feared in the NCAA Tournament. Izzo is a March Madness giant because he consistently outperforms his seeding and leads the bracket with one of the best teams in the tournament.
This year’s team is one of his most prominent in decades and is built to compete throughout the tournament. Jase Richardson appears to be gaining strength by the day to add to an already extremely deep lineup.
Gonzaga Bulldogs – 25 Straight Appearances
In 25 seasons as Spokane’s head coach, Mark Few has made the NCAA tournament every year and has never won fewer than 23 games in a season.
The Zags went from a Cinderella story to a consistent challenger, with 25 consecutive tournament appearances since 1999. Few’s program maintains the gold standard for sustained achievement outside the Power Six leagues.
Gonzaga earned the No. 1 overall seed in the 2021 NCAA tournament and progressed to the final. In 2022, the Bulldogs were again the No. 1 overall seed and advanced to the Sweet 16.
Other Prominent Programs With 5+ Consecutive Bids
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- Purdue Boilermakers (9)
- Tennessee Volunteers (6)
- Houston Cougars (6)
- Kansas Jayhawks (5)
- Baylor Bears (5)
- Colgate Raiders (5)
List of schools who have an active streak of 5+ tournament appearances. At the end of the season, Brad Underwood’s Illini will join this small list. Truly blessed. pic.twitter.com/X0y2Kf4jrK
— Illiniwood (@BBallSchoILL) February 26, 2025
Illinois Joins the Club
With their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, Illinois basketball restored themselves as a national contender under Underwood. With consecutive top-seed finishes and high tournament ambitions, the program has recovered its authority.
Several teams with active streaks confront insecurity on Selection Sunday. Programs on the brink will need good finishes to keep their streaks alive and continue in the championship conversation.
KEEP READING: As March Madness Nears, Dwyane Wade Steps Out To Support His Alma Mater Marquette
Persistent NCAA Tournament dominance is a sign of an esteemed program. As Illinois strives to join this exclusive class, March Madness will again be a testing ground for the nation’s most consistent teams.
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