Fill My Bracket starts a full March Madness bracket from five questions.
Has the March Madness final ever gone to overtime?
Yes, eight times. The last one was in 2019. Virginia beat Texas Tech. The score was 85 to 77, in overtime.
128 days until Selection Sunday, Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Start your bracketEvery overtime final
| Year | Champion | Beat | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Utah | Dartmouth | 42 to 40 |
| 1957 | North Carolina | Kansas | 54 to 53, three overtimes |
| 1961 | Cincinnati | Ohio State | 70 to 65 |
| 1963 | Loyola Chicago | Cincinnati | 60 to 58 |
| 1989 | Michigan | Seton Hall | 80 to 79 |
| 1997 | Arizona | Kentucky | 84 to 79 |
| 2008 | Kansas | Memphis | 75 to 68 |
| 2019 | Virginia | Texas Tech | 85 to 77 |
Eight in 87 tournaments.
About one in eleven years.
The 1957 final stands alone
The score was 54 to 53.
It took three overtimes to get there.
No final has ever stopped at two overtimes.
How we counted
Counted from the champions list, 1939 to 2026.
Each one is marked OT there.
See the March Madness champions list.
Five questions start your bracket. Your picks finish it.
The picker opens on Selection Sunday, March 14, 2027. Name your favorite and your upsets.
Common questions
Has the March Madness final ever gone to overtime?
Yes, eight times. The last was 2019. Virginia beat Texas Tech 85 to 77 in overtime.
What was the only triple overtime March Madness final?
The 1957 final. North Carolina beat Kansas 54 to 53. It took three overtimes.
Has a March Madness final ever gone to double overtime?
No. Seven took one overtime. One took three. None took two.