This is a trend that self-proclaimed "purists" aren't likely to appreciate, but it does show some of the changes in the college game in recent years. The 3 can be the great leveler IF you have good shooters.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/syracuses-best-hope-may-be-its-strange-love-of-transition-threes/

YEAR SEEDS TEAMS
2013 ---- 1, 4, 4, 9 ---- Louisville, Syracuse, Michigan, Wichita State
2012 ---- 1, 2, 2, 4 ---- Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State, Louisville
2011 ---- 3, 4, 8, 11 ---- UConn, Kentucky, Butler, VCU
2010 ---- 1, 2, 5, 5 ---- Duke, West Virginia, Butler, Michigan State
2009 ---- 1, 1, 2, 3 ---- North Carolina, Connecticut, Michigan State, Villanova
2008 ---- 1, 1, 1, 1 ---- Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina, UCLA
2007 ---- 1, 1, 2, 2 ---- Florida, Ohio State, Georgetown, UCLA
2006 ---- 2, 3, 4, 11 ---- UCLA, Florida, LSU, George Mason
2005 ---- 1, 1, 4, 5 ---- North Carolina, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan State
2004 ---- 1, 2, 2, 3 ---- Duke, Connecticut, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech
2003 ---- 1, 2, 3, 3 ---- Texas, Kansas, Marquette, Syracuse
2002 ---- 1, 1, 2, 5 ---- Maryland, Kansas, Oklahoma, Indiana
2001 ---- 1, 1, 2, 3 ---- Duke, Michigan State, Arizona, Maryland
2000 ---- 1, 5, 8, 8 ---- Michigan State, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin
1999 ---- 1, 1, 1, 4 ---- Connecticut, Duke, Michigan State, Ohio State
1998 ---- 1, 2, 3, 3 ---- North Carolina, Kentucky, Stanford, Utah
1997 ---- 1, 1, 1, 4 ---- Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, Arizona
1996 ---- 1, 1, 4, 5 ---- Kentucky, Massachusetts, Syracuse, Mississippi State
1995 ---- 1, 2, 2, 4 ---- UCLA, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma State
1994 ---- 1, 2, 2, 3 ---- Arkansas, Arizona, Duke, Florida
1993 ---- 1, 1, 1, 2 ---- North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan, Kansas
1992 ---- 1, 2, 4, 6 ---- Duke, Indiana, Cincinnati, Michigan
1991 ---- 1, 1, 2, 3 ---- UNLV, North Carolin, Duke, Kansas
1990 ---- 1, 3, 4, 4 ---- UNLV, Duke, Georgia Tech, Arkansas
1989 ---- 1, 2, 3, 3 ---- Illinois, Duke, Seton Hall, Michigan
1988 ---- 1, 1, 2, 6 ---- Arizona, Oklahoma, Duke, Kansas
1987 ---- 1, 1, 2, 6 ---- UNLV, Indiana, Syracuse, Providence
1986 ---- 1, 1, 2, 11 ---- Duke, Kansas, Louisville, LSU
1985 ---- 1, 1, 2, 8 ---- St. John's, Georgetown, Memphis, Villanova
1984 ---- 1, 1, 2, 7 ---- Kentucky, Georgetown, Houston, Virginia
1983 ---- 1, 1, 4, 6 ---- Houston, Louisville, Georgia, N.C. State
1982 ---- 1, 1, 3, 6 ---- North Carolina, Georgetown, Louisville, Houston
1981 ---- 1, 1, 2, 3 ---- Virginia, LSU, North Carolina, Indiana
1980 ---- 2, 5, 6, 8 ---- Louisville, Iowa, Purdue, UCLA
1979 ---- 1, 2, 2, 9 ---- Indiana State, Michigan State, DePaul, Pennsylvania

FARTHEST SEEDS HAVE ADVANCED IN THE TOURNAMENT
SEED ROUND TEAMS (YEAR)

No. 1 ---- Champion ---- Arkansas (1994), Connecticut (1999), Duke (1992, 2001, 2010), Florida (2007), Georgetown (1984), Indiana (1987), Kansas (2008), Kentucky (1996, 2012), Maryland (2002), Michigan St. (2000), North Carolina (1982, 1993, 2005, 2009), UCLA (1995), UNLV (1990)

No. 2 ---- Champion ---- Connecticut (2004), Duke (1991), Kentucky (1998), Louisville (1980, 1986), Michigan St. (1979)
No. 3 ---- Champion ---- Connecticut (2011), Florida (2006), Indiana (1981), Michigan (1989), Syracuse (2003)
No. 4 ---- Champion ---- Arizona (1997)
No. 5 ---- Title Game ---- Butler (2010), Florida (2000), Indiana (2002)
No. 6 ---- Champion ---- Kansas (1988), North Carolina St. (1983)
No. 7 ---- Final Four ---- Virginia (1984)
No. 8 ---- Champion ---- Villanova (1985)
No. 9 ---- Final Four ---- Pennsylvania (1979)
No. 10 ---- Regional Finals ---- Davidson (2008), Dayton (1984), Gonzaga (1999), Kent St. (2002), LSU (1987), Providence (1997), St. John's (1979), Temple (1991), Texas (1990)
No. 11 ---- Final Four ---- George Mason (2006), LSU (1986), VCU (2011)
No. 12 ---- Regional Finals ---- Missouri (2002)
No. 13 ---- Regional Semifinals ---- Bradley (2006), Ohio (2012), Oklahoma (1999), Richmond (1988), Valparaiso (1998)
No. 14 ---- Regional Semifinals ---- Chattanooga (1997), Cleveland St. (1986)
No. 15 ---- Round of 32 ---- Coppin St. (1997), Hampton (2001), Lehigh (2012), Norfolk St. (2012), Richmond (1991), Santa Clara (1993)
No. 16 ---- Round of 64 ---- A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed.

So, Syracuse is a #10 seed? Well, they have become the first 10 seed to advance to the Final Four.

More stuff about Cuse... LINK: Timeline: NCAA calls Zags coach to admit officiating error

Quote:

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HOUSTON (AP) -- For Gonzaga, the timing could not have been worse.

Coach Mark Few told The Associated Press the NCAA called to inform him officials blew the call on a 10-second violation that went against the Bulldogs late in Syracuse's come-from-behind win in the Sweet 16.

The turnover came with 1:17 left and Gonzaga leading 60-59. Josh Perkins skipped a pass for Kyle Dranginis into the front court, and Syracuse's Trevor Cooney deflected it back across the line, where Dranginis grabbed it again.

Refs called a 10-second violation but the 10-second limit in the backcourt should have reset once a player touched the ball in the front court.

Syracuse scored the last four points as part of a 15-3 run to end the game for a 63-60 win. The Orange went on to another come-from-behind victory, two days later against Virginia, and is in the Final Four with a semifinal against North Carolina set for Saturday.

The NCAA declined comment.

In Houston for a national coaching convention that coincides with the Final Four, Few told AP it was ''big'' of the NCAA to admit the mistake, though he wonders how the game might have played out had the call not gone against the Zags.

Syracuse did not score on the possession after the turnover, but ended up with the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds left, then two free throws after Gonzaga came up empty on its next possession.

''If you score there, you're up by (three or) four, and if they subsequently go down and miss, they'd have fouled,'' Few said.

The coach said there were no hard feelings. He heard the grumbling about Gonzaga's five turnovers over the last 6 minutes of the game; in reality, the Zags only should've been charged with four.

''It shows you, there's so much luck and stuff involved,'' Few said. ''There are all these factors, and people want to dive into this or that. But really, it's just an unfortunate deal. ... But I think it's probably good in our sport to say, 'Hey, we screwed up.' I didn't make all the perfect calls in that game, either.''

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