The current edition of the men’s NCAA tournament has been one of the wildest ever. There are upset wins from time to time that shake the bracket, but in March Madness 2023 it was seen more often than on other occasions. That has everybody wanting to know what is the lowest seeded team to claim the title.
The championship started with the biggest shock in a while. It was only the first round when the 16-seed FDU Knights defeated the N°1 Purdue Boilermakers 63-58. That was a huge surprise, although it only marked the beginning.
Next in line to go home early were the defending champions. The winners of the 2022 tournament Kansas were the top seeded, but they lost 72-71 against the eight seeded Arkansas in the second round. However, the faith of the other favorites didn’t change.
What is the lowest seeded team towin theNCAA tournament?
Most often than not the N°1 seeded teams end up winning the title, although March Madness 2023 will be one of the exceptions. In the Sweet 16 round the two remaining schools with that status were eliminated. San Diego State took down Alabama with a 71-64 scoreboard right before the Miami Hurricanes beat the Houston Cougars 89-75. So now there is room for an unexpected winner.
The lowest seed to ever win the men’s NCAA tournament is 8th. That happened in 1985 with the Villanova Wildcats defeating the Georgetown Hoyas 66-64 in the first edition utilizing this format. It was curious that in the inaugural 64-team bracket that feat was achieved, but history proved how hard it was going to be repeating it.
What is the lowest seed to reach the NCAA Championship game?
Villanova entered the record books with that great run, although they aren’t alone when it comes to playing the final. The lowest seed to reach the NCAA Championship game is N°8. Of course, the Wildcats stand as the only champions, but there are three other universities that finished as runners-up. Those teams are the 2011 Butler Bulldogs, the 2014 Kentucky Wildcats, and the 2022 North Carolina Tar Heels.
What is the lowest seed to make it to the Final Four of the men’s NCAA tournament?
There were even lower seeded teams that were able to get to this point of the bracket. The lowest seed to make it to the Final Four is N°11. This outcome was seen five times in the men’s NCAA tournament, with all of them losing in the semifinals. Those cases were LSU in 1986, George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola-Chicago in 2018, and UCLA in 2021.