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The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has always been a source of excitement and unpredictability. It’s not uncommon for lower-seeded teams to make deep runs and cause upsets, but making it to the Final Four as a low seed is something truly special. Here are the five lowest seeds to make the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four in history.
5 Lowest Seeds to Make the Final Four
As you can see below, the five lowest seeds to make the Final 4 were all No. 11 seeds.
George Mason (2006)
The Patriots entered the tournament as a No. 11 seed and shocked the world with a run to the Final 4. They defeated No. 6 Michigan State, No. 3 North Carolina, No. 7 Wichita State, and No. 1 UConn in a thrilling overtime game to reach the Final Four. Led by guard Tony Skinn and forward Jai Lewis, George Mason became the first double-digit seed to reach the Final Four since 1986.
LSU (1986)
The Tigers were a No. 11 seed in the 1986 tournament and faced tough competition on their way to the Final Four. They defeated No. 6 Purdue, No. 3 Memphis State, No. 2 Georgia Tech, and No. 1 Kentucky in the Elite Eight. LSU was led by the dynamic duo of John Williams and Ricky Blanton, who combined for 41 points and 20 rebounds in the upset win over Kentucky.
VCU (2011)
The Rams were a No. 11 seed in the 2011 tournament and shocked the world with a run to the Final Four. They defeated No. 6 Georgetown, No. 3 Purdue, No. 10 Florida State, and No. 1 Kansas in the Elite Eight. VCU’s “Havoc” defense, led by head coach Shaka Smart, wreaked havoc on opponents and helped them become just the third team to win five tournament games en route to the Final Four.
Loyola Chicago (2018)
The Ramblers were a No. 11 seed in the 2018 tournament and captivated the nation with their magical run to the Final Four. They defeated No. 6 Miami, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 7 Nevada, and No. 9 Kansas State in the Elite Eight. Loyola’s Cinderella story was led by Sister Jean, the team’s 98-year-old chaplain, and star player Clayton Custer, who hit the game-winning shot against Tennessee.
UCLA (2021)
The Bruins were a No. 11 seed in the 2021 tournament and made history with a run to the Final Four. They defeated No. 6 BYU, No. 14 Abilene Christian, No. 2 Alabama in overtime, and No. 1 Michigan in the Elite Eight. UCLA’s thrilling run was led by guard Johnny Juzang, who averaged 22.8 points per game in the tournament, and head coach Mick Cronin, who led the team to its first Final Four appearance since 2008.
