The history of No. 11 seeds in the Final Four
No. 11 Seed | Year |
|---|---|
LSU | 1986 |
In 1986, LSU defied the odds to become the first No. 11 seed to reach the Final Four. It was an improbable run given how many obstacles the Tigers had to overcome that season.
By the start of the 1986 calendar year, LSU had lost all three of their centers because of either injury or dismissal from the team. What's more, two other players were ruled academically ineligible that season leaving the Tigers rather thin.
Then, a chickenpox outbreak hit the team causing two more Tigers to be hospitalized. During that time, LSU had to cancel one game and recruit an LSU football player to join the team just to have enough players.
It all came together in the Big Dance for LSU, though. Beating No. 6 seed Purdue, No. 3 seed Memphis, No. 2 seed Georgia Tech, and No. 1 seed Kentucky, the Tigers became an improbable Final Four entrant.
However, their run would end with a loss to eventual champion and No. 2 seed Louisville in the National Semifinals. Still, it was a remarkable run for the Tigers who proved to be the most resilient team in the country.