The history of No. 11 seeds in the Final Four
No. 11 Seed | Year |
|---|---|
UCLA | 2021 |
For college basketball fans of a certain age, it might have been odd to see UCLA seeded No. 11 in their region in 2021. What's more, the Bruins had to play in one of the First Four games that year.
After beating Michigan State in OT 86-80 in the First Four, the Bruins would then defeat No. 6 seed BYU 73-62 in the first round. Next, a 67-47 win over Abilene Christian sent the Bruins to the Sweet 16.
There, they took down No. 2 seed Alabama (the No. 5 team in the national polls) 88-78 in overtime. The Elite 8 saw UCLA handle No. 1 seed (No. 4 ranked) Michigan 51-49.
In the Final Four, UCLA and No. 1 seed Gonzaga would play one of the greatest games in NCAA Tournament history. The Bulldogs would drill a half-court shot at the buzzer for a 93-90 OT win to advace to the title game where they were dominated by Baylor.
As you can see, no No. 11 seed has ever won a game in the Final Four. Can NC State change that pattern? Given how hot the Wolfpack is and how much momentum they carry into Phoenix, it wouldn't be wise to count them out.
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