Has a First Four team ever won March Madness? Taking a look at best Cinderella runs in NCAA Tournament history

The NCAA Tournament is full of upsets in both the men's and women's basketball bracket. With the First Four being the start of the tournament, we decided to look back at the history of the First Four and how it came to be. Let's take a deeper dive into the First Four of March Madness.

Has a First Four team ever won March Madness?

There has not been a First Four team to win March Madness for either men's or women's basketball.

The furthest that a men's First Four team has gone is the Final Four, an honor both the 2011 VCU Rams and the 2021 UCLA Bruins share as they both began as No. 11 seeds in their regions.

For the women's tournament, the only First Four team to win in the Round of 64 was the 2023 Mississippi State Bulldogs, as they lost in the Round of 32.

When did the First Four start as part of March Madness?

Men

The men's tournament saw the First Four begin in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Women

The women's tournament saw the First Four begin with the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Who plays in the men's First Four?

The First Four for the 2025 NCAA Tournament began on Tuesday. The games feature the four lowest automatic qualifiers and the lowest four at-large teams. The four games that are in this year's First Four are listed below with the region and seeding included.

• No. 16 Alabama State Hornets 70, No. 16 Saint Francis Red Flash 68 (South region)
• No. 11 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 11 Xavier Musketeers (Midwest region)
• No. 16 American University Eagles vs. No. 16 Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (East region)
• No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels 95, No. 11 San Diego State Aztecs 68 (South region)

Who plays in the women's First Four?

The women's First Four games tip off on Wednesday night and will also include the four lowest automatic qualifiers and the four lowest at-large teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Below are this year's First Four games including the seeds and the region.

• No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones vs. No. 11 Princeton Tigers (Birmingham 3)
• No. 16 UC San Diego Tritons vs. No. 16 Southern Tigers (Spokane 1)
• No. 11 Columbia Lions vs. No. 11 Washington Huskies (Birmingham 2)
• No. 16 High Point Panthers vs. No. 16 William & Mary Tribe (Birmingham 3)