Which team was the lowest seed ever to make Elite 8? Exploring the history of underdogs in the NCAA Tournament

The Elite 8 is upon us as March Madness 2024 reaches its business end. The story of the underdogs has once again caught the fancy of fans around the nation. The journey of No.11 seed NC State Wolfpack, who have defied the odds to reach the Elite 8 is the flavor of the month.

NC State v Marquette

NC State's Cinderella run started with a victory against No. 6 seed Texas Tech in the south where they won 80-67. They continued their run with a win in the second round against No. 14 seed Oakland (79-73). Then came the biggie, an upset win over No. 2 seed Marquette (67-58) to reach the Elite 8.

However, NC State are not the lowest seed ever to make it to the Elite 8 in college basketball history. This record is held by Saint Peter's Peacocks who were No. 15 seeds for the 2022 season. Their remarkable run included wins against No. 2 Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State, and No.4 Purdue before losing to No. 8 North Carolina in the regional final.

Let's have a look at some of the lowest seeds to ever make it to the Elite 8 in the past.

No.12 Seed Missouri (2002)

Under the guidance of head coach Quin Snyder, the Missouri Tigers made an impressive run to the Elite 8, being the No. 12 seed in a 65-team bracket back in 2002.

They defeated No. 5 seed Miami (93-80) in the first round, followed by a win over No. 4 seed Ohio State (83-67) in the second round. In the Sweet Sixteen, they defeated No. 8 seed UCLA (82-73) to reach the Elite Eight where they finally lost to Oklahoma 81-75.

No. 12 Seed Oregon State (2021)

Coached by Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State defied the odds by reaching the Elite 8 as the No. 12 seed. They started their journey with a stunning upset victory over No. 5 seed Tennessee with a score of 70-56 in the first round.

In the second round, Oregon State faced No. 4 seed Oklahoma State and defeated them 80-70. In the Sweet Sixteen, they met No. 8 seed Loyola Chicago, and managed a hard-fought victory over them (65-58) to advance to the Elite 8.

No. 11 Seed LSU (1986)

In the 1986 NCAA Tournament, LSU were seeded No. 11 and surprisingly made it to the Elite 8. By defeating the Purdue Boilermakers, 94-87, in the first round, LSU announced their strong start to the tournament.

In the second round, they faced a formidable opponent in the Memphis State Tigers. LSU pulled off another upset to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. In the regional semifinals, they defeated Atlanta (59-57) in a very close match. However, they failed to win the regional final against Louisville.

No. 11 Seed Loyola Marymount (1990)

Loyola Marymount Lions captured the hearts of their fans in the 1990 NCAA Tournament after reaching the Elite Eight. Opening their tournament against the New Mexico State Aggies, Loyola Marymount emerged victorious (111-92) in a high-scoring game to reach the second round.

In the second round, Loyola Marymount defeated the Michigan Wolverines in another high-scoring game (149-115) to reach the Sweet Sixteen. They beat Alabama with their amazing offense delivering an unforgettable 62-60 win.

No. 11 Seed Temple Owls (2001)

In the 2001 NCAA Tournament, the No. 11-seeded Temple Owls showcased their talent by upsetting the Texas Longhorns in the first round. This victory was followed by a second-round win against Florida Gators. In the Sweet Sixteen round, they defeated Penn State with a score of 84-72 to reach Elite 8, where they lost to Michigan State (69-62).