NC State was the only double-digit seed to reach the Sweet 16.
Now, the Wolfpack will be lone double-digit seed in the Elite Eight.
No. 11 NC State continued its Cinderella run in the 2024 men’s NCAA Tournament with a 67-58 Sweet 16 win over No. 2 Marquette at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Friday night. The March Madness upset sets up an ACC showdown in the South regional final between NC State and No. 4 Duke on Sunday.
Earlier this month, the Wolfpack entered the 15-team ACC Tournament as the No. 10 seed following a 17-14 regular season. But they've since rolled off eight straight victories, capturing the conference tournament championship and reaching their first Elite Eight since 1986 in the process.
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So, is NC State the lowest-seeded team to ever make the regional finals?
What’s the lowest seed to reach the Elite Eight?
The Wolfpack aren’t the lowest seed to ever appear in the Elite Eight. That title belongs to the Saint Peter’s Peacocks, who went on a stunning run to the 2022 Elite Eight as a No. 15 seed.
The Peacocks defeated No. 2 Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue before falling to No. 8 UNC in the regional final.
What’s the lowest seed to reach the Final Four?
NC State, however, could make history with just one more win. Five teams have reached the Final Four as a No. 11 seed, which is the lowest seed the round has ever seen: LSU in 1986, George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola Chicago in 2018 and UCLA in 2021.
What’s the lowest seed to make the NCAA championship game?
A double-digit seed has never made it all the way to the title game. The lowest seed to appear in the final is No. 8 and it's happened four times: Villanova in 1985, Butler in 2011, Kentucky in 2014 and UNC in 2022.
What’s the lowest seed to win the NCAA Tournament championship?
The 1985 Villanova Wildcats were the only of those four No. 8 seeds to emerge victorious in the championship game.
