What Was the Lowest Seed to Win March Madness?

Watching Cinderella teams make a run is part of the magic of the NCAA Tournament, but only one team holds the distinction of being the lowest seed to win March Madness.

The NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams and a six-round format in 1985. Since that expansion, there have been many memorable runs from low-seeded teams. Keep reading to learn more about the lowest seeds to make deep March Madness runs and which teams can break the record for the lowest-seeded winner in 2026.

1985 Villanova – The Lowest Seed to Win March Madness

The 1985 March Madness event was historic for several reasons. First and foremost, it was the year the tournament expanded from 53 to 64 teams.

Another reason the 1985 NCAA Tournament was so memorable is that it was won by #8 Villanova, the lowest-ranked team to ever win.

Two teams left in this year’s March Madness bracket can break Villanova’s record.

"They shoot the lights out. That can win you some games in the NCAA."

Former Knicks guard John Starks spoke on the RedHawks' March Madness potential, citing Villanova's stunning 1985 upset of Georgetown as a testament to what great shooting can accomplish. pic.twitter.com/Pq5IRsU3UZ

— Front Office Sports News (@FOS_News_) March 20, 2026

The Wildcats took down #9 Dayton (51-49), #1 Michigan (59-55), #5 Maryland (46-43), and #2 North Carolina (56-44) in regional play. Then, in the Final Four, Reggie Williams led the way with 20 points as Villanova took down #2 Memphis.

In the National Championship game, the Wildcats edged out Patrick Ewing and #1 Georgetown 66-64 to secure Villanova’s first title. #8 Villanova also became the lowest seed to ever win March Madness.

Cinderellas Who Nearly Won March Madness

The ‘85 Villanova Wildcats are the lowest-seeded team to win the NCAA Tournament, entering the tournament as an eighth seed. However, they are not the only low-seeded team to make a deep run in the tournament. Accounting for low seeds who can make deep runs is a vital part of winning March Madness betting strategies.

Other #8 Seeds to Make the Finals

To date, no team lower than the eighth seed has made it to the title game in the NCAA Tournament. However, after Villanova’s historic title run in 1985, three other #8 seeds advanced to the final round.

• 2011 Butler: Lost to UConn in title game
• 2014 Kentucky: Lost to UConn in title game
• 2022 North Carolina: Lost to Kansas in title game

It took more than 20 years after the ‘85 Wildcats’ championship run for another #8 seed to make the title game. Butler ended the drought in 2011, advancing to the title game against #4 UConn. The 2011 tournament was one of the few in March Madness history without a top-1 or top-2 seed in the Final Four.

March 23, 2014: 8-seed Kentucky upsets 1-seed Wichita State 78-76 in Round 2 of the #NCAATournament

WSU came in undefeated (35-0).
pic.twitter.com/Ft94t5b0gP

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) March 24, 2026

UConn beat the #8 Butler Bulldogs in the title game. In 2014, the Huskies again won the title by beating an #8 seed. UConn, which was a #7 seed that year, took down #8 Kentucky in the lowest-seeded title matchup in tournament history. The Huskies became the first seventh seed to make the title game, let alone win it.

The most recent eighth-seed to attempt to tie Villanova’s record was the ‘22 UNC Tar Heels. After a magical run that included ending Coach K’s career at Duke, the Tar Heels fell one win short of a title, losing 72-69 to the Kansas Jayhawks.

Lowest Seeds to Make the Final Four

No team lower than an eighth seed has made the title game or won March Madness. However, lower-ranked teams have reached the Final Four.

Since 1985, the lowest-seeded team to reach the Final Four is 11th. There have been six #11 seeds to make the penultimate round, including:

• 1986 LSU
• 2006 George Mason
• 2011 VCU
• 2018 Loyola Chicago
• 2021 UCLA
• 2024 NC State

The 1986 LSU Tigers became the first #11 seed in the 64-team format to make the Final Four. It was not until 2006 that another 11th-seed, George Mason, reached the second-to-last round. 2018 Loyola Chicago, 2021 UCLA, and, most recently, 2024 NC State also made the top four as 11th seeds.

What #15 Seed Made the Elite Eight?

It is rare for the bottom seeds in the March Madness to win a game, let alone three. In fact, the 2022 Saint Peter’s Peacocks are the lowest seed ever to make the Elite Eight.

St. Peter’s was a 15th-seed that season and upset #2 Kentucky and #7 Murray State to become the third #15 seed to make the Sweet 16. With their win over #3 Purdue, the Peacocks become the first and so far only 15th seed or lower to reach the Elite Eight.

Only #16 Seeds to Win in March Madness

The toughest matchup to win in March Madness is the #16 vs. #1 game in the First Round. In the 160+ matchups between the top and bottom seeds, only two #16 seeds have pulled off a win.

• 2018 – #16 UMBC defeated #1 Virginia
• 2023 – #16 FDU defeated #1 Purdue

Both UMBC and FDU lost in the Round of 32 after their historic upsets in the opening round. Overall, #1 seeds are 162-2 against #16 seeds, giving the top seeds a 98.78% winning percentage.

Will a Team Break Villanova’s Record in 2026?

After the first two rounds of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, only two teams remain with a chance to break Villanova’s record for the lowest seed to win March Madness. #9 Iowa (South) and #11 Texas (West) both have a chance to become the lowest-ranked team to win a national title. 

#9 Iowa

The #9 Hawkeyes opened the 2026 tournament with a win over #8 Clemson. Then, Iowa took out #1 Florida to advance to the Sweet 16.

Pretty Sweet POV from Hawkeye Nation 🤭 pic.twitter.com/hBnkjKmc1k

— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 25, 2026

If Iowa wants to make history, it starts with a matchup against #4 Nebraska. According to Lucky Rebel, Iowa is a 1.5-point underdog against Nebraska.

Should the Hawkeyes get past the Cornhuskers, they would face either #2 Houston or #3 Illinois in the Elite Eight. Houston is a 3.0-point favorite over Illinois and would be heavily favored over Iowa if they meet in the next round.

Iowa’s path to a title only gets more challenging if they make it out of the South. Their Final Four opponents would be either #1 Duke, #2 UConn, #3 Michigan State, or #5 St. John’s. Duke is the top overall seed and a top contender to win it all in the latest March Madness odds.

#11 Texas

The other school looking to make history this year is #11 Texas, the lowest remaining seed in this year’s tournament. Texas has already upset #6 BYU and #3 Gonzaga to reach the Sweet 16.

TEXAS UPSETS GONZAGA! FROM FIRST FOUR TO SWEET SIXTEEN FOR THE LONGHORNS! pic.twitter.com/c77v7uteTO

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) March 22, 2026

To make their run even more impressive, Texas started the tournament in the First Four, defeating NC State to qualify for the West Region.

Continuing their winning streak will be easier said than done. The top March Madness betting sites have Texas listed as 7.5-point underdogs against #2 Purdue. A date with #1 Arizona or #4 Arkansas awaits the Longhorns if they make it to the Elite Eight.

Arizona has the second-best odds to win the tournament. Michigan is the only team with better odds. The most likely path to the title game for the Longhorns involves beating both Arizona and Michigan in the Elite Eight and Final Four, respectively. If Duke also makes the title game, then Texas would need to beat three #1 seeds to win the championship.

What Was the Lowest Seed to Win the Women’s March Madness Tournament?

The Women’s March Madness Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1994. Since then, 23 of the 30 champions have been a #1 seed. There have also been five #2 seeds to win the tournament since the expansion in 1994.

As in the men’s tournament, the lowest-ranked seed to win the Women’s March Madness tournament did so the same year it expanded to 64 teams. #3 UNC won the title in 1994. Tennessee and LSU also won as #3 seeds in 1997 and 2023, respectively.

Where to Bet on Low Seeds Winning March Madness

Lucky Rebel is the top sportsbook for betting on your March Madness predictions. It has competitive odds on every team, including schools looking to make history as the lowest seed to win March Madness. 

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