Last week we outlined how the 2021 NCAA Tournament was statistically one of the most upset-laden of all-time through the opening weekend. And although the top three overall seeds (Gonzaga, Baylor and Michigan) are still alive, with Final Four bids on the line tonight there's the chance for even more chaos.
It's already a given that at least some long Final Four droughts will end: Arkansas hasn't been there since 1995, Houston since 1984 (paging Phi Slamma Jamma!), Oregon State since 1963, USC since 1954 and Baylor since 1950. What's as intriguing, though, is the fact that we have two chances to see double-digit seeds advance in 11th-seeded UCLA and 12th-seeded Oregon State.
While every year we always get someone dubbed "Cinderella", the clock almost always strikes midnight before the Final Four. Since expanding to its current format in 1985, only five double-digit seeds have ever reached the national semifinal - and in Oregon State's case, no 12-seed has ever gotten that far. Will the Bruins (vs. Michigan) or Beavers (vs. Houston) extend it? Here are the five teams seeded 10th or lower to ever climb so far in the Big Dance:
2018 - Loyola-Chicago: A popular team to make another deep run this year, especially after going wire-to-wire in the second round against top-seeded Illinois, the Ramblers couldn't re-create the magic of 2018. The 11-seed, Loyola's run was nearly snuffed out in the opening round, when it needed a deep buzzer-beating three to upset Miami 64-62. Then in the next round against Tennessee a game-winner with three seconds lifted Loyola into the Sweet 16 - and Sister Jean-mania was in full effect.
The second weekend didn't have a buzzer-beater, but did feature a 69-68 win over Nevada before finally there was some breathing room: a 78-62 stomping of Kansas State to advance to the Final Four as an 11-seed, where their run would end against Michigan.
2016 - Syracuse: Not exactly your true underdog Cinderella - the Orange had been there just three years earlier - but Syracuse snuck into the field as a 10-seed. Jim Boeheim's bunch cruised into the second weekend, blowing out Dayton and Middle Tennessee, the latter fresh off an upset of the two-seed Michigan State. Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 was much closer, with 'Cuse surviving 63-60 thanks in part to a late Michael Gbinije layup. And then in the Elite 8 against ACC foe Virginia, the Orange put together a comeback for the ages.
Down 16 just seconds after halftime, behind 21 second-half points from Malachi Richardson they stormed all the way back to stun the Cavaliers 68-62 to clinch a Final Four berth. The magic would end in the national semifinals, with a 83-66 loss to another ACC team in North Carolina.
2011 - VCU: UCLA most closely replicates VCU from a decade ago. In the first year of the at-large play-in games, the Rams were the last team into the field... and wound up in the Final Four. With Shaka Smart and his "HAVOC" defense, VCU actually cruised in its first three games, beating USC by 13 in the First Four game, then blowing out both Georgetown and Purdue by 18 to move to the Sweet 16.
Its first test came against Florida State, where in overtime Bradford Burgess' layup and Rob Brandenberg's block secured the 72-71 win. Then the Rams overwhelmed top-seeded Kansas in the Elite 8 to advance to the first (and only, to date) Final Four in program history, where they lost to Butler.
2006 - George Mason: In "modern" history, only one double-digit seed had ever made a Final Four run through 2005, making the Patriots' run even more improbable. Sneaking into the field as one of the last at-large teams, Mason beat a pair of blue-bloods in the opening rounds in North Carolina and Michigan State to move to the Sweet 16 for the first time ever, where they took care of Wichita State.
The Elite 8 was supposed to be where it ended, with the Patriots heavy underdogs against top-seeded UConn. Alas, the Huskies needed a late layup to force overtime, but it wasn't enough as George Mason pulled off the 86-84 stunner to cap one of the most unlikely Final Four runs of all-time.
1986 - LSU: Before George Mason, it had been 20 years since a double-digit seed advanced to the Final Four... and it was by the skin of the Tigers' teeth. The road to the Final Four was arduous, starting with a double-overtime victory against Purdue - though it was in Baton Rouge. From there, LSU beat the buzzer to upset Memphis State (83-81), beat Georgia Tech by six in the Sweet 16 (70-64, its most comfortable win) and, stunned No. 1 Kentucky 59-57 in the Elite 8. To this day, they are the only team to beat the 1-, 2- and 3-seeds to win a regional and advance to the Final Four, fueled by the Tigers' "Freak" defense.