With the Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament right around the corner, teams will look to improve their seeding before Selection Sunday. Why is that important? Higher-seeded teams (1-4) win the tournament much more than lower-seeded teams (5-16), so securing a spot in the top four is crucial. However, lower-seeded teams have won the March Madness tournament before. What is the lowest seed to win the NCAA Tournament?
#TBT to Villanova's historic upset of Georgetown in the 1985 National Championship! pic.twitter.com/8SDzBLOuGD
— NCAA (@NCAA) January 11, 2018
What Is The Lowest Seed To Win The NCAA Tournament?
The lowest seed to ever win the National Championship is eight. Since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, one team in the tournament’s history has won the championship as the eighth seed.
In 1985, the Villanova Wildcats shocked the world, winning the National Championship as the eighth seed.
In the championship, Villanova faced off against the number-one-seeded Georgetown Hoyas and their star center, Patrick Ewing. The Hoyas were heavily-favored, entering the game with a 35-2 record.
Villanova scratched and clawed to enter the championship with a 24-10 record. In their first three games of the tournament, Villanova won by a combined nine points. Georgetown, however, won their first three games by double digits.
In the championship, Villanova implored a perfect game plan, slowing the game down and taking high-quality shots, which resulted in a staggering 78.6 field goal percentage as a team.
Villanova defeated Georgetown 66-64 in what many sports historians call the greatest upset in the tournament’s history.
Only Two Other Schools Have Won Championships At Seed 6 Or Lower
In addition to Villanova, only two other teams have won the National Championship since its expansion as a six-seed or lower.
In 2014, the UConn Huskies became the only seven-seed to win the National Championship. Led by Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, the Huskies defeated Kentucky 60-54 to win the title.
In 1988, the Kansas Jayhawks became the only six-seed to win the NCAA Tournament. Nicknamed “Danny and the Miracles” because of their star forward Danny Manning, Kansas defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 83-79 to win the championship.
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