Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Nate Cunningham

What’s the Lowest Seed to Win March Madness? A Look at the Biggest Cinderella Runs in NCAA Tournament History

The Villanova Wildcats won the national championship as a No. 8 seed in 1985. | David Smart/The Commercial Appeal, Memphis Commercial Appeal via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Every March, college hoops fans anxiously anticipate the madness that is the NCAA tournament. The fun of filling out a bracket, trying to identify the perfect matchups and suddenly falling in love with a program you had never watched before. 

Even if you’re pulling for a blue blood powerhouse it’s impossible to not get caught up in Cinderella stories. The tournament’s single-elimination format creates the perfect opportunity for underdogs to take the big stage and shock the world. Those moments—the upsets, the buzzer beaters and the unpredictability—make March Madness so special. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.