The following is a list of double-digit seeded teams that have advanced to the Final Four
The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes and the No. 15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks are the next two double-digit seeds to reach the Final Four in March Madness.
It doesn’t happen every time, but it did happen recently during March Madness.
Though a double-digit seed cutting down the nets and making it to the Final Four is extremely rare, both the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes and the No. 15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks might do so if they beat a college basketball blue-blood in the Elite Eight.
On Sunday afternoon, No. 10 Miami will meet No. 1 Kansas, while No. 15 Saint Peters will face No. 8 North Carolina in primetime.
How many double-digit seeds have made it to the Final Four before, if either Miami or Saint Peter’s cut down the nets?
How many seeds in the double digits have advanced to the Final Four?
Six teams have advanced to the Final Four with double-digit seeds in the 2022 NCAA Tournament (No. 10 or worse).
The process of seeding teams began in 1979, but it took the No. 11 LSU Tigers until 1986 to make history. It would take another 20 years for a second double-digit seed to tear down the nets, as fate would have it. The 2006 George Mason Patriots were the second team.
Jim Larraaga, the current head coach of Miami, was the head coach of that George Mason team in 2006. The 2011 VCU Rams were seeded 11th five years later.
The Syracuse Orange, led by Jim Boeheim, were a No. 10 seed in 2016. The No. 11 Loyola Ramblers, led by Porter Moser, cut down the nets in 2018. Mick Cronin’s UCLA Bruins advanced to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed last year.
In the Final Four, there are double-digit seeds.
- No. 11 LSU in 1986
- No. 11 George Mason in 2006
- No. 11 VCU in 2011
- No. 10 Syracuse in 2016
- No. 11 Loyola Chicago in 2018
- No. 11 UCLA in 2021
No team seeded lower than No. 11 has ever sliced the nets. None of the six double-digit seeds that advanced to the national semifinals were able to compete in the national championship game.
This is why the Elite Eight games between Miami and Saint Peter’s are so important. They are not only a part of history, but they also have the opportunity to create their own.
Because of the one-and-done nature of collegiate basketball, this is happening more frequently.
