Best March Madness Cinderella Runs
March Madness 2023 tips off in less than a week, and we’re here to remind you of how wild and unexpected this tournament can be. Over the years we’ve seen some incredible outcomes, including underdogs who’ve slipped into the tournament undetected and progressed far deeper than anyone could have predicted. These historic runs turn into the most memorable tournaments. We’re here to remind you of five of the best March Madness Cinderella runs of all time.
While we’re talking about the best, have you checked out the best March Madness odds around here at Bodog?
North Carolina State Wins the Tournament as No. 6 Seeds in 1983
One of the most memorable and best March Madness Cinderella runs came in 1983 when the No. 6 NC State Wolfpack beat the odds to win the tournament under head coach Jimmy Valvano (nicknamed Jimmy V). In the first round, they eked out a close 69-67 win over No. 11 Pepperdine, and in the second round it was even closer, as they finished one-point ahead of No. 3 UNLV. The Regional semifinals game pitted the against No. 10 Utah—an easier task—but then they faced No. 1 Virginia at the Regional finals, winning 63-62.
In the National Championship game, they faced heavily favoured Houston and miraculously were tied in the final two minutes of the game. Jimmy V made the gutsy decision to foul a freshman, who he believed would buckle under the pressure of the incredibly high stakes, with the intent of grabbing the rebound. It worked out beautifully, and with five seconds left on the clock, Dereck Whittenburg launched a failed desperation shot that Lorenzo Charles nabbed and managed to dunk for 54-52 victory. Footage of Jimmy V racing around the court ecstatically is still recognized today.
Villanova Wins the Tournament as No. 8 Seeds in 1985
Two years after NC State’s epic tournament win as No. 6 seeds, we saw Villanova do the same as No. 8 seeds. This happened the first year the tournament expanded to a 64-team bracket. The Big East was packed with talent that season; three of the final four teams were from that conference (Villanova, Georgetown and St. John’s).
In the Southeast regionals, No. 8 Villanova just managed to beat No. 9 Dayton to move on to the second round, where they faced No. 1 seed Michigan, who they beat 59-55. Villanova beat No. 5 Maryland in the regional semifinals and then No. 2 North Carolina in the regional finals, making the Final Four as No. 8 seeds.
They had to get by Memphis State in the National semifinals in order to reach the National Championship game, where they faced the defending champions, Georgetown. Villanova played what many people dubbed “The Perfect Game” that evening, making it into the record books for the highest field goal percentage in a Final Four game at 78.6%. They won 66-64, and Ed Pinckney won Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Butler Reaches Title Game as No. 8 Seeds in 2011
Butler had back-to-back Cinderella runs in 2010 and 2011, but they had the lower seeding (No. 8) in 2011. They were without their points and rebounds leader Gordon Hayward, who left for the NBA draft after the 2009-10 season, leaving Matt Howard to fill the void.
In the first round of the regionals, No. 8 Butler put aside No. 9 Old Dominion thanks to Howard tipping one in right at the buzzer to seal the 60-58 victory; it ended the Monarch’s nine-game win streak. In the second round, Howard performed the same heroics against No. 1 Pittsburgh; he scored with less than a second left on the clock for an incredible 71-70 upset.
Butler went all the way to the National Championship game, where they faced powerhouse team Connecticut, who were keen on getting their third title under coach Jim Calhoun. Butler led 22-19 by the end of the first half, but that’s where their fairy-tale ended. They struggled mightily in the second half and ended up losing 53-41.
Loyola-Chicago Reaches Final Four as No. 11 Seeds in 2018
Throughout March Madness history, four No. 11 teams have reached the Final Four, and the most recent one was Loyola-Chicago in 2018. This underdog team, who last made it to the Sweet 16 in 1985, became famous for getting coaching advice, in addition to spiritual guidance, from Sister Jean, a 98-year-old nun who acts as the chaplain for the team.
The team had many dramatic come-from behind victories that included a two-point victory over No. 6 Miami in the first round of the regionals, followed by a one-point victory over No. 3 Tennessee in the second round. They had another one-point victory over No. 7 Nevada in the Sweet 16 thanks to the improbable performance of Marques Townes.
With Sister Jean cheering them from the sidelines, their fairy tale run continued on until they reached the Final Four National semifinals, where they lost 69-57 to Michigan, but went down in history as one of four teams to reach the Final Four as No. 11 seeds.
Saint Peter’s Peacocks Reach Elite Eight in 2022
Just last year, we saw arguably the best March Madness Cinderella runs of all with the No. 15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks—a school with a tiny undergraduate enrollment of under 2,200 students. They entered the tournament as automatic qualifiers when they beat Monmouth at the MAAC conference Championship game.
In the first round of the East regionals, the No. 15 Peacocks faced No. 2 Kentucky as 18.5-point underdogs. After tying them, they went to overtime and earned the win, advancing to the second round. Their next opponent was No. 7 Murray State, who they faced as 8.5-point underdogs; SPU pulled the upset, winning 70-60 to become just the third No. 15 ranked team to make it to the regional semifinals.
Their run would continue on. SPU then faced No. 3 Purdue, who were 13.5-point favourites, but again, SPU managed to pull the upset to become the first-ever No. 15 seed to make it to the Elite Eight (regional final). Unfortunately for Daryl Banks and co., their Cinderella run ended there, as No. 8 North Carolina proved too much for the scrappy underdogs.