Elite Eight – The Past & The Present

It only exists completely intact for roughly 24 hours. It’s the Elite Eight, the final eight teams that remain in the men’s NCAA tournament. There is usually a certain makeup of the eight teams that are left standing after the second Thursday and Friday of March Madness. This year’s Elite Eight fits that historical mold.

On average, three of the four teams seeded No. 1 in their regions make the Elite Eight. This year, we have two – UConn and Purdue. The Huskies beat San Diego State by 30 and Purdue beat Gonzaga by 12 last night. In more recent history, a number of the lower-seeded teams remaining in the Sweet 16 have advanced to the Elite Eight.

This year, five of the eight lower seeds won their Sweet 16 games and advanced to the Elite Eight. Only once in the history of the NCAA tournament – since its expansion to 64 teams in 1985 – has there never been a No. 1 seed in the Elite Eight. That happened last year. When the NCAA tournament began back in 1939, there were only eight teams selected to play in it making them all Elite Eight teams. 

The lowest-seeded team to ever make the Elite Eight was No. 15 Saint Peter’s in 2022. The Peacocks had a remarkable run in that tournament, beating Kentucky in the Round of 64 and then Murray State to advance to the Sweet 16. Saint Peter’s pulled another gigantic upset when they beat Purdue to move on to the Elite Eight, becoming the first and only No. 15 seed to do so.

Two No. 12 seeds have advanced this far. Missouri did it back in 2002 and Oregon State made the Elite Eight in 2021. Eleven No. 11 seeds have advanced to the Elite Eight. The most recent is this year’s Cinderella – NC State. It’s been 38 years since the Wolfpack have advanced this far in the tournament. The coach then was the legendary Jim Valvano, who guided NC State to a national championship in 1983. If the Wolfpack can pull another upset over ACC rival Duke, they would become just the sixth No. 11 seed to reach a Final Four.

The first No. 11 seed to make the Final Four was George Mason in 2006. The team they beat in the Elite Eight to advance…UConn, this year’s top overall seed. George Mason was coached by Jim Larranaga, who is the only coach in NCAA history to take two double-digit seeded teams to the Final Four. His 2022 Miami Hurricanes advanced to the Final Four.

This year’s Elite Eight features three teams that haven’t been this far in a long time. Tennessee, which will face Purdue on Sunday, hasn’t been this far in 14 years. The Vols have never made it to the Final Four. The same is true for Clemson and Alabama. One of them will make it though as they play each other tonight. Purdue is -3.5 points and the total is 148 at SBAodds.com

Alabama hasn’t been to the Elite Eight in two decades. Clemson’s last trip this far was 44 years ago. Neither team has ever played in a Final Four, but now one of them will. The Crimson Tide is a 3.5-point favorite tonight at BetUS.com 

Illinois, which will face No. 1 UConn tonight, hasn’t been to the Elite Eight since 2005. That year, the Illini won five tournament games and played for a national title. In the 19 years since, Illinois won a total of five tournament games. This is the 13th trip to the Elite Eight for UConn. They have advanced to the Final Four in six of those trips and won the national title in five. The Huskies could become the first team since 2006-07 Florida to repeat as national champs.

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See Odds to Win the National Championship for Elite 8 Round