While the last two years have been among the chalkiest Men’s college basketball tournaments in recent memory, we still had No. 12 seed High Point upsetting a Wisconsin team that had five top-15 wins this year, including three over Last Four teams Michigan and Illinois.
There was also No. 9 seed Iowa reaching the final eight after taking out No. 1 seed Florida and No. 4 seed Nebraska, while No. 6 seed Tennessee reached that stage too.
Heading into Last Four weekend 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana, let’s take a look back and list the four most unlikely runs of all time.
Honorable mentions go to 2018 Loyola Chicago, 2024 NC State, 1983 NC State, 2022 Florida Atlantic and 2013 Wichita State.
George Mason (2006)
2006 George Mason delivered one of the first modern Cinderella runs that truly shook the sport.
Entering as a No. 11 seed with a modest 23-7 record, few expected them to survive the opening weekend, let alone reach the last four.
Under head coach Jim Larrañaga, who would go on to lead Miami (FL) to several miraculous March runs, George Mason caught fire at exactly the right time.
Their path was nothing short of remarkable, taking down Michigan State, defending champions North Carolina, and a strong Wichita State squad before pulling off a stunning overtime upset against top-seeded UConn.
That win over UConn remains one of the defining moments in tournament history. George Mason became the first double-digit seed to reach the last four in two decades, proving mid-majors could compete with anyone.
Remember, in 2006, KenPom analytics were around but not popularized. Although George Mason ranked as a top-25 team per KenPom entering the tournament, with a top-10 adjusted defense, it’s still amazing they took out top-10 teams like North Carolina and UConn.
Their magical run ended against the eventual champion, Florida, but their legacy still resonates as one of the greatest underdog stories ever.
VCU (2011)
If George Mason cracked the door open, 2011 VCU kicked it down.
VCU entered the tournament as one of eight No. 11 seeds, as this was the first year of the first four, in Dayton, Ohio. After losing four of their last five regular-season games, their inclusion was heavily debated. What followed was pure madness.
Led by head coach Shaka Smart, VCU unleashed a relentless, high-pressure style that overwhelmed opponents. They blew out Georgetown, handled Purdue, beat Florida State and stunned top-seeded Kansas, led by the Morris twins.
Remarkably, four of their five wins came by double digits. VCU became the first team ever to go from the first four to the last four, capturing the imagination of fans everywhere.
Suddenly, a group of players most of the nation had never heard of until March, were tagged with their own nicknames by excited 11-year-olds everywhere.
Their run ended against No. 8 seed Butler, another Cinderella story, but their legacy as one of the most improbable runs in tournament history is secure.
Villanova (1985)
Not all unlikely last four teams fall short of the ultimate goal. 1985 Villanova won the whole darn thing.
Entering the tournament as a No. 8 seed with a 19-10 record, Villanova survived a series of nail-biters, winning their first three games by a combined margin of just 11 points. But under legendary head coach Rollie Massimino, they kept finding ways to advance.
Their path included wins over Michigan and North Carolina before reaching the last four and defeating Memphis.
Then came the ultimate test: a showdown with powerhouse Georgetown, led by Patrick Ewing. In what is widely considered the greatest upset in NCAA history, Villanova shot a near-perfect game and stunned Georgetown 66-64.
To this day, they remain the lowest seed ever to win a national championship.
LSU (1986)
As a No. 11 seed, LSU became the first team at that seed line to reach the last four. What made their journey even more remarkable was the caliber of opponents they defeated.
The Tigers knocked off Memphis, Georgia Tech, and Kentucky, beating a No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 seed along the way - the only team to accomplish this feat in a region
Coached by Dale Brown, LSU thrived in close games, winning their three biggest matchups by an average of fewer than four points. They weren’t dominant, but they were resilient, executing in clutch moments time and time again.
Their run finally ended in the national semifinal against eventual champion Louisville. Still, LSU’s path remains one of the toughest and most unlikely ever.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
