11 seeds in Elite Eight: How NC State's March Madness run compares to past Cinderellas

Is NC State on a Cinderella run? The Wolfpack aren't a traditional Cinderella coming out of the ACC, but the run Kevin Keatts' team is on rivals some of the most unlikely in college basketball history when you consider what it took to even get to the NCAA Tournament.

The journey will continue for at least two more days, after NC State knocked off No. 2 Marquette in a Sweet 16 upset on Friday night.

Just three weeks ago, NC State reaching the tournament seemed improbable. Just getting to the big dance required five ACC Tournament wins in five days, a stretch that wound up requiring wins over both Duke and North Carolina. The Wolfpack have now won eight straight since the ACC Tournament tipped off, and it only takes one more win to start cutting down some nets.

Here's a closer look at how rare it is for a No. 11 seed to reach the Elite Eight.

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Last time a No. 11 seed made the Elite Eight

NC State is the first No. 11 seed to make it all the way to the Elite Eight since UCLA in 2021. The Bruins actually weren't even the lowest seed to reach the final eight during the Indianapolis bubble tournament, as No. 12 Oregon State also advanced. Only UCLA reached the Final Four, however. 

The most recent example outside of UCLA is Loyola-Chicago in 2018. The Ramblers' run received more attention than UCLA's simply because their program was far less prominent and advantaged than the Bruins', but any run from a No. 11 seed to the Elite Eight is remarkably difficult.

NC State's is no different. Drawing No. 14 Oakland in the second round might be considered a break for the Wolfpack, but Keatts' squad still had to take down No. 2 and No. 6 seeds to secure a matchup with either Houston or Duke. That doesn't even count the Wolfpack's stunning ACC Tournament run, which arguably separates the team's journey from most other No. 11 seeds who got this far. 

Here's what you need to know about the exclusive club NC State joined on Friday night.

How many No. 11 seeds have made the Elite Eight?

No. 11 seeds aren't the lowest-seeded teams to reach the Elite Eight. In fact, No. 15 Saint Peter's made it all the way to Elite Eight weekend just two years ago.

It's still extraordinarily rare for a No. 11 seed to get where NC State is going. Only 10 teams who entered the NCAA Tournament with a No. 11 seed have reached the Elite Eight, and the Wolfpack's journey from outside the bubble conversation to the doorstep of the Final Four makes the achievement even more remarkable.

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Here's a complete look at No. 11 seeds to reach the Elite Eight.

Five No. 11 seeds have reached the Final Four, so one more win for the Wolfpack wouldn't necessarily make their run unprecedented. Two more wins, however, would allow NC State to stand alone as the lowest seed to ever reach the national championship game.