11-seeds have become the ultimate bracket busters.  2021’s UCLA was the most recent 11-seed to bust millions of brackets by reaching the Final Four.  They’ve similarly laid waste to brackets two other times in the last 11 tournaments.  11-seeds have actually reached the Second Round and the Sweet 16 about as often as 12-seeds, but they’re the only double-digit seed (outside of 10-Syracuse in 2016) to make it to the Final 4.

Overall Performance

• 57 (of 148) advanced to the Second Round
• 26 went on to the Sweet 16
• 9 reached the Elite 8
• 5 reached the Final 4

Performance Over the Last 10 Years

• 21 (of 40) advanced to the Second Round
• 12 went on to the Sweet 16
• 4 reached the Elite 8
• 2 reached the Final 4

Bracket Performance History and Advice

• First Round: There is an 86% chance of at least one upset.  It’s been 19 years since we haven’t seen an 11-seed pull off a First Round upset.  Only 3 of the last 29 tournaments didn’t have an 11-6 upset.
• Second Round:  11-seeds are on an incredible run – at least one 11-seed has won a Second Round game in 10 of the last 12 tournaments.  Overall, there’s about a 54% chance at least one 11-seed will advance to the Sweet 16.
• Sweet 16:  Of the 26 teams to reach this round, nine of them continued to the next.  Eight out of the last 10 Sweet 16’s included an 11-seed.
• Elite 8:  Only 6% make it this far.
• Final 4:  It’s happened five times, ever.
• Final:  Never reached the final.

Record in the Second Round

• vs 3-seeds:  20-31
• vs 14-seeds:  6-0

Feats of Strength

• In 1989 all four 11-seeds advanced to the second round
• Five 11-seeds have advanced to the Final 4:
  • 2021 – UCLA
  • 2018 – Loyola-Chicago
  • 2011 – Virginia Commonwealth
  • 2006 – George Mason
  • 1986 – LSU