Q: What was the lowest seeded team to reach the Final Four of the NCAA tournament? What was the lowest seeded team to win the national championship?
—Kathy McDonough, Peachtree Corners
A: Three No. 11 seeds have reached the Final Four. LSU made the 1986 NCAA tournament as a No. 11 seed, but defeated Purdue, Memphis State (now called Memphis), Georgia Tech and Kentucky before losing to Louisville in the semifinals. Kentucky had defeated LSU three times that season prior to the Tigers' 59-57 victory in the Southeast Regional final. George Mason was a No. 11 seed in 2006 and defeated Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and Connecticut before losing to Florida in the semifinals. Virginia Commonwealth, or VCU, reached the 2011 tournament as a No. 11 seed and defeated Southern California in a "First Four" play-in game of the NCAA tournament. VCU then defeated Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State and Kansas before losing to Butler, a No. 8 seed, in the semifinals. Villanova, which was seeded eighth in 1985, is the lowest seeded team to win the national title. The Wildcats were 19-10 entering the NCAA tournament and had lost in the first round of the Big East tournament, but defeated Dayton, Michigan, Maryland, North Carolina and Memphis State to reach the national championship game. Villanova then upset All-America center Patrick Ewing and Georgetown, a No. 1 seed and defending national champion, 66-64 for the national title.
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