11 seeds in Sweet 16: How NC State's March Madness run compares to past Cinderellas

NC State's red-hot March keeps on rolling.

Just two weeks ago, the Wolfpack were fighting to even earn a spot on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament.

After winning five consecutive games to take home the ACC Tournament championship — including wins over March Madness teams like Duke, Virginia and North Carolina — NC State earned an automatic bid. And its momentum hasn't slowed up yet.

The No. 11 Wolfpack were an underdog against No. 6 Texas Tech in the Round of 64, but if you didn't know their seeds, you wouldn't have been able to tell. NC State dominated the Red Raiders, never trailing by more than four points in the game. Behind 21 points off the bench from Ben Middlebrooks and double-digit scoring from Mohamed Diarra (17), DJ Horne (16) and fan-favorite DJ Burns Jr. (16), the Wolfpack cruised to a 13-point win to survive and advance.

MORE: Meet DJ Burns Jr., NC State's loveable big man

March Madness breakout star Jack Gohlke and No. 14 Oakland awaited NC State in the Round of 32 after pulling off a major upset over No. 3 Kentucky. The two double-digit seeds engaged in a back-and-forth battle, but it was Oakland who was in the driver's seat in the final minute of the game. 

That is, until unsung hero Michael O'Connell created something out of nothing with an and-one take that helped the Wolfpack force overtime to keep their season alive.

MICHAEL O'CONNELL CLUTCH ❄️#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/9kICnPyibJ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 24, 2024

NC State's defense buckled down in the extra period, forcing Oakland to shoot 1-for-9 from the field in overtime. Burns had a key offensive putback to give the Wolfpack a one-point lead and a few possessions later, Jayden Taylor delivered the back-breaking 3 to secure the win for NC State.

As the Wolfpack await their opponent between No. 2 Marquette and No. 10 Colorado, take a look back at the history of No. 11 seeds to reach the Sweet 16.

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History of No. 11 seeds in the Sweet 16

The last time a No. 11 seed reached the Sweet 16 was 2022.

Just two years ago, a pair of No. 11 seeds advanced to the Sweet 16.

Led by Hunter Dickinson and head coach Juwan Howard, Michigan defeated No. 6 Colorado State in the Round of 64 and No. 3 Tennessee in the Round of 32 to move on to the Sweet 16. The Wolverines' March Madness run ended there, where they fell to Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and No. 2 Villanova.

In the same NCAA Tournament, No. 11 Iowa State also made a run of their own. The Cyclones defeated No. 6 LSU in the Round of 64 and No. 3 Wisconsin in the Round of 32 to reach the Sweet 16. Their run also ended there, falling to No. 10 Miami.

The furthest a No. 11 seed has made it in recent history was UCLA, which reached the Final Four in 2021.

Led by Jaime Jaquez Jr., Johnny Juzang, Tyger Campbell and Jules Bernard, the Bruins began their Cinderella run in the First Four with a win over Michigan State.

That victory gave UCLA all the momentum it needed, downing No. 6 BYU and No. 14 Abilene Christian to advance to the Sweet 16. Its run didn't end there, though. The Bruins handled No. 2 Alabama in the Sweet 16 and No. 1 Michigan in the Elite Eight to advance to the Final Four. They fell to No. 1 Gonzaga, who eventually lost to Baylor in the national championship.

This year's NC State is the 27th No. 11 seed to reach the Sweet 16. You can find the complete list below.