Top 10 March Madness Cinderella Teams Since 2000

In case you’re wondering what Cinderella means in basketball it refers to a team that makes it significantly farther than expected. Here I present 10 Cinderella teams in March Madness since 2000
The Top Ten
1 Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (2018)

Similar to VCU this team was an 11 seed but they weren't in the first four. They managed to get all the way to the final Four. Now yes they were in the south region which was a complete shootout. It was anyone's game but the Ramblers upset Miami, Tennessee and Nevada by a total of 4 points combined! And they beat K- State in the elite 8 to advance to the final Four

This sure was something.

This one shocked me

2 VCU Rams (2011)

This team was originally a part of the first four and they then advanced all the way to the final Four. They beat USC Georgetown Purdue Florida State and Kansas before finally losing to Butler

3 George Mason Patriots (2006)

Honestly where's George Mason located? You've probably never heard of them but they ended up beating Michigan State North Carolina Wichita State and UConn before losing to Florida in the final Four.

4 Butler Bulldogs (2010) The Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Butler University in Indianapolis, United States.
5 South Carolina Gamecocks (2017) Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the Gamecocks are a member of the SEC. Their women's basketball program is particularly noteworthy, having won a national championship. Garnet and black are the team's colors.

The Gamecocks really came out of nowhere as a 7 seed. They beat Marquette Duke Baylor and Florida as they made it to the final Four where they lost to Gonzaga

6 Davidson Wildcats (2008)
7 UMBC Retrievers (2018)

They might have only made it to the round of 32 but the Retreivers were still the ultimate bracket buster. They didn't let the 16 seeds 0-135 record against 1 seeds stop them from making history.

8 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles  (2013)

The Eagles definitely made a good first impression in the tournament. The team had only just began competing in D-1 when they earned a trip to the big dance as a 15 seed. And then upset Georgetown and San Diego State earning them the nickname "dunk city." they became the first 15 seed to make the sweet 16.

Dunk City was mesmerizing... They walked on the court with all the swagger of a team who already knew they were going to win

9 Wichita State Shockers (2013) The Wichita State Shockers are the athletic teams that represent Wichita State University. They compete in the NCAA Division I as members of the American Athletic Conference.

Wichita State basically came out of nowhere in 2013. Led by Coach Greg Marshall and duo of Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet they managed to beat Pittsburgh Gonzaga Lasalle and Ohio State before losing to Louisville who had the game vacated. So I guess they technically made the championship?

10 Syracuse Orange (2016) Located in Syracuse, New York, this program is a member of the ACC. Notable for their men's basketball and lacrosse teams, they have numerous championships under their belt. Orange is the primary team color.

Many people doubted this team and said they didn't deserve a spot. However they didn't let that stop them from reaching the final Four as they beat Dayton,Middle Tennessee, Gonzaga and Virginia before losing to UNC

The Contenders
11 UCLA Bruins (2021)

Despite being a traditional college power, UCLA entered the 2021 tournament as an 11-seed. Yet, they would shock the top two teams in their region to advance to the final four. Battling hard against then undefeated Gonzaga, the Bruins fell in a heartbreaker in overtime.

12 Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (2021)
13 Oregon State Beavers (2021)
14 Saint Peter’s Peacocks (2022)

A 15 Seed who beat Kentucky and Purdue and made it all the way to the Elite 8. Best 15 seed of all time tbh

15 Dayton Flyers (2014)
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