Since 2011, the NCAA tournament has welcomed 68 teams, and to get down to a 64-team bracket, the last four automatic qualifiers and the last four at-large bids face off in the First Four.
In 2023, FDU made history as the first AQ First Four participant to win a game in the first round (round of 64), when the No. 16 Knights shocked No. 1 Purdue. FDU became only the second 16 seed to beat a No. 1 in NCAA men's tournament history (UMBC didn't play in the First Four in 2018, the year it beat Virginia).
But the at-large First Four victors have also had outsized success when it comes to their seeds once playing in the 64-team tournament. Don't sleep on these teams in your bracket. In the first year, 2010-11 VCU went from No. 11 and playing USC in Dayton in the First Four to playing in the Final Four in Houston. In 2020-21, UCLA also went First Four to Final Four after beating No. 1 Michigan in the Elite Eight.
So far, 2019 and 2025 are the only tournaments where at least one at-large First Four team failed to win a game in the 64-team bracket.
Here's a look at how they do:
AQ First Four teams that have won in the NCAA tournament
We listed post-First Four games won, meaning only teams that went on to win a first round game. Wins are in bold:
| Team | Seed | Scores |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 FDU (19-15) | No. 16 | W, No. 1 Purdue, 63-58 L, No. 9 Florida Atlantic, 78-70 |
How at-large First Four teams do in the NCAA tournament
We listed post-First Four games, meaning only the winners of the First Four games are here. Wins are in bold:
| Team | Seed | Scores |
|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 VCU (23-11) | 11 | W, No. 6 Georgetown, 74-56 W, No. 3 Purdue, 94-76 W, No. 10 Florida State, 72-71 (OT) W, No. 1 Kansas, 71-61 L, No. 8 Butler, 70-62 |
| 2010-11 Clemson (21-11) | 12 | L, No. 5 West Virginia, 84-76 |
| 2011-12 South Florida (20-13) | 12 | W, No. 5 Temple, 58-44 L, No. 13 Ohio, 62-56 |
| 2011-12 BYU (25-8) | 14 | L, No. 3 Marquette, 88-68 |
| 2012-13 Saint Mary's (27-6) | 11 | L, No. 6 Memphis, 54-52 |
| 2012-13 La Salle (21-9) | 13 | W, No. 4 Kansas State, 63-61 W, No. 12 Ole Miss, 76-74 L, No. 8 Wichita State, 72-58 |
| 2013-14 Tennessee (21-12) | 11 | W, No. 6 UMass, 86-67 W, No. 14 Mercer, 83-63 L, No. 2 Michigan, 73-71 |
| 2013-14 NC State (21-13) | 12 | L, No. 5 Saint Louis, 83-80 (OT) |
| 2014-15 Ole Miss (20-12) | 11 | L, No. 6 Xavier, 76-57 |
| 2014-15 Dayton (25-8) | 11 | W, No. 6 Providence, 66-53 L, No. 3 Oklahoma, 72-66 |
| 2015-16 Wichita State (24-8) | 11 | W, No. 6 Arizona, 65-55 L, No. 3 Miami (FL), 65-57 |
| 2015-16 Michigan (22-12) | 11 | L, No. 6 Notre Dame, 70-63 |
| 2016-17 USC (24-9) | 11 | W, No. 6 SMU, 66-65 L, No. 3 Baylor, 82-78 |
| 2016-17 Kansas State (20-13) | 11 | L, No. 6 Cincinnati, 75-61 |
| 2017-18 St. Bonaventure (25-7) | 11 | L, No. 6 Florida, 77-62 |
| 2017-18 Syracuse (20-13) | 11 | W, No. 6 TCU, 57-52 W, No. 3 Michigan State, 55-53 L, No. 2 Duke, 69-65 |
| 2018-19 Belmont (26-5) | 11 | L, No. 6 Maryland, 79-77 |
| 2018-19 Arizona State (22-10) | 11 | L, No. 6 Buffalo, 91-74 |
| 2020-21 Drake (25-4) | 11 | L, No. 6 USC, 72-56 |
| 2020-21 UCLA (17-9) | 11 | W, No. 6 BYU, 73-62 W, No. 14 Abilene Christian, 67-47 W, No. 2 Alabama, 88-78 (OT) W, No. 1 Michigan, 51-49 L, No. 1 Gonzaga, 93-90 (OT) |
| 2021-22 Indiana (20-13) | 12 | L, No. 5 Saint Mary's, 82-53 |
| 2021-22 Notre Dame (22-10) | 11 | W, No. 6 Alabama, 78-64 L, No. 3 Texas Tech, 59-53 |
| 2022-23 Arizona State (22-12) | 11 | L, No. 6 TCU, 72-70 |
| 2022-23 Pitt (22-11) | 11 | W, No. 6 Iowa State, 59-41 L, No. 3 Xavier, 84-73 |
| 2023-24 Colorado (24-10) | 10 | W, No. 7 Florida, 102-100 L, No. 2 Marquette, 81-77 |
| 2023-24 Colorado State (24-10) | 10 | L, No. 7 Texas, 56-44 |
| 2024-2025 Xavier (22-11) | 11 | L, No. 6 Illinois, 86-73 |
| 2024-2025 North Carolina (23-13) | 11 | L, No. 6 Ole Miss, 71-64 |
| 2025-26 Texas (21-14) | 11 |
W, No. 6 BYU, 79-71 |
The next time you fill out your bracket, don't overlook the First Four teams. Two have even made the Final Four.
