BYU’s History With The Sixth Seed in NCAA Tournament

Shine your shoes, brush your teeth, comb your hair and break out the fancy clothes because it’s time to go dancing.

The BYU Cougars are getting ready to cut a rug in their 2^nd consecutive NCAA tournament and their 32^nd appearance all time, starting this Thursday against #11 Virginia Commonwealth University.

It took a 24-9 record, 14-6 Big 12 performance, six quad 1 wins and 4 take downs of ranked teams all away from Provo to lock them at #6 in the tournament.

Historically, BYU is no stranger to the 6^th seed, and although previous teams accolades in regards to being a six have nothing to do with this new era of Cougars, it’s fun to see what they’ve done in a similar spot in years past.

BYU’s earliest 6^th seed standing started as far back as 1981 with the Danny Ainge led Cougars.

That team would roll into an Elite 8 appearance after pummeling Princeton, undermining UCLA and narrowly edging Notre Dame by 1 in the regional semifinals.

The Cougars run would come to an end thanks to the eventual 3^rd place Virginia Cavaliers team, a #1 seed, in the regional finals, 74-60.

Now going that far back would have one believing that their would be many more appearances in the sixth hole well before we hit modern day, and to that I say, you are wrong.

Out of four overall appearances including this year as a #6 in the tournament, 3 have come since 2021.

It’s been the hot number as of late and the only seed BYU has carried next to their name in quite some time.

You would have to go back to 2015 to find the last tournament team who was not a #6 seed.

2021 saw the sixth seeded Cougars secede to #11 UCLA in the first round, 73-62.

After a small hiatus, BYU reemerged as a sixth seed against #11 Duquesne last season in 2024, before being upset 71-67 ending their post season run earlier than anticipated.

So, as one can see, despite the sixth spot being familiar territory for the boys from Provo, BYU hasn't won from the #6 seed since 1981, the same year Dolly Parton released 9 to 5 and Raiders of the Lost Ark was in theaters.

Even though BYU sports a 3-3 record all time in the sixth hole, it’s been a while since the Cougars have snatched a win as the higher ranked seed in the first round.

The last time BYU was the higher seed and walked away with a first round win was a 2011 defeat of Wofford, the season where Jimmer Fredette was at the helm.

The Cougars will look for their first tournament win since a first four victory in 2012 and their 16^th all time this Thursday at 2:05 Mountain Time when they do battle with VCU.