Everyone remembers where they were when George Mason happened. Honestly, if you look back at the 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket, it feels like a fever dream. This wasn't just another year of blue bloods dominating the hardwood. It was the year the mid-major finally kicked the door down and stopped asking for permission. We saw a 11-seed make the Final Four, a powerhouse Duke team fall earlier than anyone expected, and a Florida Gators squad that looked unbeatable once they finally found their rhythm.
The madness started long before Indianapolis.
Selection Sunday in 2006 was actually pretty controversial. People were livid. Why? Because the committee snubbed teams like Missouri State and Hofstra to give George Mason an at-large bid. Billy Packer, the legendary broadcaster, famously went on a tear about how mid-majors didn't deserve those spots over power conference teams. He looked like a genius for about forty-eight hours. Then the games started.
The George Mason miracle and the shattered 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket
Nobody had the Patriots in their Final Four. If you say you did, you're probably lying. Jim Larrañaga’s group didn't just "get lucky" in the 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket; they systematically dismantled some of the greatest programs in college basketball history.
First, they handled Michigan State. That was a shock, sure, but "flukes" happen in the first round. Then they took out North Carolina, the defending champs. At that point, the sports world stopped what it was doing to stare at the TV. But the real masterpiece was the Elite Eight game against UConn. That Connecticut roster was stacked with future NBA talent like Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams, and Josh Boone. It didn't matter. George Mason played with a joy and a lack of fear that essentially broke the logic of the tournament. They won 86-84 in overtime. It was the moment the "bracket buster" became a permanent part of our vocabulary.
The bracket was a mess by the second weekend. Look at the seeds that actually made it to the regional finals. You had a 1, a 2, a 3, a 4, a 7, and an 11. It was chaotic. Usually, the cream rises, but in 2006, the cream got curdled by high-pressure defense and kids who stayed in school for four years.
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Why we still talk about the 2006 seeds
It's easy to focus on the Cinderella story, but the top of the 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket was equally fascinating. Duke was the overall number one seed. J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams were seniors. It was supposed to be their coronation. Instead, they ran into a buzzsaw named Tyrus Thomas and LSU in the Sweet 16. That LSU team was terrifyingly athletic and physical, and they basically bullied the Blue Devils out of the tournament.
Then you had the Oakland Regional. Top-seeded Memphis, led by a young John Calipari and Rodney Carney, looked like they might run away with it. But UCLA, under Ben Howland, was playing a brand of defense that felt like a localized root canal. It was slow, painful, and effective. The Bruins squeezed the life out of everyone in their path to get to the Final Four.
The birth of the Florida Gators dynasty
While George Mason was grabbing the headlines, Billy Donovan was quietly assembling a juggernaut in Gainesville. The Florida Gators were a 3-seed in the Minneapolis Regional. They weren't the favorites. Most experts were looking at Villanova, who had that incredible four-guard lineup, or maybe even Boston College.
Florida was different. They had the "Oh-Fours." Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, and Taurean Green had all arrived together in 2004. They were roommates. They were best friends. They played a brand of unselfish basketball that is basically extinct now.
In the 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket, Florida’s path wasn't exactly easy, but they made it look that way. They destroyed South Alabama and UW-Milwaukee. Then they faced Georgetown in a Sweet 16 game that was a total grind. They survived. By the time they hit the Final Four, they weren't just a team; they were a culture.
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Joakim Noah was the heart of it. He was a 6'11" ball of energy with a ponytail and a weird shooting form that never seemed to miss when it mattered. In the title game against UCLA, he was everywhere. He had 16 points, 9 rebounds, and a record-setting 6 blocks. UCLA had no answer for him or Al Horford. The Gators won 73-57, and it wasn't even that close.
How 2006 changed the "One and Done" era
It's weird to think about now, but 2006 was the last year before the NBA's "one and done" rule really took hold. The 2006 draft was the last one where high schoolers like Greg Oden and Kevin Durant were forced to go to college (starting the following year). The 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket was dominated by juniors and seniors. George Mason was old. Florida was experienced.
This tournament proved that continuity beats raw talent. You had teams like Texas with LaMarcus Aldridge, who was incredible, but they couldn't get past an older, more cohesive LSU squad. It was a turning point. Coaches realized that while you need talent, you need guys who have been in the weight room for three years if you want to win six games in March.
Examining the biggest upsets and "what ifs"
If you're looking at your old 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket printouts, a few scores still stand out as bizarre.
- Bradley (13) over Kansas (4): This was a classic 13-over-4 upset that happened in the first round. Kansas was loaded with talent, including Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush, but Bradley just outworked them. It set the tone for a tournament where nobody was safe.
- Northwestern State (14) over Iowa (3): This is one of the greatest finishes in history. Jermaine Wallace hit a fading, baseline three-pointer at the buzzer. It was pure chaos.
- West Virginia's heartbreak: Kevin Pittsnogle and the Mountaineers were a 6-seed and played some of the most beautiful basketball in the country. They almost took out Texas to reach the Elite Eight, but a buzzer-beater by Kenton Paulino ended their run.
What if George Mason hadn't made that run? Would the committee have stopped giving chances to mid-majors? Probably. The 2006 tournament validated the idea that the "little guys" belong. It gave us the modern era of March Madness where we actually expect a double-digit seed to make the second weekend.
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The legacy of the 2006 tournament
When you look at the Final Four from that year—Florida, UCLA, LSU, and George Mason—it’s a snapshot of a transition period in the sport. You had the rise of the Gators' dynasty, the brief return of UCLA to national prominence, the raw athleticism of the SEC, and the ultimate underdog.
Florida would go on to return their entire starting five for the 2007 season and win it again. No one has done that since. It’s arguably the most impressive feat in modern college sports. But it all started with that 2006 run where they realized they were better than everyone else.
Actionable insights for modern bracket builders
If you're trying to learn from the 2006 NCAA basketball championship bracket for your own future pools, here are the takeaways:
- Look for "Junkyard Dog" defenses: George Mason and UCLA weren't the most talented offensive teams, but they were elite at taking away what the opponent wanted to do. In 2026, defense still travels.
- Experience over hype: Florida won because they were a unit. Even when things went south, they didn't panic. Look for teams with 3 or 4 returning starters.
- Don't ignore the mid-major at-large: The committee gets a lot of flak, but they were right about George Mason. A team that dominates a "weak" conference but has high-level metrics is always dangerous.
- The "Overall Number One" curse: Since 2006, the top overall seed has struggled immensely. Don't feel pressured to pick the favorite just because the media is hyped about one specific star player.
The 2006 season wasn't just a tournament; it was a shift in the tectonic plates of college basketball. It taught us that the name on the front of the jersey doesn't mean anything once the clock starts. It gave us Joakim Noah's scream, Jim Larrañaga’s dance, and a bracket that looked like a Jackson Pollock painting by the time Monday night rolled around. It was perfect.
Next Steps for Fans:
Go back and watch the highlights of the George Mason vs. UConn Elite Eight game. It remains the gold standard for how a mid-major can beat a titan through pure execution and spacing. Then, check out the defensive metrics of current mid-major leaders; you'll likely find a team with similar profiles to that 2006 squad lurking in the rankings today.