Jim Larranaga predicted the rise of the mid-major to the Final Four

Experience is the one key that unites all of those mid-major runs with the exception of Butler’s 2010 team. The other four all started at least three players who were in their fourth year of college. Larranaga spoke with Yahoo Sports about what was behind those teams success.

"“High-major teams were always battling for the top 50 guys,…I knew a lot of them would get a lot of attention and leave after their freshmen or sophomore year, meaning that the high-major team that lost them would still replace them with more young guys. The best mid-major teams were usually ones that had a lot of experience returning. Our George Mason team had three seniors and two sophomores in its starting lineup, and all five had started the year before.”"

Butler is the only one of those teams to reach the National Championship game. They were seeded higher than the other mid-majors to reach the Final Four. The Bulldogs were seeded fifth in their region in 2010 and eighth in 2011. All of the other mid-majors to reach the Final Four since 2006 including George Mason were an 11 seed.

Loyola will try and become the first 11th seed to break through and win their semifinal game. They will try and become George Mason for teams wanting to reach the title game. Larranaga spoke about the importance of the Patriots being the first mid-major to reach the Final Four.