Cinderellas and the 1979 Quakers

As the four most unexpected teams in March Madness history prepare for this weekend's Final Four in Houston, many questions are being raised about whether this is good for college basketball.

Pat Forde of ESPN.com answers three big questions about the future of college basketball, including 'Does this total upheaval represent a sea change in the game?' In responding to this question, Forde notes that from 1979, the first year the NCAA publicly seeded teams, until 2005, there was just one Cinderella team in the Final Four: the 1979 Quakers, a No. 9 seed. This Penn team beat Iona, North Carolina, Syracuse and St. John's before losing to Michigan State in the Final Four.

The other teams that could be considered Cinderellas in this 27-year span were either from the 'Establishment' (which does not include the Ivy League) or had a future NBA star leading them. But since 2005, four Cinderellas have made it to the Final Four: George Mason in 2006, Butler in 2010 and Butler and VCU this year.

"It stands to reason that experienced teams filled with good players can compete with inexperienced teams carried by one or two very good players. Regardless of conference affiliation or program profile," Forde writes. So while it seems improbable that an Ivy team could make it to the Final Four in the coming years, these Cinderella stories should provide inspiration to all the Ivy teams. And maybe, just maybe, Penn will find a way to regain that 1979 magic that made it one of the best Cinderella stories in March Madness history.