70) LSU (#11) over Purdue, 1986
69) Loyola Marymount (#11) over New Mexico State, 1990
68) VCU (#11) over Georgetown, 2011
67) Loyola-Chicago (#11) over Miami (FL), 2018
66) George Mason (#11) over Michigan State, 2006

We start with five games that were hardly shocking upsets on their own merits, but are otherwise notable as catalysts to some of the most scintillating Cinderella runs in March Madness history. Since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, #11 seeds have won just 36.5% of their first round games against #6 seeds. But in the first expanded tournament in 1985, three of the four #11 seeds won that match-up, and two, Auburn and Boston College, reached the Regional Semifinals. LSU took it several steps further the next year, becoming the first double-digit seed to reach the Final Four, a feat that wouldn’t be matched until George Mason two decades later. In 1990, Loyola Marymount was overcoming the recent death of their star player Hank Gathers to upset New Mexico State in the first round. It was a feel good story, as the Lions players shot their first free throws lefty in honor of Gathers, and used an up-tempo full court press to make it all the way to the Regional Finals as a #11 seed before losing to UNLV. Coach Paul Westhead eventually took his run-and-gun strategy to George Mason but when it didn’t work out there he was soon replaced by Jim Larranaga. Under Larranaga in 2006, the Patriots made the most shocking Final Four appearance in modern tournament history, and it all started with a first round stunner for perennial powerhouse Michigan State. VCU and Loyola-Chicago have since followed in George Mason’s footsteps as 11 seeds. VCU utilized a pressure defense similar to Loyola Marymount to take down Georgetown on their way to the Final Four. For Loyola-Chicago, their incredible run started with a last-second shot by Donte Ingraham that broke a late tie and propelled them to victory over Miami.

65) College of Charleston (#12) over Maryland, 1997
64) Murray State (#12) over Marquette, 2019

If you ignored seeding and team names, these were hardly an upset at all. Charleston finished the ’96-’97 season with a 28-2 record and ranked #17 in the AP poll but were saddled with a #12 seed. Their opponent Maryland was limping into the tournament with seven losses in their final 12 games. Charleston star Thaddeous Delaney led the charge, as the Cougars forced 18 turnovers in a 75-66 “upset.” Murray State was also technically an underdog against Marquette in 2019 but they had Ja Morant. The point guard phenom became just the ninth player ever to tally an NCAA Tournament triple-double, with 17 points, 16 assists, and 11 rebounds in an 83-64 win.

63) Southwest Missouri State (#12) over Wisconsin, 1999

This is an upset that everyone would rather forget, not just Wisconsin fans. In the lowest combined score in a tournament game in the shot clock era, Missouri State prevailed 43-32. Wisconsin shot just 25.5% from the field and 2-of-16 on three-pointers. Their 32-point output was the lowest in program history in over 50 years. Missouri State won despite committing 17 turnovers. We could go on but you get the point. In an incredible turnaround, the Bears came out two days later and upset #4 seed Tennessee in an offensive explosion, 81-51. They moved on to the Sweet 16, where they fell to top seed Duke.

62) Cornell (#12) over Temple, 2010

Once a regular producer of first round tournament upsets, the Ivy League had a 12-year victory drought heading into 2010 when Cornell pulled off this one. It was also notable as the first NCAA Tournament victory in Cornell program history. Then they went out and won another one for good measure, upsetting #4 seed Wisconsin in the second round before losing to Kentucky in the Sweet 16. This game wasn’t even close, with the Big Red shooting 56.3% from the field, and 9-of-23 from three-point range. Despite all those long range shots they were also the aggressor, drawing 19 free throw attempts compared to just nine for Temple.

61) Detroit (#12) over UCLA, 1999

Already stunned by Princeton as a #5 seed in the first round in 1996, UCLA repeated the feat three years later against Detroit. This ’98-’99 Bruins team was the first to field no members of the 1995 championship squad, with a rotation fully stocked by coach Steve Lavin. The biggest talent on the roster was Baron Davis, who led UCLA with 16 points in this game but missed large stretches of the second half due to foul trouble. Detroit was the more experienced team and it showed, as senior guard Jermaine Jackson led the way with 17 points to a 56-53 win. Davis would soon end his collegiate career by declaring for the NBA draft.

60) Hawaii (#13) over California, 2016

This was a battle of teams distracted by scandals. Cal assistant coach Yann Hufnagel had been fired just days earlier amidst sexual harassment allegations, while Hawaii had just been handed sanctions from the NCAA for recruiting violations. Even worse for the Golden Bears, their leading scorer Tyrone Wallace was sidelined indefinitely with a hand injury suffered in practice. They still had freshman star Jaylen Brown but he wasn’t much help, finishing with just four points and committing seven turnovers in his collegiate swan song. Hawaii cruised to a 77-66 win but lost in the second round to Maryland and have not returned to the tournament since.

59) Liberty (#12) over Mississippi State, 2019

Following their surprise 1995 run to the Final Four, things have not gone well for Mississippi State in March Madness. They’ve since been upset as the higher seed in the first round or second round four times, and have overall fallen short of the Sweet 16 in their last seven appearances. The latest disappointment came just last a couple years ago, when they entered this game as a seven-point favorite over Liberty. The Bulldogs opened a 10-point lead with under seven minutes to go but Liberty rallied down the stretch to win 80-76. It was the first tournament win in program history for the Flames, who were defeated in round two by Virginia Tech.

58) Eastern Michigan (#12) over Mississippi State, 1991
57) Ball State (#12) over Oregon State, 1990

The NCAA Tournament has not been kind to Oregon State in the modern era. They’ve played in only five tournaments and lost in the first round each time, twice with Gary Payton on the roster. This 1990 defeat was the most heartbreaking, with the Beavers ahead 53-51 when Ball State’s Paris McCurdy hit a buzzer beater and was fouled. He nailed the ensuing free throw and Ball State moved on to the second round, where they pulled off another upset over Louisville. One year later, Eastern Michigan became a second straight MAC team to reach the Sweet 16, starting with a first round upset of Mississippi State. The Hurons (now the Eagles) then defeated Penn State in round two before capitulating to North Carolina in the Sweet 16.

56) Yale (#12) over Baylor, 2016

In their first appearance in 54 years Yale made the most of it, winning an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in program history. Sophomore guard Makai Mason was essentially unstoppable for the Bulldogs, scoring 31 points along with six rebounds in the 79-75 win. For coach Scott Drew and Baylor it was a second consecutive season getting upset in the first round, having done so as a #3 seed against Georgia State the year prior. This set up a second round battle of elitist institutions, where Yale lost 71-64 to Duke. Yale was back in 2019 and almost pulled off another first round upset, losing a close game to LSU.

55) Buffalo (#13) over Arizona, 2018

The ’17-’18 season was a disappointing one for Arizona, to say the least. Considered a title favorite early on, they instead struggled with injuries and a recruiting scandal and limped into the NCAA Tournament as a #4 seed. Facing a dangerous Buffalo squad that was seeking its first ever tournament win, the Wildcats collapsed completely in an 89-68 loss. Freshman Deandre Ayton was a lone bright spot for Arizona, finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds in his final college game. Buffalo shot 19-of-32 (59.4%) from three-point range in the upset, then went ice cold in the second round, shooting just 22.6% from three in a loss to Kentucky.

54) UC Irvine (#13) over Kansas State, 2019

This was a major surprise in and of itself but context makes UC Irvine’s win all the more shocking in retrospect. Not only was it the first tournament win in program history, the Anteaters were also the only #13 seed or lower to win a game in 2019, and the only California based school to advance past the first round. Four years after a memorable near first round upset of Louisville, UC Irvine finished the job against Kansas State, who shot just 37.3% from the field. Wildcats star Barry Brown had a disappointing final NCAA game, struggling with foul trouble and finishing with just five points. UC Irvine went on to lose to Oregon in the second round.

53) Penn State (#13) over UCLA, 1991

Football has been virtually the only game in town for many years now in Happy Valley, but it wasn’t necessarily always that way. Basketball was just as popular on campus in the early ’50s as the Nittany Lions reached as far as the Final Four in 1954. Their tournament appearance in 1991 was their first trip in 26 years and Penn State marked it with their first tournament win in 36 years. UCLA, led by Tracy Murray and Don MacLean, jumped out to a big early lead in this one. But their shooting went cold in the second half as Penn State came from behind to win 74-60. Senior power forward James Barnes led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds.

52) Wyoming (#12) over Virginia, 1987

Over a few days in March of 1987, the legend of Fennis Dembo was born. Wyoming’s junior forward was named to the tournament All-Region team after scoring 16 points in this upset of Virginia, followed by a 41-point outburst in a second round stunner over UCLA. It was the revival of a long dormant Cowboys program that had once been among the nation’s best, including an NCAA Tournament title back in 1942. Expectations were high for Wyoming in ’87-’88, with Dembo even featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated season preview. But they couldn’t recapture the magic, losing a first round game to Loyola Marymount.

51) Miami (OH) (#12) over Arizona, 1995

Two years later he would be a champion and Most Outstanding Player award winner, but Miles Simon’s NCAA Tournament introduction was a rude one. Led by Devin Davis’ 24 points and 15 rebounds, Miami outmuscled Arizona in a 71-62 upset. Simon finished with just seven points for the Wildcats while future NBA Rookie of the Year Damon Stoudamire scored 18 but on 6-of-18 shooting. It was Miami’s first tournament win of the modern era and presaged a Sweet 16 run four years later with Wally Szczerbiak. The RedHawks almost pulled off a second round upset here as well but lost in overtime to Virginia.

“When his son, R.J., capped a 12-point comeback in the final three minutes with a go-ahead three-pointer in the waning seconds, the elder Hunter literally fell out of his chair with excitement and had to be helped up by players and assistant coaches.”

50) Indiana State (#13) over Oklahoma, 2001

Larry Bird’s alma mater was 22 years removed from their last NCAA Tournament win coming into this game. Two new big men on campus emerged in Matt Renn and Kelyn Block. Renn scored a team high 22 points, 16 of them coming in the second half as the Sycamores rallied back from a 13-point deficit. Block was temporarily forced out of the game when an errant elbow knocked out three of his teeth, but returned to score the first basket of overtime and finish with 17 points. Oklahoma’s Nolan Johnson missed a potential buzzer beater in that overtime period and Indiana State advanced 70-68. They went on to lose in the second round to Gonzaga.

49) Cleveland State (#13) over Wake Forest, 2009

Cleveland State has reached the NCAA Tournament just twice in school history, and both times pulled off improbable first round upsets. Their take down of Indiana in 1988 is the more memorable instance and we’ll get to that later. Led by future NBA champ Norris Cole, who finished with 22 points, Cleveland State opened up a big early lead and then cruised to a 84-69 win. Cole completely outplayed his Wake Forest point guard counterpart, All-American Jeff Teague, who finished with 10 points and seven turnovers. The Vikings haven’t returned to the tournament since but are perhaps primed for another first round upset in 2030.

48) San Diego (#13) over Connecticut, 2008

Winning your first NCAA Tournament game in program history is sweet enough. But how about doing it on a last second basket against a powerhouse program? Connecticut had a 14-game first round winning streak before this shocking defeat at the hands of San Diego. Sophomore guard De’Jon Jackson was the hero, hitting a game winning jumper with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to give San Diego a 70-69 win. UConn was without star point guard A.J. Price, who suffered an injury early in the first half that was later determined to be an ACL tear. The Toreros were defeated in the second round by Western Kentucky and haven’t returned to the tournament since.

47) Ohio (#13) over Michigan, 2012

Two years removed from a more shocking upset of Georgetown (which we’ll get to later), Ohio was back at it again in 2012. The MAC school took down another traditional power in Michigan and this time followed it with a second round upset of South Florida to make the program’s Sweet 16 debut. D.J. Cooper was the Bobcats star with 21 points in a 65-60 win. The young Wolverines team, led by Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Trey Burke, would make amends in 2013 with a Final Four run. But this game ended with a result any sports fan from the Buckeye state, regardless of school affiliation, could always appreciate: Ohio beats Michigan.

46) Siena (#13) over Vanderbilt, 2008

A small liberal arts school in uptown New York, Siena was transformed into one of the country’s best mid-major programs in the late ’00s by coach Fran McCaffrey. Their first tournament appearance under McCaffrey came in 2008 as a #13 seed against Vanderbilt. Siena not only upset the Commodores but dominated them, 83-62, led by 30 points from junior guard Kenny Hasbrouck. The 21-point margin of victory was the second-largest in first round tournament history for a #13 seed, trailing only Navy’s 23-point win over LSU in 1985. Siena lost in round two to Villanova but made some noise again in the 2009 tournament, upsetting Ohio State.

45) Middle Tennessee State (#13) over Florida State, 1989

It was easy to overlook this upset at the time as it wasn’t even the biggest story of the day involving a school from Tennessee. Just moments before this game went final, East Tennessee State fell just one point short of upsetting Oklahoma as a #16 seed. #13 seed Middle Tennessee State managed to finish the job against Florida State, making a 17-point second half comeback with a 21-0 run to end the game. Freshman guard Mike Buck had averaged just 6.1 points per game in ’88-’89 for the Blue Raiders but went off in this contest. 23 of his 26 points came in the second half, including a stretch where he scored 15 straight for Middle Tennessee.

44) Kent State (#13) over Indiana, 2001

Just two years prior, Kent State had made its NCAA Tournament debut, and one year later it would make a memorable Cinderella run to the Elite Eight. In between, the Golden Flashes got their first tournament win in program history, 77-73 over Indiana. The Hoosiers were making their initial tournament appearance following Bobby Knight getting fired and replaced by Mike Davis. Though Davis brought a new culture to the Hoosiers program, he continued Knight’s late career tradition of blowing early round games against lesser opponents. Kent guard Trevor Huffman, who would be named All-Region a year later, led the way with 24 points.

43) Morehead State (#13) over Louisville, 2011

Louisville entered this intra-state battle as 9.5 point favorites but Morehead State entered with Kenneth Faried. The future NBA star was lightly recruited out of high school but made a statement here, with 13 points, 17 rebounds, and a block at the buzzer that clinched the 62-61 Morehead State win. Prior to that defensive stop, the winning basket came from Demonte Harper on a play that supposedly came to coach Donnie Tyndall in a dream the night before. It marked the first time in Rick Pitino’s coaching career that he lost back-to-back first round games but the Cardinals atoned quickly, reaching the Final Four in the next two seasons.

42) UNC-Wilmington (#13) over USC, 2002

When they made their NCAA Tournament debut in 2000, UNC-Wilmington was so unknown that the airplane sent to transport them to their opening round game showed up at the wrong airport in Wilmington, Delaware. Two years later, the Seahawks made sure everyone knew their identity with a stunning upset of USC. Junior point guard Brett Blizzard led the way with 18 points as UNC-Wilmington opened up a 19-point lead, then held on for dear life late for a 93-89 win. The loss was the beginning of the end for USC coach Henry Bibby, who was fired just a couple years later.

41) Xavier (#14) over Nebraska, 1991

As of this writing, the University of Nebraska has won 12 college football national championships and zero NCAA Tournament games. Their best chance seemingly came in 1991, when the Cornhuskers entered the tournament as a #3 seed. But their first round opponent was no standard #14 seed. Xavier was battle tested and ready, with freshman center Brian Grant leading the way with 15 and 10 rebounds in a 89-84 win. Nebraska’s star freshman Eric Piatkowski struggled, scoring just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting. This would turn out to be the first of four consecutive first round losses for Piatkowski and Nebraska, three of them as the higher seed.

40) Southern (#13) over Georgia Tech, 1993

Georgia Tech entered this game as 13-point favorites and riding high off of an ACC Tournament title run that included upsets over Duke and North Carolina. Southern didn’t seem to care, forcing 23 turnovers in an easy 93-78 win. Junior forward Jervaughn Scales led the Jaguars with 27 points and 18 rebounds, eight of them on the offensive end, while the Yellow Jackets’ vaunted back court of Travis Best and Drew Barry combined for 19 points, 13 assists, and nine turnovers. The win was somewhat bittersweet for Southern coach Ben Jobe, who was a longtime mentee and friend of Georgia Tech’s Bobby Cremins.

39) Murray State (#13) over Vanderbilt, 2010

Relegated to a #13 seed despite finishing the season with a 30-4 record, Murray State proved themselves against Vanderbilt in dramatic fashion. Trailing 65-64 with 4.2 seconds left, Murray State coach Billy Kennedy drew up a play that the Racers had never run before. It was almost immediately forced into an audible, with Danero Thomas receiving the ball unexpectedly and nailing a game-winning jumper at the buzzer. It ended a 10-game NCAA Tournament losing streak for Murray State and they got a similar chance to upset Butler in the second round. But this time the final play ended with a pass to Thomas getting deflected, preserving a win for the Bulldogs.

38) UAB (#14) over Iowa State, 2015

This game was shocking not just in its result, with Iowa State coming in as 14.5 point favorites, but in how UAB pulled it off. The undersized Blazers decidedly won the rebounding battle against the much larger Cyclones, 51-34. This included an incredible 18 offensive rebounds and they seemingly needed all of them to hold on for the 60-59 victory. It was especially rewarding for UAB fans coming on the heels of the school announcing that it was shutting down its football program as a cost-cutting measure (it has since been re-instated). This also turned out to be Fred Hoiberg’s final coaching performance for Iowa State, as he subsequently left to take over the Bulls.

37) Bradley (#13) over Kansas, 2006

Following a streak of 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament first round victories, Kansas shockingly lost back-to-back opening round games in 2005 and 2006. The latter was not as big a stunner, as this Jayhawks team was talented but young, and taking on an experienced and balanced Bradley squad. Kansas beat themselves with 18 turnovers and 25 personal fouls, while future lottery pick Patrick O’Bryant finished with eight points and 10 rebounds for the Braves. Bradley went on on to upset Pitt in the second round for the school’s first Sweet 16 appearance. Most of this Kansas squad was still in tact two years later, when they won the national title.

36) Richmond (#13) over Indiana, 1988

For the first time in the modern era, the defending national champions were defeated in the NCAA Tournament first round the next season (and it’s only happened twice since). That Indiana title was actually sandwiched between two massive upsets, with a 1986 loss to Cleveland State coming up later on this list. This ended a tumultuous ’87-’88 season for the Hoosiers, during which the book Season on the Brink was released, with a new round of scandalous allegations against coach Bobby Knight. Keith Smart, Most Outstanding Player in 1987, had a chance to be the hero here again but his potential game-winner was off the mark and Richmond held on, 72-69.

35) Southwestern Louisiana (#13) over Oklahoma, 1992
34) Manhattan (#13) over Oklahoma, 1995

After their 1988 run to the National Final, Oklahoma had a tough run of NCAA Tournament losses. These two upsets were part of an overall six-game tourney losing streak. In 1992, they fell 87-83 to Southwestern Louisiana (now just called Louisiana), whose Byron Starks led the way with 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting. It stands as the first and only sanctioned victory for Louisiana in tournament history, as previous wins in 1972 and 1973 were later vacated due to recruiting violations. Oklahoma then caught a tough break in 1995, taking on a Manhattan team seeded #13 despite making the tournament as an at-large. Ironically, the Sooners would eventually break the losing streak with an upset as a #13 seed themselves, in 1999 over Arizona.

33) Missouri State (#13) over Clemson, 1987

Clemson’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years was a short-lived one thanks to Winston Garland and Missouri State. The senior point guard finished with 24 points and led a second half comeback for a 65-60 Bears win. Clemson’s Horace Grant scored 17 in his final collegiate game but only two in the second half. The NCAA Tournament has remained a struggle for Clemson, including when Grant’s nephew Jarai played four seasons for the Tigers, all of which ended in first round losses, three of them as the higher seed. Garland’s son Darius played one season at Vanderbilt but missed their tournament appearance due to an injury.

32) Georgia State (#14) over Baylor, 2015

Forced to coach the team from a rolling chair on the sidelines after tearing his Achilles, Georgia State’s Ron Hunter provided one of the most endearing moments in NCAA Tournament history. When his son, R.J., capped a 12-point comeback in the final three minutes with a go-ahead three-pointer in the waning seconds, the elder Hunter literally fell out of his chair with excitement and had to be helped up by players and assistant coaches. Baylor’s Tareaun Prince subsequently missed a half-court desperation heave at the buzzer, ending a 57-56 win for Georgia State in which they scored the final 13 points of the game, 12 of them from Hunter.

31) Ohio (#14) over Georgetown, 2010

Just getting to the NCAA Tournament was a unlikely accomplishment for Ohio, which entered the MAC Tournament as the #9 seed and pulled off four straight upsets to win it. But none only did they win this game, they dominated, shooting 58.2% from the field in a 97-83 victory. It set the records for both most points scored in a game by a #14 seed and biggest margin of victory for a #14 seed (since tied). Armon Bassett led the way with 32 points while Georgetown star Greg Monroe had 19 points and 13 rebounds but also seven turnovers. This ended up being the first of four consecutive upset tournament losses for the Hoyas, and we’ll return to them later.

---

By the numbers: NCAA Tournament first round upsets

Record of #16 seeds	1-127 (UMBC made history in 2018, breaking a 135 game losing streak for #16 seeds)
Record of #15 seeds	7-121 (this occurred just four times in the first 25 NCAA Tournaments of the modern era, but has since happened four more times in the last eight years)
Record of #14 seeds	18-110 (the current four year drought for #14 seeds is the second longest in tournament history; the longest was a five year drought from 1999-2004)
Record of #13 seeds	28-100 (a #13 seed won in the first NCAA Tournament of the modern era (Navy in 1985) and in 24 of the 35 tournaments since)

---

30) Stephen F. Austin (#14) over West Virginia, 2016

West Virginia had averaged 78.5 points per game in ’15-’16, and came into the NCAA Tournament as a dark horse #3 seed. But Stephen F. Austin brought a pressure defense that confounded the Mountaineers, who committed 22 turnovers and shot just 30.9% from the field. Behind 33 points and nine rebounds from Thomas Walkup, the Lumberjacks took a big lead early and then cruised to a 70-56 win. It tied Ohio over Georgetown in 2010 as the biggest margin of victory for a #14 seed. Stephen F. Austin almost kept the party going into the Sweet 16, but were knocked off in the second round by Notre Dame on a last-second tip-in.

29) Siena (#14) over Stanford, 1989

Due to a quarantine for a measles outbreak on campus, Siena had played its final nine home games of the ’88-’89 season in front of an empty arena. The sequestration was lifted just on time for several buses of raucous students to drive down to Greensboro, North Carolina to witness this upset of Stanford. Sophomore guard Marc Brown led the way for the Saints with 32 points and the game winning free throws with three seconds left in a 80-78 win. This was Stanford’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since winning it all in 1942 and they’d have to wait until 1995 to finally log their first win in over half a century.

28) Northern Iowa (#14) over Missouri, 1990

In late February of 1990, this Missouri team was #1 in the AP poll and considered a national title favorite. Just a few weeks later, they were out in the first round of the tournament, ending their season with three straight unexplainable losses. Missouri still walked into this game as 13-point favorites but walked out shaking their heads in disbelief. In their NCAA Tournament debut, Northern Iowa won it 74-71 on a last second three-pointer by junior Marcus Newby. All-American guard Anthony Peeler struggled for the Tigers, finishing with just one point on 1-of-7 shooting. It took the Panthers 20 years to win another tourney game, a memorable 2010 upset of Kansas.

27) Richmond (#14) over South Carolina, 1998

This is the second time Richmond has appeared on this list and it won’t be the last. The Spiders pulled off first round upsets in 1984, 1988, and 1991, and had a near-miss in 1986. This 1998 appearance snapped a seven-year drought and like muscle memory, they fell right back into old upset ways. It was an especially tough loss for South Carolina coming off their 1997 shocker at the hands of Coppin State, which we’ll get to later. The Gamecocks’ B.J. McKie had two good chances to win the game in the final seconds but missed both and the Spiders held on 62-61. Richmond coach John Beilein would later lead Michigan to two Final Four appearances.

26) Harvard (#14) over New Mexico, 2013

Having made their NCAA Tournament debut in 2012, Harvard took it a step further the next year and picked up their first win. The coaching matchup was between former playing rivals from the 1987 tournament, when Steve Alford’s (now coaching New Mexico) Indiana defeated Tommy Amaker’s (now coaching Harvard) Duke. Amaker emerged victorious this time, as Harvard shot 8-of-18 from three-point range in a 68-62 win. Star junior Tony Snell struggled for the Lobos, finishing with nine points on 4-of-12 shooting. It turned out to be the second of four consecutive tourney appearances for the Crimson, including another first round upset of Cincinnati in 2014.

25) Weber State (#14) over Michigan State, 1995

Before the ’94-’95 season began, Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote had announced his impending retirement after 24 seasons. The legendary coach had gotten his start at Montana in the Big Sky and fittingly had his career ended by another Big Sky team, Weber State. All-American Shawn Respert finished with 28 points for the Spartans but it wasn’t enough as Weber State pulled off the 79-72 stunner. Free throw shooting was the story, with Michigan State making just 5-of-14 attempts. Weber State almost pulled off a second straight upset in the next round against Georgetown, but were defeated a Don Reid buzzer beater. Heathcote was replaced by Tom Izzo, who has led Michigan State to eight Final Four appearances and one national title.

24) Old Dominion (#14) over Villanova, 1995

Long overshadowed by the dominant women’s basketball program that resided on the same campus, Old Dominion’s men’s finally made its mark in 1995. It took three overtimes to do so, but the Monarchs ultimately pulled off an 89-81 upset over Villanova. Senior Petey Sessoms led Old Dominion with 35 points and eight rebounds, and hit two clutch free throws at the end of regulation that forced the initial overtime. Villanova star Kerry Kittles finished with 22 points but also eight turnovers, while Jason Lawson finished with 18 points, 17 rebounds, and six blocks, but fouled out during the second overtime. Kittles and Lawson returned in ’95-’96 for the Wildcats but they were upset in the tournament again, this time in the second round by Louisville.

23) Northwestern State (#14) over Iowa, 2006

Coach Mike McConathy came along in 1999 and slowly built up the Northwestern State (located in Louisiana) program, leading to this talented and deep roster. McConathy would often deploy his bench like hockey line changes and it ground down Iowa in a 64-63 upset. The Demons forced 18 turnovers and grabbed 12 offensive boards, including a crucial one in the waning moments. That’s when Jermaine Wallace grabbed a loose ball off a teammate’s miss and then launched a three-pointer that gave Northwestern State the lead with 0.5 seconds remaining. Several Northwestern State players would claim after the game that they had dreamed the night before about securing the upset on a buzzer beater.

22) Arkansas-Little Rock (#14) over Notre Dame, 1986

The 1986 NCAA Tournament was the first in which a team seeded 14 or higher won a game. It’s no coincidence that it’s also first tournament to use the shot clock. This allowed undersized teams to drop into zone coverage against taller players, forcing them to shoot over the top. Under the tutelage of Mike Newell, Arkansas-Little Rock played this strategy to perfection in engineering a first round shocker over Notre Dame in 1986, crowding the middle against Irish big men Ken Barlow and Donald Royal. There was still a severe mismatch in overall talent, but the Trojans were able to prevail 90-83 thanks to shooting an otherworldly 79% from the field in the second half. This tournament also featured memorable Cinderella runs from Navy, Cleveland State, and LSU.

21) Murray State (#14) over N.C. State, 1988

After pulling some memorable upsets themselves, most notably in their 1983 run to the national title, the bill finally came due in 1988 for NC State. The third-seeded Wolfpack had arguably their most talented roster under Jim Valvano but couldn’t overcome Murray State. The Thoroughbreds (now the Racers) were making their first tournament appearance of the modern era and were led by sharpshooting guard Jeff Martin, who finished with 23 points. NC State guard Vinny Del Negro had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer but missed a three-pointer and Murray State held on for the 78-75. Murray State became a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament, making 10 appearances in the next 18 seasons, but didn’t win again until upsetting Vanderbilt as a #13 seed in 2010.

20) Vermont (#13) over Syracuse, 2005

In Tom Brennan’s first two years as Vermont coach, the team won just eight total games and finished dead last each time in their conference. Two decades and a lot of rebuilding later, Brennan’s players sent him into his retirement with the program’s first tournament win. It came at the expense of Syracuse and Jim Boeheim, who held a 21-3 record in first round games heading into this match-up. Vermont’s Germain Mopa Njila had averaged just 5.8 points per game during the ’04-’05 season but went off against the Orange, dropping 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Meanwhile, Syracuse star Hakim Warrick scored 21 points but also turned the ball over 10 times, and Vermont prevailed 60-57 in overtime.

19) Mercer (#14) over Duke, 2014

Two years removed from a shocking defeat at the hands of Lehigh, Coach K’s team walked right into another Bear trap, pun intended. The Mercer Bears secured their first win in tournament history, in only their third appearance, with a 78-71 defeat of the Blue Devils. A balanced and experienced bunch, Mercer had seven seniors on the roster and four of them scored in double digits against Duke, led by Jakob Gollon with 20. Duke held the lead for most of the game until Mercer finished it on a 14-2 run to win 78-72. Star freshman and soon-to-be #2 overall draft pick Jabari Parker finished with 14 points on just 4-of-14 shooting. This may have been a tipping point for Coach K, who subsequently began more heavily recruiting one-and-done talent.

18) Chattanooga (#14) over Georgia, 1997

Lest anyone was overlooking them as heavy underdogs, Chattanooga opened this game on a 20-2 run. An inevitable comeback ensued, led by Georgia’s G.G. Smith, who finished with 18 points. Chattanooga’s senior guard Willie Young led all scorers with 24 points and hit two clutch jumpers in the final minute that put the game away. After this 73-70 win, Chattanooga then upset Illinois in the second round to become just the second #14 seed ever to make the Sweet 16 (following Cleveland State in 1986). They’ve returned to the NCAA Tournament three times since, but have yet to win another game. Despite this disappointment, coach Tubby Smith left Georgia in the subsequent offseason to take over at Kentucky and led the Wildcats to the 1998 national title.

17) Austin Peay (#14) over Illinois, 1987

Even as Austin Peay rallied in the second half to take the lead in this game, ESPN analyst Dick Vitale was so confident in Illinois’ chances that he promised to stand on his head after the game if they lost. Sure enough, thanks to 24 points from senior Darryl Bedford, and a clutch pair of game-winning free throws by junior Tony Raye, Austin Peay pulled off a 68-67 shocker. After Ken Norman’s desperation final shot came up short for Illinois, Vitale made good on his promise, standing on his head during the postgame show, propped up by two of his fellow analysts. Just making it to this game had been a near miracle for Austin Peay, who finished 13-10, then made an unlikely run through the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, including a buzzer beater win in the final.

16) Navy (#13) over LSU, 1985

Dale Brown made no qualifying statements about this game after his LSU team suffered the first, and still the largest, first round loss by a #4 seed. “It wasn’t a fluke,” Brown said about the 78-55 final score. “They totally dominated us.” Dominant is a term that was applied early and often to David Robinson’s basketball career, one that eventually included two NBA titles and an MVP trophy, and the legend really started in the 1985 NCAA Tournament. The then sophomore finished the game with 18 points and 18 rebounds and hounded LSU’s leading scorer Nikita Wilson, holding him to just nine points. Navy lost in the second round to Maryland but returned in 1986 and made a thrilling run to the Regional Finals.

15) Middle Tennessee (#15) over Michigan State, 2016

This was easily the worst tournament loss of coach Tom Izzo’s career. Not only did Middle Tennessee upset Michigan State, they dominated them, jumping out to an early 15-1 advantage, then holding the lead the entire game for a 90-81 final. The Blue Raiders became just the eighth #15 seed to win a first round game, and broke the record for most points scored while doing so. Junior forward Reggie Upshaw led the way in this one with 21 points, and the Raiders shot 11-of-19 on three-pointers. AP Player of the Year winner Denzel Valentine had 13 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds in his final game in a Spartans uniform. Middle Tennessee returned to the tournament in 2017 and upset another Big 10 team in the first round, this time Minnesota as a #12 seed.

14) East Tennessee State (#14) over Arizona, 1992
13) Santa Clara (#15) over Arizona, 1993

In one of the strangest stretches of the modern tournament era, Arizona made seven in a row as a #3 seed or higher starting in 1988. They reached the Final Four twice during that span but also suffered two shocking first round upsets. In 1992, Arizona had seven future NBA players on the roster, including Damon Stoudamire, but were thoroughly outclassed by Tennessee State. The Bucs shot 52% from three-point range in an 87-80 win. Arizona brought back essentially the same roster into the 1993 tournament, this time as a #2 seed. Their opponent Santa Clara featured point guard Steve Nash, but the future NBA legend actually wasn’t a factor here. Just a freshman at the time, Nash finished with 10 points on 1-of-7 shooting, while junior forward Pete Eisenrich led the way with 17 points in a 64-61 win. Santa Clara became just the second #15 seed to win a game in NCAA Tournament history.

12) Norfolk State (#15) over Missouri, 2012

We mentioned the travails of Arizona above. Missouri is the only other program to lose first round NCAA Tournament games as a #2 seed, #3 seed, and #4 seed. They joined that unsavory club with this upset loss to Norfolk State. The Tigers also became just the third team ever to win 30+ regular season games and then lose in their tournament opener. As 21.5 point favorites, they also set the record for biggest upset victims by point spread in tournament history. We could go on. Luckily for Missouri, this historic loss was overshadowed the next day, when Duke was similarly shocked as a #2 seed by Lehigh. Norfolk State won the game in non-traditional upset fashion, playing an up-tempo pace for an 86-84 victory, led by Kyle O’Quinn with 26 points.

11) Bucknell (#14) over Kansas, 2005

In the first 20 years of the 64-team tournament era, Kansas made 19 appearances, reaching the Final Four five times, winning the national title in 1988, and never losing in the first round. That’s not the only reason this result was so shocking. Kansas had started the ’04-’05 season #1 in the AP poll, were playing the game in nearby Oklahoma City, and their opponent Bucknell had never won a tournament game. This one was a slog, with both teams shooting poorly and fouling copiously. But what it lacked in aesthetics it made up for it in last minute dramatics. Bucknell took a 64-63 lead on a Chris McNaugton basket with 10 seconds left, then held on for dear life as Kansas had multiple chances to win but missed each time.

---

---

10) Lehigh (#15) over Duke, 2012

A small, private engineering school in Eastern Pennsylvania, Lehigh entered the 2012 tournament with no previous wins and no one taking them seriously against Duke. But they had C.J. McCollum. The future NBA star dominated the Blue Devils with 30 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Lehigh actually led for most of the game and by the end were getting cheered on to a 75-70 victory by a bevy of UNC fans in attendance in Greensboro, North Carolina. With Missouri having been stunned previously in the day by Norfolk State, it marked the only time in history that two #15 seeds won in the same tournament, let alone on the same date. In their 36 NCAA Tournament appearances under Coach K, this was one of just four first round losses for Duke.

9) Princeton (#13) over UCLA, 1996

There have been more surprising upsets and more exciting ones (the 43-41 final score looks like a relic of the pre-shot clock era), but few upsets have the theatrical drama of Princeton defeating the defending national champs. Princeton’s prickly but lovable coach Pete Carril had announced on the eve of the tournament that he was retiring after 28 years. Carril claimed he could no longer reach his young players and then they extended his career by proving that wrong. Princeton neutralized UCLA’s size advantage with a zone defense and won the game on a signature backdoor cut and layup by Gabe Lewullis. “He got it!” was the incredulous call from Gus Johnson, in the midst of working his first weekend as an announcer for CBS tournament games.

8) Weber State (#14) over North Carolina, 1999

North Carolina had the ranking, the prestige, and the All-Americans but the real “Show” was on the Weber State side. Harold “The Show” Arceneaux had matriculated at Weber State when poor high school grades left him un-recruited by most major programs. He spent the ’98-’99 season dominating Big Sky opposition, biding his time for a marque opportunity like this. Arceneaux grasped his opportunity, dropping 36 points on the Tar Heels and sealing the 76-74 upset with a steal at the buzzer. He followed it up with a 32-point performance in a second round loss to Florida. This still stands as UNC’s only first round defeat in the 64-team era and it was sandwiched in between Final Four appearances in 1998 and 2000.

7) Coppin State (#15) over South Carolina, 1997

Up until their 2017 Final Four run, the NCAA Tournament had not been kind to South Carolina. The Gamecocks have reached the tournament just five times in the 64-team era and lost in the first round four times. The most brutal of those defeats came at the hands of Coppin State in 1997. Coached by the legendary Fang Mitchell, Coppin State sported two of the major Cinderella hallmarks: experience and balanced scoring. They didn’t flail when South Carolina opened up a big lead early in the second half, instead using their pressure defense to dominate the final 15 minutes, ultimately winning by a comfortable margin, 78-65. Coppin State was just the third #15 seed to win a game and almost became the first in the Sweet 16, losing a thriller to Texas in round two.

6) Valparaiso (#13) over Mississippi, 1998

It had everything you could possibly ask for of March Madness. A likable underdog. A stunning upset. A loyal coach’s son. A legit buzzer beater. A clever final play call. Unfortunately for Mississippi’s Ansu Sesay, there was also a goat (in the traditional sense of the word), as he missed two free throws with a 69-67 lead and 4.9 seconds left. Valparaiso coach Homer Drew called for “Pacer,” a desperation play that had been practiced but never used in a game. After a perfect full court pass from MLB prospect Jamie Sykes, Homer’s son Bryce caught a back pass in stride and nailed the game-winning three-pointer. While Drew was being mobbed on the floor by his jubilant teammates, cameras caught a distraught Sesay wandering the court in disbelief. Recruited by many larger programs, Bryce chose to play for his dad at Valpo and eventually followed in his footsteps, taking over as coach from his retiring father in 2011 after a brief NBA career.

5) Florida Gulf Coast (#15) over Georgetown, 2013

Raise your right hand if you had ever heard of Florida Gulf Coast University before March of 2013, and then smack yourself with it for being a liar. On a Friday night in Philadelphia, the small school with a silly name and no history seemingly reincarnated themselves as Phi Slamma Jamma. No one saw it coming, least of all the heavily favored Georgetown. FGCU pulled away in the second half with a 21-2 run punctuated by athletic dunk after athletic dunk, turning the game into a virtual Rucker Park-style exhibition. The 78-68 final was not just one of the biggest upsets in tournament history but a sea change, proof that a #15 seed could not only beat a #2 seed, but completely outclass them athletically. The Eagles drove the point home in round two, upending #7 seed San Diego State to become the first ever #15 seed in the Regional Semifinals.

4) Cleveland State (#14) over Indiana, 1986

In a way, the other 69 upsets on this list owe a spiritual debt of gratitude to Cleveland State. It was the first true March Madness shocker for numerous reasons, including the victims being Bob Knight’s Indiana, darlings of the college basketball world at the time. Cleveland State coach Kevin Mackey ran a patented “stun-and-gun” tempo on both ends and it left the Indiana players looking like an antiquity of a previous black-and-white era. Led by Clinton Ransey’s 26 points, Cleveland State shot 58.9% from the field in an 83-79 win. Ken “Mouse” McFadden then went off for 23 points in a second round upset of St. Joseph’s, as the Vikings became the first #14 seed ever to reach the Sweet 16. Though this was a crushing end to a tumultuous Indiana season that would be later immortalized in the book Season on the Brink, the Hoosiers bounced back in ’86-’87 to win their third and final championship of the Knight era. 

3) Hampton (#15) over Iowa State, 2001

More so than anything else about this game, what endears is the image of Hampton’s diminutive coach Steve Merfeld, a look of unfiltered glee on his face, being lifted in the air like a teddy bear by forward David Johnson in celebration after the tiny school from southern Virginia pulled off one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. There are some qualifiers on this upset that need to be mentioned. Iowa State was most definitely over-seeded at #2. Sure, they were led by future NBA first round pick Jamaal Tinsley, and finished the season 25-4, but they were also embarrassed by Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals and were a popular pick to get upset in the second round. Hampton was about as improbable of a giant killer as we’ve ever seen. Though the Hampton Roads region of Virginia has long been a high school hoops hotbed, it rarely translated to success for the local colleges. Hampton had just joined Division I in 1995, and had never even come close to a tournament berth before their 2001 MEAC title. Tinsley struggled in the game (finishing with nine points, eight assists, and five turnovers) but the Cyclones still methodically opened up a 55-44 lead midway through the second half. Things seemed dire for the Pirates but senior forward Travis Williams sparked a 14-2 run to end the game. With 6.9 seconds on the clock, he hit the game winner, a short jumper that gave Hampton its first lead since early in the first half. Tinsley had one last chance, taking the ball the length of the court trying to forge a buzzer beating end-to-end winner, but instead his driving lay-up fell helplessly off the rim and bedlam ensued, ending with Merfeld getting literally carried over to the announcer’s desk to give a postgame interview amid the jubilation. The win lived on in infamy for a long time, as it would take 11 years for another #15 seed to win a first round game.

2) Richmond (#15) over Syracuse, 1991

The magnitude of this upset cannot be overstated, as not only was Richmond the first #15 seed ever to win an NCAA Tournament game, they did so in the first tourney ever to be fully broadcast on CBS. Thus, a national audience witnessed the demise of Syracuse and their reigning Big East Player of the Year, Billy Owens. It was hardly Owens’ fault that the Orange fell short here, as he finished the game with 22 points and seven rebounds. But the remainder of Syracuse’s roster struggled while the Spiders shot 61.5% from the field in the first half, then nailed a series of clutch free throws late to hold on for the victory. Lightly used freshman guard Eugene Burroughs was the biggest hero, serenely sinking two free throws with 21 seconds left to extend Richmond’s lead to 72-69. The Spiders knew the ball was going to Owens for the potential game-tying response, and their pressure defense forced the All-American into a tough three-point shot that fell harmlessly off the rim The loss seemed especially devastating at the time for Syracuse, who knew that Owens was destined for early entry in the NBA that summer, that NCAA sanctions against the program were imminent for improprieties unearthed early in the season, and that coach Jim Boeheim was likely on his way out the door in the wake of those revelations. Owens did leave as expected (he was the #3 overall pick) but the NCAA punishment for the program was relatively minor and Boeheim stayed on board, eventually leading the Orange back to the Final Four in 1996. As for Richmond, they lost to Temple in the second round but accomplished something much larger. By becoming the first #15 seed to upset a #2 seed, the Spiders not only made history, they also laid down the blueprint for any would-be David looking to slay a Goliath. Every pebble lifted and every slingshot loaded since started with this prototype.

1) UMBC (#16) over Virginia, 2018

It always seemed inevitable in the abstract, but the number of close calls over the years lent it an air of Sisyphean fatalism. There was Princeton in 1989, of course, but also East Tennessee State that same year, Murray State in 1990, and Western Carolina in 1996, all coming within a basket of being the first #16 seed to upset a #1 seed. Then Maryland-Baltimore County, making just their second NCAA Tournament appearance, changed things forever in 2018. The unwitting victim was Virginia, who had just set the school record for wins with 31 in ’17-’18. Though the Cavaliers had a history of being first round upset casualty, with losses in 1986, 1987, and 2001 as a #5 seed, they also had traditionally comported well as a top seed, reaching the Final Four in 1981, the Elite Eight in 1983, and the Elite Eight again in 1986. It was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Virginia, and their lack of star power and experience is ultimately what cost them in this game. Coached by Ryan Odom, son of former Virginia assistant coach Dave Odom (Ryan attended the 1984 Final Four with his dad), UMBC was relentless in the second half, outscoring the Cavaliers 53-33 over the final 20 minutes. Senior guard Jairus Lyles led the way with 28 points, and the Retrievers made history in an authoritative manner, by a final score of 74-54. It broke a streak of 135 straight first round wins by #1 seeds, and set the stage for a new era in the NCAA Tournament, where any team is seemingly vulnerable against any other team.