The NCAA Tournament is almost right here, with convention match play already underway throughout Division-I.
With March Insanity upon us, it received us considering— which groups really trigger the “insanity”? And what have been the biggest underdogs to win from a degree unfold perspective? Utilizing our NCAA Event database, we have been capable of finding the ten largest underdogs to win a match recreation since 1985— which is identical yr the massive dance expanded to 64 groups.
Each crew on the listing was no less than a 15-point underdog of their matchup, whereas some have been as excessive as 20+ level ‘canines regardless of profitable outright. Let’s have a look:
10 largest underdogs to win an NCAA Event recreation, since 1985
Beginning off the listing, the fifteenth seeded Golden Eagles took down 2-seed Ohio State within the Spherical of 64 regardless of being 15-point underdogs. The sport was an absolute thriller, with Oral Roberts squeaking out a 75-72 time beyond regulation win. On the time, they have been simply the ninth 15 seed ever to win a primary spherical recreation. They have been led by Max Abmas and Kevin Obanor, who mixed for 59 factors within the upset. Oral Roberts would make all of it the best way to the Candy 16, shedding by two factors to Arkansas in that spherical.
Simply three seasons in the past, Princeton started a magical run to the Candy 16 with an enormous win towards Arizona in one other 15 vs 2 upset. It was the Tigers’ first match win since 1998, with Tosan Evbuomwan main the best way with 15 factors in a 59-55 win. Arizona was recent off profitable the Pac-12 Event, however Princeton was capable of maintain them scoreless for the ultimate 4:43 of the sport. On the time, it marked the third straight yr a No. 15 seed received within the first spherical.
The fifteenth seeded Blue Raiders solely lasted till the second spherical within the 2016 NCAA Event, however their 90-81 first spherical win towards second-seeded Michigan State as 17-point underdogs was one to recollect. The Spartans had simply captured the Huge Ten Event title and entered the match with a 29-5 document. 4 Blue Raiders scored 15+ factors within the recreation, with Reggie Upshaw Jr. main the best way with 21. Center Tennessee was simply the eighth No. 15 seed to knock off a No. 2 seed because the 64-team format started in 1985.
In simply the second yr of the 64-team format, Little Rock took down a 23-5 Notre Dame crew within the first spherical, changing into simply the second 14-seed ever to take down a 3-seed. Michael Clarke, Myron Jackson, and Pete Myers every scored over 20 factors for Little Rock in a 90-83 win. Coincidentally, the primary 14-seed to take action additionally got here within the 1986 NCAA Event— with Cleveland State taking down Indiana as 6.5-point underdogs. Little Rock would go on to lose to NC State in an time beyond regulation recreation the next spherical.
Simply the fourth 15-seed ever to take down a 2-seed, Hampton was down 11 factors on this recreation earlier than ending it on a 14-2 run. They held the Cyclones scoreless for the ultimate 7:01 of the sport, with Tarvis Williams main the best way with 16 factors, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks. He additionally hit the shot to offer Hampton the lead with 6.9 seconds, which might find yourself being the game-winning bucket at 58-57. The Pirates would go on to lose to Georgetown within the following spherical.
Each recreation up till this level was determined by single digits. However Coppin State’s first spherical win over South Carolina got here by a whopping 13 factors, making them the third 15-seed to take down a 2-seed and the primary to take action by double digits. Antoine Brockington and Danny Singletary mixed for 42 factors and eight steals for the Eagles. They’d go on to lose by one level to Texas within the Spherical of 32.
No crew on this listing made an additional run within the match than the 2022 Saint Peter’s squad, with Shaheen Holloway orchestrating a magical run to the Elite 8. That run began off with a win towards blue-blood Kentucky in a recreation that ended 85-79. The Peacocks grew to become the tenth 15-seed to win within the first spherical because the growth to 64 groups in 1985, and likewise handed John Calipari’s his first loss within the opening spherical of the match as Kentucky’s head coach. Holloway & Co. would go on to lose to North Carolina within the Elite 8, and to at the present time are the one 15-seed to make it that far within the match.
The primary 20-point underdog to win an NCAA Event recreation since growth in 1985, 15-seed Santa Clara received a three-point victory over Arizona in a 64-61 barn-burner. Steve Nash was the face of Broncos, however was held to 1-of-7 taking pictures from the ground. Nonetheless, the longer term two-time NBA MVP did sufficient to steer his crew to victory— ending with 10 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists whereas taking pictures 8-for-10 on free throws. They grew to become simply the second 15-seed ever to win within the opening spherical, and would go on to lose to Temple within the Spherical of 32.
Some take into account this one of many biggest upsets in all of sports activities historical past, as UMBC grew to become the primary 16-seed to take down a 1-seed in NCAA Event historical past (since growth in 1985). To place it into additional context, coming into the sport— 16 seeds have been a whopping 0-135 towards 1-seeds. And to additional illustrate how unbelievable this upset was, they’re 2-154 coming into the 2025 NCAA Event. What’s much more particular is that the sport wasn’t shut, as UMBC received 74-54. They’d go on to lose to Kansas State by seven factors within the following spherical. The 2018 version of the match was additionally the primary one ever to see every of the highest 4 seeds in a single area (South) not make the Candy 16.
The 2012 NCAA Event was a particular one, because it was the primary ever during which two 15 seeds received within the Spherical of 64 in the identical match. Lehigh took down Duke as 12-point underdogs, however the actual shocker got here from Norfolk State— as they took down Missouri regardless of being 21.5-point underdogs. Led by future NBA veteran Kyle O’Quinn, the Spartans pulled off an 86-84 victory in a thriller of a recreation that noticed 22 lead adjustments in its entirety. The 5 starters for North Dakota State accounted for all 86 factors, and shot 10-of-19 from past the arc (52.6%). They’d go on to lose to Florida within the following recreation.
Earlier we talked about that 16 seeds have been 2-154 towards 1-seeds all-time within the match, and that UMBC was the primary crew to get such a win. So which crew received the second? In 2023, the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights did the unthinkable— taking down a 29-5 Purdue crew after barely making the match as a First 4 participant. The Boilermakers have been led by two-time Nationwide Participant of the Yr and future first spherical choose Zach Edey, who completed that yr sixth in Division-I in scoring (22.3 factors per recreation) and second in rebounding (12.9 rebounds per recreation). Whereas he nonetheless completed with 21 factors and 15 rebounds within the recreation, the shortest crew in all of Division-I that season was capable of pull off a 63-58 victory. The Knights did not even win their convention match that season, shedding to Merrimack by one level within the title recreation. As a result of Merrimack couldn’t take part within the match resulting from an NCAA rule that bans schools from postseason play throughout a four-year transition from Division II, FDU was due to this fact thrust into motion. Speak about benefiting from a possibility.
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