NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament upsets


An upset is a victory by an underdog team. In the context of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, a single-elimination tournament, this generally constitutes a lower seeded team defeating a higher-seeded team; a widely recognized upset is one performed by a team ranked substantially lower than its opponent.
This is the list of victories by teams seeded 11 or lower in the tournament since it expanded to 64 teams in 1985; as these low-seeded teams were automatically paired against higher-seeded teams at the start of the tournament, their opening victories are almost always considered upsets. Most victories by these teams in later rounds were usually against better seeded opponents as well.
On March 16, 2018, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers became the first 16-seed to upset a 1-seed when they defeated the Virginia Cavaliers 74–54 in the first round.

Round of 64

This round was called the First Round until 2011, when the introduction of the First Four caused the round to be renamed the Second Round. Starting with the 2016 tournament, it returned to being called the First Round. There were ten wins by double-digit seeds in 2016, which was the most in tournament history. In 2001 and 2012, there were nine upsets during First Round play.

16 vs. 1

Before 2018, 16-seeded teams were 0–132 against 1-seeds. There were multiple occurrences of a 16-seed getting within single digits, with the most recent being Weber State losing to top-seeded Arizona 68–59 in 2014. Twice had a 16-seeded team come within one point of winning, both times in 1989. Top seeded Georgetown squeaked out a 50–49 win against Princeton, and East Tennessee State had a 17-point lead on Oklahoma, before the Sooners came back and won 72–71. The only time a 16 has ever taken a 1-seed into overtime came in 1990, when Murray State ultimately lost to Michigan State 75–71 after an extra period.
There has only been one game where a 16-seed beat a 1-seed since 1985, out of 140 games played:
YearWinnerLoserScore
2018UMBCVirginia74–54

15 vs. 2

There have been eight 15-seeds that have defeated 2 seeds in the first round:
YearWinnerLoserScore
2016Middle TennesseeMichigan State90–81
2013Florida Gulf CoastGeorgetown78–68
2012LehighDuke75–70
2012Norfolk StateMissouri86–84
2001HamptonIowa State58–57
1997Coppin StateSouth Carolina78–65
1993Santa ClaraArizona64–61
1991RichmondSyracuse73–69

14 vs. 3

There have been twenty-one 14-seeds that have defeated 3 seeds in the first round:
YearWinnerLoserScore
2016Stephen F. AustinWest Virginia70–56
2015Georgia StateBaylor57–56
2015UABIowa State60–59
2014MercerDuke78–71
2013HarvardNew Mexico68–62
2010OhioGeorgetown97–83
2006Northwestern StateIowa64–63
2005BucknellKansas64–63
1999Weber StateNorth Carolina76–74
1998RichmondSouth Carolina62–61
1997ChattanoogaGeorgia73–70
1995Old DominionVillanova89–81
1995Weber StateMichigan State79–72
1992East Tennessee StateArizona87–80
1991XavierNebraska89–84
1990Northern IowaMissouri74–71
1989SienaStanford80–78
1988Murray StateNC State78–75
1987Austin PeayIllinois68–67
1986Cleveland StateIndiana83–79
1986Arkansas–Little RockNotre Dame90–83

13 vs. 4

There have been twenty-nine 13-seeds to defeat 4 seeds in the first round:
YearWinnerLoserScore
2019UC IrvineKansas State70–64
2018MarshallWichita State81–75
2018BuffaloArizona89–68
2016HawaiiCalifornia77–66
2013La SalleKansas State63–61
2012OhioMichigan65–60
2011Morehead StateLouisville62–61
2010Murray StateVanderbilt66–65
2009Cleveland StateWake Forest84–69
2008SienaVanderbilt83–62
2008San DiegoConnecticut70–69
2006BradleyKansas77–73
2005VermontSyracuse60–57
2003TulsaDayton84–71
2002UNC WilmingtonUSC93–89
2001Kent StateIndiana77–73
2001Indiana StateOklahoma70–68
1999OklahomaArizona61–60
1998ValparaisoOle Miss70–69
1996PrincetonUCLA43–41
1995ManhattanOklahoma77–67
1993SouthernGeorgia Tech93–78
1992Southwestern LouisianaOklahoma87–83
1991Penn StateUCLA74–69
1989Middle TennesseeFlorida State97–83
1988RichmondIndiana72–69
1987XavierMissouri70–69
1987Missouri StateClemson65–60
1985NavyLSU78–55

12 vs. 5

There have been fifty 12-seeds to defeat 5 seeds in the first round:
YearWinnerLoserScore
2019Murray StateMarquette83–64
2019OregonWisconsin72–54
2019LibertyMississippi State80–76
2017Middle TennesseeMinnesota81–72
2016Little RockPurdue85–83
2016YaleBaylor79–75
2014Stephen F. AustinVCU77–75
2014North Dakota StateOklahoma80–75
2014HarvardCincinnati61–57
2013Ole MissWisconsin57–46
2013CaliforniaUNLV64–61
2013OregonOklahoma State68–55
2012South FloridaTemple58–44
2012VCUWichita State62–59
2011RichmondVanderbilt69–66
2010CornellTemple78–65
2009WisconsinFlorida State61–59
2009ArizonaUtah84–71
2009Western KentuckyIllinois76–72
2008VillanovaClemson75–69
2008Western KentuckyDrake101–99
2006MontanaNevada87–79
2006Texas A&MSyracuse66–58
2005MilwaukeeAlabama83–73
2004ManhattanFlorida75–60
2004PacificProvidence66–58
2003ButlerMississippi State47–46
2002CreightonFlorida83–82
2002TulsaMarquette71–69
2002MissouriMiami 93–80
2001GonzagaVirginia86–85
2001Utah StateOhio State77–68
1999Missouri StateWisconsin43–32
1999DetroitUCLA56–53
1998Florida StateTCU96–87
1997College of CharlestonMaryland75–66
1996DrexelMemphis75–63
1996ArkansasPenn State86–80
1995Miami Arizona71–62
1994Wisconsin–Green BayCalifornia61–57
1994TulsaUCLA112–102
1993George WashingtonNew Mexico82–68
1992New Mexico StateDePaul81–73
1991Eastern MichiganMississippi State76–56
1990DaytonIllinois88–86
1990Ball StateOregon State54–53
1989DePaulMemphis State66–63
1987WyomingVirginia64–60
1986DePaulVirginia72–68
1985KentuckyWashington66–58

11 vs. 6

Fifty-two 11 seeds have defeated 6 seeds in the first round:
YearWinnerLoserScore
2019Ohio StateIowa State62–59
2018Loyola–ChicagoMiami 64–62
2018SyracuseTCU57–52
2017Rhode IslandCreighton84–72
2017USCSMU66–65
2017XavierMaryland76–65
2016Northern IowaTexas75–72
2016GonzagaSeton Hall68–52
2016Wichita StateArizona65–55
2015DaytonProvidence66–53
2015UCLASMU60–59
2014TennesseeMassachusetts86–67
2014DaytonOhio State60–59
2013MinnesotaUCLA83–63
2012ColoradoUNLV68–64
2012North Carolina StateSan Diego State79–65
2011MarquetteXavier66–55
2011VCUGeorgetown74–56
2011GonzagaSt. John's86–71
2010WashingtonMarquette80–78
2010Old DominionNotre Dame51–50
2009DaytonWest Virginia68–62
2008Kansas StateUSC80–67
2007WinthropNotre Dame76–64
2007VCUDuke79–77
2006MilwaukeeOklahoma82–74
2006George MasonMichigan State75–65
2005UABLSU82–68
2003Central MichiganCreighton79–73
2002WyomingGonzaga73–68
2002Southern IllinoisTexas Tech76–68
2001Georgia StateWisconsin50–49
2001TempleTexas79–65
2000PepperdineIndiana77–57
1998WashingtonXavier69–68
1998Western MichiganClemson75–72
1996Boston CollegeIndiana64–51
1995TexasOregon90–73
1994PennNebraska90–80
1993TulaneKansas State55–53
1991CreightonNew Mexico State64–56
1991ConnecticutLSU79–62
1990Loyola MarymountNew Mexico State111–92
1989MinnesotaKansas State86–75
1989EvansvilleOregon State94–90
1989South AlabamaAlabama86–84
1989TexasGeorgia Tech76–70
1988Rhode IslandMissouri87–80
1986LSUPurdue94–87
1985Boston CollegeTexas Tech55–53
1985UTEPTulsa79–75
1985AuburnPurdue59–58

Round of 32

This round was called the Second Round until 2011, when the introduction of the First Four caused this round to be renamed the Third Round. Starting with the 2016 tournament, it returned to being called the Second Round.

16 seeds

No 16-seed has ever won a second round game. The only 16-seed to ever play in a Second Round game were the UMBC Retrievers in 2018; they lost to Kansas State 50–43.

15 seeds

There has only been one 15-seed that won its second-round game.
YearWinnerLoserScore
2013Florida Gulf Coast San Diego State81–71

14 seeds

There have been two 14-seeds to win their second-round games. Both were against 6 seeds.
YearWinnerLoserScore
1997Chattanooga Illinois75–63
1986Cleveland State St. Joseph's75–69

13 seeds

There have been six 13 seeds to win their second-round games. Seeds of the losing teams are in parentheses.
YearWinnerLoserScore
2013La Salle Ole Miss76–74
2012Ohio South Florida62–56
2006Bradley Pittsburgh72–66
1999Oklahoma Charlotte85–72
1998Valparaiso Florida State83–77
1988Richmond Georgia Tech59–55

12 seeds

There have been twenty-one 12 seeds to win their second-round games. Seeds of the losing teams are in parentheses.
YearWinnerLoserScore
2019Oregon† UC Irvine73–54
2013Oregon Saint Louis74–57
2011Richmond† Morehead State65–48
2010Cornell Wisconsin87–69
2009Arizona† Cleveland State71–57
2008Western Kentucky† San Diego72–63
2008Villanova† Siena84–72
2005Milwaukee Boston College83–75
2003Butler Louisville79–71
2002Missouri Ohio State83–64
2001Gonzaga† Indiana State85–68
1999Missouri State Tennessee81–51
1996Arkansas Marquette65–56
1994Tulsa Oklahoma State82–80
1993George Washington† Southern90–80
1992New Mexico State† Southwestern Louisiana81–73
1991Eastern Michigan† Penn State71–68
1990Ball State Louisville62–60
1987Wyoming UCLA78–68
1986DePaul Oklahoma74–69
1985Kentucky UNLV64–61

† Not an upset strictly according to seeding, as the victory was against a lower-seeded opponent

11 seeds

There have been twenty-two 11 seeds to win their second-round games and advance to the Sweet 16. Seeds of the losing teams are in parentheses.
YearWinnerLoserScore
2018Loyola Chicago Tennessee63–62
2018Syracuse Michigan State55–53
2017Xavier Florida St.91–66
2016Gonzaga Utah82–59
2015UCLA† UAB92–75
2014Tennessee† Mercer83–63
2014Dayton Syracuse55–53
2012NC State Georgetown66–63
2011Marquette Syracuse66–62
2011VCU Purdue94–76
2010Washington New Mexico82–64
2006George Mason North Carolina65–60
2002Southern Illinois Georgia77–75
2001Temple Florida75–54
1998Washington† Richmond81–66
1991Connecticut† Xavier66–50
1990Loyola Marymount Michigan149–115
1989Minnesota† Siena80–67
1988Rhode Island Syracuse97–94
1986LSU Memphis83–81
1985Auburn Kansas66–64
1985Boston College Duke74–73

† Not an upset strictly according to seeding, as the victory was against a lower-seeded opponent

Sweet Sixteen

12 seeds

There has been only one 12 seed to ever win a Sweet 16 game.
YearWinnerLoserScore
2002Missouri UCLA82–73

11 seeds

There have been eight 11 seeds to win in the Sweet Sixteen and advance to the Elite Eight.
YearWinnerLoserScore
2018Loyola Chicago Nevada69–68
2017Xavier Arizona73–71
2014Dayton Stanford82–72
2011VCU Florida State72–71
2006George Mason Wichita State63–55
2001Temple Penn State84–72
1990Loyola Marymount Alabama62–60
1986LSU Georgia Tech70–64

Elite Eight

11 seeds

There have been four 11 seeds to win in the Elite Eight and advance to the Final Four. However, none of these teams advanced any further, losing their national semifinal matchups.
YearWinnerLoserScore
2018Loyola Chicago Kansas State78–62
2011VCU Kansas71–61
2006George Mason Connecticut86–84
1986LSU Kentucky59–57

Footnotes