They don’t call it March Madness without a good reason and that’s partly because the NCAA Men’s College Basketball tournament is always full of surprises.
One of the reasons March Madness remains one of the most popular sporting events in the United States is precisely because of the upsets that undoubtedly occur each season. Here are the 10 biggest first-round upsets in NCAA Tournament history ensuring March Madness continues to captivate sports fans from coast to coast.
10. (10) Davidson over (7) Gonzaga, 2008
Who can forget the scrappy Davidson team led by future NBA MVP Stephen Curry, a sophomore, and their upset of Gonzaga in 2008? Curry had a great coming out part in the tournament averaging 34.3 points, 3.7 assists, and 4.0 steals per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 52.8 percent from beyond the arc. Curry and Davidson went on a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual National Champion Kansas.
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9. (15) Hampton over (2) Iowa State, 2001
Hampton’s upset over No. 2 Iowa State marked one of the first instances of a No. 15 seed taking down such a highly-seeded team. The Pirates were led by 6-9 forward Tarvis Williams that season who averaged 26.2 points and a crazy 5.5 blocks per game. The Pirates shocked March Madness with their big upset of the Cyclones and it remains one of the biggest 15 seed over 2 seed upsets in the history of the NCAA Tournament.
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8. (13) Princeton over (4) UCLA, 1996
Princeton’s victory over defending champions UCLA highlighted the unpredictable nature of the tournament and fed the beast that is March Madness. Freshman Gabe Lewullis made the “Back Door Screen Heard Heard ‘Round The Country” when he laid up the winning shot to beat the Bruins 42-41.
The headlines read: “David 43, Goliath 41” the next day in The Daily Princetonian. While Princeton nor UCLA made the NCAA Tournament this year, Yale will represent the Ivy League this time around.
7. (14) Chattanooga over (3) Georgia, 1997
Chattanooga’s win over higher-seeded Georgia would have been a great story in itself, but the Mocs didn’t stop there. The upset of the Bulldogs ended in spectacular fashion as Wes Moore threw an alley-oop to Antikoye Oloko as the Mocs completed the 75-63 upset. They went on their own storybook run eventually losing in the Sweet 16 to Providence 71-65.
6. (15) Middle Tennessee over (2) Michigan State, 2016
Not only did the Blue Raiders pull the No. 15 over No. 2 upset, but they upended the Spartans who many picked to win the entire NCAA Tournament. How dominant was Middle Tennessee that day? Consider this: Blue Raiders shot a scorching 56% from the field, made 11-of-19 from 3-point range, and never trailed from wire to wire. The stunning upset was the biggest in school history for both sides. Talk about March Madness!
5. (12) Murray State over (5) Marquette, 2019
Led by Ja Morant, Murray State’s convincing win over Marquette showcased the star’s talent and the team’s strength in taking down the higher seed. Morant notched a triple-double scoring 17 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and notching 16 assists in this epic upset. In a thrilling see-saw game, Murray State pulled away for the upset shocking the No. 5 Eagles.
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4. (15) Florida Gulf Coast over (2) Georgetown, 2013
Known by their colorful nickname, “Dunk City,” the Eagles became the first 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16. Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year Sherwood Brown had 24 points, along with 23 from Bernard Thompson and Brett Comer with 12. With their up-tempo style and stunning inside game, Florida Gulf Coast became an overnight phenomenon. They eventually bowed out to No. 3 Florida.
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3. (16) UMBC over (1) Virginia, 2018
Some consider the Retrievers’ upset of the Cavaliers to be the biggest ever in the first round of March Madness because it was the first-ever victory of a 16 seed over a 1 seed. UMBC followed the lead of senior guard Jairus Lyles who scored 28 points in the big win. No. 1 seeds are 150-2 over the history of the tournament with the last 16 seed to upset a top seed happening in 2023 when FDU beat Purdue.
2. (14) Cleveland State over (3) Indiana, 1986
Cleveland State’s upset over Indiana was a massive shock at the time considering the way Bobby Knight’s Hoosiers were dominating college basketball at the time. The Vikings were led by sharp-shooting guard Clinton Ransey who scored a game-best 27 points going 9-for 15 from the field. Although they were humiliated against Cleveland State, the Hoosiers would escape a close game against UNLV in the Final Four to eventually win the National Championship 74-73 over Syracuse the following year in 1987.
1. (15) Saint Peter’s over (2) Kentucky, 2022
This monumental upset stands out not just because of the win itself, but also for Saint Peter’s incredible run to the Elite Eight, making it the most significant first-round upset in terms of impact and improbability. The Peacocks were led by Daryl Banks III who electrified the crowd with 27 points — all of which were three-pointers. They went on a memorable run upsetting No. 3 Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen before bowing out in the Elite Eight to No. 8 North Carolina.
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