It’s difficult to fill the NCAA tournament bracket without upsetting at least one more 13-over-4, isn’t it?
It is right in the bracket-picking sweet spot. It is still risky, sure, but these fluctuations are regular enough that you don’t feel like you’re going out on the thinnest limb of March. As you will see below, 13 seed upsets are at the heart of our love for the NCAA tournament.
Here is a complete stop to the history of 13 vs. 4 upsets in the NCAA tournament, including the most memorable underdog runs and significant numbers while filling your March Madness bracket.
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History of 13 seed vs 4 seed upsets in NCAA tournament
In 40 years of the expanded NCAA tournament bracket – the field for 64 teams for the 1985 edition – a 13 seed has won at least one game in 26 different tournaments. In four years, several 13 seeds have won the game: 1987 (Xavier and Missouri State), 2001 (Indiana State and Kent State), 2008 (Siena and San Diego) and 2018 (Buffalo and Marshall).
The 2008 upsets were particularly special, as both took place in the same court in Tampa. In fact, it was a site / day unlike any other in NCAA tournament history, as the other two winning teams that day at Tampa were also double-digit seeds: 12th seeded Western Kentucky won at a buzzer in overtime And 12th seed Villanova battled through a deficit of 18 points to overcome Clemson.
The first 13 overs-4 was also special. In that one – in 1985, the first year of the expanded tournament – future NBA superstar David Robinson and his Navy midshipmen gave No. 4 seeds LSU a 23-point victory, the largest margin of victory for any 13 seed.
And we have won 13 seeds all the way. In 1989, Middle Tennessee lost 97 points over Florida State, and UNC Wilmington posted 93 against USC in 2002, winning the track meet by four points. On the other hand, you have a slowdown at Princeton that baffled a very athletic UCLA team in 1996, upset 43–41.
And definitely worth a mention? The buzzer butter, arguably the most famous first-round buzzer butter in NCAA tournament history, comes from 13 seeds. You know the 3-pointer given by Valpo Bryce Drew, who led his Crusaders to a one-point win against Oyes Miss.
| year | result | Score |
| 1985 | Navy loses LSU | Is 78-55 |
| 1987 | Missouri State Defeat CLEMSON | 65-60 |
| 1987 | Xavier Diff. Missouri | 70-69 |
| 1988 | Richmond Diff. Indiana | Is 72-69 |
| 1989 | Defeated Middle Tennessee. Florida State | 97-83 |
| 1991 | Penn State’s defeat UCLA | 74-69 |
| 1992 | Defeated southwestern Louisiana. Oklahoma | 87-83 |
| 1993 | Southern Necklace. Georgia tech | 93–78 |
| 1995 | Defeated Manhattan. Oklahoma | 77-67 |
| 1996 | Defeated Princeton. UCLA | 43-41 |
| nineteen ninety eight | Valparaiso Diff. Ole miss | 70-69 |
| 1999 | Oklahoma defeat. Arizona | Is 61-60 |
| 2001 | Indiana State Defeats Oklahoma | 70-68 |
| 2001 | Kent State’s defeat Indiana | 77-73 |
| 2002 | UNC Wilmington defeated. Usc | 93–89 |
| 2003 | The defeat of Tulsa. Dayton | 84-71 |
| 2005 | Vermont Diff. Syracuse | 60-57 |
| 2006 | Defeated Bradley. Kansas | 77-73 |
| 2008 | Defeated Siena. Vanderbilt | 83-62 |
| 2008 | Defeated San Diego. Uconn | 70-69 |
| 2009 | Cleveland State defeat. Wake forest | 84-69 |
| 2010 | Morena State’s defeat Vanderbilt | 66-65 |
| 2011 | Morehead State Defeats Louisville | 62-61 |
| 2012 | Ohio defeat. Michigan | 65-60 |
| 2013 | Defeated La Salle. Kansas State | 63–61 |
| 2016 | Hawaii Defeat. California | Is 77-66 |
| 2018 | Buffalo Necklace. Arizona | 89–69 |
| 2018 | Wichita State defeated Marshall | 81-75 |
| 2019 | Defeated UC Irvine. Kansas State | 70-64 |
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13 seeds vs 4 seeds by numbers
- 29-111: Record for 13 seeds vs number 4 seeds
- 20.7 percent: Overall win percentage for 13 seeds since 1985
- 23: Largest margin of victory for a 13 seed; Navy at LSU (78-55)
- 1: Smallest margin of victory for a 13 seed; Six times, first by Xavier of Missouri (70–69)
- 6-2: Record of number 13 seeds in Games decided by one point
- 2: Badger-Beater wins for 13 seeds: Murray State over Vanderbilt (2010), Valparaiso over Ole Miss (1998)
- 6: 13 seeds to win at least two games
Has March Madness ever won a 13 seed?
A 13 seed has never won the NCAA tournament, and probably never will. Six teams advanced to the second weekend of No. 13, but all six faltered in the Sweet 16. Let us have a look?
1988, Richmond. NCAA Tournament fans know that a few years later, Richmond was the No. 15 seed to win the first game, beating 2-seed Syracuse. You wouldn’t be surprised that this Richmond Cinderella Squad, Dick Tarant was the same coach at the heart of both. In 1988, the Spiders knocked off in Indiana – the Hoziers won the 1987 national title – in the opening round, then defeated fifth-seed Georgia Tech in the second round. The spell ended against top-seeded Temple, however, the Owls won by 22.
1998, Valparaiso. Bryce Drew, y’all the play that was arguably the most handsome orchestrated buzzer-better in NCAA tournament history, pushed Valpo past Ole Miss in the opener, and then the Crusaders defeated Florida State (a 12 seed) in the second round of the Sweet. Proceeded to 16, where they fell on Rhode Island.
1999, Oklahoma. This is incredibly rare for a power-conference school on the No. 13 seed line, but that’s where Oklahoma wins as a 20-at-large team. The Sunnis sent Arizona and Charlotte before falling to Michigan State.
2006, Bradley. Imagine being a 13 seed making Sweet 16 and not a darling of the tournament as an 11 seed (George Mason) makes the final four. Bradley knocked out Kansas – a school that has been on the wrong end of the upsets from time to time – and is being handled with relative ease by Pittsburgh No. 1 seed Memphis.
2012, Ohio. Michigan raced all the way to the national title game behind Trey Burke in 2013, perhaps inspired by the memory of losing to Ohio in the first round in 2012. The bobcat makes his way past Wolverine, then knocks down the fellow distraught friend, no. 12 seed South Florida in the second round. In the Sweet 16, Ohio came oh-so-close before making history, pushing No. 1 seed North Carolina to overtime before faltering.
2013, LaSalle. The club discovered a brave new world, becoming the first 13 seeds to win three games in the NCAA tournament. The first one was the first four contests. LaSalle defeated Boise State for the right to play No. 4 seed Kansas State. The Inventors won one of the two points, then defeated Mississippi by 12 points to advance to the Sweet C16, where they lost to Wichita State, a No. 9 seed who had just met No. 1 Gonzaga and would be found all the way For the last four.
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Lowest seed to win NCAA tournament
After the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, we have seen four double-digit seeds reach the final four:
- 11 seed LSU in 1986
- 11 Seed George Mason in 2006
- 10 seed syracuse in 2016
- 11 seed loyola chicago in 2018
All four lost before the title reached the game. Only four teams below the No. 3 seed line have won the national title: a 4 seed (Arizona in 1997), a 6 seed (Kansas in 1988), a seven seed (UConn in 2014) and an 8 seed (Villanova in 1985). . No 5 seeds ever live. The Villanova story is an item of legend; A brilliant, methodical 8 seed that reached the title game by grinding out a series of narrow wins (three points or less) and competing against Georgetown Hoys in the championship game.
It is considered by some to be the biggest flaw in NCAA tournament history. But here’s one thing: It makes for a great David and Goliath story, but Villanova was very good. In the 1985 and 1986 NBA Draft, the top 30 picks from that 1985 team went to the top 30 picks (Ed Pinckney in 10 and Dwayne McClain in 27 in 1985 and Harold Presley in 17 in 1986; Gary McCain went to the seventh round in 1985). Factor in that Villanova had already played the Georgetown Tough Twies that year – a loss of just two points and seven points – and, sorry, it doesn’t bother the top-five all-time.
However, it does make for a pretty cool championship story.
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