How many 14 seeds have won in March Madness? 14 vs 3 upsets history, stats for ncaa tournament

For each NCAA tournament fan, passing a 14-over-3 pick is rite. If you get one of those rights, it doesn’t matter if you win the bracket pool, because you definitely get bragging rights for the next year.

The 14 seed bracket is the perfect intoxicating blend for the pickers. For starters, these upsets, although far from likely, are far from rare.

And it goes like this: 14-seeds are not usually from the lowest-ranked conferences, and they are usually teams that have solid regular seasons, rather than that they warmed up at the right time and Auto bid run through conference tournament to earn. But they are still very underdogs, so there is an element of “I’m feeling this team”, which plays in the pix.

And isn’t that how fun it is to fill a bracket?

Here is a complete stop to the history of 14 vs. 3 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 14 seed vs 3 seed upsets in NCAA tournament

The 1986 NCAA tournament was a special brand of nuts. It is perhaps the first time that a double-digit look is reached as it reaches the final four – that was 11 Seeds LSU – but don’t forget that two 14 seeds won the game that year. Cleveland State and Arkansas Little Rock both overcome big-time ups and downs, beating Indiana and Notre Dame respectively. This was only the second year of the 64-team field; In the first year, any of the 14 seeds finished within nine points of a single seed.

But by 1993, a 14 seed in each tournament had won again and continued to win those regulars. The seven-year stretch is the longest with at least one 14 seed win, but it is not the only streak. Won 14 seeds in 1997–98–99 and 2013–14–15–16. In fact, since the extended tournament in 1985, there has been a gap of just over three years without a 14 seed win – from 2000 to 2004, differentiated by Weber State’s setback on Stener vs. Kansas of North Carolina and Weibel.

Memorable performances and moments abound. In 2014, Mercer closed out 20-8 to defeat Duke by seven points. In 1990, Maurice Newby of Northern Iowa – who averaged just 4.9 points per game that year – drained a rainbow 3-pointer moments before the final buzzer to raise Mizzou. In 1999, Harold “The Show” Arkenaux dropped 36 to the UNC team along with Anton Jameson and Jerry Stackhouse to upset Weber State. After defeating Illinois Pete Illinois in 1987, Dick Witley had to stand on his head.

In 2010, Ohio looked like contenders for the national championship as they dropped 97 points on a Georgetown team that was a fairly solid defensive back. In 1989, Mark Brown scored 32 for Siena as the Saints pushed Stanford forward. And who can forget Northwestern State’s Jermaine Wallace’s contested corner 3-point bucket made with 0.5 seconds to defeat Iowa in 2006? Or in 2015 when RJ Hunter’s game-winning triple knocked his father, coach Ron Hunter out of his chair, as Georgia State knocked out Butler?

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14 seeds vs 3 seeds by numbers

• 21–119: Record for 14 seeds vs number 3 seeds
• 15.0 percent: Overall win percentage for 14 seeds since 1985
• 14: Largest margin of victory for 14 seed; Georgetown (97–83) and Stephen F. Austin over West Virginia (70–56) over Ohio
• 1: Smallest margin of victory for 14 seed; Six times, Austin Pei on first Illinois (68–67)
• 2: Buzzer-Beater won for 14 seeds: Northern Iowa vs. Missouri (1990), Northwestern State vs. Iowa (2006)
• 2: 14 seeds to win at least two games: Cleveland State (1986) and Chattanooga (1997)

Has March Madness ever won a 14 seed?

You know the answer: A 14 seed has never won an NCAA tournament. But let’s talk about the two teams that made it to the second weekend.

In 1986, the second year of the expanded 64-team bracket, Cleveland state Became the first No. 14 seed to win the game, but the Vikings did not stop there. After beating 3-seeded Indiana by four points in the opener – the frenetic pace and pressure the Hoosiers could handle – Cleveland State beat sixth-seed St. Joseph by six points (75–69) in the second round . And they fell by one point (71-70) in the Elite Eight to close behind 22 points behind No. 7 seed Navy, 14 rebounds, and seven blocked shots by Navy big man David Robinson.

in 1997, Chattanooga Trailing Georgia in the opening round, raced to a 15–0 lead and still led by 15 at halftime. The Bulldogs rallied to pull within one in the final minutes before Molls prevailed. And the tendency to score at clubs again helped in the second round, as a 20-4 run in the second half turned four-point Illinois into a mock advantage, and they eventually won 75–63. Their Sweet 16 matchup was a double-digit delight against No. 10 Providence, which knocked off Marquette and Duke. Fras won with a 71–65 victory.

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Lowest seed to win NCAA tournament

After the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, we have seen five double-digit seeds reach the final four:

• 11 seed LSU in 1986
• 11 Seed George Mason in 2006
• 11 seeds VCU in 2011
• 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 national titles: a 4 seed (Arizona in 1997), a 6 seed (Kansas in 1988), a seven seed (UCNO in 2014) and an 8 seed (Villanova in 1985). . No 5 seeds ever live. The Villanova story is an item of legend; A superb, 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 only two points and seven points – and, alas, it is not a top-five all-time upset.

However, it does make for a pretty cool championship story.