How many 15 seeds have won in March Madness? History of 15 vs 2 upsets, NCAA tournament stats

For the first 25 years of the NCAA tournament or the extended bracket era – when the region expanded to 64 teams for the 1985 tournament – the idea of ​​choosing 15 seeds to grow 2 seeds was too crazy. This happened from time to time.

now though? The score of 15 overs-2 is still bold, but not insane. More on that in a moment.

You’ll probably be tempted to make one of those pics this year. Eventually, a 16 seed defeated the No. 1 seed (sorry to bring in Virginia fans), so anything is really possible. And in the return to the NCAA tournament, after a year’s holiday during the COVID-19 epidemic, don’t we all expect really crazy stuff to happen?

Here is a complete pause in the history of 15 vs. 2 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 15 seed vs 2 seed upsets in NCAA tournament

Only eight No. 15 seeds have won a first round game in the NCAA tournament, but four of those games – two in the same year! – has occurred in the past decade, and is an important cause of that boom. Incorporated into the 1991 NCAA tournament, a handful of 14 numbers had shied away, but No. 15 Richmond had an upset No. 2 seed Syracuse in 1991, which was hardly the first time I actually marveled. Could not happen. – already disturbed

Steve Nash – a two-time NBA MVP of the future – upset Santa Clara in the second 15-over-two two years later, and coach Fang Mitchell’s 15th-seeded Copin State squad upgraded South Carolina in 1997. Hampton became the fourth 15 seed to win. In 2001, and then there was a difference of over a decade.

On the same day of the 2012 tournament, two! – The No. 15 seed won the first round game. Norfolk State knocked out Mizzou, and then a few hours later, Leah overturned Duke in Greensboro, NC, just an hour from the Blue Devils campus. Then it happened in 2013 (Florida Gulf Coast) and again in 2016 (Middle Tennessee). So what sparked that change? Look at the first four.

The NCAA tournament expanded from 64 teams to 68 teams for the 2011 tournament, adding four more major teams and opening the First Four games. Under that new setup, suddenly there were SIX teams on the No. 16 seed line – teams with No. 1, 66, 67 and 68 play to the right to face the No. 1 seed – meaning two teams. In the tournament prior to 2011, 15 seeds were suddenly 16 seeds. And the two teams that were 14 seeds turned into 15 seeds, and so on. See how the quality of the teams at the back end of the seed list increased?

That’s why Leah – featuring future NBA star CJ McCollum – played in 2012 as a 15 seed and troubled Duke. And it is that Middle Tennessee State, a very good, experienced team was a 15 seed despite C-USA finishing second in the regular season. And ranked 20th out of 32 leagues in KenPom’s ratings by winning an automatic bid with the tournament title for the conference. Prior to expansion, no team of that caliber would wound on the 15 seed line.

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15 seeds vs 2 seeds by numbers

• 8-132: Record 15 seeds vs number 2 seeds
• 5.7 percent: Overall win percentage for 15 seeds since 1985
• 3.8 percent: Win percentage for 15 seeds in 64-team era (1985-2010)
• 11.1 percent: Win percentage for 15 seeds since expansion to 68 teams in 2011
• 13: Largest margin of victory for 15 seed; Coppin State in South Carolina (78–65)
• 1: Smallest margin of victory for 15 seeds; Hampton on Iowa State (58–57)
• 0: Buzzer-butter wins for 15 seeds
• 1: 15 seeds to win at least two games

Ever won 15 seeds in March Madness?

You already know the answer to this. No, 15 seed never won the NCAA tournament. And we will get out on a limb here and say that it will never happen. But this does not mean that the 15 seeds have not affected the March madness. Who can forget the magical run of the Florida Dunk Coast – Errata, Florida Gulf Coast in the second weekend of the 2013 NCAA Tournament?

The high-flying Eagles destroyed Georgetown in the opening round – they led 19 points midway through the second half – and then beat No. 6 seed San Diego State by 10 points in the second round. That win made FGCU the Sweetest 16, giving them the first 15 seeds in NCAA tournament history; Coppin State narrowly missed in 1993, losing its second-round game to Texas 82-81.

The other six 15 seeds to advance? They lost their second round game by an average of 19.3 points.

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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.