07-04-2025
5 Historic Men's March Madness Upsets
Upsets are perhaps the defining feature of the NCAA Tournament as Cinderella stories capture the attention of the country throughout the month of March.
Any team can win a given game in the big dance, as underdogs have proven year after year. Schools you've never heard of without any NBA prospects become must-see TV overnight after taking down a blue-blood roster of future lottery picks. Therein lies the beauty of the NCAA Tournament.
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Some sleeper teams have already revealed themselves with the bracket set. With that in mind, let's look back at some of the biggest upsets in the history of the big dance.
No. 16 UMBC over No. 1 Virginia
The Retrievers made college basketball history as the first No. 16 seed to take down a No. 1 seed when they defeated the Cavaliers in 2018. The upset became a rout in the second half as UMBC pulled away for a resounding 74-54 win. Darius Lyles led the way with a game-high 28 points for the Retrievers, who hit 12 3-pointers and won the rebounding battle against a Virginia team that sent five players to the NBA and won the national championship the following year.
No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson over No. 1 Purdue
FDU guard Demetre Roberts scored 12 points in the Knights' upset win over Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
The Knights joined the Retrievers as the only other No. 16 seed to upset a No. 1 seed when they shocked the Boilermakers in 2023. It was Fairleigh Dickinson's relentless defense that stymied Purdue in a 63-58 triumph. The Boilermakers committed 16 turnovers and shot just 5-of-26 from beyond the arc. Though Purdue big man and future first-round pick Zach Edey led all players with 21 points and 15 boards, Knights forward Sean Moore finished with 19 points and made clutch plays down the stretch.
No. 15 Lehigh over No. 2 Duke
The Mountain Hawks stunned a stacked Blue Devils team in 2012 for their first NCAA Tournament win in program history. C.J. McCollum starred in a 75-70 Lehigh win over Duke, leading all players with 30 points. McCollum was the only member of the Mountain Hawks who went on to an NBA career, while the Blue Devils squad he helped take down was led by Austin Rivers and Mason Plumlee, two of nine future NBA players at coach Mike Krzyzewski's disposal.
No. 15 Saint Peter's over No. 2 Kentucky
Saint Peter's hit nine 3-pointers in its 2022 upset against Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Peacocks pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in NCAA Tournament history when they upended the Wildcats in 2022. After Doug Edert hit the tying shot to send the game to overtime, Saint Peter's finished off Kentucky, 85-79. National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe — one of four future NBA players on that Wildcats team — finished with 30 points and 16 rebounds, but that wasn't enough to get past Peacocks stars-in-the-making Edert and Daryl Banks III, who combined for 47 points.
No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast over No. 2 Georgetown
The Hoyas haven't been the same since the Dunk City upset in 2013. The Eagles lived in the paint — and at the free-throw line — in that 78-68 victory over Georgetown in their first NCAA Tournament trip. FGCU guards Sherwood Thompson and Bernard Thompson combined for 47 points — including 19 made free throws — in that win over a Hoyas team led by All-America forward and future No. 3 overall pick Otto Porter Jr.
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