Biggest March Madness Upsets in NCAA History

Are you wondering what the biggest March Madness upsets of all-time are? Let's get in to it!

In March Madness, a Cinderella story refers to a team that is not expected to perform well in the tournament but ends up defying the odds and achieving unexpected success. These are typically lower-seeded teams that defeat higher-seeded teams, often in thrilling and dramatic fashion.

Related: Biggest Comeback In NCAA Basketball Championship

Cinderella stories in March Madness have become a tradition and a source of excitement for fans of the tournament. Some of the most famous Cinderella stories in March Madness history include the 1985 Villanova Wildcats, who won the national championship as an eight seed, and the 2011 VCU Rams, who made it to the Final Four as an eleven seed.

Without further ado, here are all of the biggest March Madness upsets of all-time.

• UMBC 74 - Virginia 54
• March 16, 2018

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) pulled off one of the biggest March Madness upsets history by beating the top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers in the first round of the 2018 tournament.

UMBC was a #16 seed, and no #16 seed had ever beaten a #1 seed in the history of the NCAA tournament. Virginia, on the other hand, was considered the top teams in the country as illustrated by their overall number one seed in the tournament.

UMBC won the game by a score of 74-54, so this game wasn't even close! The Retrievers played a near-perfect game, shooting the ball extremely well from the three-point line and playing outstanding defense against Virginia's offense.

The Retrievers' guard Jairus Lyles had a career-high 28 points, and the team shot 12-24 from the three-point line. Defensively, UMBC held Virginia to just 41% shooting from the field and forced the Cavaliers into 9 turnovers.

• Lehigh 75 - Duke 70
• March 16, 2012

In the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 15th-seeded Lehigh Mountain Hawks pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history by defeating the 2nd-seeded Duke Blue Devils in the round of 64.

Lehigh won the game 75-70 behind a tremendous performance by their star player, guard C.J. McCollum, who scored 30 points and pulled down 6 rebounds. The Mountain Hawks shot 44% from the field, including 8-of-18 from three-point range, and made their free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Defensively, Lehigh played a solid game, limiting Duke to just 29% shooting from beyond the arc and forcing the Blue Devils into 6 turnovers.

The win was particularly significant because Duke was considered one of the top teams in the country and had won the ACC tournament just a week prior to the start of the NCAA tournament. Lehigh, on the other hand, was a relatively unknown team from a smaller conference, the Patriot League.

• St. Peters 85 - Kentucky 79
• March 17, 2022

Saint Peters stole the show in 2022 with one of the greatest Cinderella stories in NCAA history. Stories came out about how Saint Peters had to cancel several games due to a leaky roof in their home court throughout the regular season and just how small the school was. Saint Peters is quite literally just a single city block in New Jersey.

To think they even had a chance at the blue-blood University of Kentucky in 2022 was a joke, but it's March and anything can happen. Behind the electric play of Doug Eddert, the Peacocks pulled off the miraculous upset and made a deep run into the tournament.

• Middle Tennessee 90 - Michigan State 81 
• March 18 2016

In the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders pulled off one of the biggest March Madness upsets by defeating the 2nd-seeded Michigan State Spartans in the round of 64.

Middle Tennessee won the game 90-81 behind a remarkable performance from their starting five, all of whom scored in double figures, led by forward Reggie Upshaw, who had 21 points and 4 rebounds. The Blue Raiders shot an impressive 55% from the field, including 57% from three-point range.

Defensively, Middle Tennessee played a solid game, forcing Michigan State into 17 turnovers and holding the Spartans to just 41% shooting from the field. The Blue Raiders also dominated the boards, out-rebounding Michigan State by a margin of 35-23.

• Santa Clara 64 - Arizona 61
• March 18, 1993

In the 1993 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 15th-seeded Santa Clara Broncos pulled off a stunning upset by defeating the 2nd-seeded Arizona Wildcats in the round of 64.

Santa Clara won the game 64-61 in a tightly contested match. The Broncos were led by their star player, guard Steve Nash, who had 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in the game. Santa Clara also received strong contributions from forward Richard Keefe, who had a team-high 15 points, and guard Kevin Dunne, who added 12 points. Defensively, Santa Clara played a strong game, holding Arizona to just 36% shooting from the field and 26% from three-point range. The Broncos also forced Arizona into 17 turnovers, which proved to be a critical factor in the outcome of the game.

Santa Clara's victory over Arizona was a classic David vs. Goliath moment in college basketball and will be remembered as one of biggest March Madness upsets ever. The win helped put Steve Nash on the map and elevated Santa Clara to National prominence.

• Richmond 73 - Syracuse 69
• March 14, 1991

In the 1991 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 15th-seeded Richmond Spiders pulled off a stunning upset by defeating the 2nd-seeded Syracuse Orange in the round of 64.

Richmond won the game 73-69 in a closely contested matchup. The Spiders were led by their star player, guard Kenny Wood, who had a game-high 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Richmond also received strong contributions from forward Matt Fish, who had 16 points and 6 rebounds, and guard Curtis Blair, who added 14 points.

Defensively, Richmond played a solid game, holding Syracuse to just 39% shooting from the field and 20% from three-point range. The Spiders also forced Syracuse into 18 turnovers, which proved to be a critical factor in the outcome of the game.

• Florida Gulf Coast 78 - Georgetown 68
• March 22, 2013

In the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 15th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast Eagles pulled off a stunning upset by defeating the 2nd-seeded Georgetown Hoyas in the round of 64.

Florida Gulf Coast won the game 78-68 in a high-flying, fast-paced matchup. The Eagles were led by their high-flying offense, which was spearheaded by guard Sherwood Brown and forward Chase Fieler. Brown had a game-high 24 points and 9 rebounds, while Fieler added 13 points and 9 rebounds.

Defensively, Florida Gulf Coast played a solid game, holding Georgetown to just 38% shooting from the field and 21% from three-point range. The Eagles also forced Georgetown into 15 turnovers, which proved to be a critical factor in the outcome of the game.

• Oral Roberts 75 - Ohio State 72
• March 19, 2021

In the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 15th-seeded Oral Roberts Golden Eagles pulled off a stunning upset by defeating the 2nd-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes in the first round.

The Golden Eagles were led by their star player, guard Max Abmas, who had a game-high 29 points and 5 assists. Oral Roberts also received strong contributions from forward Kevin Obanor, who had 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Defensively, Oral Roberts played a solid game, holding the Buckeyes to just 41% shooting from the field and 23% from three-point range. The Golden Eagles also forced Ohio State into 16 turnovers, which proved to be a critical factor in the outcome of the game.

Which of these biggest March Madness upsets was most memorable for you? Shoot us a message on Twitter @137pm and let us know your story of where you were watching some of these shocking results!