The biggest NCAA basketball tournament upsets
From the Full coverage of the 2021 NCAA Tournament series
The NCAA Tournament is nicknamed March Madness because anything can happen. Check out some of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history.
(16) UMBC 74 vs (1) Virginia 54 -- March 16, 2018
The University of Maryland-Baltimore County was the first and only 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed in the first round of a NCAA Tournament. And it wasn’t even close: UMBC defeated Virginia by 20 points. UMBC lost in the second round of the tournament to Kansas State. K.J. Maura (11) and teammate Jourdan Grant (5) of the UMBC Retrievers celebrate their 74-54 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2018 in Charlotte, N.C.
(6) North Carolina State 54 vs (1) Houston 52 -- April 4, 1983
Top-ranked Houston was stocked with future NBA Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, but that didn’t stop Jim Valvano’s North Carolina State team from accomplishing the near impossible. As time expired, N.C. State's center dunked the game-winner, and the Wolfpack completed the upset in the championship game. Benny Anders (32) of the University of Houston Cougars goes up for the slam dunk against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the National Championship game in Albuquerque, N.M. on April 4, 1983.
(3) Texas Western 72 vs (1) Kentucky 65 -- March 19, 1966
The 1966 Texas Western team was the first team to start five black players in an NCAA basketball championship game. Texas Western was up against powerhouse Kentucky coached by legend Adolph Rupp who was seeking his fifth NCAA title. The Miners pulled off the upset and went down in history. Don Haskins, coach of Texas Western College (UTEP) in action with Willie Worsley (24) as his team defeated Kentucky 72-65 in the national championship game in the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships held March 19, 1966 in Cole Fieldhouse on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park, Md.
(8) Villanova 66 vs (1) Georgetown 64 -- April 1, 1985
It was a Big East rematch in the 1985 NCAA Championship game, and top-ranked Georgetown was led by future NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing. Villanova’s Ed Pinckney scored 16 points and the Wildcats shot 79 percent from the floor to complete the upset. As an eight seed, the 1985 Villanova team remains the lowest-seed team to ever win the NCAA Tournament. Patrick Ewing (33) of Georgetown guards Ed Pinckney (54) of Villanova at the 1985 NCAA Championship Game at Rupp Arena on April 1, 1985 in Lexington, Ky.
(11) George Mason 86 vs (1) Connecticut 84 -- March 26, 2006
George Mason became the first team from the Colonial Athletic Association to make the Final Four when the 11-seed Patriots upset top-ranked Connecticut in the Elite Eight. George Mason is one of three 11-seed teams to ever make the Final Four in NCAA Tournament history. After beating Connecticut in overtime, George Mason's Will Thomas, right, and teammate Folarin Campbell get busy celebrating after defeating No. 1 seed UConn, 86-84 in Washington D.C. during the NCAA tournament on March 26, 2006.
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Full coverage of the 2021 NCAA Tournament
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