In the context of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, a single-elimination tournament, this generally constitutes a lower seeded team defeating a higher-seeded (i.e., higher-ranked) team; a widely recognized upset is one performed by a team ranked substantially lower than its opponent.
All teams are listed by athletic brand names they used at the time of their wins, which do not always match those in use today.
The NCAA defines a tournament "upset" as a victory by a team seeded 5 or more lines below its defeated opponent.
[1] On March 16, 2018, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers became the first 16-seed to upset a 1-seed when they defeated the Virginia Cavaliers 74–54 in the first round;[2] this was followed by the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 63–58 on March 17, 2023.
Before this breakthrough, five other 16 seeds lost by 4 or fewer points: In 2023, Fairleigh Dickinson became the second No.
The Sweet Sixteen are the eight pairs of teams that meet in the Regional semifinals.
One of the four 15 seeds (25%) who advanced from the round of 32 also achieved an upset victory in the Sweet Sixteen, that being Saint Peter’s in 2022.
Although two 14 seeds made it to the Sweet Sixteen, neither of them won their games in this round.
In 1986, Cleveland State lost to 7 seed Navy by only a single point.
Although six 13 seeds made it to the Sweet Sixteen, none of them won their games in this round.
The closest margin of defeat happened in 1998, when Valparaiso lost to 8 seed Rhode Island by 6 points.
Two of the twenty-two 12 seeds (9.09%) who advanced from the round of 32 also won in the Sweet Sixteen.
[21] ‡ Not officially an upset because the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.
Ten of the twenty-seven 11 seeds (37.04%) who advanced from the round of 32 also won in the Sweet Sixteen.
‡ Not officially an upset because the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.
Nine of the twenty-four 10 seeds (37.5%) who advanced from the round of 32 also won in the Sweet Sixteen.
‡ Not officially an upset, as the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.
‡ Not officially an upset, as the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.
The only 15 seed who advanced from the Sweet Sixteen, Saint Peter's in 2022, was defeated in the Elite Eight by eight-seed North Carolina, 69-49.
Six of the ten 11 seeds who advanced from the Sweet Sixteen also won in the Elite Eight.
‡ Not officially an upset, as the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.
‡ Not officially an upset, as the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.
‡ Not officially an upset, as the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.
Notable close losses include a four-point loss by (9) Wichita State in 2013 to top-seed and eventual champions Louisville, while two other teams lost on buzzer-beating shots: (11) UCLA to (1) Gonzaga, 93-90 in overtime in 2021; and (9) Florida Atlantic to (5) San Diego State, 71-72 in 2023.
‡ Not officially an upset, as the teams were separated by fewer than 5 seed lines.