Top 10 NCAA Tournament Upsets in Men’s and Women’s History!

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March 19, 2026March 19, 2026By Admin
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Top 10 NCAA Tournament Upsets in Men’s and Women’s History!

The madness has begun. Every March, fans all around the world sit back and watch history unfold. There is something magical about March Madness, where we see the most dominant teams raise a trophy or go home in shock. It’s the Cinderella stories that pave the way for smaller schools in the future. It’s what makes the NCAA Tournament unforgettable. It’s not just who wins it all, but the chaos created along the way.

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Caitlin Clark IOWA NCAA Women's
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Men’s NCAA Tournament All-time Upsets

5. No. 14 Oakland Defeats No. 3 Kentucky (2024)

When you look at recent history for upsets, the first one that comes to mind is when Jack Gohlke made a name for himself by lighting up Big Blue. In an 80-76 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies put the Horizon League on the map.

Gohlke dropped 32 points and hit 10 3-pointers, the second-most threes in an NCAA Tournament game. In the victory over the Wildcats, the Golden Grizzlies shot 15-of-31 from three (48%), completely outgunning one of the more talented teams in the country. The Golden Grizzlies came out victorious, thanks to limiting turnovers, and scored 12 points off the Wildcats’ 11 turnovers. 

4. No. 15 Oral Roberts Defeats No. 2 Ohio State (2021)

The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles came in overlooked but left unforgettable. Led by Max Abmas, who scored 29 points, Oral Roberts took down the Ohio State Buckeyes 75–72 in overtime.

What makes this upset even crazier is that Abmas averaged 24.5 points per game during the tournament. The Golden Eagles became just the second 15-seed ever to reach the Sweet 16.

3. No. 15 FGCU Defeats No. 2 Georgetown (2013)

“Dunk City.” That’s all you need to say. The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles didn’t just beat the Georgetown Hoyas; they dominated with style.

The Eagles shot 43% from the field and threw down dunks across their first two tournament games. In a game led by Sherwood Brown and Bernard Thompson, this team looked unstoppable. With a 78-68 victory, the Eagles turned their tournament run into a highlight reel by becoming the first 15-seed ever to reach the Sweet 16.

2. No. 8 Villanova Defeats No. 1 Georgetown (1985)

With the way upsets happen now, we have to appreciate what came before modern-day basketball. This wasn’t just an upset, it was perfection. The Villanova Wildcats shot an unbelievable 78.6% from the field (22-of-28) in the national championship game to take down the Georgetown Hoyas.

The Wildcats missed only six shots the entire game, a record of efficiency that still stands as one of the greatest performances ever. When you look at this Georgetown team, led by Patrick Ewing, with Reggie Williams also on the roster, it’s hard to believe they lost.

Going into this game, Villanova would quite literally have to play a perfect game to win. This shows the beauty of March Madness. There is a reason why this game is called “The Perfect Game.”

1. No. 16 UMBC Defeats No. 1 Virginia (2018)

At some point, we would have to see the last No. 16 seed defeat the first No. 1 seed. The phrase “U Must Be Cinderella” was the slogan for the UMBC Retrievers. This wasn’t just a win—it was a blowout 74-54 victory.

The Retrievers shot 54.2% from the field and outscored Virginia 53–33 in the second half. Before this game, 16 seeds were 0–135 all-time against No. 1 seeds. That’s what makes this the greatest upset ever. It didn’t just break the rule— it shattered it.

For a team to completely walk down their opponent with no fear, this “David and Goliath” matchup will always be a historic classic.

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Women’s NCAA Tournament All-time Upsets

5. No. 2 Iowa Defeats No. 1 South Carolina (2023)

Although this was a matchup between two top-seeded teams, South Carolina was on a 42-game win streak, in the middle of a perfect season, and on the verge of going back-to-back. However, Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes put an end to the dominant Gamecocks.

During this time, no one gave the Hawkeyes a chance to win, even with Clark having an amazing tournament. The dominance stemmed from the fact that this South Carolina team absolutely should have been repeat champions. On paper, it’s hard to believe that Iowa could even keep up with Dawn Staley’s team, let alone win the game.

This was a staple game for Iowa, with Clark dropping 41 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. This sent the Hawkeyes to the National Championship game.

4. No. 2 Stanford Defeats No. 1 Notre Dame (2017)

Once again, another top-seed upset occurred. This time, the Cardinals came back from 16 points down against this stacked Fighting Irish team.

Down at halftime, Stanford came in on fire offensively and with lockdown defense. This was already a rematch of the previous year’s Sweet Sixteen, which one would think Notre Dame would have kept the foot on the gas.

When you look at who was on this Fighting Irish team as well, there is a reason why Notre Dame is “Guard University” for women’s basketball. This was a roster featuring Marina Mabrey, Arike Ogunbowale, and many other notable WNBA players that lost! Eventually, this squad would win a National Championship, but Stanford’s talent can’t be overlooked either.

With a shot made by Alanna Smith with 23 seconds left, Stanford completed the comeback. Ultimately, this makes it a great upset outcome.

3. No. 12 Ball State Defeats No. 5 Tennessee (2009)

The Ball State Cardinals shocked the basketball world by taking down the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. Although this Tennessee team lost almost its entire roster from the previous year, it was still a Pat Summitt-led team.

However, Ball State forced 16 turnovers and held Tennessee to just 55 points, completely disrupting one of the most legendary programs in the sport.

Tennessee had never lost in the first round in program history until Ball State came and ended their streak.

2. No. 9 Mississippi State Defeats No. 1 UConn (2017)

The Mississippi State Bulldogs ended one of the most dominant runs in sports history. The UConn Huskies came in on a 111-game winning streak, winning games by an average of nearly 25+ points.

Then it ended on a Morgan William buzzer-beater. Mississippi State won 66–64 in overtime, ending the streak and shocking the entire sports world in one shot.

1. No. 16 Harvard Defeats No. 1 Stanford (1998)

When it comes to upsets, it’s already rare to see a 16-seed beat a 1-seed, so of course, it has to be number one on this list.

The Harvard Crimson women’s basketball team stunned the Stanford Cardinals, 71-67, becoming the first 16-seed to beat a 1-seed in NCAA Tournament history.

Harvard won by playing fearless basketball from start to finish. Led by Allison Feaster, who had 35 points and 13 rebounds, Harvard put its name in the history books.

Looking Onward

March Madness isn’t just a tournament; it’s proof that numbers don’t always matter until they do. Because sometimes it’s 10 threes, sometimes it’s 78% shooting, and sometimes it’s breaking a 0–135 streak that nobody thought would ever end. It’s where unknown players become legends, underdogs become icons, and giants fall when you least expect them. Every year, we wait for that one shining moment. History isn’t just remembered in March, it’s created.

The real question going into this year’s tournament is: Will we see another Cinderella run? Will a top seed get shocked?

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