The NCAA basketball men's tournament champion is chosen annually by the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, also referred to as March Madness. Each year, once the regular season and postseason are over, this event is held in March or April.
When the conference champions are announced, the NCAA Basketball Tournament—also referred to as March Madness—begins. After being ranked differently in their respective regions, the conference champions and the wildcard entrants will face off to become the national champions. The two remaining basketball teams will square off in the championship game, and the team with the fewest points will win the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 2025.
No. 1 seed defeated in March Madness
In 2018, UMBC made history by being the first 16-seed to upset a No. 1 seed when the Retrievers overcame Virginia and gained instant notoriety. FDU upset Purdue in 2023 to become just the second 16-seed to defeat a No. 1 (via NCAA).
Going into 2018, the first 16-over-1 upset would be close. Nevertheless, UMBC dominated the majority of the game to defeat Virginia 74–54. The 20-point gap in this instance, also regarded as the largest upset in March Madness, was the main focus. Next, UMBC would lose 50-43 to Kansas State in round after round. Either way, that Retrievers team will live on in history.
Discover: What are seeds in Basketball?
History of No. 16 vs. No. 1 seeds in March Madness
The 16th seed has a difficult record versus the top seeds in March Madness history, 154-2 overall as per NCAA. The second-ever upset happened when FDU overcame Purdue in 2023. In the NCAA tournament, this equates to a 1.28% victory percentage for 16 seeds against 1 seed.
In a 16 vs. 1 matchup, no game has been decided by a single possession since 1996. The game with the greatest score occurred in 1987, when UNC defeated Penn 113-82. As seen by UCLA's 70-29 victory over Mississippi Valley State in 2008 and Georgetown's 50-49 victory over Princeton in 1989, the lowest score in a 1 vs. 16 game is 99 points. The biggest blowout in the history of this game happened in 1998, when Kansas easily defeated Prairie View A&M, winning 110-52.
What is the probability of No. 15 vs. No. 2 upset?
No. 15 seeds have upset No. 2 seeds 11 times. Saint Peter's was the only #15 seed to progress to the Elite 8 in 2022, with just three other #15 seeds making it to the Sweet 16. The most recent was in 2023, when Princeton defeated Arizona 59-55.
Also read: What is March Madness?
FAQs on March Madness
A. Yes, in 2018, UMBC made history as the first 16-seed to upset a No. 1 seed, defeating Virginia.
A. The 16th seed has a challenging record, with only two upsets, UMBC in 2018 and FDU in 2023, in history.
A. The probability of a No. 15 vs. No. 2 upset is around 7%. 15 seeds have upset 2 seeds 11 times as of March 2025.
A. Saint Peter's, a #15 seed in 2022, reached Elite 8, making it a rare and impressive achievement.
A. In 2023, FDU became the second 16-seed to defeat a No. 1 seed by upsetting Purdue in March Madness.
