Image retrieved from theclemsoninsider.com
Why do people like college basketball and March Madness so much? In general, it’s because it offers arguably more parity than any other postseason tournament. Because it’s single elimination, the chances of a lower-seed upsetting a higher-seed are much higher than they would be if March Madness was run like the NBA postseason, in which teams go through a best-of-seven format. It’s no wonder we see monumental moments, as in 2018 when 16th-seed UMBC upset top overall seed Virginia.
Notable College Basketball Upsets
It may not be March yet, but with the state of college basketball right now, it might as well be. Every week, there seems to be at least one major upset. Perhaps the most notable to occur recently was Clemson marching into #3 North Carolina’s court and beating them in a game that they never trailed in. How significant was this upset for the Tigers? Well, prior to that match, they were 1-60 all-time against the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. It wasn’t just Clemson, though, that used its underdog powers to defeat North Carolina. Syracuse also picked up a crucial upset victory against the Heels, avenging their 103-67 loss to them earlier in the season.
Another team that has had its fair share of upset losses is Auburn. The Tigers have been one of the best college basketball teams in the country all season, but their production has dipped at times. Their first notable upset loss was at Appalachian State back in early December. In SEC play, two notable underdog teams have caught the Tigers off guard: Mississippi State and Florida. Granted, Florida has been one of the hottest teams in the country lately. However, the loss to Mississippi State, a team that’s ninth in the SEC, is a head-scratcher.
Moving to the West, Arizona is a top-five team that has had perhaps the most baffling upset losses. The two most notable were against Stanford (a game in which the Wildcats got crushed 100-82) and Oregon State. These two teams have a combined record of 23-25. Arizona had no business losing to them, and yet they did.
Buckle Up for a Wild Season
I’m not going to point out every single upset victory, but you get the idea. These unlikely wins are what make college basketball so fun to watch. Don’t just assume that a team is going to win because Vegas said so. We have seen enough parity this season to know that anything can and will happen. If these regular-season upsets are a harbinger of what will happen in March, then buckle up.