Unless you're:
A) a die-hard fan of one of a powerhouse 2015 NCAA Tournament team like Kentucky or Arizona,
or...
B) someone lacking a discernible pulse..
..then you're ready for some good old-fashioned March Madness upsets. To get you pumped for all the 5 vs. 12 craziness and Cinderella stories your heart can possibly desire, we're here to count down the 5 Biggest First Round Upsets In March Madness History.
5) #15 Santa Clara 64, #2 Arizona 61 (1993)
https://youtu.be/BtZTyDRbE4Q
It's almost unfair to include the 1993 Santa Clara Broncos on this list, seeing that had future NBA Hall-of-Famer Steve Nash being, you know, Steve Nash. However, surviving a 25-0 run by a dominant Arizona team that had lost just three games all year long is enough to land them here -- even if a young, even-more-awkward Nash was the one to seal the deal with six consecutive free throws down the stretch.
4) #13 Princeton 43, #4 UCLA 41 (1996)
https://youtu.be/fk0O3XP-8V4
Not the biggest upset seed-wise, but this was the game that brought the Princeton offense into the national spotlight. Pete Carrill's Tigers ground down the defending national champions to sawdust on defense all game long, before running -- you guessed it -- a backdoor play for the game-winning go-ahead bucket. UCLA's Toby Bailey would miss a last-second retort, sending this game directly into the history books.
3) #15 Norfolk State 86, #2 Missouri 84 (2012)
https://youtu.be/04E0aOAOonw
The most recent entry on our list, this may be the most impressive offensive performance from an underdog in our top five. Norfolk State's starting five shot a ridiculous 60.4 percent from the field, including a daffy 62.5 percent mark from beyond the 3-point line. All-in-all, the Spartans averaged 1.30 points per possession to hold off the heavily-favored Tigers in a first-round classic -- the second #15 seed to win (Lehigh over Duke) on that same day.
2) #13 Valparaiso 70, #4 Ole Miss 69 (1998)
https://youtu.be/KFGLY90-gZ8
This one's all about buzzer-beater impact, not seeding. Valpo was down two to the Bulldogs with 2.5 seconds left, before Jamie Sykes rocketed a 55-foot pass to Bill Jenkins, who ping-ponged a touch pass of his own in mid-air. Bryce Drew, the coach’s son, caught the ball and drained one of the most iconic game winners in NCAA Tourney history. Valpo would keep the momentum going by beating Florida State in overtime in the Round of 32, before bowing out to Rhode Island in the Sweet 16.
1) #15 Richmond 73, #2 Syracuse 69 (1991)
https://youtu.be/hO9kxFIJngs
Richmond became the first #15 seed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament, and the fact that they did it against the regular-season Big East champions (back when the Big East was the BIG EAST) only adds to the mystique. CBS shifted its late-night coverage across all regions to the game, causing those who weren't Orange fans among the 25 million to tune in to simultaneously fall in love with the Cinderella Spiders.
(All video courtesy of NCAA On Demand)
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