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16 Seed beats a Number 1 Seed?

When will the ultimate 'David slays Goliath' happen?

  • 2015 - it happens this year, baby.

    Votes: 4 5.6%

  • By 2020 - Not this year, but within the next 5 years for sure.

    Votes: 22 30.6%

  • Sometime between 2020 and 2030.

    Votes: 19 26.4%

  • It will happen but probably not for about 30 more years of only close calls.

    Votes: 10 13.9%

  • It is never gonna happen.

    Votes: 17 23.6%
  • Total voters
    72
Erik4Cy

Erik4Cy

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2007
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Johnston, IA
www.cyclones.com
A March Madness conversation with a friend got me thinking: "When will we see the upset of a #1 by a #16 seed?"

I did a little digging having known that 16 seeds are 0-120 against #1's. I can't believe that TWO 16 seeds came within one point of winning in the same season.

Excluding the play-in games, a 16-seed has never won a game in the men's tournament. Two 16-seeds have come within one point of upsetting a #1 seed, both in 1989. In the East Regional, Georgetown hung on to win 50-49 against a Princeton squad who were 23 point underdogs. Princeton had the opportunity to win the game with the last shot, but Alonzo Mourning blocked the last two attempts to secure the victory. In the Southeast Regional, Oklahoma fought back from a first-half 17-point deficit to take the lead over East Tennessee State with 1:21 remaining. ETSU also had a chance at a last-second win, but Alvin West's shot from halfcourt was deflected and Oklahoma defeated ETSU 72-71.[SUP][1][/SUP]
Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men's_Division_I_Basketball_Championship_upsets

We've had 30 years of the tournament in it's current format without it happening. So when do you think it will happen?
 
It will happen, but not this year mainly due to the upsets in small leagues.

The play in games are diluting the 16 seeds (eliminating the two worst before they face the #1's and leaving two other teams that would have been 2 seeds before the 0th round).

One day, one of these guys will win, but not this year.
 
I'm not saying it happens this year but something like Kaminsky going down in the opening minute for Wisconsin makes them SIGNIFICANTLY more prone to upset. Most of your 1 seeds are going to be very well rounded but someone like Wisconsin is a totally different team without Kaminsky on the floor.
 
ImJustKCClone said:
But everyone is rooting for "that team that shall not be named", right? Despite how much we hate the memories???
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I was going to say "yes," because at least ISU would no longer be that school's biggest shocker. But that's a short-term reaction. Having the first 1-16 happen vs. this year's Kentucky team would never be forgotten, and we'd be indirectly connected to it during most references.
 
ca4cy said:
It'll happen someday. **adjusts cup** Probably the first time ISU gets a #1 seed.
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If we eveer end up with a #1 seed, that is going to be the roughest few days of my life, until that game is over. I trust Fred, but the ISU nutcup is a very worn and beaten object in my drawer, it's definitely taken it's shots. I'm not sure I'll breathe from selection sunday until the clock finally goes to 0:00.

To answer the OP though, I just don't see anyone going down this year. Would be nice for Hampton to get it this year though. Then we'd probably never have to hear about us losing to them as a #2, but the #1s this year are all pretty legit.
 
Ill be shocked when it does happen, but I also believes it happens within the next 5 years.
 
Never*

Unless they follow through with the talk of decreasing the size of Division I and your 16 seeds end up being your Illinois States, Richmonds, or Fresno States of the world. If that happens 1 seeds will be much more vulnerable.
 
ImJustKCClone said:
But everyone is rooting for "that team that shall not be named", right? Despite how much we hate the memories???
Click to expand...

Only if they shut down their basketball team immediately after the win.

Honestly I'd rather have Kentucky lose in the next round and pound the butt pirates into dust in the opening round.
 
Yeah, you all make fair points. It just seems like, if ever there was a team ripe for being the first 1-seed to lose, it would be UK. I've heard about them all year. I'm sick of hearing about them. You could be watching a game between two D-23* schools in the Alaskan frontier and the announcers would STILL insert UK into the commentary at some point. Kinda wish it wasn't "that school that shall not be named" facing them, but them's the breaks. :)


*exaggeration is purely for effect...
 
1UNI2ISU said:
Never*

Unless they follow through with the talk of decreasing the size of Division I and your 16 seeds end up being your Illinois States, Richmonds, or Fresno States of the world. If that happens 1 seeds will be much more vulnerable.
Click to expand...

I think what it will take is a team like Illinois State to have a 4-14 conference record, an 8 or 9 seed in the Valley Tourney, and win the MVC Tourney. Drake women did something like this about 10 years ago, and got a 16 seed.
 
It will never happen unless a #1 team has a bunch of players get kicked off or suspended right before the game.
 
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