March 2023

Surprises happen during every installment of March Madness, but we’ll remember these unfor- gettable upsets in NCAA Tournament history for- ever. Before you know it, people all over the country will pretend to be hard at work when they’re actually checking the scores of the NCAA Tournament. The four-day stretch of the opening week is the best four-day span for many sports fans, especially when witnessing some of the most unforgettable upsets in NCAA Tournament history. Middle Tennessee v. Michigan State – 2016 Michigan State fans love to classify the first quarter of the new year as “January, February, Izzo, April” because of the years of success their legendary coach, Tom Izzo, has had over the past two dec- ades. After cruising through the Big 10 Tournament a week before the “big dance” started, many prog- nosticators firmly believed that Lansing’s finest couldmake another run. Sadly, for the 22%of those who participated in the March Madness Challenge in 2016, their national champion got ousted in the first round by the 15th-seeded Middle Tennessee. Saint Peters v. Kentucky – 2022 If there is one thing we know about March Mad- ness, it’s that people love a good upset when it comes at the expense of one of the sport’s major villains. So, when Saint Peters took down the one- and-done kings of Kentucky, everyone was happy to see it, sans Big Blue Nation. The stink from that loss still seems to affect the Wildcats, as John Calipari’s squad has been a roller coaster ride all season long. Saint Peters’ mirac- ulous run met its demise with a 20-point loss to the Tar Heels, but they defeated Kentucky, Murray State, and Purdue on their way there. George Mason v. Connecticut – 2006 Before it became trendy for a double-digit seed to make the Final Four, George Mason was the first to do it and captivate the nation. No one could have predicted a small school from Fairfax, VA, would have defeated three schools with multiple na- tional championships, particularly after the team squeaked in on the bubble. The 11th-seeded Patriots started their party by beating Tom Izzo and a weaker Michigan State squad. After they made mincemeat of the Spar- tans, they humbled Roy Williams’s North Carolina Tar Heels. In Sweet 16, they ran into and defeat- ed another mid-major darling, the Wichita State Shockers. In the regional final, George Mason saw the unan- imous favorite, the Connecticut Huskies. So, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that UConn would punch its ticket to Final Four. However, George Mason slayed the big bad wolves to be- come the first #11 seed to make the Final Four since LSU did it in 1986. UMBC v. Virginia – 2018 Heading into the 2018 tournament, the Virginia Cavaliers were, reluctantly, the top-seeded team. We say reluctantly because they earned the right as the top dog because of their stellar defense. When Tony Bennett’s kids took the lead, they would hold onto it. But UVA was in big trouble if they ever fell behind, which happened against the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in the first round. Not only did the Retrievers become the first #16 seed to beat the #1 ranked team in the tournament, but they also wiped the floor with them, winning 74-54 thanks to shooting 54.2% from the field and 12/24 from behind the arc. Time will tell if we can add another of the most un- forgettable upsets in the NCAA tournament this season. But it’s less likely we’ll see any school steal Saint Peters’ thunder from a year ago. 9