Mixing March Madness and Sadness: #1 Seeds Knocked Out of Bracket Early

No one in 135 years saw "Miracle So Nice" coming after Maryland-Baltimore County lost at Albany by 44 points fewer than two months earlier. For all the bitter disappointment experienced by fans of a highly-ranked team bowing out of the provocative NCAA Tournament, there is an equal amount of euphoria emanating from supporters of the victor. The range of disparate emotions is one of the reasons there is such a fascination with upsets because nothing is guaranteed as evidenced by a power team knocked off its high horse by a darkhorse.

Until 20 1/2-point underdog UMBC blew out Virginia by 20 points this year, the ultimate in March Madness materialized in 1993 when Arizona, ranked fifth by AP, was stunned in the first round of the West Regional by Santa Clara (64-61). In terms of point spreads, it was the biggest upset in NCAA playoff history in the 20th Century because Santa Clara was a 20-point underdog. Norfolk State subsequently ignored a 21 1/2-point margin to knock off Missouri.

A total of 25 No. 1 seeds, including DePaul three straight years from 1980 through 1982, failed to reach the regional semifinals since seeding was introduced in 1979. Villanova, bowing out in this category twice in three seasons earlier this decade, was the sixth #1 seed in eight-year span - losing by an average of fewer than three points - joining the following crestfallen top-seeded teams prior to UMBC's clobbering of the Cavaliers and Xavier squandering second-half, double-digit lead against Florida State: