Biggest NCAA Tournament Upset(s)?

[ucbart]

And, I can't believe Tennessee blowing a lead against Michigan State in the 2005 FF isn't mentioned more.

Michigan State was a 5 seed and Tennessee had a SIXTEEN point lead in the second half.

 

[Phil]

And, I can't believe Tennessee blowing a lead against Michigan State in the 2005 FF isn't mentioned more.

Michigan State was a 5 seed and Tennessee had a SIXTEEN point lead in the second half.

That was a day for upsets.

I remember it well, as I was in attendance in Indianapolis.

As you mentioned, Tennessee had a huge lead in the second half and blew it.

But the first game of these evening was also an upset, only a little less dramatic. Number one seed LSU took on number two seed Baylor, and was up 24 – 9 with just under eight minutes left in the first half. They had a 15 point lead. Baylor came back and tied it up at halftime. LSU retook the lead and was up by six in the second half, then Baylor came back and took a one point lead with just over six minutes to go. LSU would only score 6 more points in the game against 16 by Baylor.

SEC fans started out the night in fine fettle with two teams in the final four and a likelihood that two SEC teams would meet in the championship game. Instead both SEC teams laid an egg.

I'm sure there have been teams who have overcome more than a 15 point lead, but I'm guessing this is the only time two teams overcame a 15 or more point lead on the same day in the semi finals.

 

[triaddukefan]

I seem to recall that fairly recently some lowly upstart #2 seed beat three straight #1 seeds on the way to a national championship. The name of the team escapes me though.

Well one of the #1 seeds played without the National Player of the Year so that comes with an asterisk.

Don't jump on me.....That's how it's done on the BY... Giving out asterisks and stuff .

 

[triaddukefan]

Every fan of WCBB was rooting for NC State by that point in the season as that version of the Wolfpack Women really started playing high-level basketball once Yow returned to the bench in what would turn out to be Kay Yow's final run to the Sweet 16.

You ain't never lied. Duke led most of the game, but as it got into crunch time .. I looked around and saw that it was probably 95% of the coliseum was rooting for State. You had the Chapel Hill section seated next to the Maryland section hooting and hollering for State. I've been to countless wbb games at the Coliseum, but that might have been the loudest ive heard it when the clock struck zero .

Even though we lost it was a tremendous atmosphere for wbb. Maybe the biggest crowd to ever watch a ACC tournament game...Duke was undefeated and ranked #1, Chapel Hill was #2, Defending NCAA camps Maryland was #6 and State was top 20. Between games, the ACC honored Coach Yow, so it was very memorable afternoon all around.
.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

To me, if you're an actual WBB fan that knows the game, picking MSU over UCONN in the FF as the biggest upset is lazy. Every single UCONN fan knew that team was flawed and had no business being that good. They lost 3 AA, the greatest winner in WBB history and were coming off 4 straight titles. To think this was some monumental upset is a slap in the face of how good that Mississippi State team was.

It's hard for SCar fans to picture that particular team as a threat...ergo huge upset.

 

[bballnut90]

And, I can't believe Tennessee blowing a lead against Michigan State in the 2005 FF isn't mentioned more.

Michigan State was a 5 seed and Tennessee had a SIXTEEN point lead in the second half.

Michigan State was a #1 seed. Tennessee was probably favored coming in, but I wouldn't classify it as an upset. More that it was a massive comeback.

 

[bballnut90]

To me, if you're an actual WBB fan that knows the game, picking MSU over UCONN in the FF as the biggest upset is lazy. Every single UCONN fan knew that team was flawed and had no business being that good. They lost 3 AA, the greatest winner in WBB history and were coming off 4 straight titles. To think this was some monumental upset is a slap in the face of how good that Mississippi State team was.

How's it lazy? UCONN was undefeated and had trounced virtually everyone all year long and was a 23 point favorite. No one thought Mississippi State had a prayer. It was a monumental upset and changed the course of women's basketball as it ended UCONN's death grip on the sport.

 

[bballnut90]

To who? I remember picking Ohio State in my main bracket and it was a common topic brought up by the TV pundits leading up to the game. While a majority thought that UConn would win that game, it wasn't thought as an impossibility.

It definitely wasn't a huge upset in the context of the season. The fact that it was UCONN losing in the Sweet 16 though makes it a rarity.

The bigger recent UCONN upset was Arizona beating them rather easily in the Final Four in 2021.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Michigan State was a #1 seed. Tennessee was probably favored coming in, but I wouldn't classify it as an upset. More that it was a massive comeback.

It was a massive comeback and Michigan State won fair and square but the LVs had Parker, Wiley-Gatewood, Fuller, and Spencer on the bench injured. Two or three of those would have been starters. I have posted repeated I will always believe UT wins the title if those four are healthy. Unfortunately injuries happen.

 

[bballnut90]

It was a massive comeback and Michigan State won fair and square but the LVs had Parker, Wiley-Gatewood, Fuller, and Spencer on the bench injured. Two or three of those would have been starters. I have posted repeated I will always believe UT wins the title if those four are healthy. Unfortunately injuries happen.

Agreed, the 2005 loss stung badly knowing how much they overcame and they still had the championship appearance on lock until Michigan State stormed back. The 2004-05 team was one of Pat's worst offensive teams of all time, they couldn't hit a shot to save their life down the stretch. Having Parker for the final 5 minutes and burning her freshman year would've been worth it to have her make a bucket considering she left after 3 years. That entire season was a saga of "will she or wont she play" and she ultimately didn't.

Wiley-Gatewood was one of the bigger disappointments as she missed almost all of her freshman season and killed the 2005-06 season when she quit after the first semester. Shortly after Tennessee's replacement point guard, Alexis Hornbuckle, went down with a hand injury that was essentially season ending. 6'4 Candace Parker was forced to play point and run the offense for much of the year and they still put together a solid season, but got a terrible draw in the NCAA tournament, facing #1 overall UNC in the Elite 8 despite being the top #2 seed. This was prior to S-curve era and they instead focused on regional location. Had a true seedings based S-curve been followed, they would've ended up in Maryland's spot and had a cake walk to the Final Four.

 

[choochoo]

I can’t see this year’s Tennessee knocking off a two seed

Not happening! they quit on their coach about 7 games ago. The Vols have some big issues.