Because the title implies, March Insanity all the time delivers some degree of mayhem via the primary two rounds and past.
However no one might have predicted what we noticed within the opening weekend of this yr’s NCAA Match.
In simply 4 days, we noticed two No. 1 seeds go down – one to a No. 16 seed that made the event on a technicality and one other that misplaced within the second spherical lower than a yr after profitable all of it.
How’s that for some unbridled chaos?
Right here’s a take a look at the 5 greatest moneyline upsets from the primary weekend of this yr’s NCAA Match, with odds courtesy of BetMGM:
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No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson (+1600) over No. 1 Purdue
Fairleigh Dickinson’s surprising win over Purdue within the first spherical wasn’t simply the most important upset of this yr’s event.
It’s the most important upset in March Insanity historical past.
The Knights had been dealing as excessive as 25/1 at some retailers and had been priced as a 23.5-point underdog at BetMGM – simply the biggest unfold for any upset in NCAA Match historical past.
It’s much more surprising, contemplating that FDU was the smallest staff within the nation and in some way managed to corral 7-4 middle Zach Edey to tug off the monumental upset.
The win was solely the second by a No. 16 seed in March Insanity historical past, following UMBC’s historic victory over No. 1 seed Virginia in 2018.
This one was much more surprising, as FDU was profiled as one of many worst groups within the nation and didn’t even win its convention event.
No. 15 Princeton (+750) over No. 2 Arizona
This recreation will perpetually be ignored due to the historic nature of FDU’s win, however Princeton nonetheless managed to tug off one of many greatest upsets we’ve ever seen.
The Tigers had been 15.5-point underdogs towards Arizona heading into the primary spherical and had been catching 14.5 factors a couple of hours earlier than tip-off – making this the Tenth-biggest upset within the historical past of March Insanity, per BetMGM.
It was simply the eleventh time {that a} No. 15 seed has overwhelmed a No. 2 seed and marked the most important upset victory by an Ivy league staff for the reason that event expanded to 64 groups in 1985.
No. 15 Princeton (+225) over No. 7 Missouri
As if one historic upset wasn’t sufficient, Princeton doubled down on Saturday with one other stunner to grow to be the one double-digit seed on this yr’s Candy 16.
The Tigers had been technically 6.5-point underdogs towards Missouri however seemed like the higher staff from the opening tip, main for practically 38 of 40 minutes and utilizing a 13-2 run to tug away for good within the second half.
The win additionally propelled Princeton to the Candy 16 for the primary time at school historical past, one in every of simply two Ivy League colleges (2010 Cornell) to succeed in that stage for the reason that event expanded in ’85.
No. 13 seed Furman (+185) over No. 4 Virginia
The primary shocker of this yr’s event got here on the expense of Virginia, which added to its checkered event legacy with a last-second loss to Furman.
The Paladins trailed virtually your entire recreation and had been down by 12 factors halfway via the second half earlier than hitting six of their ultimate 11 makes an attempt from deep – together with the game-winner off a surprising Virginia turnover within the ultimate seconds.
Not solely was it Furman’s second-ever NCAA Match win, but it surely was additionally simply the fifth win within the first spherical by a Southern Convention staff in 38 tries and snapped a 26-year drought for SoCo groups seeded eleventh or worse.
No. 11 Pittsburgh (+165) over No. 6 Iowa State
This one doesn’t have the identical mid-major taste as the opposite huge upsets on this record, however Pittsburgh nonetheless proved oddsmakers flawed with its dominant win over Iowa State within the first spherical.
The Panthers barely outlasted Tuesday’s play-in recreation with Mississippi State, however they got here out scorching three days later towards Iowa State – racing to a 22-2 lead within the first half earlier than slowing down by halftime.
They finally pulled away with one other 10-0 run down the stretch to safe the fifth-biggest moneyline upset of the event up to now.
Honorable mentions
- No. 8 Arkansas (+145) over No. 1 Kansas
- No. 4 Tennessee (+145) over No. 5 Duke
- No. 7 Michigan State (+135) over No. 2 Marquette
- No. 10 Penn State (+135) over No. 7 Texas A&M
- No. 3 Kansas State (+130) over No. 6 Kentucky