With Miami's 27-point win over #1 Duke last night, I wondered what the largest defeats by #1 teams in the tournament have been.
The following are the largest margin of defeat for teams that were ranked #1 in the AP Poll entering the tournament:
The largest margin of defeat for a #1 team in the Round of 32 is UCLA over #1 DePaul 77-71 in 1980. That game is also the largest margin of defeat for an unranked team over a #1 team.
Between 2006 and 2009, the #1 team was defeated by 8 or more points each year. Only one other time in tournament history had there even been consecutive years in which the #1 team lost by 8 or more points (1959 and 1960).
The following are the largest margin of defeat for teams that were ranked #1 in the AP Poll entering the tournament:
- #2 UCLA defeated #1 Houston 101-69 (32 points) in 1968 National Semifinals
- #4 Kansas defeated #1 North Carolina 84-66 (18 points) in 2008 National Semifinals
- #9 Marquette defeated #1 Kentucky 83-69 (14 points) in 2003 Elite Eight
- #2 Cincinnati defeated #1 Ohio State 71-59 (12 points) in 1962 National Championship
- #8 Michigan State defeated #1 Louisville 64-52 (12 points) in 2009 Elite Eight
- #3 Michigan State defeated #1 Indiana State 75-64 (11 points) in 1979 National Championship
- #2 UCLA defeated #1 Michigan 91-80 (11 points) in 1965 National Championship
- #5 Duke defeated #1 Temple 63-53 (10 points) in 1988 Elite Eight
- #5 Cincinnati defeated #1 Kansas State 85-75 (10 points) in 1959 Elite Eight
The largest margin of defeat for a #1 team in the Round of 32 is UCLA over #1 DePaul 77-71 in 1980. That game is also the largest margin of defeat for an unranked team over a #1 team.
Between 2006 and 2009, the #1 team was defeated by 8 or more points each year. Only one other time in tournament history had there even been consecutive years in which the #1 team lost by 8 or more points (1959 and 1960).