The biggest NCAA Tournament opening-round upsets of all time

Just before the tournament started, Virginia announced it lost guard De'Andre Hunter to a wrist injury. His loss had a bigger impact than anticipated, as the Cavaliers were shocked by UMBC, 74-54, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Virginia became the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament. Of course, the Cavaliers rebounded to win the national championship in 2019.

Behind head coach Dıck Tarrant, Richmond took down Jim Boeheim's Syracuse squad, 73-69, in Maryland, marking it the first time that a No. 15 seed ever won in the NCAA Tournament. The Spiders lost in the second round to No. 10 Temple.

Led by Steve Nash, Santa Clara beat the 19.5-point favorites, 64-61. Like Richmond before it, Santa Clara lost to Temple in the second round. Arizona's loss was the second straight year it was knocked out in the first round, previously losing as a No. 14 seed. Arizona came back the following year to reach the Final Four.

Coppin State beat South Carolina handily in 1997 by 13 points in what is still the school's only NCAA Tournament win in history.

Hampton's victory gave us one of the most famous sights during tournament time, with the image of head coach Steve Merfeld being held up with his legs outstretched after his school's first game — and win — in the NCAA Tournament. Hampton accomplished a one-point victory despite the presence of Iowa State All-American guard Jamaal Tinsley.

Missouri's senior-laden roster was coming off a Big 12 Tournament Championship but was overmatched inside by center Kyle O'Quinn. Norfolk State won, 86-84, after leading for most of the game.

Just hours after No. 2-seeded Missouri lost, Duke did the same. Lehigh had a future NBA talent in C.J. McCollum, but it still seemed like an improbable scenario that it could take down Duke. The Mountain Hawks did just that with a 75-70 win.

The upstart Eagles introduced themselves to the basketball world with a shocking 78-68 win over Georgetown. Head coach Andy Enfield's high-flying style helped the team reach the Sweet 16, where it lost to Florida. Enfield took the head coaching job at USC following his squad's run.

Heading into the 2016 NCAA Tournament, Michigan State was garnering lots of talk as a potential Final Four team. Instead, Tom Izzo's squad became just the eighth two seed to lose its first NCAA Tournament game, as Middle Tennessee easily handled the Spartans, 90-81. All five starters for the Blue Raiders scored double digits, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in history.

The 1986 team certainly wasn't coach Bobby Knight's best, but the first-round ouster to Cleveland State, 83-79, was still a complete shock. The Hoosiers came back to win the national championship in 1987.

Bob Knight wasn't the only notable coach whose team was upset in the '86 NCAA Tournament. Digger Phelps' Notre Dame Fighting Irish lost to Arkansas-Little Rock, 90-83, as three Trojans scored more than 20 points, led by Pete Myers' 29.

Illinois fell to Austin Peay, 68-67, in the Governors' first tournament win since 1973. Austin Peay lost to Providence in overtime the next round.

Murray State got its first NCAA Tournament win by beating N.C. State. The loss was a shock for the Wolfpack after consecutive Elite Eight appearances.

Siena defeated Stanford, 80-78, following a 15-3 Pac-10 season for the Cardinal. The tournament game was Siena's first ever.

Missouri had one of its most successful regular seasons, entering the NCAA Tournament with a 23-6 record and as a three seed. That all came crashing down when Northern Iowa's Maurice Newby hit an improbable buzzer-beater from deep to send coach Norm Stewart and the Tigers home.

Nowadays Xavier is a March staple, often earning strong seeds, but in 1991, the Musketeers were heavy underdogs against Nebraska. It didn't matter, as they defeated the Cornhuskers, 89-84, to advance.

East Tennessee State beat Arizona, 87-80. It was the team's fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance but its first and only win over that time span. The Buccaneers haven't won an NCAA Tournament game since.

Michigan State head coach Jud Heathcote stepped down after losing to Weber State, an embarrassing loss after a 14-4 conference season. Weber State lost to Georgetown in the second round.

Old Dominion wasn't the only No. 14 seed to pull off an upset in 1995, joining Weber State. Its win came in thrilling fashion with an 89-81 triple-overtime victory in what was only the school's second NCAA Tournament win ever.

The Mocs began their Cinderella run with a 73-70 win vs. Georgia before taking down Illinois in the second round.

Head coach John Beilein led Richmond to an NCAA Tournament victory in only his first season with the team. It was South Carolina's second consecutive first-round loss after losing to Coppin State as a No. 2 seed in 1997.

The Bill Guthridge era at North Carolina is often defined by this loss, but Weber State deserves credit. Star Harold Arceneaux had 36 points, and the Wildcats also took Florida to the brink in the second round of the tournament.

The Bison took down the Jayhawks, 64-63. While Kansas struggled late in the season, losing five of its final eight games, few expected Bucknell to have a chance vs. Big 12 Player of the Year Wayne Simien.

Northwestern State beat Iowa, 64-63, in only its second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Demons lost to West Virginia in the second round.

John Groce's squad upset Georgetown, 97-83, getting its first NCAA Tournament win since 1983. Ohio lost handily to Tennessee in the second round.

Making its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, Tommy Amaker's Harvard squad beat New Mexico, 68-62, before losing to Arizona in the following round. The win was the school's first in the tournament. It was also New Mexico coach Steve Alford's second loss as a No. 3 seed, previously losing with Iowa.

Only two years after Duke lost as a No. 2 seed, the Blue Devils were ousted again in the first round of the tournament as a high seed. Mercer defeated Duke 78-71.

Georgia State was outsized by Baylor but still claimed victory, 57-56, with head coach Ron Hunter tearing his Achilles and son R.J. Hunter draining the game-winning shot with 2.8 seconds left.

UAB claimed an NCAA Tournament berth after winning the Conference USA Tournament. The Blazers weren't given much of a chance vs. Fred Hoiberg's talented team but won the game, 60-59.

As a 14 seed, Stephen F. Austin wasn't given much of a chance to defeat three-seed West Virginia in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Enter Thomas Walkup, who became a first-round darling. Walkup led the Lumberjacks to a decisive 70-56 victory, putting up 33 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four assists. He was brilliant in the second game against Notre Dame as well, notching 21 points, five rebounds, five assists and a block, but his team came up just short, losing 76-75.