Farthest a 13-Seed Has Gone in March Madness

In 2021, North Texas became one of the most recent No. 13 seeds to score an NCAA Tournament upset.
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Six No. 13 seeds have made it to the Sweet 16: 

  • 2013 – La Salle
  • 2012 – Ohio
  • 2006 – Bradley
  • 1999 – Oklahoma
  • 1998 – Valparaiso
  • 1988 – Richmond

The most recent 13-seed to reach the second weekend was La Salle in 2013, a First Four team that beat No. 13 seed Boise State, No. 4 seed Kansas State and No. 12 seed Ole Miss en route to a Sweet 16 appearance.

13-over-4 upsets have been on the rise in recent years. North Texas and Ohio both earned wins as No. 13 seeds in 2021, with the Bobcats eliminating reigning champion Virginia with its win. Yale eliminated Auburn in 2024.

However, that uptick in first-round victories hasn’t translated well to second-weekend appearances for the big underdogs.

 

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About the Author Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.