NCAA March Madness 2019: Which seeds are most likely to pull off a Cinderella story?

The excitement, the thrill, the disappointment, the buzzer-beating shots – March Madness has arrived.

As teams have finished up the regular NCAA basketball season and conference tournaments start to wrap up, the field of 68 will be finalised and include both top-tier teams as well as the small school Cinderellas such as the University of Maryland Baltimore College (UMBC). UMBC pulled off one of the most amazing upsets of all-time in any sport after knocking off tournament favourite and number one seed Virginia Cavaliers last season as a 16th seed.

While brackets are being filled out with the top teams, these Cinderellas will make their presence felt from day one of the NCAA Tournament, with their impact felt throughout the entire tournament. As the field is set, we will get a feel of which teams might pull off that magical shot to knock off a top-ranked team in the opening round, or what number 7-12 seeded team is likely to make a deep run throughout the tournament. For now, as we sit back and wait for the field to round itself out, here is a look at how the underdog teams have fared during March Madness.

16-Seeds

Until the 2018 NCAA Season, no 16-seed had ever knocked off a number one seed. UMBC Golden Gophers now sit as the only team to accomplish this amazing accomplishment.

15-Seeds

Since 1985, eight schools ranked 15th in the NCAA tournament have knocked off a number two seed, with Middle Tennessee accomplishing the feat during the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Along with Middle Tennessee, both Lehigh and Norfolk State pulled off the accomplishment during the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Other 15th ranked teams to pull off this accomplishment include Hampton (2001), Coppin State (1997), Santa Clara (1993) and Richmond (1991), while Florida Gulf Coast picked up wins in both the first and second rounds to advance to the Sweet 16 back in 2013.

14-Seeds

Twenty-one 14-seeds have moved on to the second round, with the last upset coming back during the 2016 NCAA Tournament. In the tournament, Stephen F. Austin knocked off West Virginia 57-56 to move on to the second round of the tournament. Along with Stephen F. Austin, other teams to pull off the accomplishment include Georgia State (2015), UAB (2015), Mercer (2014), Harvard (2013), Ohio (2010), Northwestern State (2006), Bucknell (2005), Weber State (1999), Richmond (1998), Chattanooga (1997), Old Dominion (1995), Weber State (1995), East Tennessee State (1992, Xavier (1991), Northern Iowa (1990), Siena (1989), Murray State (1988), Austin Peay (1987), Cleveland Stata (1986) and Arkansas Little Rock (1986). In addition, both Cleveland State (1986) and Chattanooga (1997) advanced to the field of 16.

13-Seeds

Twenty-eight total teams at 13-seed have advanced from the first two days of March Madness to play on for a chance to win the National Championship, including both Marshall and Buffalo pulling off the feat during the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Of the 28 teams, only La Salle (2013), Ohio (2012), Bradley (2006), Oklahoma (1999), Valparasio (1998) and Richmond (1988) have advanced on to the Sweet 16.

12-Seeds

In terms of 12-seeds, 47 teams have advanced to the field of 32 since 1985, while 19 of those teams have moved on to the Sweet 16. During the 2002 NCAA Tournament, Missouri became the first school to advance on to the Elite Eight after defeating #5 Miami 93-80 in the first round, #4 Ohio State 83-67 in the second round and #8 UCLA 82-73 in the Sweet 16. The run would end in the Elite Eight as Missouri would fall to #2 Oklahoma 81-75.

11-Seeds

Fifty-one 11-seed teams have advanced to the field of 32 stages of the NCAA Tournament. Of that group, 14 teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 and four additional teams have advanced to the Elite Eight. Of the 51 teams, only four teams have advanced to the Final Four with Loyola of Chicago pulling off the accomplishment during last years National Tournament. The other three teams include VCU during the 2011 NCAA Tournament, George Mason in 2006 and LSU in 1986.

10-Seeds

Amongst those ranked as 10th seeds, 54 teams have advanced to the field of 32 of the NCAA tournament, with only the Syracuse Orange during the 2016 NCAA Tournament moving on to the Final Four.

While no double-digit seeded team has ever won a National Title, the 1984-85 Villanova Wildcats ranked as an 8-seed and the 2013-14 Connecticut Huskies as a 7-seed won the National Title. For now, we wait for the field of 64 to be drawn but the question now is which Cinderella team during the 2019 NCAA Tournament will pull off that magical upset.