Ranking the eight No. 15 vs No. 2 upsets in March Madness history

1. Middle Tennessee: 90, Michigan State: 81 (2016)

The most recent of the eight upsets in the No. 15 vs. No. 2 matchup is also the greatest in the history of March Madness. Though some might write this off as recency bias, just about everything that the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders were able to do in the First Round of 2016 March Madness against the Michigan State Spartans was absolutely incredible.

For starters, you first have to consider the fact that many people around college basketball considered the Spartans to be one of the most likely contenders to win the title this season. However, Middle Tennessee jumped out to an early lead with sharp shooting from beyond the arc, including making sure that the momentum stayed in their favor at the end of the first half with a four-point play on a truly absurd and equally impressive shot. That the Blue Raiders were able to do that right out of the gate against a team like Michigan State speaks volumes in itself.

What’s more impressive, though, is that Middle Tennessee showed tremendous composure down the stretch when the Spartans were attempting to come back. They hit big shots, protected the ball, and even shut down one of the best players in the country in Denzel Valentine. This was a master-class effort by Middle Tennessee and, given everything, it’s the top upset in the No. 15 vs. No. 2 matchup ever.