15 biggest NCAA Tournament upsets of all time

13. No. 15 Norfolk State over No. 2 Missouri, 86-84 (2012, first round)

In terms of the point spread, the Norfolk State Spartans topping the Missouri Tigers in the First Round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament is among the “biggest” upsets in the history of March Madness. Entering this game, the Spartans were 21.5-point underdogs to the Tigers, who were a pick by many to make a deep run into the tournament. Instead, the Spartans defied the odds in a massive way.

What’s fascinating about the Norfolk State upset is that they gave Missouri plenty of opportunities to win on the day. The Spartans, playing in their first-ever tournament in Division I, did not play great defense on the day. They forced the Tigers into just eight turnovers while also allowing Phil Pressey and the Mizzou to shoot 52.7 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from 3-point range.

On top of that, missed free throws down the stretch put the game into question right up until the final buzzer. After a timeout with 2.9 seconds left with the score at 86-84 in favor of Norfolk State, Pressey got a look at a potential game-winner from long range, but saw it miss to secure the upset for the Spartans.

How Norfolk State picked up the win was by simply playing the game of their lives. Not only did big man Kyle O’Quinn go off for 26 points and 14 rebounds, but the Spartans as a whole shot 54.2 percent from the floor and a blistering 10-of-19 from long range. They played a phenomenal offensive game, which they needed to so to pick up the upset victory.