It was perhaps the best lock in all of sports — until it wasn’t. A No. 16 seed had never defeated a No. 1 seed in March Madness until UMBC shocked the world by toppling Virginia in 2018. Then, it happened again this year when Fairleigh Dickinson unbelievably defeated Purdue.
16 SEED FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UPSETS 1 SEED PURDUE.
— Cooper Watson (@coopertwatson) March 18, 2023
Even more shocking than UMBC over Virginia, IMO. FDU didn't even win its conference tourney and had to win a First Four game just to get here. Seeded dead last by the Committee. The smallest team in the country vs. Zach Edey,… https://t.co/XIStMFM2KH
Outside of those anomalies, there haven’t been too many close calls in the past number of years either. In fact, just nine times since 2001 has a No. 16 finished within 10 points of a top seed.
In 2018, two 16 seeds kept it close, as Xavier failed to cover and Virginia lost outright to UMBC in what was arguably the biggest upset in NCAA basketball history at the time. In 2019, Virginia trailed Gardner-Webb 36-30 at halftime but rallied in the second half to win 71-56. Last year, in 2022, the “closest” 1 vs 16 battle was Wright State’s 17-point loss to top-seeded Arizona.
2023 1 vs 16 Seed Matchups
This year’s 1 vs 16 matchups saw an unexpected upset. Here are the final outcomes:
South: No. 1 Alabama vs No. 16 TAMU-CC, Alabama wins 96-75 & TAMU-CC covers +23.5 spread
East: No. 1 Purdue vs No. 16 FDU, FDU wins 63-58 & covers +23 spread
West: No. 1 Kansas vs No. 16 Howard, Kansas wins 96-68 & Kansas covers -22 spread
Midwest: No. 1 Houston vs No. 16 Northern Kentucky, Houston wins 63-52 & Northern Kentucky covers +19 spread
What Seed Has The Recent ATS Edge?
While 1 vs 16 first-round matchups have primarily been blowouts historically in March Madness, bettors have found little solace in backing the higher seed recently. Since 2014, No. 16 seeds have covered the spread 20 times in 36 games with 2014 and 2023 being banner years for 16 seeds as they covered three of four games.
Close Calls
Prior to Virginia’s 2018 debacle, the closest a No. 1 seed had ever come to being upset by a No. 16 seed came in 1989 when Georgetown edged Princeton 50-49. Two years later, Michigan State topped Murray State 75-71, and Purdue held off Western Carolina 73-71 in 1996.
The top seed has captured 25 national titles overall dating back to 1985. Over the past 16 years, a No. 1 seed has won the NCAA championship 12 times, including Kansas’ 2022 triumph.
Seed vs Seed Stats: 1 vs 16 | 2 vs 15 | 3 vs 14 | 4 vs 13 | 5 vs 12 | 6 vs 11 | 7 vs 10 | 8 vs 9
| #1 Seed | Score | #16 Seed | Score | Date | ATS Win | Win Seed | ATS Seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 96 | TAMU-CC | 75 | 2023-03-16 | TAMU-CC | 1 | 16 |
| Purdue | 58 | FDU | 63 | 2023-03-17 | FDU | 16 | 16 |
| Kansas | 96 | Howard | 68 | 2023-03-16 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| Houston | 63 | Northern Kentucky | 52 | 2023-03-17 | Northern Kentucky | 1 | 16 |
| Gonzaga | 93 | Georgia State | 72 | 2022-03-17 | Georgia State | 1 | 16 |
| Baylor | 85 | Norfolk State | 49 | 2022-03-17 | Baylor | 1 | 1 |
| Arizona | 87 | Wright State | 70 | 2022-03-18 | Wright State | 1 | 16 |
| Kansas | 83 | Texas Southern | 56 | 2022-03-17 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| Illinois | 78 | Drexel | 49 | 2021-03-19 | Illinois | 1 | 1 |
| Baylor | 79 | Hartford | 55 | 2021-03-19 | Hartford | 1 | 16 |
| Michigan | 82 | Texas Southern | 66 | 2021-03-20 | Texas Southern | 1 | 16 |
| Gonzaga | 98 | Norfolk State | 55 | 2021-03-20 | Gonzaga | 1 | 1 |
| Gonzaga | 87 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 49 | 2019-03-21 | Gonzaga | 1 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 88 | Iona | 73 | 2019-03-22 | Iona | 1 | 16 |
| Duke | 85 | North Dakota State | 62 | 2019-03-22 | Iona | 1 | 16 |
| Virginia | 71 | Gardner-Webb | 56 | 2019-03-22 | Gardner-Webb | 1 | 16 |
| Villanova | 87 | Radford | 61 | 2018-03-15 | Villanova | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 76 | Penn | 60 | 2018-03-15 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| Virginia | 54 | UMBC | 74 | 2018-03-16 | UMBC | 16 | 16 |
| Xavier | 102 | Texas Southern | 83 | 2018-03-16 | Texas Southern | 1 | 16 |
| Villanova | 76 | Mount St. Mary’s | 56 | 2017-03-16 | Villanova | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 100 | UC Davis | 62 | 2017-03-17 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| Gonzaga | 66 | South Dakota State | 46 | 2017-03-16 | South Dakota State | 1 | 16 |
| North Carolina | 103 | Texas Southern | 64 | 2017-03-16 | North Carolina | 1 | 1 |
| Virginia | 81 | Hampton | 45 | 2016-03-17 | Virginia | 1 | 1 |
| Oregon | 91 | Holy Cross | 52 | 2016-03-18 | Oregon | 1 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 83 | Florida Gulf Coast | 67 | 2016-03-17 | Florida Gulf Coast | 1 | 16 |
| Kansas | 105 | Austin Peay | 79 | 2016-03-17 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| Kentucky | 79 | Hampton | 56 | 2015-03-19 | Hampton | 1 | 16 |
| Wisconsin | 86 | Coastal Carolina | 72 | 2015-03-20 | Coastal Carolina | 1 | 16 |
| Villanova | 93 | Lafayette | 52 | 2015-03-19 | Villanova | 1 | 1 |
| Duke | 85 | Robert Morris | 56 | 2015-03-20 | Duke | 1 | 1 |
| Virginia | 70 | Coastal Carolina | 59 | 2014-03-21 | Coastal Carolina | 1 | 16 |
| Wichita State | 64 | Cal Poly | 37 | 2014-03-21 | Wichita State | 1 | 1 |
| Arizona | 68 | Weber State | 59 | 2014-03-21 | Weber State | 1 | 16 |
| Florida | 67 | Albany | 55 | 2014-03-20 | Albany | 1 | 16 |
| Kansas | 64 | Western Kentucky | 57 | 2013-03-22 | Western Kentucky | 1 | 16 |
| Indiana | 83 | James Madison | 62 | 2013-03-22 | James Madison | 1 | 16 |
| Louisville | 79 | North Carolina A&T | 48 | 2013-03-21 | Louisville | 1 | 1 |
| Gonzaga | 64 | Southern | 58 | 2013-03-21 | Southern | 1 | 16 |
| Michigan State | 89 | Long Island | 67 | 2012-03-16 | Michigan State | 1 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 77 | Vermont | 58 | 2012-03-16 | North Carolina | 1 | 1 |
| Kentucky | 81 | Western Kentucky | 66 | 2012-03-15 | Western Kentucky | 1 | 16 |
| Syracuse | 72 | UNC Asheville | 65 | 2012-03-15 | UNC Asheville | 1 | 16 |
| Kansas | 72 | Boston University | 53 | 2011-03-18 | Boston University | 1 | 16 |
| Ohio State | 75 | Texas-San Antonio | 46 | 2011-03-18 | Ohio State | 1 | 1 |
| Duke | 87 | Hampton | 45 | 2011-03-18 | Duke | 1 | 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 74 | UNC Asheville | 51 | 2011-03-17 | Pittsburgh | 1 | 1 |
| Syracuse | 79 | Vermont | 56 | 2010-03-19 | Syracuse | 1 | 1 |
| Duke | 73 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 44 | 2010-03-19 | Duke | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 90 | Lehigh | 74 | 2010-03-18 | Lehigh | 1 | 16 |
| Kentucky | 100 | East Tennessee State | 71 | 2010-03-18 | Kentucky | 1 | 1 |
| Louisville | 74 | Morehead State | 54 | 2009-03-20 | Morehead State | 1 | 16 |
| Pittsburgh | 72 | East Tennessee State | 62 | 2009-03-20 | East Tennessee State | 1 | 16 |
| Connecticut | 103 | Chattanooga | 47 | 2009-03-19 | Connecticut | 1 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 101 | Radford | 58 | 2009-03-19 | North Carolina | 1 | 1 |
| Memphis | 87 | Texas-Arlington | 63 | 2008-03-21 | Texas-Arlington | 1 | 16 |
| North Carolina | 113 | Mount St. Mary’s | 74 | 2008-03-21 | North Carolina | 1 | 1 |
| UCLA | 70 | Miss Valley State | 29 | 2008-03-20 | UCLA | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 85 | Portland State | 61 | 2008-03-20 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| Florida | 112 | Jackson State | 69 | 2007-03-16 | Florida | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 107 | Niagara | 67 | 2007-03-16 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 86 | Eastern Kentucky | 65 | 2007-03-15 | Eastern Kentucky | 1 | 16 |
| Ohio State | 78 | Cent Conn State | 57 | 2007-03-15 | Ohio State | 1 | 1 |
| Connecticut | 72 | Albany | 59 | 2006-03-17 | Albany | 1 | 16 |
| Villanova | 58 | Monmouth | 45 | 2006-03-17 | Monmouth | 1 | 16 |
| Memphis | 94 | Oral Roberts | 78 | 2006-03-17 | Memphis | 1 | 1 |
| Duke | 70 | Southern | 54 | 2006-03-16 | Southern | 1 | 16 |
| Duke | 57 | Delaware State | 46 | 2005-03-18 | Delaware State | 1 | 16 |
| North Carolina | 96 | Oakland | 68 | 2005-03-18 | PUSH | 1 | |
| Illinois | 67 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 55 | 2005-03-17 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 1 | 16 |
| Washington | 88 | Montana | 77 | 2005-03-17 | Montana | 1 | 16 |
| Kentucky | 96 | Florida A&M | 76 | 2004-03-19 | Florida A&M | 1 | 16 |
| Duke | 96 | Alabama State | 61 | 2004-03-18 | Duke | 1 | 1 |
| Stanford | 71 | Texas-San Antonio | 45 | 2004-03-18 | Stanford | 1 | 1 |
| Saint Joseph’s | 82 | Liberty | 63 | 2004-03-18 | Liberty | 1 | 16 |
| Kentucky | 95 | IUPUI | 64 | 2003-03-21 | Kentucky | 1 | 1 |
| Texas | 82 | UNC Asheville | 61 | 2003-03-21 | UNC Asheville | 1 | 16 |
| Arizona | 80 | Vermont | 51 | 2003-03-20 | Arizona | 1 | 1 |
| Oklahoma | 71 | South Carolina State | 54 | 2003-03-20 | South Carolina State | 1 | 16 |
| Cincinnati | 90 | Boston University | 52 | 2002-03-15 | Cincinnati | 1 | 1 |
| Maryland | 85 | Siena | 70 | 2002-03-15 | Siena | 1 | 16 |
| Duke | 84 | Winthrop | 37 | 2002-03-14 | Duke | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 70 | Holy Cross | 59 | 2002-03-14 | Holy Cross | 1 | 16 |
| Illinois | 96 | Northwestern State | 54 | 2001-03-16 | Illinois | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan State | 69 | Alabama State | 35 | 2001-03-16 | Michigan State | 1 | 1 |
| Stanford | 89 | UNC Greensboro | 60 | 2001-03-15 | Stanford | 1 | 1 |
| Duke | 95 | Monmouth | 52 | 2001-03-15 | Duke | 1 | 1 |
| Duke | 82 | Lamar | 55 | 2000-03-17 | Lamar | 1 | 16 |
| Stanford | 84 | South Carolina State | 65 | 2000-03-17 | South Carolina State | 1 | 16 |
| Arizona | 71 | Jackson State | 47 | 2000-03-16 | Jackson State | 1 | 16 |
| Michigan State | 65 | Valparaiso | 38 | 2000-03-16 | Michigan State | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan State | 76 | Mount St. Mary’s | 53 | 1999-03-12 | Mount St. Mary’s | 1 | 16 |
| Duke | 99 | Florida A&M | 58 | 1999-03-12 | Florida A&M | 1 | 16 |
| Auburn | 80 | Winthrop | 41 | 1999-03-11 | Auburn | 1 | 1 |
| Connecticut | 91 | Texas-San Antonio | 66 | 1999-03-11 | Texas-San Antonio | 1 | 16 |
| Kansas | 110 | Prairie View A&M | 52 | 1998-03-13 | Kansas | 1 | 1 |
| Duke | 99 | Radford | 63 | 1998-03-13 | Duke | 1 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 88 | Navy | 52 | 1998-03-12 | North Carolina | 1 | 1 |
| Arizona | 99 | Nicholls State | 60 | 1998-03-12 | Arizona | 1 | 1 |
| Minnesota | 78 | Texas State | 46 | 1997-03-14 | Minnesota | 1 | 1 |
| Kentucky | 92 | Montana | 54 | 1997-03-13 | Kentucky | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 78 | Jackson State | 64 | 1997-03-13 | Jackson State | 1 | 16 |
| North Carolina | 82 | Fairfield | 74 | 1997-03-13 | Fairfield | 1 | 16 |
| Connecticut | 68 | Colgate | 59 | 1996-03-14 | Colgate | 1 | 16 |
| Massachusetts | 92 | Central Florida | 70 | 1996-03-14 | Central Florida | 1 | 16 |
| Kentucky | 110 | San Jose State | 72 | 1996-03-14 | Kentucky | 1 | 1 |
| Purdue | 73 | Western Carolina | 71 | 1996-03-14 | Western Carolina | 1 | 16 |
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March Madness 1 vs 16 Betting History
Where can I bet on the 1 vs 16 seed March Madness game?
You can bet on the 1 vs 16 seed matchup of the NCAAB national championship tournament at most popular sites to bet on March Madness. Odds Shark has compiled a comprehensive list of the best March Madness betting sites with in-depth reviews, analysis, and perks of each site for experienced bettors and casual fans.
How do I bet on the 1 vs 16 seed March Madness game?
If you are researching how to bet on the 1 vs 16 seed March Madness matchup, look no further than Odds Shark. We have put together an expert How To Bet on March Madness Guide that outlines how to read odds, the different betting formats available, and some March Madness betting strategy.
When was the last time a 16 seed beat a 1 seed in March Madness?
In 2023, Fairleigh Dickinson beat No. 1 seed Purdue 63-58 to register the second 16 vs 1 upset in March Madness history. The first happened in 2018 when the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) toppled No. 1 seed Virginia 74-54.