NCAA Upsets Quiz | NCAA Basketball

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Kentucky was stunned by which all African-American starting lineup team in the 1966 National Championship?

Answer: Texas Western

Texas Western, now known as UTEP, was coached by Don Haskins. It was the first time an all African-American starting lineup had ever won a national championship, upsetting legendary Adolph Rupp's all-white Kentucky squad, 72-65, and forever changing the landscape of college basketball.

2. In 1991, second seeded Syracuse was "Spider bitten" by a shocking first round defeat. Who beat the Orangemen?

Answer: Richmond

The Dick Tarrant led Richmond Spiders stunned No. 2 Syracuse, 73-69, in the opening round of the 1991 Tourney before falling to No. 10 Temple in the second round. It marked the first time a No. 2 seed had ever lost to a No. 15 seed in the opening round of the tournament.

3. During the 1998 dance, a father-son (or coach-player) duo "drew" up a great last second play and helped which team beat Ole Miss in the opening round of the tournament?

Answer: Valparaiso

With 2.5 seconds left on the clock, Jaime Sykes threw a 3/4 court pass from the baseline to Bill Jenkins, who made a touch pass to Bryce Drew, son of coach Homer Drew, to assist on a last second three-pointer. Valpo shocked the Rebs 70-69, as Drew went on to win an ESPY award for "Play of the Year" for his heroics.

4. Which Pacific Northwest school was a No. 14 seed and was led by Harold "The Show" Arceneaux, and their 76-74 upset of No. 3 North Carolina in 1999?

Answer: Weber State

Arceneaux's 36 points led the Big Sky Champion Wildcats to 76-74 win over the Tar Heels. UNC had not lost in the first round since 1980, when it fell to Texas A&M.

5. In 1996, defending champ UCLA was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament on a "Ivy League Classic" backdoor layup in the opening round. Who eliminated the Bruins?

Answer: Princeton

Princeton coach Pete Carril, who'd been so close to pulling off an NCAA upset in the past, finally got his due in a 43-41 upset over defending champ UCLA. Freshman Gabe Lewullis took a Steve Goodrich pass off a "classic" backdoor cut for a last second win. Of note, the Tigers shut out UCLA for the final six minutes of the game, rallying from seven down.

6. In 1987, it was Keith Smart who gave Indiana a national championship with a last second jump shot to beat Syracuse. However, in the 1988 tournament's opening round, he missed a crucial jumper with under a minute left that started a game-winning fastbreak in the other direction. Who knocked off the defending champion and fourth seeded Hoosiers?

Answer: Richmond

Smart's jumper with 20 seconds left missed, which led to a fastbreak bucket for Ken Atkinson to seal the No. 13 Spiders' 72-69 win. This marked the first time since 1981 that the defending champ had been eliminated in the opening round of the tournament the following year. Richmond advanced to the Sweet 16 after taking out Georgia Tech in the next round.

7. In 1986, this team lost three times to a conference foe and No. 1 Kentucky prior to their NCAA collision in the Regional Finals. What team stunned the top-seeded Wildcats in the Elite Eight and became the first double-digit seed to ever advance to the Final Four?

Answer: LSU

The 11th seeded LSU Tigers came out of the Southeast bracket after a 59-57 win over Kentucky at the Omni in Atlanta. LSU advanced to the Final Four by using Dale Brown's, "The Freak Defense", to puzzle Purdue, Memphis State, Georgia Tech, and Kentucky, in the teams four tournament wins.

8. In 1993, Arizona became the second No. 2 seed to ever lose to a No. 15 seed, when it fell to Steve Nash and company in the opening round. Which team spelled the 'Cats demise?

Answer: Santa Clara

The 15th-seeded Broncos were 20 point underdogs against Arizona, who they faced in the first round of the West Regional in Salt Lake City. Santa Clara, described by the St. Louis Post Dispatch as "a motley jumble of eggheads, surfers, and imports", survived a second half run of 25 straight points by the No. 2 seeded and fifth-ranked Wildcats to win, 64-61.

9. In the 1994 tournament, which team ended North Carolina's streak of 13 straight Sweet Sixteen appearances, and dashed the Heels' hopes of repeating as National Champs behind All-Big East performer Bill Curley?

Answer: Boston College

Ninth-seeded Boston College, behind Bill Curley and Howard Eisley, stunned top-seeded and defending champ North Carolina, 75-72, in the second round. The Eagles would advance to the Elite Eight before losing to No. 3 Florida. The other incorrect answers, Arkansas and Arizona, were two of the other Final Four participants in 1994. Duke was the fourth.

10. In the 1985 National Championship, Georgetown was denied a title again when which familiar foe that made all but one second half shot, shooting 78% from the field for the game, en route to a 66-64 upset?

Answer: Villanova

Eighth-seeded Villanova became the lowest seed to ever win the NCAA Tournament by putting on a virtuoso shooting performance against the Hoyas. The Wildcats had never cracked the Top 20 during the season, and had lost twice to the defending champs in regular season play.

11. During the 2002 Big Dance, this Mid-American Conference team took out No. 7 Oklahoma State (69-61) and No. 2 Alabama (71-58) in the opening rounds, and then "flashed" past third-seeded Pittsburgh (78-73) in the Sweet 16 to advance to the Elite Eight. Who was that upstart ballclub?

Answer: Kent State

The Golden Flashes, led by Trevor Huffman, came within one win of the school's first ever Final Four. Indiana, a team which 10th seeded Kent State sent packing in the previous year's tournament, ended the dream with an 81-69 win in the regional finals. Kent State is also famous for a 1970 student protest against the war in Vietnam, where the Ohio National Guard troops opened fire on the protestors, killing four people.

12. In 2000, for the first time in NCAA Tournament history, a pair of No. eight-seeds advanced all the way to the Final Four in the same season. Who were those two teams?

Answer: Wisconsin & North Carolina

The Badgers beat No. 9 Fresno State (66-56), No.1 Arizona (66-59), No. 4 LSU 61-48, and No. 6 Purdue (64-60). The surprising Tar Heels defeated No. 9 Missouri (84-70), No. 1 Stanford (60-53), No. 4 Tennessee (74-69), and No. 7 Tulsa (59-55).

13. In 1998, this ocean state school trumped No. 1 Kansas in the second round the tournament behind a three guard offense and prodigy Lamar Odom. Which school toppled the Jayhawks 80-75 and ended its national title aspirations?

Answer: Rhode Island

Tyson Wheeler, Cuttino Mobley, and company, marched straight to the Elite Eight behind first year coach Jim Harrick. The Rams nearly earned their first Final Four berth, but blew a six point lead in the final minute of regulation to No. 3 Stanford, losing 79-77 to the Cardinal.

14. Which team stunned Phi Slamma Jamma (Houston University) in the 1983 National Championship?

Answer: North Carolina State

Who could forget N.C. State head coach Jimmy Valvano and his mad dash to find a player to hug just after the buzzer sounded? The Wolfpack truly shocked the world when Lorenzo Charles dunked a Dereck Whittenburg heave from 30 feet as time expired, giving the Wolfpack a 54-52 national championship win. Valvano later died of cancer, but not before he helped create the 'Jimmy V Fund', which raised tens of millions of dollars for cancer research.

In the words of Jimmy, "Don't ever give up!"

15. It wasn't a large upset in terms of seeding, but which Mid-American Conference member eliminated Duke in the 1996 tournament behind diminutive point guard Earl Boykins?

Answer: Eastern Michigan

Boykins and the Eastern Michigan beat up on No. 9 Duke, 75-60. Duke coach Mike Krzyewszki missed the majority of the 1995-1996 season after having back surgery, but still managed to get the Blue Devils in to the NCAA tournament with some late season wins. However, Duke's final record of 18-13 and fourth place ACC finish was clearly a typical season down in Durham, N.C.

16. This team defeated No. 3 Villanova and Kerry Kittles in a triple overtime thriller during a first round contest at the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, NY, in 1995. Who was the team?

Answer: Old Dominion

The '95 Colonial Athletic Association champs outlasted No. 3 Villanova, 89-81, in a memorable triple overtime, first round contest. The Monarchs were coached by Jeff Capel Sr., father of former Duke PG Jeff Capel, who coached Virginia Commonwealth into the NCAAs in 2004.

17. The 1992 dance saw this No. 14 seed beat oft-upset victim Arizona in the first day of the tournament. Who was the victor?

Answer: East Tennessee State

The Buccaneers bested Arizona 87-80, sending Lute Olsen's club home early yet again. The following year the Wildcats were taken out as a No. 2 seed against No. 15 Santa Clara.

18. In 2001, led by a pair of siblings, this traditional football school advanced to the Sweet Sixteen by upsetting No. 2 North Carolina in the second round. The stirring upset certainly led to a "Happy Valley" back home for the victors! Can you name that school?

Answer: Penn State

Penn State rode the hot shooting of All-Big 10 Joe and Jon Crispin to defeat UNC, 82-74. The Nittany Lions lost in the next round to No. 11 Temple. Jon Crispin later transferred to UCLA, while Joe has gone on to an NBA career.

19. The 1986 edition of Notre Dame didn't have the luck of the Irish on its side in an opening round in a loss to this No. 14 seed. Which school from the home state of former President Bill Clinton, knocked off Notre Dame?

Answer: Arkansas-Little Rock

The Trojans shot 15 for 19 from the field, and 9 for 11 from the charity stripe in the second half en route to a 90-83 upset of No. 3 Notre Dame. The Irish were a 17 point favorite heading into the game.

20. Which No. 7 seed and ACC representative in 1984, beat No. 10 Iona 58-57, and then upset No. 2 Arkansas 53-51 in OT, No. 3 Syracuse 63-55, and No. 4 Indiana 50-48, to get to the Final Four?

Answer: Virginia

The Cavaliers advanced to their first Final Four since 1981 by knocking off three of the top four seeds in the East Bracket. Virginia lost in overtime to Houston in the National Semis, 49-47.

Source: Author strickkc

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

NCAA Upsets Trivia Quiz

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