How 14 Seeds do in the NCAA Men’s Tournament

March Madness seeds play a prominent role in the NCAA Tournament as they are crucial to the construction of the bracket.

The Tournament earned the “March Madness” title thanks to its unpredictable nature. While double-digit seeds generally enter with low expectations, they provide some of the greatest thrills the Tournament offers. 14 Seeds don't have a legacy of success but a first-round upset is not beyond the pale.

Only 22 teams seeded 14th have pulled the upset off since 1985, with Abilene Christian being the most recent team to do so with their 53-52 upset of Texas in 2021. In 2015, Georgia State and UAB became only the third pair of teams to win in the first round as 14 seeds in the same year, beating Baylor and Iowa State, respectively.

Only two teams in tournament history – Cleveland State in 1986 and Chattanooga in 1997 – have managed to enter the tournament as a 14 seed and advance to the Sweet 16. No team has advanced to the Elite Eight or Final Four.