Cinderella stories are a March Madness staple. Although the term “Cinderella story” comes from the fairy tale of Cinderella, in which a poor and mistreated young woman unexpectedly triumphs over adversity and wins the love of a prince, in sports, these stories often involve lower-seeded or less experienced teams defeating higher-seeded or more established opponents in an upset victory. These stories can capture the imagination of fans and generate excitement and buzz around the event. Some of the most memorable moments in sports history have been Cinderella stories, and they often become key features of March Madness folklore and sports history.

Here are some of the best upsets in March Madness history:

1. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast over No. 2 Georgetown (2013) 

In one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, the 15th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast Eagles shocked the second-seeded Georgetown Hoyas with an 81-68 victory. It was the first NCAA tournament win in school history and put FGCU on the national map.

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2. No. 14 Mercer over No. 3 Duke (2014) 

The Mercer Bears pulled off a stunning upset over the Duke Blue Devils in the opening round of the 2014 tournament. Mercer, making just its fifth NCAA tournament appearance in school history, knocked off the heavily-favored Blue Devils by a score of 78-71.

3. No. 13 Valparaiso over No. 4 Ole Miss (1998) 

Bryce Drew's buzzer-beating three-pointer is one of the most memorable moments in NCAA tournament history. The 13th-seeded Valparaiso Crusaders stunned the fourth-seeded Ole Miss Rebels with the last-second shot, winning 70-69.

4. No. 11 George Mason over No. 1 UConn (2006) 

The George Mason Patriots made an improbable run to the Final Four in 2006, knocking off some of the tournament's top teams along the way. The most notable upset came in the Elite Eight, where the 11th-seeded Patriots stunned the top-seeded UConn Huskies 86-84 in overtime.

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5. No. 8 Villanova over No. 1 Georgetown (1985) 

In one of the most iconic championship game upsets in NCAA history, the 8th-seeded Villanova Wildcats shocked the heavily-favored Georgetown Hoyas with a 66-64 victory. The Wildcats hit an astounding 79% of their shots in the game, setting a tournament record for field goal percentage in a championship game.

These are just a few examples of the many upsets that have occurred in March Madness history. Who will play Cinderella this year?

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Image Credit: SBNation/George Mason Athletics

* Originally published on March 16, 2023, by Kelly Wick