The Princeton Tigers are the latest No. 15 seed to advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. How far did a No. 15 seed go in March Madness?
The NCAA Tournament never disappoints when it comes to upsets. The 2023 men’s tournament was perhaps the most shocking in quite some time, as there were several favorites to be knocked out before the Sweet 16. One team that has dropped out of the race so far is the No. 15 Princeton Tigers.
After ending the season as the winner of the Ivy League tournament, Princeton picked up a shocking 59-55 win over the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats. They then followed that up on Saturday with a convincing 78- 63 over the No. 7 Missouri Tigers to earn a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1967.
For those wondering what the furthest distance a No. 15 seed is in the NCAA Tournament, you don’t have to look too far into the history books.
What is the furthest distance from a No. 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament?
The No. 15 team that has gone the furthest in an NCAA tournament is none other than the 2021-22 Saint Peter’s Peacocks, who made it all the way to the Elite Eight. That’s right, another New Jersey program Princeton can emulate this year.
Last year, the Jersey City, NJ program shocked the world in the first round by knocking out John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats with an 85-79 overtime victory. From there, the magic continued for Saint-Pierre.
In the second round, the Peacocks beat the No. 7 Murray State Racers 70-60 in the second round to advance to the Sweet 16. From there, they pulled off another upset against the No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers to become the No. No. 3. 15 seeds to qualify for the Elite Eight. Unfortunately for Saint Peter’s, they were outmatched against the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels, losing 69-49 to end their magic run.
Princeton will seek to become the second No. 15 seed to qualify for the Elite Eight. They await the winner of the game between the No. 3 Baylor Bears and the No. 6 Creighton Blue Jays on Sunday, March 19 at 7:10 p.m. ET. Princeton will then travel to Louisville, Ky. for the Sweet 16.
