What is the biggest upset in NCAA women's tournament history?

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The NCAA women’s basketball tournament is well underway, and teams from around the country are battling it out for their schools.

While the top seeds of the tournament statistically have a greater chance of going further within the bracket, one No. 1 is already out. No. 8 Ole Miss beat top-seeded Stanford in the second round on Sunday, making Stanford the first No. 1 seed to miss the women’s Sweet Sixteen since 2009.

But that trend doubled one day later. No. 1 Indiana fell to No. 9 Miami (Fl.) 70-68 in the second round on Monday off a last-second shot. The Hoosiers never led the entire game despite being on home territory.

Following the surprising results, let’s take a look at some of the biggest upsets March Madness has seen over the years:

Has a No. 16 ever beaten a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament

This isn’t the first time Stanford has been upset as a No. 1 seed.

In the 1998 tournament, Harvard defeated Stanford to become the first team No. 16 seed to oust a No. 1 seed in either a men's or women's bracket.

What is the farthest a No. 16 seed has gone?

No. 16 seed Harvard made it to the second round in 1998, becoming the first No. 16 seed to reach that milestone in March Madness. The team went on to lose in the second round.

How many times has a No. 15 seed beaten a No. 2 seed?

A No. 15 seed has never beaten a No. 2 seed in the national tournament.

Was there ever a perfect bracket?

There has never been a verified perfect bracket, according to the NCAA. The organization has been tracking online submissions across platforms since 2016 and used archival data before that.

What is the lowest-seeded team to win the NCAA women’s basketball tournament?

The lowest seed to win the basketball national championship is No. 3. It occurred in 1994, when North Carolina won it all, and 1997, when Tennessee earned the national title.

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