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Five alive?

No. 5 seeds must proceed with caution against 12 seeds

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Posted: Monday March 08, 1999 04:03 PM

Cedric Henderson and fifth-seeded Memphis were beaten by 12th-seeded Drexel in 1996. Otto Greule/Allsport

By Ryan Hunt, CNN/SI

ATLANTA -- Being a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament is akin to playing a game of Russian roulette -- there is usually one bullet waiting in the chamber.

This year, 12th-seeded Detroit, Rhode Island, UAB or Southwest Missouri State all are waiting to pull the trigger.

Historically, the 12th seed has given the No. 5 seeds fits in the first round. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, one No. 12 team has knocked out a five-seed in 10 of the 14 tournaments. Two No. 5 seeds have been knocked out in the same year three times. Only once (1988) has all four No. 5 seeds advanced to the second round.

Which 5-12 game is most likely to be an upset?

Wisconsin-SW Mo. St. UNCC-Rhode Island UCLA-Detroit Iowa-UAB More than one None View Results

That's not good news for this year's hunted -- Iowa, UCLA, Wisconsin and UNC-Charlotte.

In fact, the Bruins have been prey to the 5-12 jinx once before. In 1994, UCLA was upended by Tulsa, an eventual Sweet 16 team that was then led by Tubby Smith.

Some of the tournament's more memorable upsets have been between the 5 and 12 seeds.

In 1997, the College of Charleston knocked off Maryland 75-66 One year later, the Drexel Dragons slayed Memphis 75-63 Arizona was ambushed by Miami (Ohio) 71-62 in 1995.

In all, 16 No. 12 seeds have found the way to the second round since 1985. But what's even more amazing is that nine of those 16 have made it to the Sweet 16, including giant-killers Eastern Michigan, Wyoming and Ball State.

This year's Cinderella candidates include a team that had the glass slipper at this time last year. Rhode Island, which will play UNC-Charlotte, was one game away from the Final Four as a No. 8 seed.

In the other 5-12 games, Wisconsin will meet Southwest Missouri State, UCLA plays Detroit and Iowa is matched up with UAB.

A recipe for disaster -- No. 5 vs. No. 12 Year Wins by 12 Memorable upset 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 Florida State over TCU Charleston over Maryland Drexel over Memphis, Arkansas over Penn State Miami (Ohio) over Arizona Wisc.-Green Bay over Cal, Tulsa over UCLA George Washington over New Mexico New Mexico St. over DePaul Eastern Michigan over Mississippi State Dayton over Illinois, Ball State over Oregon State DePaul over Memphis State None Wyoming over Virginia DePaul over Virginia Kentucky over Washington

 

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