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Five alive No. 5 seeds avoid dreaded 12-seed jinx for second time
Posted: Tuesday March 21, 2000 03:29 AM
By Ryan Hunt, CNNSI.com 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. But this year, 12th-seeded Butler, Indiana State, St. Bonaventure and Utah State are were firing blanks. Historically, the 12th seed has given the No. 5 seeds fits in the first round since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. However, for only the second time, a No. 5 seed escaped the upset bid in the first round. The only other time all four No. 5 seeds advanced to the second round was 1988. This year's hunted -- Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky and Texas -- each avoided the upset, but it didn't come easy. Kentucky needed two overtimes to outlast St. Bonaveture, while SEC rival Florida averted disaster thanks a Mike Miller buzzer-beater to stun upset-hungry Butler.
In all, the underdogs 12 seeds are 28-64 in the NCAA tournament since 1985. Before this season, 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, 18 No. 12 seeds have found the way to the second round since 1985. But what's even more amazing is that 10 of those 18 have made it to the Sweet 16, including giant-killers Southwest Missouri State, Eastern Michigan, Wyoming and Ball State.
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