How Many Times Has a 15-Seed Made the Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament?

The No. 15 Princeton Tigers are Sweet 16 bound.

After knocking off the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats, the Ivy League champions cruised past the No. 7 Missouri Tigers in the second round of the 2023 men’s NCAA tournament on Saturday.

The 78-63 victory sent Princeton to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in program history, but the first since all the way back in 1967. The Tigers entered this year’s Big Dance with one NCAA Tournament win since 1998 and they’ve doubled that number in just a handful of days.

So, before the Tigers meet the winner of No. 3 Baylor-No. 6 Creighton in the Sweet 16, here’s a look at the March Madness history they’re making.

Has a 15-seed ever made the Sweet 16?

Princeton is not the first 15-seed to make it past the second round.

What was the first 15-seed to make the Sweet 16?

Florida Gulf Coast earned the title of the first No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16. In 2013, the Eagles upset No. 2 Georgetown and No. 7 San Diego State before falling to No. 3 Florida.

How many 15-seeds have made it to the Sweet 16?

The 2023 Big Dance is actually the third consecutive tournament where a 15-seed has won at least two games.

The 2021 tourney saw No. 15 Oral Roberts beat No. 2 Ohio State and No. 7 Florida en route to the Sweet 16, where the Golden Eagles lost to No. 3 Arkansas.

Last year, Saint Peter’s made an unbelievable Cinderella run to the Elite Eight. The No. 15 Peacocks took down No. 2 Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue. The Peacocks were sent home by No. 8 UNC, but not before they went further than any 15-seed ever has.

Following up their fellow small New Jersey school, the Princeton Tigers became the fourth ever No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16.

What is the lowest seed to make it to the Sweet 16?

A 15-seed is the lowest to ever make the Sweet 16, but that could change this year.

Fairleigh Dickinson became just the second No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed when the Knights took down the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday. FDU plays No. 9 Florida Atlantic on Sunday with a chance to become the first ever 16-seed in the Sweet 16.