One of the greatest aspects of the NCAA tournament is it’s like the start of a new season. Forget that losing streak in December. Who cares about that blowout defeat to a heated rival in February? Throw out the records. When March rolls around, it no longer matters how a team fared during the regular season. What matters most to the 68 clubs that secured a bid to the NCAA tournament is finding a way to be the last team standing.
Survive and advance.
While finishing the regular season with a losing record earns a team a lower seed in the NCAA tournament and thus makes the road to the Final Four much tougher, a path to the season’s final weekend still exists. Here’s a look at the teams who made the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s tournaments despite having a losing record.
2023: Texas Southern, 14-20 (No. 16 seed, lost in First Four)
2018: Texas Southern, 15-19 (No. 16 seed, won in First Four, lost in round of 64)
2016: Holy Cross, 14-19 (No. 16 seed, won in First Four, lost in round of 64)
2015: Hampton, 16-17 (No. 16 seed, won in First Four, lost in round of 64)
2014: Cal Poly, 13-19 (No. 16 seed, won in First Four, lost in round of 64)
2013: Liberty, 15-20 (No. 16 seed, lost in First Four)
2012: Western Kentucky, 15-18 (No. 16 seed, won in First Four, lost in round of 64)
2008: Coppin State, 16-20 (No. 16 seed, lost opening-round game)
2005: Oakland, 12-18 (No. 16 seed, won opening-round game, lost in round of 64)
2004: Florida A&M, 14-16 (No. 16 seed, won opening-round game, lost in round of 64)
2003: UNC Asheville, 14-16 (No. 16 seed, won opening-round game, lost in round of 64)
2002: Siena, 16-18 (No. 16 seed, won opening-round game, lost in round of 64)
1999: Florida A&M, 12-18 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1998: Prairie View A&M, 13-16 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1997: Fairfield, 11-18 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round); Jackson State, 14-15 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1996: UCF, 11-18 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round); San José State, 13-16 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1995: Florida International, 11-18 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1993: East Carolina, 13-16 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1986: Montana State, 14-16 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1985: Lehigh, 12-18 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
1978: Missouri, 14-15 (lost in first round)
1974: Texas, 12-14 (lost in first round)
1961: George Washington, 9-16 (lost in first round)
1955: Bradley, 7-19 (won two games, lost in the regional final); Oklahoma City, 9-17 (lost in first round)
2022: Incarnate Word, 13-16 (No. 16 seed, lost in First Four)
2015: St. Francis Brooklyn, 15-18 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
2014: Prairie View A&M, 14-17 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
2010: Austin Peay, 15-17 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
2009: Evansville, 15-18 (No. 15 seed, lost in first round)
2007: Drake, 14-18 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round); Holy Cross, 15-17 (No. 16 seed, lost in first round)
2006: Pepperdine, 14-16 (No. 15 seed, lost in first round)
2005: Illinois State, 13-17 (No. 15 seed, lost in first round)
1995: Dartmouth, 10-16 (No. 14 seed, lost in first round)
1994: Missouri, 12-17 (No. 15 seed, lost in first round)
1992: Notre Dame, 14-16 (No. 12 seed, lost in first round)
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