Blog | Why Coastal will become first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 (Kind a sorta)

Related: CCU embracing underdog role

The Coastal Carolina University men’s basketball season is supposed to come to an end sometime around midnight. Based on everything we know about the NCAA tournament, there’s no reason to believe CCU can beat the Wisconsin Badgers tonight in Omaha, Nebraska.

None - at least not on the surface.

In the history of the tournament’s 64 team (now 68 team) format, a No. 1 seed has never lost to a No. 16. A 15 has beaten a 2 a few times. Two No. 14’s beat No. 3’s just yesterday!

But a No. 16 seed beating a No. 1 remains the one elusive prize for a “small” school. If it happens, that team will go down in history, forever the proud answer to a trivia question.

More than that, it would get to extend its stay in the NCAA tournament for a few more precious days, receive top billing on ESPN and leap to the front pages of newspapers throughout the country - and all the goodies that come with the attention.

Tonight, CCU is the 16, Wisconsin the 1.

Why is it possible?

1) It has to happen at some point. Murphy’s Law tells us it’s just a matter of time because anything that can happen will happen.

2) While Wisconsin is the team that took mighty Kentucky down to the wire during last year’s Final Four and is led by one of the best players in the country, its style of play is the kind best suited for an upset by a big underdog. The Badgers can score efficiently, but they are not the type of team to blow teams out of the gym, at least not usually. That gives CCU a chance because it is led by a fantastic, experienced savvy, big point guard and have plenty of bodies upfront to throw at Wisconsin’s big men.

3) The first two No. 1 seeds to play in the tournament so far simply toyed with their opponents, with one winning by 41 and the other winning by “only” 23 because it didn’t feel like winning by 41. That happened while the tournament produced more close games on one day than at any other time in its history. There’s usually a No. 16 who at least pushes a No. 1. CCU is one of the two remaining No. 16’s yet to play.

4) Head Coach Cliff Ellis is one of the most experienced coaches in the history of college basketball and has matched wits against the best, including Hall of Famers like Coach K and the late Dean Smith. He will have his team prepared well.

5) Finally, there’s reason to believe CCU can win tonight - because miracles do happen.

Am I willing to bet on it, put my money where my mouth is? Um ... I’m not a betting man.

This story was originally published March 20, 2015 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Blog | Why Coastal will become first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 (Kind a sorta)."