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Last night, Holy Cross won the Patriot League tournament to gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Holy Cross finished 9th in the Patriot League this season with a 5-13 conference record, and a 10-19 regular season record. But they got hot in their tournament, and as the 9th seed, they upset the 8th seeded Loyola (MD) 72-67, then a huge upset over #1 seeded Bucknell 77-72 in 2OT, then a blowout win over #4 seeded Army 60-38, then a 59-56 upset of #2 Lehigh in the championship game last night.
Even more impressive, the Patriot League plays their post-season tournament on the home court of the higher seeded team, meaning #9 seed Holy Cross won all 4 games on the road on their opponents' home courts to improve their record now to 14-19!
ESPN has this graphic showing the teams which had the most losses in the history of the NCAA Tournament-
Holy Cross tied Bradley's 19 losses in 1955 as the 3rd most losses for a team getting into the tournament. There is a difference, though. Back in 1955, there were no "automatic" bids, and conferences did not have post-season tournaments that allowed long-shot teams to get an automatic bid to the tournament. Because Bradley had been a Regional winner the year before (Bradley made it to the championship game in 1954 vs. LaSalle), it was customary for the NCAA to invite the previous year's regional winners to compete again the next year, even when they may not have been otherwise deserving. Bradley had lost much of their talent from their great 1954 NCAA team, and the 1955 team was not so good, but was one of just 24 teams to get an invitation despite their 7-19 record.
In the 1955 NCAA Tournament, Bradley still won their first 2 games against Oklahoma City University (dropped out of the NCAA in 1985 and is now NAIA) and SMU, before losing 93-81 in the Regional Final to #15 ranked Colorado. They were one win away from another Final Four, despite finishing their season with a 9-20 record!
So Bradley won 2 games in the 1955 tournament against good opposition to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 1955 despite their 19 losses. Cal Poly is the only other team in that graphic to get into the NCAA Tournament with as many as 19 losses, and still win at least 1 game. However, their situation was much different. They got in to the Tournament in 2014 as a #16 seed, and played another #16 seed in the play-in round. They beat #16 Texas Southern, then were demolished 64-37 by #1 seed Wichita State in the next round.
Even more impressive, the Patriot League plays their post-season tournament on the home court of the higher seeded team, meaning #9 seed Holy Cross won all 4 games on the road on their opponents' home courts to improve their record now to 14-19!
ESPN has this graphic showing the teams which had the most losses in the history of the NCAA Tournament-
Holy Cross tied Bradley's 19 losses in 1955 as the 3rd most losses for a team getting into the tournament. There is a difference, though. Back in 1955, there were no "automatic" bids, and conferences did not have post-season tournaments that allowed long-shot teams to get an automatic bid to the tournament. Because Bradley had been a Regional winner the year before (Bradley made it to the championship game in 1954 vs. LaSalle), it was customary for the NCAA to invite the previous year's regional winners to compete again the next year, even when they may not have been otherwise deserving. Bradley had lost much of their talent from their great 1954 NCAA team, and the 1955 team was not so good, but was one of just 24 teams to get an invitation despite their 7-19 record.
In the 1955 NCAA Tournament, Bradley still won their first 2 games against Oklahoma City University (dropped out of the NCAA in 1985 and is now NAIA) and SMU, before losing 93-81 in the Regional Final to #15 ranked Colorado. They were one win away from another Final Four, despite finishing their season with a 9-20 record!
So Bradley won 2 games in the 1955 tournament against good opposition to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 1955 despite their 19 losses. Cal Poly is the only other team in that graphic to get into the NCAA Tournament with as many as 19 losses, and still win at least 1 game. However, their situation was much different. They got in to the Tournament in 2014 as a #16 seed, and played another #16 seed in the play-in round. They beat #16 Texas Southern, then were demolished 64-37 by #1 seed Wichita State in the next round.