Biggest Comebacks in March Madness History

min read
BYU's win over Iona in the 2012 NCAA Tournament was one of the biggest comebacks in March Madness history.
(AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Chase Kiddy @chaseakiddy Mar 27, 2024, 3:54 PM

BYU posted the single biggest comeback in the history of the NCAA Tournament in 2012, roaring back from a 25-point deficit to ultimately dispatch No. 14 seed Iona, 78-72, in an epic first-round game.

March Madness comebacks are notoriously hard to track because the sport is so fluid, and the bracket is so large. 

Additionally, some people prefer different ingredients in a big comeback. Some college basketball fans are most impressed by an improbable comeback in the final minute of the game. 

Others are more interested in huge comebacks in the Final Four, when the lights are the absolute brightest.

For this list here, you’ll see raw deficits. Simply put, these are the biggest comebacks by total points that have ever been successfully overcome – ending in a victory – in the history of the NCAA Tournament.

Biggest Comebacks in March Madness History

ScoreBiggest DeficitYearRound
BYU 78, Iona 7225 Points2012 Round 1
Duke 95, Maryland 8422 Points2001Final Four
Nevada 75, Cincinnati 7322 Points2018Round 2
Louisville 93, West Virginia 8520 Points2018Regional Final
Ole Miss 94, BYU 9017 Points2015First Four
UCLA 73, Gonzaga 7117 Points2006Sweet 16
WKU 59, Miss. Valley St 5816 Points2012First Four
Kansas 72, North Carolina 6916 Points2022Championship
Loyola (Chi) 60, Cincinnati 5815 Points1963Championship
Illinois 90, Arizona 8915 Points2005Regional Final

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About the Author

Chase Kiddy

Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.