Against All Odds: Playoff Newbie Norfolk State Joins Exclusive Club

Norfolk State, only one season removed from its most defeats in school history (12-20 record), defied the odds by joining Hampton (58-57 over Iowa State in 2001) as the only two NCAA Tournament newcomers in the last 22 years to win a non-preliminary game playoff debut. First-time entrants into the NCAA tourney get no sympathy and face long odds. The average seeding was #14 for schools making their tournament debuts in the first 28 years since the bracket expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985.

Newcomers asserted themselves in the 1980s when they received a decent draw. Four of the six first-timers with seedings 10th or better won their first-round games, including all three times when they had better seeds (sixth-seeded Florida in 1987, seventh-seeded New Orleans in 1987 and eighth-seeded Seton Hall in 1988).

Of the 128 schools to make their tournament debuts in the first 33 years since the field expanded to at least 48 teams in 1980, about one-sixth of them (21; including four preliminary-round games) survived their playoff christenings. Four authentic opening-round winners also won their next game - Clemson '80, Georgia '83, Cleveland State '86 and Florida '87. Georgia '83 was the ultimate underdog as the Bulldogs, the only first-time entrant seeded better than fifth (No. 4 seed in the East Regional) since the field expanded to at least 48 teams, advanced to the Final Four.