We know all about the college basketball powerhouses like Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, etc., the NCAA Division 1 schools we’ve been watching on television and hearing about for years, along with the dozens of NBA players who once wore those school’s colors, but there are hundreds of other schools in the same Division 1 and at lower divisions within the NCAA, as well as the lesser-known NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and other governing bodies of smaller colleges and universities where quality basketball is being played with far less fanfare.
The competition to land (and keep) a basketball scholarship is fierce, as in many more talented players than available scholarships in a given year. So once you clear the top players and teams in NCAA Division 1 (say, the top 100 of the 351 schools), the drop-off in talent between the remaining Division 1 schools and the lower divisions becomes less pronounced.
As a result, there have been instances where a Division 1 school will schedule an early-season tuneup – usually at home – against a school from a lower division and end up losing the game. In scouring results from the past five years we discover several instances where the smaller school sneaks up on an unsuspecting larger opponent, and in many cases, the victorious school gets only scant local media coverage, if that.
Alaskan Hospitality
The University of Alaska-Anchorage annually hosts and participates in the eight-team Great Alaskan Shootout as the only Division 2 entry alongside seven Division 1 schools. They have defeated five Division 1 schools in the past five years: California-Riverside and Loyola Marymount in 2012, Rice University in 2014, Drexel University in 2015 and Drake University in 2016.
Speaking of Drexel…
In addition to the loss in Alaska, the Drexel Dragons were also stunned a year earlier in a 54-52 squeaker by a neighboring Philadelphia school, The University of the Sciences, another NCAA Division 2 member.
Southwestern Athletic Conference Blues
Blue Mountain College, an NAIA school with an enrollment of about 700 students located in Blue Mountain, Mississippi (population approx. 950), managed to defeat not one, but two schools from the NCAA Division 1’s Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in 2016. On November 21, they defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 77-74 in triple-overtime, and on December 15 they managed a 57-49 win against Jackson State University.
In 2012, Alcorn State university dropped a 86-78 decision to Fort Valley State University, an NCAA Division 2 school. In 2014 they lost a 79-70 home game to Concordia College of Selma, Alabama, a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
In 2013, Lyon College, an NAIA school of 700 students, defeated Grambling College 55-54. Another NAIA outfit, Loyola University of New Orleans, defeated Southern University 69-64 last December.
You Want Some More?
In the last five years, several NCAA Division 2 programs enjoyed the feeling of beating up on their big brother, so they came back for more – and got it.
In 2013, the Roadrunners of Metropolitan State University defeated Division 1 squads Canisius of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) 83-69 and Elon, then of the Southern Conference, 75-74.
The Falcons of The University of Texas of the Permian Basin walked away with an 82-77 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in 2013; two years later they defeated Texas-San Antonio 90-85.
In 2013, the Tigers of West Alabama took down Abilene Christian 77-67 and The Citadel, 90-77 on consecutive nights.
NCAA Division 2 – A Revolution
Back in 1982, Chaminade University of Honolulu shocked the basketball world by defeating Ralph Sampson the University of Virginia, who were ranked Number 1 nationally in Division 1 at the time. As a Division 2 member, the Silverswords are still capable of taking advantage of visitors in vacation mode. They defeated the University of Texas 86-73 back in 2012.
Other NCAA Division 2 programs have come away with wins against Division 1 schools since 2012:
Southeastern Oklahoma State, the school that brought us Dennis Rodman, defeated Tulsa University 69-66 in 2014. Chowan University (Murfreesboro, NC) surprised Campbell College in OT, McMurry (Abilene, Texas) stopped Texas-San Antonio (didn’t we mention them before?) 73-71, Nova Southeastern (Davie, FL) rolled over Florida International 77-59, Alabama-Huntsville defeated North Texas 78-75, Caldwell (NJ) edged Binghamton 63-52, Wilmington (Delaware) beat Maryland-Eastern Shore 65-62, Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia) 76-73 over Coppin State, Lincoln (PA) beats Howard 68-62, Western State (Colorado) over SIU-Edwardsville (yeah, they’re Division 1) 49-44, Emporia State (Kansas) over Missouri-Kansas City 81-76 and Ferris State (Michigan) surprised Bowling Green University 82-68.
Wait, Division 3?
Yes, though it doesn’t happen often, an NCAA Division 3 team occasionally pulls a surprise against a Division 1 opponent. Not sure of the circumstances – maybe the bigger school played exclusively freshmen – maybe the smaller school was just better that day.
In 2013, the Fighting Quakers of Wilmington College (Ohio) defeated mid-major Miami (Ohio) of the Mid-American Conference 65-63.
In 2015, Roanoke (Virginia) downed the MEAC’s North Carolina A&T 94-87.
In 2016, Louisiana College beat McNeese State 85-75.
You Lost To WHO?
It gets better.
There’s some serious ball being played in the NAIA, and they’ve snuck up on some unprepared bigger schools as well.
In 2012, Rochester (Michigan) stopped Eastern Illinois 59-56, and the Spires of the University of Saint Mary (Kansas) hammered Nebraska-Omaha 96-86.
In 2015, the Crusaders of William Carey (Mississippi) defeated Southern Mississippi 84-78, and the Saints of Our Lady of the Lake University (San Antonio) defeated Incarnate Word, a relatively new Division 1 member, 99-97.
And the NAIA also has a Division 2, and one of its members, Warner Southern (Florida) somehow defeated Florida Atlantic of Division 1’s Conference USA 75-72 in November of 2015.
That next day’s practice must have been quite interesting.
And Just When You Thought There Were No More Conferences
Some of you may have heard of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). They, too, have experienced the joy of basketball victory over larger schools.
In 2015, Bob Jones University (Greenville, SC) defeated NCAA Division 1 opponent South Carolina-Upstate 83-79. Just one year earlier, Upstate destroyed the same Bob Jones squad, 107-41.
Talk about making adjustments.
On December 16th, 2016 the Flames of Bethesda University (Anaheim, CA) beat Cal State-Northridge 100-95.
These types of results happen all the time within Division 1 as well, where are are several different levels of strength. A larger opponent underestimates a smaller one, looks at the schedule and might not mentally prepare as usual for a smaller opponent, and upsets happen.
A lifelong memory for the smaller school, the ultimate embarrassment for the larger one.
