Gonzaga survives scare as No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament

The first win for a No. 16 seed over a No. 1 seed will have to wait. At least until tonight or tomorrow, if not next season.

Southern gave Gonzaga a scare keeping its round of 64 game close all the way to to the end in a 64-58 loss Thursday. Southern had the game tied at 56 with 3:47 remaining before guard Kevin Pangos led Gonzaga’s comeback with seven of the Bulldogs’ last 10 points and an assist on Gary Bell Jr.'s three-pointer.

In a game that included the son of John Stockton (Gonzaga's David Stockon) and Manute Bol (Southern's Madut Bol) Southern followed a tried-and-true method for an NCAA upset by hitting 10 of 23 three-point shots, but Gonzaga’s star center Kelly Olynyk  was too much in the second half for the SWAC champs.

If there was going to be a No. 16 over a No. 1 upset in this Tournament, Gonzaga’s game was a likely candidate. The Bulldogs were the last team selected as a No. 1 seed, and Southern was the only No. 16 seed to win both its regular season and conference tournament titles.

So what does this mean for Gonzaga? The Bulldogs are the 12th No. 1 seed of the 64-team era to defeat a No. 16 seed by fewer than 10 points and only the second since 1997.

Here’s how the others fared for the remainder of the Tournament. The tally includes one team reaching the title game, two reaching the Final Four, two reaching the Elite Eight, three reaching the Sweet 16 and two losing in their second-round game.

2013: Gonzaga def. Southern 64-58
2012: Syracuse def. UNC Asheville 72-65 (lost in Elite Eight to Ohio State)
1997: North Carolina def. Fairfield 82-74 (lost in Final Four to Arizona)
1996: Purdue def. Western Carolina 73-71 (lost in second round to Georgia)
1996: Connecticut def. Colgate 68-59 (lost in Sweet 16 to Mississippi State)
1990: Michigan State def. Murray State 75-71 in OT (lost in Sweet 16 to Georgia Tech)
1989: Georgetown def. Princeton 50-49 (lost in Elite Eight to Duke)
1989: Oklahoma def. East Tennessee State 72-71 (lost in Sweet 16 to Virginia)
1989: Illinois def. McNeese State 77-71 (lost in Final Four to Michigan)
1986: Duke def. Mississippi Valley State 85-78 (lost in championship game to Louisville)
1986: St. John’s def. Montana State 83-74 (lost in second round to Auburn)
1985: Michigan def. Fairleigh Dickinson 59-55 (lost in second round to Villanova)