Best Podcast Episodes on March Madness Upsets
Updated: Mar 22, 2026 – 11 episodes
The NCAA March Madness tournament began with High Point University defeating Wisconsin in a surprising upset, while the University of North Carolina experienced a significant loss. These early results set an unexpected tone for the tournament, highlighting the unpredictable nature of college basketball and its impact on team rankings and fan expectations.
High Point's stunning victory over Wisconsin in March Madness is sparking diverse discussions across podcasts. The Dan Patrick Show captures the essence of Cinderella stories in sports, highlighting the unpredictability of college basketball. Start with their episode discussing how High Point's win embodies the spirit of the tournament. Club Shay Shay offers a balanced view, noting the upset's impact on brackets while praising High Point's performance. For a deeper dive into the emotional rollercoaster for Wisconsin fans, Pardon My Take provides a compelling narrative about the aftermath of the game.
Listen to the Playlist
Ridealong has curated the best podcasts and clips about High Point stuns Wisconsin as UNC falters in March Madness opener. Listen now.
Podcast Episodes Covering This Story
“But it doesn't work that way. You know, when Iowa and LSU played in women's championship game, and then I said, you've got to open up the next year with Iowa and LSU. Well, the core of those teams was still going to be there next year because of women's basketball. They're not going pro. With men's, it's just interchangeable, shifting.”
Ridealong summary
The unpredictability of college basketball is highlighted by the interchangeable nature of teams and players, making rematches less meaningful.
“"I mean, I think you have to look, Dan, obviously, at the high point win over Wisconsin because so much, obviously, of the start of the NCAA tournament, is about Cinderella, is about creating those moments. Obviously, VCU in North Carolina was an epic, epic finish as well. But those, to me, really encapsulated what these first couple of days are about. It's about the dreamer."”
Ridealong summary
High Point's victory over Wisconsin is a quintessential Cinderella story that embodies the spirit of March Madness and creates unforgettable moments in college basketball history.
“Man, High Point, I mean, look, I know where High Point is. As a matter of fact, Byron's son went to High Point... High Point had five guys in double figures. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yeah, we locked in. But I know High Point messed a lot of people's brackets up. Yeah. I know they did that. Of course they did.”
Ridealong summary
High Point's victory over Wisconsin is a testament to the unpredictable nature of March Madness, with the team showing strong performance despite being underestimated.
“"I would say the VCU comeback is that great tournament experience where one team is like white knuckling and trying to hold it on, and the other team has like a dude off the bench dropping 34, which is like a beautiful combination. From like a broadcast ratings perspective, Duke getting scared but not losing is like a perfect scenario."”
Ridealong summary
The unpredictability of March Madness is what makes it exciting, as top seeds getting scared but not losing creates the perfect scenario for fans and broadcasters.
“"Hey, I bet your bracket all messed up now we didn't pick nobody picked high point yes man nobody... But I know who picked St. Louis to beat Georgia. Who? Did you really?... But who gonna deal with Rob Martin Joe? Man listen, hey look We ain't worried about that... We cause ruckus put you in uncomfortable situations."”
Ridealong summary
High Point's victory over Wisconsin is a testament to their unexpected strength and ability to disrupt the tournament, but it's also a reminder of the unpredictability and chaos inherent in March Madness.
“"That high point game was crazy... I was pissed I did have UNC and obviously I did have Wisconsin so I split it but hey it's better than going on a healthy split. But yeah, dude, that's the best part. I mean, obviously, March Madness, it lives in its own realm in the sense of like, there's not as many postseason upsets as there are in March Madness because it's a one-and-done tournament."”
Ridealong summary
March Madness is thrilling because its one-and-done format allows for unexpected upsets, making it more unpredictable than other postseason tournaments.
“But on the other hand, watching High Point, I actually think that High Point is a very, very good team. So Acuff puts 30 on their head. It was no fluke. They're a very good team. Absolutely not. No, Hank, there was a moment. So like hour after the game I was pretty upset Just mad angry going through all the emotions And then I flushed it because I was like look there a lot of tournament left.”
Ridealong summary
High Point's victory over Wisconsin was not a fluke, as they are a very good team, but the loss is still gut-wrenching for Wisconsin fans who invest so much emotionally in their team's performance.
“Wisconsin going up against High Point. I was initially nervous, and I've calmed down because I looked – I did a deep dive into High Point...they haven played anyone...they lost to both of them and their defense isn't very good and they're short...but i trust i trust my guys i trust our backcourt.”
Ridealong summary
Despite High Point's lack of experience against top-tier teams, Wisconsin's confidence in their backcourt suggests they underestimated High Point, leading to the upset.
“But number 12 over number five is the most glaring upset of yesterday. That high point game was crazy. The Ohio State game was also crazy. Yeah, the Ohio State game was great. I had Texas and Texas A&M advancing in my bracket. So that was great for me. I was pissed. I did have UNC, and obviously I did have Wisconsin. So I split it, but hey. That's a healthy split.”
Ridealong summary
March Madness is thrilling because its one-and-done format allows for unexpected upsets like High Point over Wisconsin, making it unique compared to other sports tournaments.
“"Utah State over Villanova these these down Wisconsin High Point I take Wisconsin to get out of that But High Point is 92nd at Ken Palm 30-4? That would be, if I were like a middle-of-the-pack power conference team, I'd rather play another middle-of-the-pack power conference team than somebody that won 30 times. I just, I don't like, I mean, Wisconsin will be physically and all that stuff. But 30-4, a top 100 team, that's a real game."”
Ridealong summary
High Point's victory over Wisconsin is a testament to the strength of teams outside power conferences, challenging the notion that power conference teams are always superior.
“I have a Bob Ryan upset. Okay. So Utah State. Right. And I got a high point. You do, beating Wisconsin? I do. Out of sheer, like I have so few first-round upsets. I just think it's going to be a – the top 25 teams are so much better than everybody else. Yeah. That I have a feeling we're not – I will be shocked if any double-digit makes it to the second weekend.”
Ridealong summary
The early upsets in March Madness, like High Point over Wisconsin, are rare this year due to the dominance of top-ranked teams.