What does it take to make a deep run in March Madness?
On February 2, 2019, No. 23 NC State lost to No. 12 Virginia Tech 47-24. It was the lowest scoring performance by a ranked Division I college basketball team in the shot clock era (since the 1985-86 season).
The Wolfpack were 2-for-28 from 3-point range (7.1 percent) and 9-for-54 (16.7 percent) from the field in the loss.
LOW SCORING GAMES: What we learned from the lowest scoring March Madness game
Here is the full list of the 100 lowest scoring games by ranked teams in the shot clock era:
| Year | Team | Rk. | Opponent | Rk. | Result | Points | Opponent points | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | NC State | 23 | Virginia Tech | 12 | L | 24 | 47 | -23 |
| 1998-99 | Wisconsin | 18 | Missouri State | N/A | L | 32 | 43 | -11 |
| 2008-09 | Illinois | 18 | Penn State | N/A | L | 33 | 38 | -5 |
| 2010-11 | Wisconsin | 13 | Penn State | N/A | L | 33 | 36 | -3 |
| 2012-13 | New Mexico | 15 | San Diego State | N/A | L | 34 | 55 | -21 |
| 1990-91 | Princeton | 25 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 1 | L | 35 | 69 | -34 |
| 2013-14 | Marquette | 17 | Ohio State | 10 | L | 35 | 52 | -17 |
| 2017-18 | Clemson | 18 | Virginia | 2 | L | 36 | 61 | -25 |
| 2007-08 | Michigan State | 6 | Iowa | N/A | L | 36 | 43 | -7 |
| 2008-09 | Illinois | 19 | Minnesota | N/A | L | 36 | 59 | -23 |
| 2014-15 | San Diego State | 13 | Washington | N/A | L | 36 | 49 | -13 |
| 1993-94 | Virginia | 12 | Connecticut | N/A | L | 36 | 77 | -41 |
| 2003-04 | Oklahoma | 22 | Texas | 11 | L | 37 | 66 | -29 |
| 1994-95 | Clemson | 18 | Virginia | N/A | L | 37 | 61 | -24 |
| 1991-92 | Arizona State | 25 | Minnesota | N/A | L | 37 | 69 | -32 |
| 2012-13 | Georgetown | 20 | Tennessee | N/A | W | 37 | 36 | 1 |
| 1992-93 | Marquette | 15 | Alabama-Birmingham | N/A | L | 38 | 44 | -6 |
| 2012-13 | Syracuse | 17 | Georgetown | 5 | L | 39 | 61 | -22 |
| 2014-15 | West Virginia | 20 | Kentucky | 1 | L | 39 | 78 | -39 |
| 2012-13 | Marquette | 15 | Syracuse | 16 | L | 39 | 55 | -16 |
| 2016-17 | Virginia | 24 | Florida | 20 | L | 39 | 65 | -26 |
| 1992-93 | Michigan State | 14 | Illinois | N/A | L | 39 | 52 | -13 |
| 1998-99 | New Mexico | 18 | Utah | N/A | L | 39 | 57 | -18 |
| 1998-99 | Wisconsin | 16 | Michigan | N/A | L | 39 | 51 | -12 |
| 2014-15 | Kansas | 5 | Kentucky | 1 | L | 40 | 72 | -32 |
| 1992-93 | Cincinnati | 9 | Alabama-Birmingham | N/A | W | 40 | 38 | 2 |
| 2000-01 | Georgetown | 18 | Seton Hall | N/A | L | 40 | 58 | -18 |
| 2016-17 | Virginia | 14 | North Carolina | 10 | L | 41 | 65 | -24 |
| 2011-12 | Notre Dame | 20 | Georgetown | 11 | L | 41 | 59 | -18 |
| 2011-12 | Wisconsin | 18 | Michigan | 16 | L | 41 | 59 | -18 |
| 1995-96 | Wake Forest | 6 | Clemson | 19 | L | 41 | 55 | -14 |
| 2015-16 | Pittsburgh | 20 | Louisville | 21 | L | 41 | 59 | -18 |
| 1995-96 | Virginia Tech | 12 | Temple | N/A | L | 41 | 57 | -16 |
| 2006-07 | Air Force | 15 | San Diego State | N/A | L | 41 | 62 | -21 |
| 2011-12 | Michigan State | 9 | Illinois | N/A | L | 41 | 42 | -1 |
| 1998-99 | Wisconsin | 19 | Michigan State | 2 | L | 41 | 56 | -15 |
| 2009-10 | Gonzaga | 15 | Duke | 7 | L | 41 | 76 | -35 |
| 2007-08 | Notre Dame | 15 | Washington State | 21 | L | 41 | 61 | -20 |
| 1995-96 | UCLA | 14 | Princeton | N/A | L | 41 | 43 | -2 |
| 1996-97 | Colorado | 18 | Oklahoma | N/A | L | 41 | 55 | -14 |
| 2011-12 | Florida State | 22 | Harvard | N/A | L | 41 | 46 | -5 |
| 1997-98 | Princeton | 22 | North Carolina | 2 | L | 42 | 50 | -8 |
| 2007-08 | Michigan State | 19 | Wisconsin | 10 | L | 42 | 57 | -15 |
| 2005-06 | North Carolina State | 24 | Iowa | 14 | L | 42 | 45 | -3 |
| 1991-92 | St. John's (NY) | 17 | Miami (FL) | N/A | L | 42 | 45 | -3 |
| 1999-00 | North Carolina State | 21 | Clemson | N/A | L | 42 | 59 | -17 |
| 2005-06 | Indiana | 13 | Minnesota | N/A | L | 42 | 61 | -19 |
| 2007-08 | Butler | 13 | Wright State | N/A | L | 42 | 43 | -1 |
| 2006-07 | Pittsburgh | 13 | Georgetown | 9 | L | 42 | 65 | -23 |
| 1998-99 | Connecticut | 1 | Syracuse | 17 | L | 42 | 59 | -17 |
| 2012-13 | Pittsburgh | 20 | Notre Dame | 25 | L | 42 | 51 | -9 |
| 2009-10 | Purdue | 6 | Minnesota | N/A | L | 42 | 69 | -27 |
| 2011-12 | Xavier | 8 | Oral Roberts | N/A | L | 42 | 64 | -22 |
| 2012-13 | Wisconsin | 22 | Michigan State | 10 | L | 43 | 58 | -15 |
| 2007-08 | Dayton | 16 | Xavier | 23 | L | 43 | 69 | -26 |
| 2009-10 | Ohio State | 15 | Wisconsin | 23 | L | 43 | 65 | -22 |
| 2016-17 | North Carolina | 5 | Virginia | 23 | L | 43 | 53 | -10 |
| 1998-99 | Purdue | 16 | Ohio State | N/A | L | 43 | 72 | -29 |
| 2005-06 | Texas | 6 | Texas A&M | N/A | L | 43 | 46 | -3 |
| 2006-07 | Indiana | 23 | Illinois | N/A | L | 43 | 51 | -8 |
| 2013-14 | Illinois | 23 | Northwestern | N/A | L | 43 | 49 | -6 |
| 2004-05 | Wisconsin | 23 | Illinois | 1 | L | 43 | 54 | -11 |
| 2012-13 | Wisconsin | 22 | Ohio State | 10 | L | 43 | 50 | -7 |
| 1999-00 | UCLA | 11 | Gonzaga | 24 | L | 43 | 59 | -16 |
| 2003-04 | South Carolina | 23 | Memphis | 24 | L | 43 | 59 | -16 |
| 1998-99 | Oklahoma State | 22 | Oklahoma | N/A | L | 43 | 54 | -11 |
| 2001-02 | Boston College | 16 | Georgetown | N/A | L | 43 | 70 | -27 |
| 1992-93 | Massachusetts | 22 | Temple | N/A | L | 44 | 52 | -8 |
| 1996-97 | Louisville | 9 | Temple | N/A | L | 44 | 67 | -23 |
| 1999-00 | Temple | 17 | Wisconsin | N/A | L | 44 | 62 | -18 |
| 2000-01 | Oklahoma | 13 | Oklahoma State | N/A | L | 44 | 72 | -28 |
| 2002-03 | Texas Tech | 23 | Kansas State | N/A | L | 44 | 68 | -24 |
| 2002-03 | Purdue | 24 | Ohio State | N/A | L | 44 | 52 | -8 |
| 2003-04 | Texas Tech | 25 | Nebraska | N/A | L | 44 | 72 | -28 |
| 2010-11 | Florida State | 22 | Clemson | N/A | L | 44 | 62 | -18 |
| 2012-13 | Minnesota | 12 | Wisconsin | N/A | L | 44 | 45 | -1 |
| 2013-14 | San Diego State | 6 | New Mexico | N/A | L | 44 | 58 | -14 |
| 1985-86 | Georgia Tech | 2 | Michigan | 3 | L | 44 | 49 | -5 |
| 2009-10 | Purdue | 3 | Michigan State | 14 | L | 44 | 53 | -9 |
| 2011-12 | Michigan State | 5 | Louisville | 17 | L | 44 | 57 | -13 |
| 2000-01 | Wisconsin | 10 | Butler | N/A | L | 44 | 58 | -14 |
| 2006-07 | Tennessee | 22 | Butler | N/A | L | 44 | 56 | -12 |
| 2010-11 | Kansas State | 6 | Florida | N/A | L | 44 | 57 | -13 |
| 2014-15 | Miami (FL) | 18 | Eastern Kentucky | N/A | L | 44 | 72 | -28 |
| 2018-19 | Michigan | 8 | Texas Tech | 9 | L | 44 | 63 | -19 |
| 2003-04 | Purdue | 16 | Oklahoma | 11 | L | 45 | 47 | -2 |
| 1996-97 | Iowa State | 8 | Colorado | N/A | L | 45 | 70 | -25 |
| 1996-97 | North Carolina | 16 | North Carolina State | N/A | W | 45 | 44 | 1 |
| 1996-97 | Illinois | 20 | Wisconsin | N/A | L | 45 | 62 | -17 |
| 1998-99 | Stanford | 6 | Oregon State | N/A | L | 45 | 59 | -14 |
| 1999-00 | Texas | 10 | Wisconsin | N/A | L | 45 | 61 | -16 |
| 2004-05 | North Carolina State | 17 | St. John's (NY) | N/A | L | 45 | 63 | -18 |
| 2004-05 | Cincinnati | 22 | Illinois | 1 | L | 45 | 67 | -22 |
| 1998-99 | Kansas | 7 | Kentucky | 8 | L | 45 | 63 | -18 |
| 1998-99 | New Mexico | 25 | Utah | 8 | L | 45 | 60 | -15 |
| 2003-04 | Syracuse | 13 | Pittsburgh | 8 | L | 45 | 66 | -21 |
| 2000-01 | Texas | 20 | Oklahoma | 16 | L | 45 | 54 | -9 |
| 2002-03 | Oklahoma | 5 | Mississippi State | 16 | L | 45 | 54 | -9 |
| 2005-06 | Iowa | 14 | North Carolina State | 24 | W | 45 | 42 | 3 |
| 1997-98 | Georgia | 19 | North Carolina State | N/A | L | 45 | 47 | -2 |
| 2001-02 | Butler | 23 | Samford | N/A | W | 45 | 37 | 8 |
