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How historic was opening day of the 2022 NCAA Tournament? The most upsets ever?

There were plenty of upsets on Thursday to open the first Big Dance in front of fans in three years. How many underdog records were broken?

Saint Peter’s Peacocks guard Doug Edert reacts after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.  Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament featured plenty of upsets throughout the day on Thursday, and we’ve got another full day of unpredictable college hoops to do it all over again.

The first day of the first round will be remembered for the No. 2 seed Kentucky Wildcats falling to the No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s Peacocks as plenty of brackets had John Calipari’s crew cutting down the nets in April.

In the end, six lower-seeded teams came away with victories on Thursday, and let’s put it all into a historical perspective.

There is still a chance to set a new record for first round upsets on Friday because all that is needed is one more upset than Thursday in order to tie. There were 13 first round upsets in 2016 and 2001.

According to ESPN’s Chris Fallica, Thursday’s games fell one short of setting a new record for teams seeded No. 11 or worse winning in a single day. The all-time record since the expansion of the bracket in 1985 was set on March 16, 2012 when five such teams advanced to Round 2 in a single day. Four teams met that category on Thursday.

It should be another thrilling day of college basketball from afternoon till late at night. Enjoy the Madness.