In terms of chaos, this year’s Sweet 16 field is historic

By at least one measure, this is the most chaotic Sweet 16 field to date.

The seed numbers of the 16 remaining teams add up to 94, the highest total since the NCAA Tournament expanded in 1985. The previous record of 89 was set in 1986.

This year’s regional semifinals include 15th-seeded Oral Roberts, 12th-seeded Oregon State, 11th-seeded Syracuse, 11th-seeded UCLA and eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago.

Three No. 1 seeds did make it through — Gonzaga, Michigan and Baylor. It’s the sixth straight Sweet 16 appearance for Gonzaga and the fourth for Michigan, the nation’s longest two active streaks.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few could appreciate how difficult it was to emerge from these first two rounds unscathed.

“There are a lot of good teams out there,” Few said. “When you play them on the biggest stage, and it’s just one game, it’s not a sevengame series, anything can happen. And there’s a lot of great coaches out there. You give them enough time to game plan for stuff like this, they’re going to take away your strengths.”

Here are the other seasons with the highest seed totals in the Sweet 16:

1986 (Sum of Sweet 16 seeds: 89)

In just the second year of the expanded 64-team tournament, the Sweet 16 included eighth-seeded Auburn, 11th-seeded LSU, 12thseeded DePaul and 14thseeded Cleveland State. LSU became the first 11 seed to reach the Final Four.

Seventh-seeded Navy, led by David Robinson, made it all the way to the regional finals.

1990 (Sum seeds: 88)

Three double-digit seeds made this Sweet 16: 10thseeded Texas, 11th-seeded Loyola Marymount and 12th-seeded Ball State. Loyola made it to the Elite Eight in the aftermath of star Hank Gathers’ death. The Lions scored a tournament-record 149 points in a second-round win over defending champion Michigan. They also allowed 131 — the second-highest total in tournament history — against UNLV in the regional final.

1999 (Sum seeds: 88)

A record five double-digit seeds made the Sweet 16 in this tournament, although only 10th-seeded Gonzaga went any further, losing in the regional final. The other of Sweet 16 of Sweet 16 four were 10th-seeded Purdue, 10th-seeded Miami, Ohio. 12th-seeded Missouri State and 13th-seeded Oklahoma.

2000 (Sum of Sweet 16 seeds: 85)

Two 8 seeds reached the Final Four in 2000: North Carolina and Wisconsin. Gonzaga made the Sweet 16 again as a 10, and 10thseeded Seton Hall was there, as well. Only two No. 1s and one No. 2 made it past the first weekend.

2018 (Sum of Sweet seeds: 85)

Top-seeded Virginia was eliminated by 16th-seeded UMBC, which then lost to ninth-seeded Kansas State with a Sweet 16 spot on the line. Another No. 1 seed went out when Xavier lost to Florida State in the second round. Loyola Chicago went to the Final Four as an 11 seed, and Syracuse also made the Sweet 16 as an 11. 16