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Top ten NCAA tournament moments ever
Jim
Maxwell
Staff
writer
10. The Fab Five ‘92
Cocky, confident, young and talented. Never before had the NCAA tournament seen a team composed of five freshman starters come within one win of the championship. Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson, led Michigan to five wins in a tournament run that was ended by a loss to Duke, 71-51.
Who could forget: Webber and Howard storming reporters after their Regional Final victory and rubbing their success in the face of all who didn’t believe it could happen.
9. His Legacy Begins ’82
The Louisiana Superdome served as the setting for a moment that would send one player into the realm of stardom and another into a feeling he would feel all too much in his career. As North Carolina and Georgetown battled each other for the 1982 NCAA Championship, it was supposed to be All-American Pat (as he was then called) Ewing who made his mark on America. Instead a skinny guard from Carolina made a name for himself. With 18-seconds remaining, Mike Jordan, nailed a 16-foot jumper to give the Heels a 63-62 victory.
Who could forget: After three Championship losses, Dean Smith finally grabbed his first title.
8. Remembering a Fallen Friend ’90
This one is for Hank. Seeing Bo Kimble shoot that left-handed free throw would send tears down anyone’s cheek. Not one month removed from losing his best friend Hank Gathers (who collapsed and died on the court), Bo Kimble honored his fallen friend by shooting free-throws like Gathers had done so, with his left hand. Kimble and his Loyola Marymount team had a remarkable tournament, advancing to the Elite Eight before eventually losing to UNLV.
Who could forget: This team scored 149 points against Michigan to set a single-game tournament record.
7. Pulling a Webber ‘93
This time as sophomores, the Fab Five led Michigan to another NCAA Championship game. In this highly contested game with North Carolina, All-American Chris Webber called a time-out with 11 seconds and his team down by two. Webber however did not realize that his team was out of timeouts. As a result Carolina nailed both free throws and won the game 77-71.
Who could forget: Tormenting those Wolverine fans by "pulling a Webber" and calling a time-out you did not have. It’s amazing how long people remember things.
6. Phi Slamma Jamma meets its Match ’83
In arguably the greatest finish to any NCAA championship game, heavy favorite Houston fell to the over-achieving NC State Wolfpack. With time running out in the game, NC State stalled the clock and almost failed to get a shot off before the game ended. With three seconds, Charles Whittenburg heaved up a 30-foot desperation three-pointer that fell short. However, Lorenzo Charles was there to dunk home the errant shot, and lead the Wolfpack to the National Championship.
Who could forget: Jimmy Valvano, running, jumping and seemingly hugging anyone who got in his way, after his team had just won.
5. The Streak is Over ‘74
Now if you think winning six straight games in the NCAA tournament is tough, try winning 38. Yes, the seven-time defending champion UCLA Bruins put a 38 game tournament winning streak on the like against NC State in the ‘74 National Semifinals. In this memorable game, NC State star David Thompson totally dominated the game, stopping UCLA from a chance at their eighth straight title.
Who could forget: The Wolfpack would beat Marquette to claim their first National Championship.
4. The Shot Heard Round the World ’92
The scene: Duke vs. Kentucky, East Regional Finals, overtime, Kentucky leading 102-101 with 1.8 seconds left in the game. Duke, the defending National Champions, has to go the whole length of the floor and sink a basket to win, a seemingly impossible task. Coming out of a timeout, Grant Hill takes the ball from the official, runs to a set spot and heaves the ball down court. Christian Laettner catches it at the free throw line, fakes left, turns and…. nothing but net. Duke wins and advances to the Final Four, and eventually repeats as champions.
Who could forget: Duke Forward Thomas Hill’s tearful face, showing the emotion of this historic game.
3. Our Five vs. Your Five ’66
Texas Wesleyan had never done anything in the tournament, and they have never done anything since, but for one night they were the kings of the world. Facing perennial powerhouse Kentucky, Wesleyan led by an All African-American starting line-up, dominated the pasty-white Kentucky team, to make a powerful statement during a time when African Americans were fighting for their rights in America.
Who could forget: After this game no university exclusively recruited white athletes for their basketball teams.
2. Near Perfection ’85
Rarely has a team ever needed to play flawless basketball to even have a chance at winning the National Championship, however in the 1985 NCAA Championship, Villanova had to do just that. Shooting a NCAA tournament record 78.6 percent from the field, Villanova defeated defending National Champion Georgetown in the biggest upset in NCAA tournament history.
Who could forget: Patrick Ewing losing his second National Championship, and never again experiencing the feeling of victory.
1. Magic vs. Bird
In the game that earned the highest TV rating for a basketball game ever (24.1 or nearly 30 percent of the National Audience), undefeated Indiana State led by Larry Bird faced Michigan St. led by Magic Johnson. In what actually turned out to be a one-sided game, which Magic’s Spartans dominated, seeing Bird and Magic face off for the first time ever was captivating. Johnson was named the MVP of the tournament scoring 24 points in the final. Bird on the other hand struggled to a 7-21 shooting performance.
Who could forget: Indiana St. was the last undefeated team to make it to the championship game.