All the Shining Moments

By Peyton Schultze

In 2011, Kemba Walker and the UConn Huskies were able to reel off 11 straight postseason wins on their way to a stunning national championship.

Ah, yes. March.

It’s finally here. Time for busted brackets and buzzer beaters. Time for new superstars and rising role players. Time for Madness.

While this college basketball season has been one of the most entertaining in recent memory with notable names such as Zion Williamson and Ja Morant stealing the show, the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament has been home to some of sports’ most iconic moments. From the Laettner shot to Chris Webber’s timeout miscue, we look back at some of the tournament’s greatest and most iconic moments of all-time.

“The Shot” (1992, Kentucky vs Duke, Elite 8)

In perhaps college basketball’s most iconic moment of all-time, Christian Laettner solidified himself in basketball history with one of the most iconic shots in the history of the game. With 2.1 seconds remaining in overtime and trailing the Kentucky Wildcats 103-102, Duke forward Grant Hill threw a perfect full court pass into the hands of one of the nation’s best college players in Blue Devil center and fellow teammate, Christian Laettner.

With his back to the basket and near the Wildcats’ free throw line, Laettner caught the pass, faked to his left and fired a turnaround jumper to his right. Laettner’s shot somehow found a way to fall through, leaving the Blue Devils with one of the most miraculous wins in the history of the tournament and sending them to the Final Four in Minneapolis, Minnesota (ironically the site of this year’s Final Four).

Laettner’s shot on that fateful night in Philadelphia was quickly written into college basketball’s history books and remains one of the most clutch moments in the history of the sport. “The Shot” may remain March’s most iconic moment until the end of time and is truly March Madness at its finest.

Jimmy V and the Pack Stun the Nation (1983, NC State vs Houston, National Championship Game)

It takes a lot to beat one of the most memorable teams in college basketball history, especially one that featured the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and the rest of Phi Slama Jama. But what Jim Valvano and the NC State Wolfpack pulled off in 1983 didn’t just take a lot; it took a miracle.

With only a few seconds remaining and tied at 52 with the Houston Cougars, Wolfpack guard Dereck Whittenburg heaved up a deep 30 footer for an airball. Luckily for NC State, teammate Lorenzo Charles grabbed the offensive rebound and threw down a buzzer-beating dunk to secure the unlikely win for the NC State Wolfpack. The lasting image from that game remains Jim Valvano running onto the court after the win, searching for someone to hug, but NC State’s major upset over one of college basketball’s best teams remains one of the tournament’s most unlikely and inspiring events.

Jenkins for the Win (2016, Villanova vs North Carolina, National Championship Game)

Although Villanova and North Carolina both have storied histories full of winning and excellence, the 2016 National Championship Game was one of the best games in the history of the sport between two classic programs.

With 4.7 seconds left and down by three, North Carolina guard Marcus Paige threw up an off-balance and quirky three pointer to tie the game at 74. At this point, it seemed like North Carolina was going to send the game into overtime and looked to secure another national championship in a hard-fought battle. But Kris Jenkins and the Villanova Wildcats had other ideas.

Before time expired, Wildcats’ guard Ryan Arcidiacono found a trailing Kris Jenkins at the top of the key for an open-enough three. Jenkins threw up a prayer into the deep Houston night and sank one of the most memorable shots in the history of the NCAA Tournament, giving Villanova the 2016 National Championship in a game they were not favored to win. Villanova has had some great moments in tournament history, but Jenkins’ shot trumps them all.

Super Mario Saves the Day (2008, Kansas vs Memphis, National Championship Game)

As one of March Madness’ most famous moments, Mario Chalmers’ clutch 3-pointer to send the National Championship game into overtime against Derrick Rose and the Memphis Tigers lives on in Kansas’ basketball lore.

With 11 seconds remaining, Derrick Rose made one of two to put the Tigers up by 3. However, the Kansas Jayhawks quickly moved up the court before guard Mario Chalmers launched a deep fadeaway 3 to tie the game and send it into overtime. Chalmers’ clutch shot saved the day for the Jayhawks, who would eventually win the title in overtime, and remains one of college basketball’s most memorable images.

Smart Shot (1987, Indiana vs Syracuse, National Championship Game)

In the final seconds of the 1987 National Championship Game between the Indiana Hoosiers and Syracuse Orange, Hoosiers’ guard Keith Smart pulled up for a go-ahead shot to secure Indiana’s fifth title in school history.

Although Hoosiers’ coach Bob Knight had his fair share of controversy over the course of his dynamic coaching career, Knight was able to lead several Indiana teams to National Championships. None, however, were as notable as the 1987 run that was capped off with Smart’s go-ahead and clutch shot. The 1987 Final Four featuring Indiana, Syracuse, UNLV and Providence remains one of the sport’s most interesting events, especially being capped off by a game-winner and championship-sealer from Indiana.

The Upset of the Century (2018, UMBC vs Virginia, Round of 64

Last year, a 16 seeded team had never once beaten a 1 seeded team in the NCAA Tournament. That is, until UMBC met up with Virginia in the first round of the 2018 version of the tournament.

There is a reason that people call March Madness one of sports’ best events year in and year out and last year proved to be no different. Upsets are always common in the tournament, yet no team had been able to beat a 1 seed in the first round. Until UMBC came along. With one of the most stunning results in the history in of the tournament, UMBC was the Cinderella team that everyone craved to see and sent top seeded Virginia home early. We’ll never know if we’ll see another upset of this magnitude anytime soon, so cherish the underdog inspiration that UMBC provided in 2018.

Walker Leads UConn to Title (2011, UConn Huskies, NCAA Tournament)

Although UConn had only finished 9th in the Big East that year, UConn plowed through the Big East tournament to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. From the beginning of postseason play to the national championship game, UConn would reel off 11 straight wins on their way to one of the most unlikely National Championships ever.

Although UConn seemed unlikely to win it all at the beginning of the tournament, they possessed one of the nation’s best college basketball players in guard Kemba Walker. The Huskies would need all of Walker and more throughout their tournament run (and the last significant run with the legendary Jim Calhoun as head coach), and Walker was certainly able to provide the spark they needed. The 2011 Huskies remain one of the sport’s most unlikely champions and officially made Kemba Walker a college basketball legend.

11 Seed George Mason Heads to the Final Four (2006, George Mason Patriots, Final Four)

Although they were unable to secure a national title, the George Mason Patriots inspired one of the most interesting and stunning runs in the history of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

As only the second 11 seed to ever reach the Final Four, George Mason plowed through some of college basketball’s most notable blue bloods such as Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and UConn. Although they would eventually fall to the eventual champions in the dominant Florida Gators, George Mason became of one college basketball’s best underdog stories in the history of the tournament.

The Beginning of the Rivalry (1979, Michigan State vs Indiana State, National Championship Game)

We all know about the budding NBA rivalry in the 1980s between Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics. But the first chapter of their historic rivalry did not just begin in the National Basketball Association, and instead took place on college basketball’s biggest stage.

Indiana State was undefeated throughout their miraculous season, led by Bird’s great season. Yet Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans were a different animal that Indiana State had not dealt with all year long. At the time, Michigan State vs Indiana State would have the highest ratings in the history of basketball and was one of college basketball’s most significant games. The championship matchup between the two would result in a solid Michigan State win for Magic and Co., but would officially mark the beginning of the sport of basketball’s most famous rivalry.

No Timeouts Left (1993, Michigan vs North Carolina, National Championship Game)

For Chris Webber and the rest of Michigan’s spectacular “Fab Five”, 1993 was supposed to be their year for a National Championship. Instead, the end result of their season was one of the most stunning moments in the history of the NCAA Tournament.

With 18 seconds left and trailing North Carolina by two, Chris Webber leaped for a defensive rebound, dribbled down to the right corner of UNC’s side and called a timeout after being trapped in the corner. Except for one thing. Michigan did not have any timeouts remaining.

Webber’s stunning blunder resulted in two free throws for UNC and ultimately cost the Wolverines a chance at securing a National Championship for one of college basketball’s all-time teams. The timeout miscue overshadowed the previous success of one of college’s most interesting teams, and North Carolina was able to secure another National Championship with Dean Smith at the helm.