March Madness is upon us and it is one of the biggest basketball tournaments that the nation looks forward to. Throughout NCAA history, we’ve witnessed some of the most remarkable finishes and upsets. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 of the craziest finishes in March Madness history.
Syracuse Gets Stunned by Vermont (March 18, 2005)
Upsets are always pleasing to watch, especially when they come in dramatic finishes. Despite heading into the game as the 13th seed, the Catamounts pulled off arguably the school’s biggest victory when they upset the 4th-seeded Syracuse, who headed into the game as the Big East Champion. A logo three-pointer by T.J. Sorrentine in the clutch was enough to put the game away in March Madness for a final score of 60-57.
LSU upsets Kentucky (March 23, 1986)
Speaking of upsets, pitted against the 11th-seeded LSU, Kentucky had everything in favor to advance to the Final Four. Unfortunately, it was everything but the game as Kentucky conceded 59-57. LSU’s Ricky Blanton had a perfect shooting game, enroute to 12 points. He also received help from John Williams and Don Redden, who had 16 and 15 points respectively. It marked the first time an 11th seeded team made the Final Four.
Xavier vs. Kansas State (March 25, 2010)
Everybody loves a double overtime game. With a spot at the Elite Eight up for grabs, neither Xavier or Kansas State wanted to let up. In fact, both teams were hitting clutch baskets. However, it was Kansas State who emerged victorious, 101-96. Jacob Pullen led the way for Kansas State with 28 points, including a pair of clutch shots from rainbow country during the extra period.
Michigan vs. Kansas (March 29, 2013)
Despite facing a 14-point deficit, Michigan was able to climb back from the hole to force overtime. After a scoreless first half, Trey Burke kicked it up a notch in the second half and exploded for 23 points. Burke hit back-to-back clutch baskets to force overtime that led to a tight 87-85 win.
UConn vs. Duke (March 29, 1999)
Connecticut and Duke reigned superior in the NCAA during the 1998-1999 season. But while Duke looked penciled to finish the tournament undefeated, Connecticut executed plays that mattered the most in the final frame. After costly errors by Duke in the final stretch of the game UConn capitalized and came out with the 77-74 win.
Arkansas vs. Duke (April 4, 1994)
Beating Duke is always a great achievement, especially for the national championship. In fact, Arkansas was able to pull that off in 1994. Although Grant Hill hit a crucial three as the shot clock expired heading into the final minute, a daring three-point basket from Scotty Thurman gave the Razorbacks a 76-72 championship-clinching win.
RJ Hunter Hits the Deep Game-Winning Three (March 20, 2015)
Going up against a third-seeded Baylor as the 14th seed is a tall order. However, that didn’t faze RJ Hunter and Georgia State even after facing a 12-point deficit. Hunter knocked down a three point shot from NBA range after a handoff with 2.7 seconds left in the game to complete the major upset at the expense of Baylor. Hunter finished the game with 16 points to pace the Panthers.
Christian Laettner’s “The Shot” (March 28, 1992)
Arguably Duke’s greatest championship campaign, in the process, they had to lock horns against a great Kentucky basketball team. In a classic showdown that needed overtime, Kentucky and Duke went back and forth until the final frame. However, it was Christian Laettner’s fadeaway shot at the buzzer that helped Duke escape with the win. Laettner couldn’t even miss in the game, finishing with 31 points on 10 of 10 shooting from the field overall and also from the charity stripe.
Paul Jesperson’s Hail Mary Game Winner (March 18, 2016)
On a bad day for most top-seeded teams, one of the remarkable moments that came from that event was the 11th-seeded Northwestern Iowa pulling off the stunner against the sixth-seeded Texas Longhorns. While Texas’ Isaiah Taylor made a clutch game-tying lay-up that would’ve pushed it to overtime, it was Paul Jersperson who played the hero for the Panthers. To the surprise of many, Jesperson sunk the longest game-winning basket in NCAA history.
Jalen Suggs’ Lifts Gonzaga Over UCLA (April 3, 2021)
Gonzaga looked like an unbeatable squad after going undefeated in the NCAA tourney. However, their undefeated record was largely threatened by the 11th-seeded UCLA Bruins. In a game that needed an extra period, Johnny Juzhang poured in 29 big points. However, that went all for naught after Jalen Suggs finished with 16 points to protect Gonzaga’s undefeated record. However, none were more important than the deep three-pointer he banked at the buzzer.
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