Subscribe
Follow Us
With the opening weekend of the 2025 NCAA Tournament in the books, we're now on to the Sweet Sixteen, where the National Championship dreams of eight programs will stay alive for at least another 48 hours. And to celebrate these excellent two nights of hoops we have ahead of us, it makes sense to look back at the last quarter-century at some of the tournament's best and most memorable Sweet Sixteen games.
Let's start here: My shortlist for this exercise began with 32 games. That's right, 32 different Sweet Sixteen games were “on the bubble” so to speak, warranting consideration for a list that had to be cut to just 10 games, so forgive me if I missed one you believe should've made the cut. Additionally, by no means am I suggesting this list I've put together should be taken as gospel. I encourage you, if not now then during the dog days of summer when you need a basketball fix, to find all of these games and others on YouTube — I promise you, all of them are available — watch them and put together your list for consideration.
Hell, I might end up doing the same thing just for kicks and giggles. But for now, this is the list for your consideration.
10. Duke vs. Virginia Tech (2019)
Why You Should Watch: Sandwiched between a highly anticipated showdown between Zion Williamson and UCF big man Tacko Fall in the Round of 32 that more than lived up to the hype and an Elite Eight matchup with the Michigan State Spartans that went right down to the wire, Duke vs. Virginia Tech was just as competitive, only it lacks some of the juice that those other two matchups still have six years later.
9. Loyola Chicago vs. Nevada (2018)
Why You Should Watch: Come for one of three consecutive one-possession games in one of the most notable Cinderella stories in NCAA Tournament history but stay for the X's and O's genius of Porter Moser, the former Loyola Chicago head coach who was absolutely in his bag throughout the Ramblers' run to the Final Four. Also, if mid-game cutaways to a 98-year-old woman are your jam, I've got just the game for you!
8. Kansas State vs. Xavier (2010)
Why You Should Watch: If not because a double-overtime thriller that featured lord knows how many big shots from the likes of Jacob Pullen, Denis Clemente, Tu Holloway, and Jordan Crawford tickles your fancy, then watch this one because it's without question the most underrated Gus Johnson game in NCAA Tournament history. Never has a man had more fun calling a basketball game than Gus did this one.
7. Saint Peter's vs. Purdue (2022)
Why You Should Watch: Fresh off of a pair of upsets between Kentucky and Murray State, Saint Peter's was playing to make history and become the first 15 seed to make it to the Elite Eight. But a matchup against the much larger, much more athletic, much more battle-tested Purdue Boilermakers felt like the ultimate David vs. Goliath matchup. Good thing the Peacocks brought their slingshot.
Saint Peter's made history here where Oral Roberts and FGCU had come up a little bit short in the recent past, busting brackets even more and busting through, becoming the first — and so far only — 15 seed to make it all the way to the Elite Eight. For Purdue, this was only the middle chapter in a three year series of March failures that included losses to a 13 seed, a 15 seed and in 2023, a 16 seed.
6. Florida vs. BYU (2011)
Why You Should Watch: Two words, friends… Jimmer Fredette.
5. Florida vs. Wisconsin (2017)
Why You Should Watch: To appreciate the last big game of fun and completely underrated era of Wisconsin Badgers basketball. To re-visit the highest scoring game in the career of Florida's KeVaughn Allen, who poured in 35 points — and just 1 assist — and was the only Gator in double figures scoring. And of course, for the clutch shots that Zak Showalter and Chris Chiozza traded at the end of regulation and overtime respectively.
4. Ohio State vs. Tennessee (2007)
Why You Should Watch: Kicking off three consecutive games on this list in which 2nd half comebacks are the big theme, the Ohio State Buckeyes faced a 17-point deficit against the Volunteers, but chipped away at the lead throughout the 2nd half, even with Greg Oden in foul trouble. Oden, a consensus All-American and the eventual 1st overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft was limited to just 18 minutes of action and scored only 9 points, but he came through with the biggest play of the game… a last-second block that sent him careening to the floor, clinching the win for the Buckeyes.
3. Indiana vs. Duke (2002)
Why You Should Watch: Duke schadenfreude is a fantastic place to start, but beyond that, a 17-point comeback against the top seed in the NCAA Tournament who was looking to win a second consecutive National Championship certainly provides some intrigue. It's important to remember just how highly regarded Duke was at this point in time. The Blue Devils won the 2001 National Title in dominant fashion and then marched into the Sweet 16 with a 31-3 record and an ACC Tournament title to their name. But famously, Indiana's AJ Moye delivered this telling quote ahead of the game, indicating that the Hoosiers wouldn't be intimidated.
“It’s not like they’re the University of Jesus Christ and we’re playing the Twelve Disciples. It’s just Duke. Duke is just a name on a jersey.”
A little sacrilege never hurt anybody.
2. UCLA vs. Gonzaga (2006)
Why You Should Watch: Unless you're a Gonzaga fan, you should watch this game for an absolutely bonkers Bruins comeback. For 39 minutes and 50 seconds, UCLA trailed in this game, and to be honest, it never totally felt like the Bruins were even in striking distance. But they just kept hanging around, keeping the deficit around 10 points, until all of a sudden, the Zags were turning the ball over the the Bruins were inexplicably leading with 10 seconds to go.
If you're a Gonzaga fan, I suppose the reason to watch would be because it was Adam Morrison's last game in a Bulldogs uniform, but I don't think this is a memory you necessarily want to re-live. I give you my permission to skip it, or at the very least, chase this one with the Zags' Final Four victory over UCLA in 2021.
If you're a Gus Johnson fan, simply fast forward to the final play of the game and enjoy this full-blown Gus-gasm.
1. Michigan vs. Kansas (2013)
Why You Should Watch: The extra clutch Trey Burke triple to send the game to overtime is probably what you remember — though Jayhawks fans likely remember Elijah Johnson's missed free throw that preceded that shot — but from start to finish, this is just a doozy of a basketball game that was played at an extremely high level in which all ten starters scored in double figures and the two teams combined to shoot 52 percent from the field. This is the case where the One Shining Moment overshadows an entire game that is certainly worth re-watching.
