Unsung Heroes: Saving Ryan's Nearly Private Tale of NCAA Playoff Success
Since they usually weren't the focal point of offense, their postseason competition achievement can get lost in normal All-American traffic for the 14 schools boasting multiple national championships. Despite never participating in a Final Four themselves, there are often-overlooked players who exhibited authentic "One Shining Moment" in NCAA Tournament for a blue-blood program. Two undervalued guards from prominent programs deserving special mention are:
- Ryan Robertson - 31-point outburst for Kansas against Kentucky in overtime in 1999 is higher than all-time tourney best for any of his more-publicized teammates during four-year career (including Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Scot Pollard and Jacque Vaughn). KU's Robertson, taking only 10 field-goal attempts, is one of six opposing players (including Dayton's Henry Finkel in 1966, Notre Dame's Austin Carr in 1970, Indiana's Kent Benson in 1975, Iowa State's Justus Thigpen Jr. in 1992 and Wichita State's Cleanthony Early in 2014) to score more than 30 points in defeat amid UK's NCAA tourney-high 131 victories. Among the 14 schools with multiple NCAA titles, Academic All-American Robertson has the lowest career scoring average (7.4 ppg) for a "blue-blood school" individual meeting the challenge and registering more than 30 points in a single NCAA playoff game.
- Ranzino Smith - 27-point uprising for North Carolina in only 18 minutes against Loyola Marymount in 1988 matches Michael Jordan's NCAA playoff high (against Temple in 1984). Among the 14 NCAA titlists in question, Smith has the lowest career scoring average (6.5 ppg) for an individual supplying more than 25 points in a single NCAA playoff game.
Eleven of the 13 tourney games summarized below occurred in first or second round. Restricting alphabetical list to schools capturing more than one NCAA title, the following individuals tallied at least 25 points in an NCAA playoff game despite college career scoring average lower than 13 ppg and subsequently not selected in first round of NBA draft:
| Multiple-Title School | Unsung Hero (Career Avg.) | HG | NCAA Playoff Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | Leonard Stokes (10.2) | 39 | UCLA (Second Round) | 3-17-02 |
| Duke | Doug Kistler (11.5) | 26 | Princeton (First Round) | 3-8-60 |
| Florida | KeVaughn Allen (12.1) | 35 | Wisconsin (Regional Semifinals) | 3-24-17 |
| Indiana | Andrae Patterson (11.3) | 26 | Oklahoma (First Round) | 3-12-98 |
| Kansas | Ryan Robertson (7.4) | 31 | Kentucky (Second Round) | 3-14-99 |
| Kentucky | Joe Crawford (11.3) | 35 | Marquette (First Round) | 3-20-08 |
| Louisville | Edgar Sosa (9.7) | 31 | Texas A&M (Second Round) | 3-17-07 |
| North Carolina | Ranzino Smith (6.5) | 27 | Loyola Marymount (Second Round) | 3-19-88 |
| North Carolina State | Ilian Evtimov (9.3) | 28 | Vanderbilt (Second Round) | 3-21-04 |
| Oklahoma State | Corey Williams (10.3) | 27 | Tulane (Second Round) | 3-22-92 |
| San Francisco | Mike Quick (12.6) | 25 | Long Beach State (Regional Semifinals) | 3-15-73 |
| UCLA | Tony Parker (8.3) | 28 | UAB (Second Round) | 3-21-15 |
| Villanova | Alvin Williams (10.9) | 31 | California (Second Round) | 3-15-97 |
NOTE: Michigan State has not had a player meet this criteria.