College Exam: Day #9 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to try to understand Plagiarist Biledumb before his afternoon nap or cowering in fetal position due to having Dr. Fraudci as deity, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.
We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 9 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):
1. Who was the only athlete to lead his championship team in scoring in two Final Four games and pitch in the major leagues the same year? Hint: He was a guard for three consecutive Final Four teams and was selected to the All-NCAA Tournament team as a senior.
2. Name the only school with more than 1,300 victories in the 20th Century never to reach the Final Four. Hint: The school participated in the NCAA playoffs just once (1992) in last 40-plus years.
3. Name the only school to defeat a team three times in a season the opponent captured the NCAA title. Hint: The school also defeated the same conference foe three times the next season as defending national champion.
4. Name the only champion to win its two Final Four games by a total of more than 50 points. Hint: The titlist suffered its only loss that season against one of the Final Four victims.
5. Of the 35 Final Four Most Outstanding Players selected from 1946 through 1981 when there was a national third-place game, who was the only honoree to play for a fourth-place team? Hint: He never averaged as many as nine points per game in four NBA seasons.
6. Name the only school to lose in back-to-back years in the first round to different institutions going on to capture national titles those years. Hint: The school won a total of 47 games in the two seasons. The two defeats were in the middle of six consecutive playoff appearances for the school after it appeared in playoffs just once from 1939 through 1982.
7. Name the only year four teams arrived at the national semifinals with a composite winning percentage of less than 75 percent. Hint: The two schools that met in the national third-place game are traditional football powers. The college losing both of its Final Four games that year is the only national semifinalist to finish a season with as many as 14 defeats.
8. Who is the only player to score more than 60 points in a single playoff game and to score more than 43 points at least twice? Hint: Of the players who scored more than 235 playoff points and/or averaged more than 25 points per tournament game (minimum of three games), he is the only individual from the select group to have a losing playoff record. He is the only one of the top 25 playoff scorers never to reach Final Four.
9. Who is the only male player to score more than 44 points in a single Final Four game? Hint: He is the only player to twice convert more than 12 free throws without a miss in playoff game.
10. Who is the only player to score more than 400 points in his playoff career? Hint: The only individual to start in four straight Final Fours hit two last-second shots to help his team win East Regional final overtime games and is only player with at least 10 championship game free-throw attempts to convert all of them.
Answers (Day 9)
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As Good As It Got: Teams Entering Tournament With Longest Winning Streak
Gonzaga entered NCAA Tournament final three years ago boasting a school-record winning streak (35) before beaten by Baylor. The Zags should know the fact numerous other teams had the daunting task of capturing the NCAA championship or watch even longer school-record winning streaks come to a halt. James Madison entered national playoffs this campaign with a 13-game winning streak, which is significantly shorter than the following alphabetical list of schools boasting still existing all-time DI winning streaks of at least 25 consecutive victories broken during the NCAA playoffs:
| School | Streak | Date Ended | Opponent | Score | NCAA Tourney Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler | 26 | 4-5-10 | Duke | 61-59 | Championship Game |
| College of Charleston | 25 | 3-12-99 | Tulsa | 62-53 | East Regional First |
| Columbia | 32 | 3-20-51 | Illinois | 79-71 | East Regional First |
| Davidson | 25 | 3-30-08 | Kansas | 59-57 | Midwest Regional Final |
| Duke | 32 | 3-29-99 | Connecticut | 77-74 | Championship Game |
| Florida | 30 | 4-5-14 | Connecticut | 63-53 | National Semifinals |
| Gonzaga | 35 | 4-5-21 | Baylor | 86-70 | Championship Game |
| Houston | 32 | 3-22-68 | UCLA | 101-69 | National Semifinals |
| Indiana | 34 | 3-22-75 | Kentucky | 92-90 | Mideast Regional Final |
| Indiana State | 33 | 3-26-79 | Michigan State | 75-64 | Championship Game |
| Kentucky | 38 | 4-4-15 | Wisconsin | 71-64 | National Semifinals |
| Loyola Marymount | 25 | 3-19-88 | North Carolina | 123-97 | West Regional Second |
| Marquette | 39 | 3-18-71 | Ohio State | 60-59 | Mideast Regional Semifinals |
| Memphis | 27 | 3-26-09 | Missouri | 102-91 | West Regional Semifinals |
| Ohio State | 32 | 3-25-61 | Cincinnati | 70-65 | Championship Game |
| Rutgers | 31 | 3-27-76 | Michigan | 86-70 | National Semifinals |
| Stephen F. Austin | 29 | 3-23-14 | UCLA | 77-60 | South Regional Second |
| Temple | 25 | 3-21-58 | Kentucky | 61-60 | National Semifinals |
| UNLV | 45 | 3-30-91 | Duke | 79-77 | National Semifinals |
| Wichita State | 35 | 3-23-14 | Kentucky | 78-76 | Midwest Regional Second |
Slow Start: All-Americans LeDee and Shead Endured Growing Pains as Frosh
In a microwave atmosphere of instant expectations, Iowa's Kris Murray (0.6 points per game in 2020-21) failed to generate national headlines in his freshman season with the Hawkeyes before blossoming into an All-American two years later. He is a textbook example why fans shouldn't put too much stock in freshman statistics. All-Americans this year who struggled as a freshman include San Diego State's Jaedon LeDee (3 ppg with Ohio State in 2018-19) and Houston's Jamal Shead (3.3 ppg in 2020-21).
Murray, posting the lowest-ever freshman scoring average for an eventual All-American, isn't the only standout who endured growing pains. The following alphabetical list of players averaged fewer than three points per game as a freshman before eventually earning All-American acclaim:
Eventual All-American Pos. A-A School Freshman Scoring Average Cole Aldrich C Kansas 2.8 ppg in 2007-08 Lorenzo Charles F North Carolina State 2.2 ppg in 1981-82 Rakeem Christmas F Syracuse 2.8 ppg in 2011-12 Keith Edmonson G Purdue 1.3 ppg in 1978-79 Aaron Gray C Pittsburgh 1.7 ppg in 2003-04 Erick Green G Virginia Tech 2.6 ppg in 2009-10 Tom Gugliotta F North Carolina State 2.7 ppg in 1988-89 Rui Hachimura F Gonzaga 2.6 ppg in 2016-17 Roy Hamilton G UCLA 1.2 ppg in 1975-76 Jeff Jonas G Utah 2.8 ppg in 1973-74 Johnny Juzang G UCLA 2.9 ppg in 2019-20 with Kentucky Frank Kaminsky C-F Wisconsin 1.8 ppg in 2011-12 Ted Kitchel F Indiana 1.7 ppg in 1979-80 Bob Kurland C Oklahoma A&M 2.5 ppg in 1942-43 Tom LaGarde C North Carolina 2.2 ppg in 1973-74 Jock Landale C Saint Mary's 2.1 ppg in 2014-15 Kenyon Martin C Cincinnati 2.8 ppg in 1996-97 Luke Maye F North Carolina 1.2 ppg in 2015-16 Kris Murray F Iowa 0.6 ppg in 2020-21 John Pilch G Wyoming 2.4 ppg in 1946-47 Thomas Robinson F Kansas 2.5 ppg in 2009-10 Steve Scheffler C Purdue 1.5 ppg in 1986-87 Russ Smith G Louisville 2.2 ppg in 2010-11 Earl Tatum G-F Marquette 1.5 ppg in 1972-73 Kurt Thomas F-C Texas Christian 0.8 ppg in 1990-91 Al Thornton F Florida State 2.8 ppg in 2003-04 B.J. Tyler G Texas 2.9 ppg in 1989-90 with DePaul Scottie Wilbekin G Florida 2.4 ppg in 2010-11 Jeff Withey C Kansas 1.3 ppg in 2009-10 NOTES: Oregon's Wally Borrevik (1.8 ppg in 1940-41), Wisconsin's Gene Englund (2.3 ppg in 1938-39), California's Darrall Imhoff (0.9 ppg in 1957-58), Kansas' Dean Kelley (0.8 in 1950-51), Purdue's Bob Kessler (2.3 ppg in 1933-34), Notre Dame's Leo Klier (2.7 in 1942-43), Oklahoma A&M's Gale McArthur (2.96 ppg in 1948-49), Notre Dame's Bob Rensberger (1.5 ppg in 1940-41) and Stanford's George Yardley (2.9 ppg in 1947-48) averaged fewer than three points per game as sophomores when freshmen weren't eligible to play varsity basketball before becoming All-Americans. . . . Withey originally attended Arizona.
Missing in Main Action: Many All-Americans Without Postseason Experience
Naturally, it would be unfair to include "one-and-done" players from four seasons ago as coronavirus prevented them from participating in national postseason competition. No All-American missed out on postseason play this year, but you can go back to Big Ben to assess whether he was a freshman phenom or flop. Eight seasons ago, LSU's Ben Simmons was the first NCAA consensus All-American in 38 years (since Minnesota's Mychal Thompson and Portland State's Freeman Williams in 1978) to leave college after failing to appear in either of the two principal national postseason tournaments during their career. After previously occurring frequently, Army's Kevin Houston (1987) had been the last All-American of any type to miss the NCAA tourney and NIT until Simmons and Detroit's Antoine Davis last season (despite COVID-enhanced five years of eligibility as the Titans went 29 games below .500 during his stint). Davis, Houston, Thompson and Williams comprise four of 24 four- and five-year players among all A-As in this dubious category. Thompson is among a total of 50 such players from Big Ten Conference members.
Simmons' questionable NBA playing status the past several seasons is nothing new. He plus fellow All-Americans Kay Felder (Oakland) and Markelle Fultz (Washington freshman seven years ago) might have made bigger names for themselves in college if they had participated in national postseason competition prior to declaring early for the NBA draft. Fultz, briefly a teammate of Simmons with the Philadelphia 76ers, became the 126th standout from a member of an existing power league (26 of them consensus) on the following alphabetical list of All-Americans, including Kevin Love's father (Stan Love/Oregon A-A in 1971), who never competed in the NCAA playoffs or NIT since the national-tourney events were introduced in the late 1930s:
*Number of times named an NCAA consensus All-American.
NOTE: Flynn was a transfer from Washington State.
College Exam: Day #8 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to try to understand hair-sniffing Plagiarist Biledumb or cowering in fetal position hiding your useless bracket, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.
We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 8 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):
1. Name the only school to reach the Final Four three consecutive years on two separate occasions in the 20th Century. Hint: In the first three-year stretch, it became the only school to lose three straight national semifinal games. In the second three-year stretch, the school was involved in only times two teams from same state met each other in championship game.
2. What was the only year two undefeated teams reached the Final Four? Hint: One of the squads had a perfect ending after winning in the national semifinals and championship game by an average of 16 points, while the other club that was unbeaten lost in national semifinals and third-place game by an average of 15 points.
3. Who is the shortest player to lead an NCAA champion in scoring average? Hint: He was part of a three-guard starting lineup, averaging under 5-10 in height, playing the entire championship game for the only current Division I school to capture an NCAA title despite never having an NCAA consensus first- or second-team All-American.
4. Who is the only U.S. Olympic basketball coach to win the NCAA and NIT titles with different schools? Hint: He never participated in a national postseason tournament with the third university he coached (Michigan State).
5. Who was the only coach to direct two different schools to the Final Four twice apiece in the 20th Century? Hint: He is the only coach to compile a record of more than four games under .500 in Final Four contests and only coach to guide three teams to national fourth-place finishes.
6. Who is the only coach of a championship team other than Rick Pitino to subsequently coach another university and compile a winning NCAA playoff record at his last major-college job? Hint: He is the only coach to win a national title at a school where he stayed less than five seasons.
7. Of the coaches to reach the national semifinals at least twice, who is the only one to compile an undefeated Final Four record? Hint: He won both of his championship games against the same school. He is also the only NCAA consensus first-team All-American to later coach his alma mater to an NCAA title.
8. Name the only school to lead UCLA at halftime in the 22 Final Four games for the Bruins' 11 titlists. Hint: The school leading one of the 11 UCLA champions at intermission of a Final Four game was coached by a John Wooden protege.
9. Of the coaches hired by NBA teams after winning an NCAA championship, who is the only one to compile a non-losing NBA playoff record? Hint: He is one of four different men to coach an undefeated NCAA championship team.
10. Name the only school to defeat a team by as many as 27 points in a season the opponent wound up winning the national title. Hint: The school is also the only one to defeat an eventual national titlist twice in same season by at least 12 points.
Answers (Day 8)
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Tiny Dancers: At-Large CSU, Zags and USU Drub Power-Conference Members
Prior to coronavirus cancellation four seasons ago, the national tourney in 2020 was expected to be a bonanza year for mid-majors with Dayton (Atlantic 10), Gonzaga (West Coast) and San Diego State (Mountain West) ranked in Top 10. When given an opportunity via an at-large invitation to the Big Dance, members from 11 different mid-major conferences have more than held their own against opponents from elite leagues. The greatest example was Virginia Commonwealth, which defeated members from five different power leagues en route to the 2011 Final Four. COVID-19 prevented VCU from possibility of duplicating at-large success three years ago.
It's blatantly clear mid-majors such as Indiana State this season should be given more consideration. After Colorado State (Virginia), Gonzaga (Kansas) and Utah State (Texas Christian) prevailed this year by an average of more than 20 points in these three outings, mid-major at-large entrants since 1992 included the following success totals against power-league members: Big Eight/Big 12 (24), Big East (19), Big Ten (16), SEC (15), ACC (14) and Pac-12 (11). The Zags' drubbing of KU was the Jayhawks' sixth setback against a mid-major at-large entrant since 1992. The following total of 41 different mid-major at-large entrants went on to win in the NCAA playoffs against a total of 55 different power-conference members (listed in reverse chronological order):
NOTE: Butler (Big East), Cincinnati (Big East), Louisville (Big East and ACC), Utah (Pac-12) and Xavier (Big East) subsequently joined a power conference.
Dayton's DaRon Holmes II is Lone Non-Power League All-American This Year
NBA success in several years likely will reveal voter shortcomings as Dayton's DaRon Holmes II was the only non-power conference member to supply an NCAA consensus All-American this campaign. Gonzaga has a striking number of 11 different players accorded such consensus A-A status thus far this century. Three years ago, the Zags joined Illinois (2004-05) as the only two schools in a 73-season span to feature three consensus All-Americans in same season since Kentucky in 1948-49. Following is a chronological list of mid-level NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans since the ACC was introduced in 1953-54:
NOTE: BYU, Creighton and Houston subsequently joined a power conference.
Nostalgia 85: 1 to 85 Ranking of Greatest Games in NCAA Tournament History
"It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required." - Winston Churchill
The NCAA Tournament spectacle speaks to your sports soul, leaving you sitting on the edge of your seat yearning for more. Perhaps the most amazing stretch in NCAA playoff history was an eight-year span from 1982 through 1989 when seven finals were decided by an average of two points. All of those close title contests, surely measuring up to Churchill's "best" quote, must be included in any celebratory ranking of the most stimulating games in tourney history.
Since some of the most entertaining games are somewhat overshadowed because they came in earlier rounds, it's difficult to decide what were the premier outings in playoff history. There is inspiration everywhere one turns - so many entertaining contests to choose from with so many divergent opinions on a seemingly endless list of stellar candidates.
Nothing provokes disagreements among ardent hoop fans more than healthy what's-the-best-in-history dialogue. In deference to the introduction of playoff parties 85 years ago, following is a ranking of the top 84 games remembered the most. You wouldn't wonder what all the fuss is about if you had the good fortune to witness firsthand or learn from ardent fans about much of the following drama:
1. 1992 East Regional Final (Duke 104, Kentucky 103 in OT)
Duke's Christian Laettner hit a decisive last-second shot near the head of the key against UK in overtime after receiving a long in-bounds pass from Grant Hill in the East Regional final. The game is acknowledged as one of the most suspenseful in NCAA history.
2. 1985 Championship Game (Villanova 66, Georgetown 64)
Villanova became the worst seed (#8 in the Southeast Regional) to win a national championship by shooting a championship game-record 78.6% from the floor against the nation's top-ranked team. The Hoyas, powered by national player of the year Patrick Ewing, had defeated the Wildcats twice by a total of nine points in Big East Conference competition.
3. 1983 Championship Game (North Carolina State 54, Houston 52)
Sophomore forward Lorenzo Charles scored only four points, but two of them came when he converted guard Dereck Whittenburg's off-line desperation shot from well beyond the top of the free-throw circle into a decisive dunk as North Carolina State upset heavily-favored Houston. The Cougars, featuring Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon, entered the final with a 26-game winning streak.
4. 1982 Championship Game (North Carolina 63, Georgetown 62)
North Carolina freshman guard Michael Jordan swished a 16-foot jumper from the left side with 16 seconds remaining to provide the title contest's final points before Georgetown guard Fred Brown's errant pass directly to Tar Heels forward James Worthy prevented the Hoyas from attempting a potential game-winning shot in the closing seconds. Also memorable was was a stream of intimidating goal-tending calls early in the contest against Hoyas freshman center Patrick Ewing.
5. 1987 Championship Game (Indiana 74, Syracuse 73)
Junior college recruit Keith Smart, a guard who was Indiana's fifth-leading scorer for the season, tallied 12 of the Hoosiers' last 15 points, including a 15-foot jumper from the left baseline with five seconds remaining.
6. 1957 Championship Game (North Carolina 54, Kansas 53 in 3OT)
Carolina center Joe Quigg sank two free throws with six seconds remaining in third overtime to tie score and provide decisive point against the Wilt Chamberlain-led Jayhawks. Although Lennie Rosenbluth was the unbeaten Tar Heels' leading scorer in 27 of their 32 contests, they won the NCAA final despite him fouling out with 1:45 remaining in regulation.
7. 2016 Championship Game (Villanova 77, North Carolina 74)
On the heels of a miraculous, double-clutch game-tying three-pointer by Carolina's Marcus Paige with fewer than five ticks remaining, Jenkins nailed a trey off a nifty pass and brush screen by Final Four MOP Ryan Arcidiacono. Unsung hero Phil Booth Jr. led the Wildcats in scoring in the final with 20 points while Jenkins, Nova's #2 scorer on the season (13.6 ppg) behind Josh Hart, chipped in with 14.
8. 1966 Championship Game (Texas Western 72, Kentucky 65)
Texas Western (28-1), featuring an all-black starting lineup with three players 6-1 or shorter in the NCAA final, stunned top-ranked and all-white Kentucky (27-2), putting the finishing touches on dismantling the prejudiced myth that black athletes couldn't play disciplined basketball. Junior college transfer Bobby Joe Hill, one of the tiny trio, converted steals into layups on consecutive trips down the floor by flustered UK guards to give the Miners a lead they never relinquished.
9. 1975 Mideast Regional Final (Kentucky 92, Indiana 90)
Indiana, undefeated entering the tourney (29-0), lost against Kentucky despite center Kent Benson's 33 points and tourney-high 23 rebounds. The Wildcats (26-5) prevailed despite 6-of-19 field-goal shooting by leading scorer Kevin Grevey. UK guards Jimmy Dan Conner and Mike Flynn combined to outscore IU counterparts Quinn Buckner and Bobby Wilkerson, 39-22.
10. 1991 National Semifinals (Duke 79, UNLV 77)
Duke's shocking win over defending champion UNLV (34-1) was the Rebels' lone defeat. Christian Laettner scored 28 points for the Blue Devils (32-7).
11. 1989 Championship Game (Michigan 80, Seton Hall 79 in OT)
Former street urchin Rumeal Robinson sank two pressure free throws against Seton Hall (31-7) with three seconds remaining in overtime to give the win to Michigan (30-7), which was guided by interim coach Steve Fisher.
12. 1957 National Semifinals (North Carolina 74, Michigan State 70 in 3OT)
The lead changed hands 31 times and the score was tied on 21 occasions. The Spartans' Jack Quiggle made a last-second, half-court shot at the end of regulation but it was disallowed. The end-of-game rule at the time was that the ball had to reach the apex of its arc before the buzzer. The officials ruled that the ball was still ascending. Teammate Johnny Green missed a free throw with 11 seconds remaining in the first overtime that would have sealed the verdict. Carolina's Pete Brennan grabbed Green's miss. Rather than tossing the ball out to a guard as Brennan normally would do, he dribbled down-court and hit a game-tying jumper just to the right of the foul line at the buzzer.
13. 1994 Championship Game (Arkansas 76, Duke 72)
The pressure was intense on Arkansas' Scotty Thurman with the shot clock winding down and score tied with 40 seconds remaining when he lofted a three-point attempt over Duke defender Antonio Lang that hit nothing but net.
14. 1974 National Semifinals (North Carolina State 80, UCLA 77 in 2OT)
The final in N.C. State's home state at Greensboro was anti-climatic after the Wolfpack avenged an 18-point loss against UCLA earlier in the season on a neutral court by ending the Bruins' 38-game playoff winning streak. N.C. State erased an 11-point deficit midway through the second half and a seven-point deficit in the second extra session behind David Thompson's 28 points and 10 rebounds to halt UCLA's string of seven consecutive NCAA championships.
15. 1990 East Regional Final (Duke 79, Connecticut 78 in OT)
Two days after UConn escaped Clemson on a controversial last-second shot, Duke turned the tables on the Huskies when Christian Laettner inbounded the ball with 2.6 seconds remaining, received a return pass and sank a leaning jumper from the left side at the buzzer.
16. 1981 Mideast Regional Second Round (St. Joseph's 49, DePaul 48)
St. Joseph's gained its only lead in the second half when inexcusably unguarded Hawks player John Smith sank a layup with three seconds left after DePaul's most accurate foul shooter, Skip Dillard, the guy they called "Money" because when he shot 'em, they were as good as in the bank, missed the front end of a one-and-one with 12 seconds remaining. The top-ranked Blue Demons did not score a point or take a shot in the final 6 1/2 minutes. A stunned Mark Aguirre, the national player of the year, didn't even throw the ball inbounds and finished the game with one rebound, one assist, no blocked shots, no steals and the only single-digit scoring output of his DePaul career (eight points).
17. 1981 Midwest Regional Second Round (Arkansas 74, Louisville 73)
Defending champion Louisville lost when Arkansas' U.S. Reed received an in-bounds pass with five seconds remaining, criss-cross dribbled up the sideline and heaved a mid-court shot from right side that went through the net at the buzzer.
18. 1993 Championship Game (North Carolina 77, Michigan 71)
George Lynch, North Carolina's top rebounder and second-leading scorer, made four big plays in the closing moments of title game. With Michigan leading, 67-66, he and Eric Montross blocked away a driving layup by Jimmy King. That led to a fast-break basket by Derrick Phelps and put the Tar Heels ahead to stay with just over three minutes remaining. After a missed UM shot, Lynch hit a turnaround jumper from the middle of the lane with 2:28 remaining to increase Carolina's lead to 70-67. On an inbounds play after UNC regained possession, Lynch lofted a perfect pass to Montross for a dunk. The Wolverines rallied to trim the deficit to 73-71 before Lynch and Phelps trapped Chris Webber along the right sideline with only 11 seconds remaining and Michigan's consensus first-team All-American called a fateful timeout his team did not have, a "whopper" of a mistake long before his Burger King commercial.
19. 1973 Championship Game (UCLA 87, Memphis State 61)
UCLA's Bill Walton, aided by Greg Lee's 14 assists, erupted for a title game-record 44 points. Walton, the only player to have as many as 20 field goals in an NCAA final, hit all but one of 22 shots from the floor.
20. 1958 East Regional First Round (Manhattan 89, West Virginia 84)
West Virginia, ranked No. 1 in the country at the end of the regular season, was upset at New York when Jack Powers, who went on to become executive director of the NIT, collected 29 points and 15 rebounds for Manhattan (16-10). Jerry West scored just 10 points in his first NCAA Tournament game for the Mountaineers, who finished the season with the best winning percentage in school history (26-2, .929).
21. 2021 National Semifinals (Gonzaga 93, UCLA 90 in OT)
Freshman guard Jalen Suggs banked in a long heave at the buzzer near the Final Four logo to elevate the Zags to within one win of an unbeaten campaign. The contest featured 15 ties and 19 lead changes as the Bruins halted streak of 27 straight double-digit triumphs by nation's top-ranked team.
22. 1983 Mideast Regional final (Louisville 80, Kentucky 68 in OT)
The first meeting between in-state rivals Kentucky and Louisville in more than 24 years was memorable as the Cardinals outscored the Wildcats in overtime, 18-6, to reach the Final Four.
23. 1963 Championship Game (Loyola of Chicago 60, Cincinnati 58 in OT)
Forward Vic Rouse leaped high to redirect center Les Hunter's shot from the free-throw line into the basket to climax the Ramblers' first year in the playoffs. Loyola, using its starting lineup the entire final, overcame 27.4% field-goal shooting by committing just three turnovers. The Ramblers trailed the defending NCAA champion by 15 points in the second half before knotting the score at 54-54 when Jerry Harkness hit a 12-foot jumper with four seconds remaining in regulation.
24. 1988 Championship Game (Kansas 83, Oklahoma 79)
The two Big Eight Conference members were deadlocked, 50-50, at intermission in the highest-scoring first half in title game history. The Jayhawks' Danny Manning poured in 31 points.
25. 1979 Championship Game (Michigan State 75, Indiana State 64)
Undefeated Indiana State lost against Michigan State when the Sycamores' Larry Bird, who hit 53.2% of his field-goal attempts on the season, made just one-third of his shots from the floor (7 of 21) as a sore thumb limited his shooting effectiveness. Magic Johnson scored a game-high 24 points for the Spartans. The ballyhooed matchup between icons Bird and Magic failed to live up to billing but aroused fans and generated the largest-ever TV share for an NCAA final.
26. 1989 East Regional First Round (Georgetown 50, Princeton 49)
No. 16 seed Princeton pushed No. 1 seed Georgetown to the limit in the East Regional before the patient and precise Tigers bowed when a last-second shot was blocked by All-American center Alonzo Mourning.
27. 1996 Southeast Regional First Round (Princeton 43, UCLA 41)
Princeton coach Pete Carril bowed out in style with a decisive perfectly executed back-door layup reminiscent of how many games were played several decades ago. It was UCLA's lowest-scoring output in 99 playoff outings, and the lowest score for a Bruins team in a regulation game in more than 55 years.
28. 1977 Championship Game (Marquette 67, North Carolina 59)
Tears of joy flowed for coach Al McGuire when Marquette won the championship in his farewell. McGuire, leaving the bench before the game was even over with tears running down his cheeks, pulled away from a hug by long-time assistant Hank Raymonds and made his way to the silence of the locker room. "I want to be alone," McGuire said. "I'm not afraid to cry. All I could think about at the end was - why me? After all the jocks and socks. All the odors in the locker room. All the fights in the gyms. Just the wildness of it all. And to have it end like this ..."
29. 1971 Mideast Regional Semifinals (Western Kentucky 107, Kentucky 83)
WKU, long regarded as poor country cousins by Kentucky, whipped the Wildcats in their first-ever meeting when All-American Jim McDaniels poured in 35 points for the Hilltoppers.
30. 1975 National Semifinals (UCLA 75, Louisville 74 in OT)
Three Louisville regulars shooting better than 50% from the floor for the season (swingman Junior Bridgeman, center Ricky Gallon and guard Phillip Bond) combined to hit 25% (6 of 24) in a loss against UCLA. Adding insult to injury for the Cardinals was reserve guard Terry Howard missing the front end of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity in the closing seconds of overtime after he converted all 28 of his previous foul shots that season.
31. 1997 Championship Game (Arizona 84, Kentucky 79 in OT)
Arizona, the only team to win an NCAA crown after finishing as low as fifth place in its league, capitalized on a 34-9 edge in free throws made to upend favored Kentucky although Zona did not make a field goal in the extra session.
32. 1995 West Regional Second Round (UCLA 75, Missouri 74)
Playmaker Tyus Edney played the role of Wizard of Westwood II with a series of breathtaking drives and baskets in UCLA's first five playoff games, including a length-of-the-court game-winner against Mizzou.
33. 1990 East Regional Semifinals (Connecticut 71, Clemson 70)
It was difficult for Clemson fans to fathom how UConn's Tate George had sufficient time with one second on the clock to receive a full-court pass, come down, square up and get off a game-winning jumper from the right baseline.
34. 1990 West Regional Second Round (Loyola Marymount 149, Michigan 115)
The record for most three-point field goals in a playoff game was set by Loyola Marymount senior guard Jeff Fryer with 11. Fryer (41) and Bo Kimble (37) became the only set of teammates to score more than 35 points in the same tourney game when they combined for 78 vs. Michigan in the highest-scoring game in NCAA playoff history.
35. 1981 East Regional Semifinals (Brigham Young 51, Notre Dame 50)
BYU's Danny Ainge went coast-to-coast driving through the heart of No. 2 seed Notre Dame's defense for a layup at the buzzer to give the Cougars the victory.
36. 1983 West Regional First Round (N.C. State 69, Pepperdine 67 in 2OT)
NCAA champion-to-be North Carolina State (26-10) defeated Pepperdine (20-9) in two extra sessions after trailing by six points with 24 seconds remaining in regulation.
37. 1978 Championship Game (Kentucky 94, Duke 88)
Jack Givens sank 18 of 27 field-goal attempts against upstart Duke's zone defense and scored Kentucky's last 16 points of the first half en route to a 41-point performance.
38. 2001 National Semifinals (Duke 95, Maryland 84)
The Blue Devils (35-4) overcame a 22-point deficit against the Terrapins (25-11), the biggest comeback in Final Four history. Mike Dunleavy Jr. hit three consecutive three-pointers in a 45-second span of the second half after Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told his squad to quit calling plays and just go out and play the game.
39. 2003 West Regional Second Round (Arizona 96, Gonzaga 95 in 2OT)
Gonzaga's Tony Skinner and Blake Stepp tied for game-high scoring honors with 25 points but each of them missed an open shot in the last four seconds of the second overtime for the Zags (24-9) against No. 1 seed Arizona (28-4). Wildcats standout guard Jason Gardner contributed a pair of three-pointers after missing 17 consecutive shots from beyond the arc in his previous three outings.
40. 1970 Mideast Regional First Round (Notre Dame 112, Ohio University 82)
Guard Austin Carr became the only player to score more than 60 points in a single playoff game. Carr tallied 35 of Notre Dame's 54 first-half points en route to a school-record 61 against OU.
41. 1952 East Regional Final (St. John's 64, Kentucky 57)
St. John's (25-6), sparked by center Bob Zawoluk's 32 points, avenged a 41-point rout at UK (29-3) earlier in the season (81-40) by ending the 23-game winning streak of the nation's No. 1 team.
42. 1969 National Semifinals (UCLA 85, Drake 82)
Guard John Vallely, averaging a modest 10.2 points per game entering the Final Four, erupted for 29 points and the Bruins (29-1) needed all of them. They had a nine-point lead with 70 seconds remaining dwindle to one before defeating Drake (26-5) after the Bulldogs missed a go-ahead basket in the waning moments. UCLA star center Lew Alcindor grabbed 21 rebounds.
43. 1945 National Semifinals (New York University 70, Ohio State 65 in OT)
NYU (14-7), featuring just one senior on its roster, erased a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes of regulation against Ohio State (15-5).
44. 1968 Midwest Regional First Round (Houston 94, Loyola of Chicago 76)
UH's Elvin Hayes became the only player in tournament history to collect more than 40 points and 25 rebounds in the same game when he garnered 49 points and 27 rebounds. Hayes led the tournament in scoring and rebounding by wide margins for the fourth-place Cougars (31-2), but he wasn't named to the all-tournament team.
45. 1998 Midwest Regional First Round (Valparaiso 70, Mississippi 69)
Valpo's Jamie Sykes, an outfield prospect late for spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks, inbounded from the opposite baseline with 2.5 seconds remaining. He hurled a baseball pass that Bill Jenkins leaped to catch. Jenkins delivered a touch pass to guard Bryce Drew on the right wing, and the son of coach Homer Drew drilled a game-winning three-pointer for the Crusaders (23-10).
46. 1970 Mideast Regional Final (Jacksonville 106, Kentucky 100)
JU's Artis Gilmore collected 24 points and 20 rebounds to help eliminate the nation's top-ranked team. Teammate Rex Morgan contributed 28 points while outshining UK's backcourt.
47. 1951 East Regional First Round (Illinois 79, Columbia 71)
Columbia, undefeated entering the tourney (21-0), blew a seven-point, halftime lead and lost to eventual national third-place finisher Illinois (22-5). The Lions' John Azary was outscored by the Illini's Don Sunderlage (25-13) in a battle of All-American candidates.
48. 1965 National Third-Place Game (Princeton 118, Wichita 82)
Princeton's Bill Bradley set the mark for most points in a single Final Four game with a school-record 58. He scored 39 of them in the second half of the consolation contest.
49. 1971 Mideast Regional Semifinals (Ohio State 60, Marquette 59)
Marquette, undefeated entering the tourney (26-0), lost against Ohio State (20-6) after the Warriors' playmaker, unanimous first-team All-America Dean "The Dream" Meminger, fouled out with five minutes remaining. Teammate Allie McGuire, the coach's son, committed a costly turnover in the closing seconds before Buckeyes guard Allan Hornyak converted a pair of crucial free throws to end Marquette's 39-game winning streak.
50. 2005 Midwest Regional Final (Illinois 90, Arizona 89 in OT)
Illini (37-2) overcame a 14-point deficit with just over three minutes remaining in regulation and nine-point deficit in the last 1 1/2 minutes before defeating Arizona (30-7) in an extra session.
51. 1999 West Regional First Round (Weber State 76, North Carolina 74)
No. 3 seed North Carolina (24-10) lost its playoff opener for the first time in 19 years when the Tar Heels succumbed against No. 14 Weber State (25-8). Junior college transfer Harold Arceneaux contributed five three-pointers en route to 36 points for the Wildcats. His output matched the highest ever in the playoffs against Carolina.
52. 1965 Championship Game (UCLA 91, Michigan 80)
UCLA's Gail Goodrich became the only guard to score more than 35 points in an NCAA final, erupting for 42 points on 12 of 22 field-goal shooting and 18 of 20 free-throw shooting. His free throws made and attempted remain championship game records.
53. 1976 West Regional Semifinals (Arizona 114, UNLV 109 in OT)
Each team had four players score at least 18 points as UNLV (29-2), ranked third by AP and fourth by UPI entering the tourney, was eliminated by Arizona (24-9) when Jim Rappis had more assists (12) than the Rebels' entire team.
54. 1981 West Regional Second Round (Kansas State 50, Oregon State 48)
K-State (24-9) upset second-ranked Oregon State (26-2) on Rolando Blackman's 17-foot buzzer beater from the right baseline.
55. 1959 Mideast Regional Semifinals (Louisville 76, Kentucky 61)
Second-ranked Kentucky (24-3) hit less than one-third of its field-goal attempts in blowing a 15-point lead against intra-state rival Louisville (19-12).
56. 1976 Championship Game (Indiana 86, Michigan 68)
Trailing Michigan (25-7) by six points at intermission and playing without Bobby Wilkerson after the starting guard sustained a concussion early in the game, the Hoosiers shot 60% from the floor in the second half to come from behind and earn recognition as the nation's last undefeated team. Scott May, Kent Benson and Quinn Buckner collaborated for 36 of IU's first 38 second-half points.
57. 2005 West Regional Final (Louisville 93, West Virginia 85)
West Virginia set a regional final record with 18 three-pointers but still lost against Louisville.
58. 1977 West Regional Semifinals (Idaho State 76, UCLA 75)
The visiting Bruins, ranked fourth by UPI entering the tourney, finished with a 24-5 record when guards Roy Hamilton and Brad Holland combined to hit just 8 of 24 field-goal attempts. Idaho State (25-5), prevailing despite shooting a modest 40.6% from the floor, received 27 points and 12 rebounds from center Steve Hayes.
59. 1981 Midwest Regional Second Round (Kansas 88, Arizona State 71)
Third-ranked Arizona State (24-4), featuring four upperclassmen who combined for a total of more than 35 seasons in the NBA (guards Fat Lever and Byron Scott, center Alton Lister and forward Sam Williams), was clobbered by Kansas (24-8) when Tony Guy poured in 36 points for the Jayhawks. The Sun Devils fell behind by 16 points at intermission.
60. 1979 Midwest Regional Final (Indiana State 73, Arkansas 71)
Larry Bird-led Indiana State became the only school to reach the Final Four in its one and only NCAA Tournament appearance in the 20th Century when the Sycamores' Bob Heaton shifted the ball from his normal right hand to his left for a short shot that bounced twice on the rim before going down.
61. 1971 West Regional Final (UCLA 57, Long Beach State 55)
The closest result for UCLA (29-1) during the Bruins' 38-game playoff winning streak from 1967 through 1973 came when they had to erase an 11-point deficit despite 29% field-goal shooting to edge Jerry Tarkanian-coached Long Beach State (24-5).
62. 1977 National Semifinals (North Carolina 84, UNLV 83)
Mike O'Koren became the first freshman to score more than 30 points in a national semifinal or championship game when the UNC forward tallied 31. O'Koren and his teammates enjoyed a 28-5 edge over the Rebels in free-throw attempts.
63. 1978 Midwest Regional Semifinals (DePaul 90, Louisville 89)
DePaul center Dave Corzine tallied 46 points in double overtime game to become the only individual to score at least 45 in the NCAA playoffs and never be an NCAA first- or second-team consensus All-American or Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
64. 1959 Championship Game (California 71, West Virginia 70)
Two-time first-team All-American swingman Jerry West of West Virginia (29-5) was denied an NCAA championship ring when California (25-4) junior center Darrall Imhoff, West's teammate with the Los Angeles Lakers for four seasons in the mid-1960s, tipped in a basket with 17 seconds remaining.
65. 2006 East Regional Final (George Mason 86, Connecticut 84)
The #11 seed Patriots (27-8) advanced to the national semifinals with overtime win against UConn (30-4), which was their third victim featuring a coach who previously won an NCAA title.
66. 1979 East Regional Second Round (Penn 72, North Carolina 71)
No. 1 seed Carolina (23-6) lost its opener in the Tar Heels' home state (Raleigh, N.C.) when Penn's Tony Price poured in a game-high 25 points for the Quakers (25-7).
67. 1984 East Regional Semifinals (Indiana 72, North Carolina 68)
Many observers predicted Georgetown would meet the top-ranked Tar Heels in the national final, but they were upset by IU when national player of the year Michael Jordan was limited to 13 points, one rebound and one assist.
68. 1993 West Regional First Round (Santa Clara 64, Arizona 61)
In terms of point spreads, No. 2 seed Arizona's defeat against 20-point underdog Santa Clara (19-12), a No. 15 seed, was the biggest upset in NCAA playoff history. The Wildcats (24-4), ranked fifth by AP entering the tournament, lost although they scored 25 consecutive points in a 10-minute span bridging the first and second halves.
69. 2004 St. Louis Regional Second Round (UAB 76, Kentucky 75)
UAB (22-10), after outlasting Washington (102-100) in first round, used its frenetic pressure defense to frustrate No. 1 seed Kentucky (27-5).
70. 1956 East Regional Semifinals (Temple 65, Connecticut 59)
Guard Hal Lear manufactured 61.5% of Temple's offense by scoring 40 points. The most rebounds ever in a playoff game were grabbed by teammate Fred Cohen, who retrieved a school-record 34 missed shots.
71. 2005 Second Round (West Virginia 111, Wake Forest 105 in 2OT)
Mike Gansey scored 19 of his 29 points after the end of regulation when West Virginia (24-11) outlasted #2 seed Wake Forest (27-6) in double overtime.
72. 1975 Championship Game (UCLA 92, Kentucky 85)
Coach John Wooden's farewell resulted in his 10th NCAA title for the Bruins.
73. 1981 Midwest Regional Semifinals (Wichita State 66, Kansas 65)
Mike Jones hit two long-range baskets in the last 50 seconds for Wichita State (26-7) in the first duel between the intrastate rivals in 36 years.
74. 1980 Midwest Regional Second Round (Missouri 87, Notre Dame 84 in OT)
Mizzou (25-6) backup swingman Mark Dressler, entering the NCAA playoffs with an eight-point scoring average, erupted for 32 points on 13 of 16 field-goal shooting against the 22-6 Irish (ranked No. 9 by AP).
75. 1989 Southeast Regional First Round (South Alabama 86, Alabama 84)
In an exciting intrastate battle, South Alabama (23-9) erased a 16-point halftime deficit. Jeff Hodge and Gabe Estaba combined for 55 points to lead USA against 'Bama (23-8).
76. 1980 Mideast Regional First Round (Virginia Tech 89, Western Kentucky 85 in OT)
Virginia Tech, sparked by Dale Solomon's 10-of-13 field-goal shooting, became the only school to erase a halftime deficit of at least 18 points to win a playoff game in the 20th Century. The Hokies, Metro Conference runner-up to eventual NCAA champion Louisville, trailed WKU at intermission, 48-30, in a duel between two 21-8 teams.
77. 2008 Midwest Regional Second Round (Davidson 74, Georgetown 70)
Stephen Curry, a son of former NBA standout Dell Curry, poured in 25 of his 30 points in the second half as Davidson (29-7) erased a double-digit deficit to upset the Hoyas (28-6).
78. 2016 West Regional Second Round (Texas A&M 92, Northern Iowa 88 in 2OT)
In perhaps the most remarkable comeback in tourney history, A&M rallied from 12 points down with 44 seconds remaining in regulation and 10 down with less than 30 seconds. UNI committed four turnovers in that 44-second span.
79. 2024 South Regional First Round (Colorado 102, Florida 100)
First Four survivor CU squandered a 13-point lead with 4 1/2 minutes remaining but guard KJ Simpson sank a right baseline jumper that bounced around the rim and in with 1.7 seconds remaining. Guard Walter Clayton Jr. scored UF's final 16 points to spearhead the Gators' furious rally.
80. 1978 West Regional First Round (Cal State Fullerton 90, New Mexico 85)
Cal State Fullerton (23-9) had four players score from 18 to 23 points and made 62.1% of its field-goal attempts to erase a six-point, halftime deficit and upend fourth-ranked New Mexico. Future Lakers standout Michael Cooper had an off-game for the Lobos (24-4), sinking just six of 15 field-goal attempts.
81. 1986 Midwest Regional First Round (UALR 90, Notre Dame 83)
UALR, a 17 1/2-point underdog, shocked No. 3 seed Notre Dame by shooting 62.3% from the floor. Pete Meyers scored 29 points in 29 minutes for the Trojans.
82. 1984 East Regional First Round (Virginia Commonwealth 70, Northeastern 69)
Jim Calhoun-coached Northeastern hit 75% of its field-goal attempts (33 of 44), including 15-of-17 by freshman Reggie Lewis, but still bowed to VCU.
83. 1967 Midwest Regional Semifinals (SMU 83, Louisville 81)
Charles Beasley was limited to nine points, but fellow SWC first-team selection Denny Holman took up the slack with 30 points, including a decisive basket with three seconds remaining, to spark SMU (20-6) past second-ranked Louisville (23-5).
84. 1991 East Regional First Round (Richmond 73, Syracuse 69)
No. 15 seed UR stunned No. 2 seed Cuse to help Spiders coach Dick Tarrant enhance his reputation as a giant killer.
85. 2002 West Regional Second Round (UCLA 105, Cincinnati 101 in 2OT)
The Bruins, powered by Dan Gadzuric's career-high 26 points and game-high 13 rebounds, overcame an 11-point deficit midway through the second half. The two teams combined for an NCAA playoff-record 66 three-point field-goal attempts - UCLA (36) and UC (30).
Exit Strategy: Dusty May's Departure From FAU to UM Triggers Domino Effect
By the end of March Madness a year ago, more NCAA tourney coaches than ever before had capitalized on notoriety to move on to new outposts (11 of them sought greener pastures). FAU's Dusty May triggered a domino effect in coaching ranks this season upon choosing Michigan as his next outpost rather than staying in the South with either Louisville or Vanderbilt. There is little doubt that May, an ex-student manager at Indiana, will be a far superior tactician than his Wolverines All-American predecessor Juwan Howard. Maddeningly to many jilted fans, an average of four coaches per tourney leave NCAA playoff teams since seeding started in 1979. This year became the fifth consecutive campaign where there is a minimum of seven such pilots bailing out post-playoffs with more possibly on the horizon as Arkansas' search for a new bench boss ignited another chain reaction when John Calipari left Kentucky.
In every year since 1968, directing a team to the NCAA Tournament has been a springboard to what many believed was bigger-and-better things at a "poach-a-coach" school. Connecticut has had two mentors in this category go on to direct the Huskies to national crowns (Jim Calhoun from Northeastern and Danny Hurley from Rhode Island).
"Movin' On Up" doesn't always work out. On the heels of a 20-win campaign, ACC-bound SMU fired Rob Lanier after only two seasons upon him leaving Georgia State. Time will tell for Ed Cooley after he left a "lifetime" contract with Providence last year for more dough to clean up the mess another All-American (Patrick Ewing) left behind at Georgetown. Following are head coaches since the tourney field expanded to at least 64 entrants in 1985 who had a change of heart and accepted similar job at a different major college promptly after directing team to the NCAA playoffs:
1985 (six) - J.D. Barnett (Virginia Commonwealth to Tulsa), Craig Littlepage (Penn to Rutgers), Nolan Richardson Jr. (Tulsa to Arkansas), Andy Russo (Louisiana Tech to Washington), Tom Schneider (Lehigh to Penn), Eddie Sutton (Arkansas to Kentucky)
1986 (four) - Jim Calhoun (Northeastern to Connecticut), Paul Evans (Navy to Pittsburgh), Clem Haskins (Western Kentucky to Minnesota), George Raveling (Iowa to Southern California)
1987 (two) - Jim Brandenburg (Wyoming to San Diego State), Benny Dees (New Orleans to Wyoming)
1988 (two) - Dave Bliss (Southern Methodist to New Mexico), Tom Penders (Rhode Island to Texas)
1989 (four) - Tommy Joe Eagles (Louisiana Tech to Auburn), Bill Frieder (Michigan to Arizona State), Rick Majerus (Ball State to Utah), Lynn Nance (Saint Mary's to Washington)
1990 (five) - Kermit Davis Jr. (Idaho to Texas A&M), Mike Jarvis (Boston University to George Washington), Lon Kruger (Kansas State to Florida), Mike Newell (UALR to Lamar), Les Robinson (East Tennessee State to North Carolina State)
1991 (four) - Tony Barone (Creighton to Texas A&M), Jim Molinari (Northern Illinois to Bradley), Stew Morrill (Montana to Colorado State), Steve Newton (Murray State to South Carolina)
1992 (one) - Charlie Spoonhour (Southwest Missouri State to Saint Louis)
1993 (one) - Eddie Fogler (Vanderbilt to South Carolina)
1994 (eight) - Tom Asbury (Pepperdine to Kansas State), Rick Barnes (Providence to Clemson), Jeff Capel Jr. (North Carolina A&T to Old Dominion), Kevin O'Neill (Marquette to Tennessee), Skip Prosser (Loyola MD to Xavier), Kelvin Sampson (Washington State to Oklahoma), Ralph Willard (Western Kentucky to Pittsburgh), Jim Wooldridge (Southwest Texas State to Louisiana Tech)
1995 (three) - Dick Bennett (Wisconsin-Green Bay to Wisconsin), Scott Edgar (Murray State to Duquesne), Tubby Smith (Tulsa to Georgia)
1996 (one) - Ben Braun (Eastern Michigan to California)
1997 (five) - Ernie Kent (Saint Mary's to Oregon), Mack McCarthy (UT-Chattanooga to Virginia Commonwealth), Jim O'Brien (Boston College to Ohio State), Steve Robinson (Tulsa to Florida State), Al Skinner (Rhode Island to Boston College), Tubby Smith (Georgia to Kentucky)
1998 (seven) - Rick Barnes (Clemson to Texas), Larry Eustachy (Utah State to Iowa State), Rob Evans (Mississippi to Arizona State), Mark Gottfried (Murray State to Alabama), Mike Jarvis (George Washington to St. John's), Melvin Watkins (UNC Charlotte to Texas A&M), Tim Welsh (Iona to Providence)
1999 (four) - Steve Alford (Southwest Missouri State to Iowa), Dave Bliss (New Mexico to Baylor), Jim Harrick (Rhode Island to Georgia), Dan Monson (Gonzaga to Minnesota)
2000 (four) - Barry Collier (Butler to Nebraska), Ray McCallum (Ball State) to Houston), Buzz Peterson (Appalachian State to Tulsa), Bill Self (Tulsa to Illinois)
2001 (five) - Thad Matta (Butler to Xavier), Dave Odom (Wake Forest to South Carolina), Skip Prosser (Xavier to Wake Forest), Gary Waters (Kent State to Rutgers), Jay Wright (Hofstra to Villanova)
2002 (three) - Stan Heath (Kent State to Arkansas), Steve Merfeld (Hampton to Evansville), Jerry Wainwright (UNC Wilmington to Richmond)
2003 (eight) - Cy Alexander (South Carolina State to Tennessee State), Ed DeChellis (East Tennessee State to Penn State), Dennis Felton (Western Kentucky to Georgia), Ben Howland (Pittsburgh to UCLA), Oliver Purnell (Dayton to Clemson), Bill Self (Illinois to Kansas), Dereck Whittenburg (Wagner to Fordham), Roy Williams (Kansas to North Carolina)
2004 (eight) - Jessie Evans (Louisiana-Lafayette to San Francisco), Ray Giacoletti (Eastern Washington to Utah), Billy Gillispie (Texas-El Paso to Texas A&M, Trent Johnson (Nevada to Stanford), Thad Matta (Xavier to Ohio State), Matt Painter (Southern Illinois to Purdue), Joe Scott (Air Force to Princeton), John Thompson III (Princeton to Georgetown)
2005 (two) - Travis Ford (Eastern Kentucky to Massachusetts), Bruce Pearl (Wisconsin-Milwaukee to Tennessee)
2006 (eight) - Mike Anderson (UAB to Missouri), Brad Brownell (UNC Wilmington to Wright State), Mick Cronin (Murray State to Cincinnati), Mike Davis (Indiana to UAB), Fran Dunphy (Penn to Temple), Greg McDermott (Northern Iowa to Iowa State), Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma to Indiana), Herb Sendek (North Carolina State to Arizona State)
2007 (four) - Ronnie Arrow (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to South Alabama), Todd Lickliter (Butler to Iowa), Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M to Kentucky), Gregg Marshall (Winthrop to Wichita State)
2008 (five) - Jim Christian (Kent State to Texas Christian), Tom Crean (Marquette to Indiana), Keno Davis (Drake to Providence), Darrin Horn (Western Kentucky to South Carolina), Trent Johnson (Stanford to Louisiana State)
2009 (three) - John Calipari (Memphis to Kentucky), Anthony Grant (Virginia Commonwealth to Alabama), Sean Miller (Xavier to Arizona)
2010 (five) - Tony Barbee (Texas-El Paso to Auburn), Steve Donahue (Cornell to Boston College), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State to Louisiana-Lafayette), Fran McCaffery (Siena to Iowa), Oliver Purnell (Clemson to DePaul).
2011 (seven) - Mike Anderson (Missouri to Arkansas), Patrick Chambers (Boston University to Penn State), Ed DeChellis (Penn State to Navy), Sydney Johnson (Princeton to Fairfield), Lon Kruger (UNLV to Oklahoma), Jim Larranaga (George Mason to Miami FL), Mark Turgeon (Texas A&M to Maryland)
2012 (six) - Larry Eustachy (Southern Mississippi to Colorado State), Jim Ferry (Long Island to Duquesne), John Groce (Ohio University to Illinois), Frank Martin (Kansas State to South Carolina), Tim Miles (Colorado State to Nebraska), Sean Woods (Mississippi Valley State to Morehead State)
2013 (two) - Steve Alford (New Mexico to UCLA), Andy Enfield (Florida Gulf Coast to Southern California)
2014 (three) - Danny Manning (Tulsa to Wake Forest), Cuonzo Martin (Tennessee to California), Saul Phillips (North Dakota State to Ohio University)
2015 (two) - Bobby Hurley (Buffalo to Arizona State), Shaka Smart (Virginia Commonwealth to Texas)
2016 (seven) - Chris Beard (UALR to UNLV to Texas Tech), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh to Texas Christian), Scott Nagy (South Dakota State to Wright State), Steve Pikiell (Stony Brook to Rutgers), Tubby Smith (Texas Tech to Memphis), Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt to Pittsburgh), Brad Underwood (Stephen F. Austin to Oklahoma State)
2017 (six) - Chris Holtmann (Butler to Ohio State), Kevin Keatts (UNC Wilmington to North Carolina State), Archie Miller (Dayton to Indiana), Brad Underwood (Oklahoma State to Illinois), Will Wade (Virginia Commonwealth to Louisiana State), Paul Weir (New Mexico State to New Mexico)
2018 (three) - Mike Davis (Texas Southern to Detroit), Danny Hurley (Rhode Island to Connecticut), Chris Mack (Xavier to Louisville)
2019 (seven) - John Brannen (Northern Kentucky to Cincinnati), Mick Cronin (Cincinnati to UCLA), Ron Hunter (Georgia State to Tulane), Eric Musselman (Nevada to Arkansas), Nate Oats (Buffalo to Alabama), Buzz Williams (Virginia Tech to Texas A&M), Mike Young (Wofford to Virginia Tech)
2021 (eight) - Chris Beard (Texas Tech to Texas), Joe Golding (Abilene Christian to Texas-El Paso), Pat Kelsey (Winthrop to College of Charleston), Shantay Legans (Eastern Washington to Portland), Wes Miller (UNC Greensboro to Cincinnati), Porter Moser (Loyola of Chicago to Oklahoma), Shaka Smart (Texas to Marquette), Craig Smith (Utah State to Utah)
2022 (seven) - Todd Golden (San Francisco to Florida), Shaheen Holloway (Saint Peter's to Seton Hall), Chris Jans (New Mexico State to Mississippi State), Rob Lanier (Georgia State to Southern Methodist), Matt McMahon (Murray State to Louisiana State), Lamont Paris (Chattanooga to South Carolina), Kevin Willard (Seton Hall to Maryland)
2023 (11) - Amir Abdur-Rahim (Kennesaw State to South Florida), Tobin Anderson (Fairleigh Dickinson to Iona), Chris Beard (Texas* to Mississippi), Ed Cooley (Providence to Georgetown), Steve Lutz (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to Western Kentucky), Paul Mills (Oral Roberts to Wichita State), Ryan Odom (Utah State to Virginia Commonwealth), Rick Pitino (Iona to St. John's), Mike Rhoades (Virginia Commonwealth to Penn State), Micah Shrewsberry (Penn State to Notre Dame), Danny Sprinkle (Montana State to Utah State)
2024 (11) - Mark Byington (James Madison to Vanderbilt), John Calipari (Kentucky to Arkansas), Darian DeVries (Drake to West Virginia), Pat Kelsey (College of Charleston to Louisville), Steve Lutz (Western Kentucky to Oklahoma State), Dusty May (Florida Atlantic to Michigan), Dan Monson (Long Beach State to Eastern Washington), Mark Pope (Brigham Young to Kentucky), Kyle Smith (Washington State to Stanford), Preston Spradlin (Morehead State to James Madison), Danny Sprinkle (Utah State to Washington)
*Fired in mid-season.
One-in-Five Chance: CU is Latest First Four Participant to Win in First Round
Only 21% of Preliminary Round/First Four winners went on to post another victory in their next assignment (15-of-71 from 1983 through 2023; no round of such competition from 1985 through 2000). Last year marked the first time two teams coming off a Preliminary Round/First Four success also emerged victorious in their next outing. After Colorado outlasted Florida in a shootout, 12 of the last 13 NCAA tourneys had a First Four winner seeded from #10 to #13 go on to prevail in a first-round contest. Following is a chronological list of the 15 Preliminary Round/First Four participants going on to win a first-round game in regular 64-team bracket:
| Year | Regional | NCAA First-Round Victory for Preliminary Round/First Four Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | West | #12 Princeton 56 (Robinson/Simkus game-high 20 points), #5 Oklahoma State 53 (Clark 15) |
| 1984 | East | #12 Richmond 72 (Newman 26), #5 Auburn 71 (Barkley 23) |
| 2011 | South | #11 Virginia Commonwealth 74 (Rozzell 26), #6 Georgetown 56 (Thompson 24) |
| 2012 | Midwest | #12 South Florida 58 (Collins/Rudd Jr. 17), #5 Temple 44 (Wyatt 19) |
| 2013 | West | #13 La Salle 63 (Wright 21), #4 Kansas State 61 (Henrique/Southwell 17) |
| 2014 | Midwest | #11 Tennessee 86 (Stokes 26), #6 Massachusetts 67 (Esho/Williams 12) |
| 2015 | East | #11 Dayton 66 (Pierre 20), #6 Providence 53 (Henton 18) |
| 2016 | South | #11 Wichita State 65 (VanVleet 16), #6 Arizona 55 (Allen 11) |
| 2017 | East | #11 Southern California 66 (Stewart 22), #6 Southern Methodist 65 (Ojeleye 24) |
| 2018 | Midwest | #11 Syracuse 57 (Dolezaj 17), #6 Texas Christian 52 (Williams 14) |
| 2021 | East | #11 UCLA 73 (Juzang 27), #6 Brigham Young 62 (Barcello 20) |
| 2022 | West | #11 Notre Dame 78 (Ryan 29), #6 Alabama 64 (Ellis 16) |
| 2023 | Midwest | #11 Pittsburgh 59 (Cummings 13), #6 Iowa State 41 (Holmes/Kascheur 12) |
| 2023 | East | #16 Fairleigh Dickinson 63 (Moore 19), #1 Purdue 58 (Edey 21) |
| 2024 | South | #10 Colorado 102 (Simpson 23), #7 Florida 100 (Clayton 33) |
NOTE: VCU '11 and UCLA '21 advanced to Final Four. La Salle '13, Tennessee '14 and Syracuse '18 reached Sweet 16.
College Exam: Day #7 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're still busy hoarding toilet paper, seeking translator to figure out what Plagiarist Biledumb is talking about or cowering in fetal position because of alleged impending climate-change catastrophe, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.
We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 7 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):
1. Name the only coach to grace the NCAA playoffs in five decades. Hint: He achieved the feat with four different universities.
2. Who is the only player to score a team-high point total in his prominent school's first NCAA Tournament victory the same year he earned All-American honors as a quarterback for a national football champion? Hint: He later became executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame after coaching two different universities when they participated in the Rose Bowl.
3. Who is the only individual to be more than 10 games below .500 in his initial campaign as a major-college head coach and subsequently guide a team to a national championship? Hint: He won his last 10 NCAA Tournament games decided by fewer than five points. In his last two playoff appearances with the former titlist, it became the only school to receive at-large bids in back-to-back years with as many as 14 defeats entering the tourney.
4. Name the only school to be denied three NCAA Tournament berths because it was on probation. Hint: The three times the school didn't participate in the national playoffs because of NCAA probation were from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.
5. Who was the only player to score more than 40 points in his first tournament game? Hint: The university left the Division I level for 28 years and was UCLA's first victim when the Bruins started a 38-game winning streak in the playoffs. He and his twin brother were infielders together with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
6. Name the only school to deploy just five players in an entire championship game. Hint: The school, participating in the playoffs for the first time that year, set a record for largest winning margin with a 69-point victory in its first-round game. The school is the only former NCAA champion never to compete against legendary coaches Bob Knight and Dean Smith.
7. Who is the only individual to go as many as 25 years between coaching teams in the NCAA Tournament? Hint: His first two playoff teams were eliminated in their tourney openers by eventual championship game participants.
8. Name the only school to have more than one two-time first-team All-American never reach the Final Four. Hint: One of the players is the only three-time first-team All-America to fail to appear in the NCAA playoffs. The school is the only top four seed to lose a first-round game by more than 20 points.
9. Who is the only player to have season scoring averages of fewer than 10 points per game in back-to-back years he was named to the All-NCAA Tournament team? Hint: His school reached the national championship game each season and had two different centers named Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Also, he is part of the only set of brothers to play together in two NCAA title games. One of their teammates became a marquee coach.
10. Who is the only individual to play for an NCAA basketball champion and in a major league baseball World Series? Hint: He was primarily a relief pitcher for six different teams in 13 big league seasons from 1975 through 1989.
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Biggest Blunders: FT Shooting Converts Auburn's March Gladness to Sadness
Feeling the pressure? If looking at tournament glass as half empty, the coronavirus outbreak was culprit bringing postseason competition to a screeching halt four years ago. If gazing at glass as half full, the shutdown possibly averted additional tourney stigma now attached to Auburn's Tre Donaldson and K.D. Johnson after they combined to miss all three of their free throws in the final eight seconds of a two-point upset loss against Yale. Donaldson and Johnson each converted more than 3/4 of their foul shots during the season. But the game probably wouldn't have been close at that stage if the Tigers' roster wasn't depleted by teammate Chad Baker-Mazara's ejection three minutes into the fray for a flagrant 2 foul (elbowing opponent running downcourt). Baker-Mazara's boneheaded maneuver cost them their runner-up in steals and third-leading scorer/rebounder/assists man.
A year ago, Virginia playmaker Kihei Clark, who went from adroit delivery as freshman helping Cavaliers capture 2019 NCAA crown to senseless panic pass (surrounded by defenders in corner with option of requesting team timeout still remaining) allowing Furman a last-second opportunity for game-winning three-pointer in his college career finale. Three seasons ago, Alabama's Herb Jones, the SEC Player of the Year, committed a pair of offensive fouls in opening minute before missing three of four free throws in the last 37 seconds of regulation, making only 2-of-7 from the charity stripe for the entire game, as #2 seed was eliminated by #11 seed UCLA in overtime in regional semifinal.
Remember Northern Iowa's 2016 complete collapse in squandering a 12-point lead in the last 35 seconds of regulation against Texas A&M en route to a 92-88 setback in double overtime. The Panthers' cataclysmic cave-in almost makes you forget about Arizona's fiasco flop when the Wildcats frittered away a 15-point advantage with four minutes remaining in regulation against Illinois in 2005 playoffs.
If you think about gaffes from a human perspective for a moment, having their playoff balloon pop by dull pin is terrible thing to happen to a team. On the other hand, a scorned squad can share the blame-game burden while an individual player could be branded for lifetime. Truth be told, some players probably will live with major miscue in front of God and country for the remainder of their Earthly existence. No one deserves a humiliating label, even after bad blunder on the biggest stage, but spit happens where temperatures rise and afflicted seek a stay-at-home order. Punctuated by fable-like failure, the following chronological list details 10 additional fatal stumbles at the wrong time since the tourney field expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975:
1975: Louisville reserve guard Terry Howard, after converting all 28 of his previous foul shots during season, missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity with 20 seconds remaining in overtime and the Cardinals leading by one point. UCLA prevailed in national semifinal, 75-74, when Richard Washington sank short jumper from right baseline in closing seconds.
1982: Georgetown sophomore guard Fred Brown's errant pass, ostensibly seeing a teammate out of the corner of his right eye, went directly to North Carolina forward James Worthy and prevented the Hoyas from attempting a potential game-winning shot in the closing seconds of 63-62 setback against the Tar Heels.
1993: Michigan rallied to trim deficit to 73-71 before two North Carolina players trapped Chris Webber on the right sideline with only 11 seconds remaining after he dribbled downcourt when referees failed to call him for walking after grabbing rebound of missed free-throw attempt. The Wolverines' consensus first-team All-American called a fateful timeout his team did not have. Donald Williams wrapped up the game with four consecutive free throws to give Carolina a 77-71 triumph. "Sometimes winning a basketball game is just plain luck," UNC coach Dean Smith said. Meanwhile, Webber's family took mental lapse in stride and showed time heals all wounds when his father, Mayce, acquired a vanity license plate proclaiming "Timeout," a reference to his son's excruciating blunder.
1994: The score was tied when Connecticut All-American Donyell Marshall, who hit 77% of his foul shots during three-year college career, missed two free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining in regulation in East Regional semifinals. UConn wound up losing to Florida, 69-60, in overtime.
1995: Upon making splendid steal off baseline in-bounds pass by Arkansas, Lucious Jackson called an unnecessary timeout while prone in right corner with 4.3 seconds remaining in regulation although Syracuse was out of them and had possession arrow pointing in direction of the Orange. The Razorbacks made one-of-two technical foul charity tosses to knot score, 82-82, and won second-round game in overtime, 96-94.
2006: In the last 20 seconds, Gonzaga's Jose Bautista committed a foul going for rebound following teammate's missed field-goal attempt and subsequently had ball stolen from him after receiving in-bounds pass triggering go-ahead basket for UCLA, giving the Bruins their first lead of game en route to 73-71 come-from-behind victory. The reversal left national player of the year Adam Morrison of the Zags weeping prostrate at mid-court.
2008: Given multiple chances to put away Kansas in national final including leading by nine points with fewer than two minutes remaining in regulation, Memphis All-Americans Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts combined to convert only one of five foul shots in the final 1:12 of regulation (including one front end of a one-and-one). They were 1-of-4 in the last 16 seconds. Rose and Douglas-Roberts had collaborated to sink 20-of-23 in a semifinal rout of UCLA. The Tigers hit only 59% from the line for the season after losing to KU, 75-68.
2014: Virginia Commonwealth's JeQuan Lewis ran into Stephen F. Austin player (Desmond Haymon) as lefthander made three-point field goal with 3.6 seconds remaining in regulation in second round of South Regional. After Haymon converted free throw to complete four-point play, VCU went on to lose in overtime, 77-75.
2019: New Mexico State's Terrell Brown missed two of three free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining in a 78-77 opening-round setback against Auburn after getting fouled by Bryce Brown beyond the three-point arc. Terrell Brown made a team-leading 77.6% of his charity tosses during the entire season.
2019: Auburn's Samir Doughty fouled Virginia's Kyle Guy at buzzer when sharpshooter launched a three-point attempt from the left corner. Guy sank all three free throws to give the Cavaliers a 63-62 win in national semifinals.
Mr. Big Shot: Simpson's Decisive Sideline Basket Adds to Buzzer-Beater List
What we missed the most from cancellation of NCAA tourney four years ago was adding to striking list of storybook moments in playoff lore when your blood percolates as game is decided in unforgettable closing moments. More than one-fourth of the NCAA Tournament's games were determined in overtime or in regulation by fewer than four points since the field expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975. Four riveting national finals in an eight-year span from 1982 through 1989 furnished memories etched indelibly in our minds because clutch players appeared impervious to pressure by producing in last-second situations. Yearning for more, this year's tourney featured a down-to-the-wire bang when Colorado guard KJ Simpson sank a right baseline jumper off the dribble with 1.7 seconds remaining after receiving a sideline in-bounds pass and using his left arm to help create space to boost the Buffaloes to a 102-100 victory against Florida.
This is how legends are made. When time allows, pass-the-time videos help us remember buzzer beaters far beyond the actual moment. Butler's Gordon Hayward almost joined this group but his heave from near half-court rimmed out in 2010 national final against Duke. Hayward learned close only counts in hand grenades, horseshoes and old-school, drive-in movies. The following alphabetical list details numerous individuals who supplied a trip-down-memory-lane field goal or free throw as time expired or in waning moments in an NCAA tourney tilt:
| Player | School | Description of Decisive Last-Second Basket |
|---|---|---|
| Danny Ainge | Brigham Young | Coast-to-coast drive including behind-the-back dribble and finishing with scoop shot edged #2 seed Notre Dame, 51-50, in 1981 East Regional semifinals. |
| Keith Anderson | Cal State Fullerton | Capping comeback from 15-point, second-half deficit, he drilled jumper with three seconds remaining to break a 72-72 deadlock against Bill Cartwright-led San Francisco in 1978 West Regional semifinals. |
| BeeJay Anya | North Carolina State | Erasing 16-point, second-half deficit, Anya's tip-in got Wolfpack within a point and his lefthanded hook from middle of lane just before final buzzer lifted #8 seed to 66-65 victory against LSU in 2015 East Regional first round. |
| Paul Atkinson Jr. | Notre Dame | Rebound basket with 1.4 seconds remaining in double overtime gave the Fighting Irish a Happy St. Patrick's Day success in 2022 First Four (89-87 over Rutgers at Dayton). |
| Marco Baldi | St. John's | Averaging fewer than four points per game and with All-American playmaker Mark Jackson double-teamed, unheralded Italian center sank 12-foot jumper with one second remaining to give St. John's a 57-55 nod over Wichita State in 1987 Midwest Regional first round. |
| Elgin Baylor | Seattle | Long shot at the buzzer closer to mid-court than head of the key gave the Chiefs a 69-67 success at San Francisco in 1958 West Regional semifinals. |
| Len Bias | Maryland | Freshman who averaged modest 7.2 ppg before subsequently becoming All-American sank 15-footer off dribble from free-throw line area to thrust Terrapins past UT Chattanooga, 52-51, in 1983 Midwest Regional first round. |
| Rolando Blackman | Kansas State | Jumper from 17 feet from right baseline was the difference in 50-48 verdict against #1 seed Oregon State in second round of 1981 West Regional. |
| Vander Blue | Marquette | Drive and lefthanded layup with one second remaining climaxed rally from five-point deficit with fewer than 30 seconds remaining in 59-58 nod over Davidson in opening round of 2013 East Regional. |
| Nicholas Boyd | Florida Atlantic | Receiving a baseline in-bounds pass in the right corner, he promptly drove straight to the basket in heavy traffic for a lefthanded layup with 2.5 seconds remaining to give the Owls their first-ever playoff triumph (66-65 over Memphis in 2023 East Regional opener). |
| Tony Branch | Louisville | Seldom-used guard stepped through double team and floated up his lone field-goal attempt of the game that bounced around rim before falling in as time expired in overtime to give Cardinals a 71-69 win against Kansas State in 1980 Midwest Regional second round. |
| Ron Brewer | Arkansas | Backed in off dribble before sinking turnaround jumper between free-throw line and head of key as time expired to give Razorbacks a 71-69 success against Notre Dame in 1978 national third-place contest. |
| Rodney Bullock | Providence | Layup with 1.5 seconds remaining off baseline in-bounds pass lifted the Friars to 70-69 win against Southern California in first round of 2016 East Regional. |
| Pembrook Burrows III | Jacksonville | Put-back with three seconds remaining enabled the Dolphins to outlast Iowa, 104-103, in 1970 Mideast Regional semifinals. |
| Nathaniel Burton | Georgetown | Driving layup surviving instant-replay review was final margin in 63-61 nod over Arkansas in first round of 2001 West Regional. |
| Lamont Butler | San Diego State | Capping off rally from 14-point deficit, dribble move on right side of court resulted in medium-range jumper at buzzer giving the Aztecs their only lead in second half of 72-71 win over Florida Atlantic in 2023 national semifinals. |
| Will Bynum | Georgia Tech | Drive down right side of lane and layup with 1.5 seconds left gave Yellow Jackets a 67-65 triumph against Oklahoma State in 2004 national semifinals. |
| Casey Calvary | Gonzaga | Tipped in game-winner with 4.4 seconds remaining in 73-72 verdict over Florida in 1999 West Regional semifinals. |
| Lorenzo Charles | North Carolina State | Sophomore forward, averaging a modest 8 ppg, converted guard Dereck Whittenburg's off-line desperation shot from well beyond the three-point arc into decisive dunk in 54-52 success against Houston in 1983 championship game. |
| Chris Chiozza | Florida | The Gators, trailing Wisconsin by two points with fewer than four seconds remaining in OT in 2017 East Regional semifinals, got the ball in hands of Chiozza, who went coast-to-coast and sank a running three-pointer at the buzzer for 84-83 triumph. |
| JaKobe Coles | Texas Christian | Driving floater down the middle of the lane with 1.5 seconds remaining propelled the Horned Frogs to a 72-70 verdict over Arizona State in 2023 West Regional first round. |
| Terry Coner | Alabama | After tying score with drive down lane with 53 seconds remaining, Coner sank spinning (some observers thought "traveling") off-balance jumper from just inside free-throw line as time expired to give Crimson Tide a 58-56 decision over Illinois in 1986 Southeast Regional second round. |
| Fran Corcoran | Canisius | Corcoran's jumper with four seconds remaining - his only points of the four-overtime game - catapulted the Golden Griffins to a 79-78 success against #2-ranked North Carolina State in first round of 1956 East Regional. |
| Aaron Craft | Ohio State | Playmaker swished three-pointer from right side of head of key with 0.5 seconds remaining to boost Buckeyes to 78-75 success against Iowa State in 2013 West Regional second round. |
| Davonte "Devo" Davis | Arkansas | Lefthanded jumper by freshman in traffic off penetration dribble from midway down right side of free-throw lane with 3.1 seconds remaining lifted Razorbacks to 72-70 success against Oral Roberts in 2021 South Regional semifinal. |
| Todd Day | Arkansas | Follow-up of his own missed shot with three seconds remaining raised Razorbacks to an 86-84 win against Dayton in second round of 1990 Midwest Regional. |
| Terry Dehere | Seton Hall | Capping off rally erasing eight-point deficit with four minutes remaining, Dehere drilled 19-foot jumper from left baseline with three ticks left to propel Pirates to 78-76 success against La Salle in 1992 East Regional first round. |
| Cameron Dollar | UCLA | Short runner in middle of lane with less than two seconds remaining after length-of-the-court drive in overtime upended Iowa State, 74-73, in 1997 Midwest Regional semifinals. |
| Leonard Drake | Central Michigan | Converted pair of free throws after time expired in 77-75 nod over Georgetown in first round of 1975 Mideast Regional. The contest marked first NCAA Tournament appearance for CMU and Hoyas coach John Thompson Jr. |
| Bryce Drew | Valparaiso | Signature three-pointer after touch pass following three-quarter court pass from minor-league baseball player on baseline to another hoop teammate gave #13 seed a 70-69 victory against Ole Miss in first round of 1998 Midwest Regional. |
| Tyus Edney | UCLA | Length-of-the-court drive mixing in behind-the-back dribble before layup from right side gave #1 seed a 75-74 triumph against Missouri in second round of 1995 West Regional. |
| Dale Ellis | Tennessee | Only shot taken by either team in overtime was successful 15-footer with two seconds remaining to give Volunteers a 58-56 victory over Virginia Commonwealth in 1981 East Regional second round. |
| Juan Fernandez | Temple | Cork-screwing around defender as time ran out, he hit off-balance 18-footer from right side to give Owls a 66-64 nod over Penn State, ending coach Fran Dunphy's NCAA playoff record 11-game losing streak. |
| James Forrest | Georgia Tech | Freshman forward, who didn't attempt a three-pointer all year, nailed a desperation shot from beyond the arc on left side after receiving sideline out-of-bounds pass for 79-78 win against Southern California in second round of 1992 Midwest Regional. |
| Rick Fox | North Carolina | Drive along right baseline for leaning bank shot in 79-77 upset of top-ranked Oklahoma in second round of 1990 Midwest Regional. |
| Kevin Gamble | Iowa | Straight-away three-pointer with one second remaining in overtime against Oklahoma provided 93-91 triumph in 1987 West Regional semifinals. |
| Tate George | Connecticut | Turnaround jumper from right baseline after length-of-the-court pass from eventual MLB first-round draft choice Scott Burrell clipped Clemson, 71-70, in 1990 East Regional semifinals. |
| Clarence Gilbert | Missouri | Jumper from 15 feet helped withstand furious Georgia rally, 70-68, in first round of 2001 East Regional. |
| Clarence Glover | Western Kentucky | Pretending to tie his shoestring after an opponent's turnover, he received an in-bounds pass in closing seconds and put in decisive basket in 74-72 nod over Jacksonville in first round of 1971 Mideast Regional. |
| Demetri Goodson | Gonzaga | Short running bank shot from left side of lane following length-of-the court drive by eventual Baylor CB and NFL draft choice lifted Zags to 83-81 triumph against Western Kentucky in second round of 2009 South Regional. |
| Robert Gray | Houston | Drove right side of lane for up-and-under layup with 1.1 seconds remaining to finish with 39 points in 67-65 triumph against San Diego State in 2018 West Regional first round. |
| Jeff Green | Georgetown | It looked like a walk violation, but Green squeezed through traffic to sink jumper off spin move from right side of lane with 2.5 seconds remaining in 66-65 verdict over Vanderbilt in 2007 East Regional semifinals. |
| Jerry Hahn | Arizona State | After sinking free throw to tie score with 16 seconds remaining, Hahn connected for field goal as time expired to send Sun Devils to 72-70 success against Seattle in 1961 West Regional first round. |
| Richard Hamilton | Connecticut | Off-balance fall-away in lane following rebound gave Huskies a 75-74 win against Washington in 1998 East Regional semifinals. |
| Bob Heaton | Indiana State | Shifted ball from his normal right hand to left for short shot bouncing twice on rim before going down with one second remaining to send Sycamores to 73-71 success against Arkansas in 1979 Midwest Regional final. |
| Sean Higgins | Michigan | Following 33 lead changes, Higgins rebounded a teammate's missed three-point attempt and scored from from short range on left baseline with one second remaining to lift Wolverines to 83-81 win against Illinois in 1989 national semifinal. |
| Jeff Hodge | South Alabama | Desperation three-pointer off broken play in waning moments gave USA an 86-84 victory against Alabama in opening round of 1989 Southeast Regional. |
| Shaheen Holloway | Seton Hall | Mercurial point guard drove length of the court through and around a double-team to score on a scoop shot high off the glass from middle of lane with 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime to frustrate Oregon, 72-71, in first round of 2000 East Regional. |
| Jeff Hornacek | Iowa State | Fall-away 25-footer from left side off an out-of-bounds pass with two seconds remaining in overtime gave the Cyclones their first NCAA playoff victory in 42 years - 81-79 against Miami (Ohio) in opening round of 1986 Midwest Regional. |
| Matt Howard | Butler | Rebound basket from left side of rim as buzzer sounded gave defending national runner-up a 60-58 victory against Old Dominion in 2011 Southeast Regional first round. |
| Trevon Hughes | Wisconsin | Twisting layup down middle of lane turned into conventional three-point play with two seconds remaining in overtime to boost Badgers to 61-59 win against Florida State in 2009 East Regional first round. |
| Charles Hunter | Oklahoma City | Basket in closing seconds catapulted Abe Lemons-coached Chiefs to 70-68 nod over Colorado State in 1965 West Regional first round. |
| R.J. Hunter | Georgia State | Son knocked his excited father/coach (Ron Hunter) off stool along sideline with long straight-on three pointer with 2.6 seconds remaining to give Panthers a 57-56 success against #3 seed Baylor in first round of 2015 Midwest Regional. |
| Donte Ingram | Loyola of Chicago | Straight-on three-pointer from well beyond arc propelled Ramblers to 64-62 success against Miami (Fla.) in 2018 South Regional first round. |
| De'Jon Jackson | San Diego | Fade-away 18-footer from right side with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime for #13 seed accounted for 70-69 decision over UConn in 2008 West Regional. |
| Marius Janulis | Syracuse | Lithuanian sank a three-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining - his second trey in final minute - to lift the Orangemen to a 63-61 win against Iona in first round of 1998 South Regional. |
| Kris Jenkins | Villanova | On the heels of miracle off-balance three-pointer by North Carolina's Marcus Paige tying the score at 74-74 with fewer than five seconds remaining, Jenkins responded by drilling a game-winning trey from right side following clever hand-off by Nova's playmaker in 2016 title tilt. |
| Paul Jesperson | Northern Iowa | Half-court bank shot after several dribbles crossing from right sideline to middle of hardwood propelled #11 seed to a 75-72 nod over Texas in opening round of 2016 West Regional. |
| Kannard Johnson | Western Kentucky | After having his FGA rejected out of bounds with three seconds remaining, Johnson cut in front of defender on ensuing in-bounds play under WKU's basket to receive pass and made twisting shot to lift Hilltoppers to 64-62 win against West Virginia in 1987 East Regional first round. |
| Mike Jones | Wichita State | Two long-range baskets from left side in last 50 seconds - second jumper with three ticks remaining - sent Shockers to 66-65 decision over Kansas in 1981 Midwest Regional semifinal in first game between the schools in 36 years. |
| Stan Joplin | Toledo | Nailed straight-on, top-of-the-key jumper just before final buzzer to propel Rockets to 74-72 win against Iowa in 1979 Mideast Regional second round. |
| Kevin Joyce | South Carolina | A 20-foot-plus jumper in waning moments gave Gamecocks their first-ever NCAA tourney triumph (53-51 over Temple in 1972 East Regional first round). |
| DeAndre Kane | Iowa State | Layup high off backboard with less than two seconds remaining after driving down middle of lane lifted Cyclones to 85-83 victory against North Carolina in second round of 2014 East Regional. |
| Brian Kellerman | Idaho | His 15-foot jumper bounced couple of times on rim before going through basket in closing seconds of overtime to give Vandals a 69-67 triumph against Iowa in 1982 West Regional second round. |
| Jason Kidd | California | Twisting layup from right side with one second remaining following drive down lane enabled the Bears to edge Louisiana State, 66-64, in first round of 1993 Midwest Regional. |
| Jimmy King | Michigan | Offensive rebound put-back basket with 1.5 seconds remaining after off-balance miss by teammate Jalen Rose enabled the Wolverines to complete rally from 19-point, first-half deficit and give them an 86-84 overtime success against UCLA in 1993 West Regional second round. |
| Brandon Knight | Kentucky | Held scoreless for more than 39 minutes, Knight supplied scoop layup with two seconds remaining after driving down right side of lane to catapult Wildcats to 59-57 decision over Princeton in 2011 East Regional first round. |
| Toby Knight | Notre Dame | Tip-in with two seconds remaining after Cincinnati failed to inbound the ball and was called for a five-second violation six seconds earlier lifted Irish to a 79-78 victory in 1976 Midwest Regional first round. |
| Bronson Koenig | Wisconsin | Swished three-pointer from right corner off sideline out-of-bounds play in 66-63 triumph against #2 seed Xavier in second round of 2016 East Regional. His decisive basket left him 16-of-31 from beyond the arc in last five minutes of games during the season. |
| Chris Kramer | Purdue | Drive past one defender down left side of lane and right-handed layup with 4.2 seconds remaining over another defender taller than him boosted Boilermakers past Texas A&M, 63-61, in overtime in second round of 2010 South Regional. |
| Christian Laettner (1) | Duke | After in-bounding ball with 2.6 seconds remaining in overtime, he received it back and converted contorted leaner from left side for 79-78 win against UConn in 1990 East Regional final. |
| Christian Laettner (2) | Duke | In perhaps most memorable shot in NCAA playoff history, he received pass from opposite baseline from Grant Hill and sank turnaround jumper near top of the key for 104-103 overtime victory against Kentucky in 1992 East Regional final. |
| Rolando Lamb | Virginia Commonwealth | Contested free-throw line jumper at buzzer propelled Rams to 70-69 win against Jim Calhoun-coached Northeastern in first round of 1984 East Regional. |
| Jim Lee | Syracuse | Mid-range jumper from left wing with five seconds remaining put Orangemen ahead in 78-76 win against North Carolina in 1975 East Regional semifinal. |
| Gabe Lewullis | Princeton | Layup from the right side of basket off a back-door cut with less than four seconds remaining proved decisive for #13 seed in 43-41 triumph against defending NCAA champion UCLA in first round of 1996 Southeast Regional. |
| Chris Lofton | Tennessee | Jumper from right corner after receiving sideline in-bounds pass for #2 seed in 63-61 win against upstart Winthrop in first round of 2006 Washington/East Regional. |
| Brook Lopez | Stanford | Dropped in twisting right-baseline leaner with 1.3 seconds remaining to outlast Marquette in overtime, 82-81, in second round of 2008 South Regional. |
| Korie Lucious | Michigan State | Straight-on three-pointer from top of key at buzzer in 85-83 decision over Maryland in second round of 2010 Midwest Regional. |
| Luke Maye | North Carolina | Jumper from left side just inside three-point arc with 0.3 seconds remaining was the difference in 75-73 win against Kentucky in 2017 South Regional final. |
| Eric Maynor | Virginia Commonwealth | Swished jumper off dribble move from just beyond middle of free-throw line with 1.8 seconds left for 79-77 upset win against Duke in 2007 West Regional opener. |
| Ken McCally | Navy | After two-minute freeze, reserve made 20-foot one-handed basket with two seconds remaining to give Midshipmen a 69-67 win against Cornell in 1954 East Regional semifinals. |
| Scooter McCray | Louisville | After withstanding Arkansas' 16-0 first-half run, second of back-to-back tip-in attempts went in as time expired to provide the difference in a 65-63 result in 1983 Mideast Regional semifinal. |
| Paris McCurdy | Ball State | Made conventional three-point play at buzzer after receiving in-bounds pass from under his own basket to boost Cardinals to 54-53 win against Gary Payton Sr.-led Oregon State in 1990 West Regional first round. |
| Lance Miller | Villanova | Isolated with score tied before sinking floater in lane in last second to give Nova a 50-48 verdict over Princeton in 1991 East Regional first round. |
| Mike Miller | Florida | Fall-down short shot driving left side of lane in overtime gave eventual national runner-up a 69-68 nod over Butler in first round of 2000 East Regional. |
| Guy Minnifield | Morehead State | Two-time All-OVC selection recovered his loose ball to hit a jumper from the middle of the lane with four seconds remaining for his lone basket of the game, lifting Eagles to 70-69 success against North Carolina A&T in 1984 preliminary round. |
| Darrel Mitchell | Louisiana State | Long three-pointer with 3.9 seconds remaining enabled the Tigers to top Texas A&M, 58-57, in second round of 2006 South/Atlanta Regional. |
| Ronald Moore | Siena | Connecting from identical spot where he made three-pointer at end of first overtime, another trey with fewer than four seconds left in second OT sent the Saints past Ohio State, 74-72, in first round of 2009 Midwest Regional. |
| Rick Mount | Purdue | Mid-range jumper from the right side with one tick remaining in overtime boosted Boilermakers to 75-73 success against Marquette in 1969 Mideast Regional final. |
| Dan Muller | Illinois State | Future head coach for his alma mater positioned himself on right side of rim to receive pass from teammate for easy lay-in in overtime to elevate Redbirds to 82-81 success against Tennessee in 1998 West Regional first round. |
| Maurice Newby | Northern Iowa | Three-point basket from left side with two seconds remaining in 74-71 triumph against #3 seed Missouri in first round of 1990 Southeast Regional. |
| Drew Nicholas | Maryland | Dribbled much of length of court before firing three-pointer from right side to nip UNC Wilmington, 75-73, in first round of 2003 South Regional. |
| Freddie Owens | Wisconsin | Lefthander's three-pointer from left corner capped comeback from 13-point deficit in a 61-60 success against Tulsa in second round of 2003 Midwest Regional. |
| Kenton Paulino | Texas | Three-pointer from left side propelled #2 seed to a 74-71 victory against West Virginia in Sweet 16 of 2006 Atlanta/South Regional. |
| JP Pegues | Furman | Three-pointer with 2.4 seconds remaining lifted Paladins to a 68-67 win over Virginia in opening round of 2024 East Regional. |
| Ron Pflueger | Notre Dame | Tip-in with 1.5 seconds remaining climaxed a 76-75 come-from-behind victory against upstart Stephen F. Austin in second round of 2016 East Regional. |
| Quincy Pondexter | Washington | Driving short bank shot from left side with 1.7 seconds remaining in an 80-78 win against Marquette in opening round of 2010 East Regional. |
| Jordan Poole | Michigan | Spread-eagle trey from well beyond the arc on right side gave Wolverines a 64-63 triumph over Houston in 2018 West Regional second round. |
| Ken Pryor | Oklahoma | Backup's only basket in 1947 tourney, a two-handed banked set shot from left wing in closing seconds, gave OU a 55-54 success against Texas in national semifinals. |
| U.S. Reed | Arkansas | In aftermath of clutch field goal by Louisville's Derek Smith, a criss-crossing drive down right side resulted in mid-court heave giving Hogs a 74-73 win in second round of 1981 Midwest Regional. |
| Don Reid | Georgetown | Grabbed Allen Iverson's three-pointer falling short of rim and flipped ball back over his head for basket in 53-51 victory against Weber State in second round of 1995 Southeast Regional. |
| Scottie Reynolds | Villanova | Length-of-court drive and successful short jumper in middle of lane against #1 seed Pittsburgh for 78-76 triumph in 2009 East Regional final. |
| Cameron Ridley | Texas | Lefthanded basket at buzzer off rebound of missed shot lifted Longhorns to 87-85 triumph against Arizona State in first round of 2014 Midwest Regional. |
| Ty Rogers | Western Kentucky | Desperation 30-foot three-pointer from right side in overtime against Drake lifted WKU to 101-99 first-round victory in 2008 West Regional. |
| Vic Rouse | Loyola of Chicago | Junior forward jumped high to redirect center Les Hunter's shot from free-throw line into the basket to climax Ramblers' first year in playoffs with 60-58 overtime success against Cincinnati in 1963 championship game. |
| Tyrone Sally | West Virginia | After blocking a three-point attempt, Sally raced downcourt for decisive dunk with fewer than three seconds remaining to propel Mountaineers to a 63-61 verdict over Creighton in first round of 2005 Albuquerque/West Regional. |
| Vee Sanford | Dayton | Flyers edged Ohio State, 60-59, in first round of 2014 South Regional when Sanford banked in short runner down right side of lane with 3.8 seconds remaining. |
| Charlie Scott | North Carolina | Basket at the buzzer from the Tar Heels' first African-American player beat Lefty Driesell-coached Davidson, 87-85, in 1969 East Regional final. |
| Keith Smart | Indiana | Junior college recruit, IU's fifth-leading scorer, tallied 12 of the Hoosiers' final 15 points, including 15-foot jumper from left baseline to give them a 74-73 victory against Syracuse in 1987 championship game. |
| Charles Smith | Georgetown | Banked in three-pointer with two seconds remaining as Hoyas leveled Louisiana State, 66-63, in 1988 East Regional first round. |
| Ishmael Smith | Wake Forest | Jumper from right side with less than two seconds remaining capped comeback from eight-point deficit in overtime in an 81-80 win against Texas in opening round of 2010 East Regional. |
| John Smith | Saint Joseph's | Converted layup after adroit pass from teammate in right corner with three seconds remaining in 49-48 decision over top-ranked DePaul in second round of 1981 Mideast Regional. |
| Steve Smith | Michigan State | Three-pointer near top of the key with one tick remaining beat Wisconsin-Green Bay, 61-58, in 1991 West Regional opener. |
| Dave Sorenson | Ohio State | Banked in shot with three seconds remaining to give OSU an 82-81 victory against Kentucky in 1968 Mideast Regional final at Lexington, Ky., where fifth-ranked UK failed to lose all season. |
| Terence Stansbury | Temple | Swished 25-footer for 65-63 win against St. John's in first round of 1984 East Regional after All-American Chris Mullin, a 91% free-throw shooter, missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity. |
| Salim Stoudamire | Arizona | Lefthander hit off-balance jumper from left side with less than three seconds remaining to nip Oklahoma State, 79-78, in 2005 Chicago/Midwest Regional semifinals. |
| Jalen Suggs | Gonzaga | Freshman banked in three-pointer on run after crossing mid-court at end of first overtime to give Zags a 93-90 win over UCLA in 2021 national semifinal. |
| Robert Tatum | Ohio University | Freshman picked up a loose ball at left corner of free-throw line before nailing fade-away, double-clutch shot for 51-49 triumph against Illinois State in first round of 1983 Mideast Regional. |
| Terrell Taylor | Creighton | His eighth three-pointer of game (following move after receiving out-of-bounds pass from left sideline) gave Bluejays an 83-82 double-overtime win against Florida in first round of 2002 Midwest Regional. |
| Tom Thacker | Cincinnati | Not known as long-range shooter, Thacker connected from beyond 20 feet - his only field goal of game - with three seconds remaining to boost Bearcats to 72-70 success against UCLA in 1962 national semifinal. |
| Danero Thomas | Murray State | Fall-away jumper from right side just inside three-point arc for #13 seed secured a 66-65 verdict over Vanderbilt in 2010 West Regional. |
| Wayman Tisdale | Oklahoma | Lefthander's turnaround jumper from eight feet out along the left baseline bounced multiple times on rim before falling through with :02 remaining in overtime to give Sooners an 86-84 win against Karl Malone-led Louisiana Tech in 1985 Midwest Regional semifinals. |
| Andre Turner | Memphis State | "Little General" contributed back-to-back free-throw high, game-winning jumpers in Midwest Regional (67-66 vs. UAB with five seconds left in overtime and shot at buzzer in 59-57 success vs. Boston College) to carry Tigers to 1985 Final Four. |
| David Vaughn III | Memphis State | Put-back field goal from right baseline with 1.1 seconds remaining after teammate's missed mid-range jumper from other side of court propelled Tigers to 75-73 victory against Purdue in second round of 1995 Midwest Regional. |
| Jermaine Wallace | Northwestern State | Step-back three-pointer from left corner after retrieving long rebound catapulted Demons to triumph over #3 seed Iowa, 64-63, in first round of 2006 Atlanta/South Regional. |
| John Wallace | Syracuse | Lean-in three-pointer with less than three seconds remaining in overtime produced 83-81 win against Georgia in 1996 West Regional semifinals. |
| Richard Washington | UCLA | Short jumper from right baseline in closing seconds of overtime boosted the Bruins to 75-74 win over Louisville in 1975 national semifinals in coach John Wooden's swan song. |
| Tremont Waters | Louisiana State | Scoop layup driving down right side of lane in traffic with 1.6 seconds remaining gave the Tigers a 69-67 success against Maryland in second round of 2019 East Regional. |
| Jarrod West | West Virginia | Banked in long three-pointer with less than one second remaining for a 75-74 victory against #2 seed Cincinnati in second round of 1998 West Regional. UC had just made a trey seconds earlier. |
| Jerome Whitehead | Marquette | Received length-of-the-court baseball pass from Butch Lee in middle of the lane, took one dribble and banked in short buzzer beater to provide the difference in 51-49 triumph against UNC Charlotte in 1977 national semifinal. |
| Herb Wilkinson | Utah | Freshman swingman connected from beyond head of the key with three seconds remaining to give Utes a 42-40 overtime win against Dartmouth in 1944 championship game. |
| Anthony Wilson | Louisiana State | Retrieving ball following wild scramble for rebound, Wilson banked in prayer from right side of lane as horn sounded to lift Bayou Bengals to 83-81 homecourt triumph against Memphis State in 1986 Southeast Regional second round. |
| Adam Woodbury | Iowa | Redirected teammate's air-ball attempt from right baseline into basket as time expired to give the Hawkeyes a 72-70 success against Temple in 2016 South Regional first round. |
| Danny Young | Wake Forest | Drove to hoop for basket and 73-71 triumph in overtime against #1 seed DePaul in 1984 Midwest Regional semifinals, spoiling legendary coach Ray Meyer's swan song. |
Nostalgia 85: 1 to 85 Ranking of Greatest Players in NCAA Tourney History
"It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumphs of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt
For those who eat, sleep and breathe the NCAA Tournament although it came after Teddy Roosevelt's presidency, the sensory overload of the playoffs is a banquet and every year is a feast. Nourishing your appetite for assessing postseason play, the following questions linger although the 82nd event was cancelled two years ago: Who were the most pristine postseason players in the nation's premier multiple-week sports spectacle? Who always seemed hot and who was not? Who was a stud instead of a dud?
It's a cop-out to simply accept the instant visibility of one-name icons such as Magic, Bird and Michael and cite them among the greatest players in tourney history. The prolific pro careers of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, a trio combining to win nine consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player awards from 1983-84 through 1991-92 (three apiece), somewhat distorts their impact in college postseason play. Notwithstanding the TV appeal of the Bird/Magic championship game match-up in 1979 and Jordan's game-winning basket as a freshman in the 1982 national final against Georgetown, a closer examination of the facts than what was exhibited in 75th-anniversary polls several years ago by ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Sporting News shows that other collegians were more efficient more often in the NCAA Tournament. Consider the following tourney trauma for Johnson (ESPN 5/SN 7/SI 8), Bird (SI 5/ESPN 15/SN 24) and Jordan (SN 32/ESPN 57/SI 70) before accepting as gospel they were among the premier performers in NCAA playoff play:
Johnson shot a meager 27.8% from the floor (10-of-36) in three 1978 tourney games as a freshman for Michigan State before leading the Spartans to the NCAA title the next year. He had more turnovers (six) than assists (five) in the over-hyped 1979 final, a mediocre contest paling in comparison to the last eight finals of the 1980s when seven of them were decided by an average of two points. Johnson outscored and outrebounded teammate Greg Kelser in just one of eight playoff games they played together. Kelser simply contributed more than Magic to the Spartans' cause in NCAA tourney competition.
Bird boosted Indiana State to the 1979 final in his lone NCAA tourney, but put the 'oops' in hoops by committing a Final Four-record 17 turnovers. He hit just 7-of-21 field-goal attempts and had three times as many turnovers (six) as assists (two) against Michigan State in the championship game, which was essentially the equivalent of a boring Super Bowl failing to live up to hype.
Jordan's NBA playoff scoring average with the Chicago Bulls more than doubled the NCAA Tournament scoring average he compiled for North Carolina. Jordan averaged 16.5 points per NCAA playoff game with the Tar Heels, scoring 20 or more in just two of 10 postseason games from 1982 through 1984. His Airness scored fewer than 18 points in two of the four playoff contests he led Carolina in scoring. Most people don't remember his inauspicious playoff debut when he collected six points, one rebound, no assists and no steals in 37 minutes of a 52-50 opening-round victory against James Madison in the East Regional. And Jordan's final NCAA Tournament appearance before he left school early for the NBA was nothing to write home about, either. The college player of the year was restricted to six points in the first 35 minutes of his collegiate swan song in the East Regional semifinals against Indiana, finishing with 13 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal in 26 foul-plagued minutes when the top-ranked Tar Heels were eliminated (72-68). He's atop Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison, but a total of 25 different Carolina players - including Ranzino Smith with modest career average of 6.5 ppg - posted NCAA playoff scoring highs matching or greater than Jordan's best of 27.
Duke's Christian Laettner, the all-time playoff scoring leader with 407 points from 1989 through 1992, tallied fewer than 15 points in six of his first seven tournament games. Just four of the top 20 in career scoring in the NCAA playoffs accumulated more than 10 points in every tourney game they participated - UCLA's Lew Alcindor (1967-68-69), Princeton's Bill Bradley (1963-64-65), Arizona's Sean Elliott (1986-87-88-89) and Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson (1958-59-60).
Is an Amber Alert necessary for Len Chappell, Adrian Dantley, Tom Gola, Alex Groza, David "Big Daddy" Lattin, Jim McDaniels, Jeff Mullins, Cazzie Russell, Dennis Scott, Rony Seikaly, etc., etc., etc.? How could anyone forget the footprint (size-22) Bob Lanier left on postseason play? The NCAA, exhibiting all the expertise of voters claiming they can't provide identification, unveiled a stunning error-prone list several years ago of foremost NCAA Tournament players over the first 75 years. Were relatives of guards Shelvin Mack and Keith Smart on the nominating panel for such amateurish choices? Do backcourters B.J. Armstrong, Terry Dehere, Allen Iverson, Wally Jones, Brevin Knight, Bo Lamar, Mark Macon, Lawrence Moten, Anthony Peeler and Mitch Richmond mean anything to the misinformed? The NCAA, apparently incapable of discerning what comprises a "moment" rather than numerous playoff-pressure games or putting too much stock in input from self-serving media, probably needs to go back to focusing on event cancellation insurance premiums and vital task of shedding Indian nicknames from as many schools as possible.
In former POTUS Obama's State of the Union addresses, the basketball buff probably should have cared more about mental inequality in hoopdom rather than income inequality in his "I-have-a-phone-and-pen" and willing-accomplices-in-the-media kingdom. An NCAA probe similar to IRS targeting needs to be conducted stemming from the most glaring omission among impact players failing to be acknowledged. Incredibly, the shunned included Bob Pettit, who averaged 30.5 points in six outings with LSU in 1953 and 1954. Pettit is perhaps the most consistent big scorer in NCAA playoff annals with a single-digit differential between his high game (36 points) and low contest (27).
The Chris Webber Award for playoff competition brain lock goes to SN for fanciful assertion citing Tom Thacker, a nice versatile player for Cincinnati teams participating in three consecutive NCAA championship contests, as #15 on its all-time list. Thacker committed a toxic total of 13 turnovers (with only four assists) in two Final Four games in 1963 after scoring only two points in 1962 national semifinals and shooting a paltry 8-of-28 from the floor at 1961 Final Four. UCLA by itself has had at least 15 more influential tourney players than Thacker, who was unranked by ESPN and SI. The only logical answer for this absurdity is a Cincinnati connection of some sort among the voting delegation or the fishy selection is a byproduct for why SN's print edition went belly up.
Michigan State All-American Draymond Green posted back-to-back triple doubles in 2011 and 2012 but still doesn't rank among the all-time best 85 players in tourney history 84 years after the inaugural event. If some of these historical facts aroused your curiosity, here is additional tournament insight that should fuel debates concerning who should be on college basketball's Mount Rushmore after excelling the most as NCAA playoff performers (minimum of six tourney games):
1. Lew Alcindor, C, UCLA
The only individual selected the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player three times averaged 25.7 points and 18.8 rebounds and shot 64.1% from the floor in six Final Four games from 1967 through 1969. Alcindor, who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, is the only player to couple three unanimous first-team All-American seasons with three NCAA titles. Of the 10 different individuals to average more than 23 points per game for a national champion a total of 12 times, Alcindor achieved the feat all three of his seasons with the Bruins. He is also the only player to hit better than 70% of his field-goal attempts in two NCAA title games. UCLA '67, the first varsity season for Alcindor, set the record for largest average margin of victory for a champion when the Bruins started a dazzling streak of 10 consecutive Final Four appearances. They won their 12 NCAA playoff games with Alcindor manning the middle by an average margin of 21.5 points. The three Alcindor-led UCLA teams rank among the seven NCAA champions with average margins of victory in a tournament of more than 19 points per game. He led the Bruins in scoring in 10 of 12 playoff contests. It's no wonder a perceptive scribe wrote that the acronym NCAA took on a new meaning during the Alcindor Era - "No Chance Against Alcindor."
2. Bill Walton, C, UCLA
Averaged 28.8 points and 17.8 rebounds per game at the Final Four in 1972 and 1973. His championship game-record 44 points against Memphis State in 1973 when he hit 21-of-22 field-goal attempts will probably never be duplicated. On the other hand, he had one playoff game of fewer than 10 points each of the three seasons he was national player of the year.
3. Jerry West, G-F, West Virginia
He is the only player to score at least 25 points in eight consecutive tournament games (all of which he led in scoring). West is also the only player to rank among the top five in scoring average in both the NCAA Tournament (30.6 points per game) and NBA playoffs (29.1 ppg). He was denied a championship ring with West Virginia in his only Final Four appearance in 1959 when Cal center Darral Imhoff, a player who would become an Olympic and NBA teammate, tipped in a decisive basket in the closing seconds.
4. Elvin Hayes, F, Houston
He is the only player to lead a tournament in scoring by more than 60 points. Lew Alcindor and his UCLA teammates helped hold Hayes to 10 points in 1968 national semifinals, but the Big E finished with 167 points in five games with Houston that year in finishing with the highest-ever scoring average for a Final Four player (36.8 ppg). Alcindor was runner-up with 103 points in four contests. Hayes became the only player in tournament history to collect more than 40 points and 25 rebounds in the same game when he amassed 49 points and 27 rebounds in a 94-76 decision over Loyola of Chicago in first round of 1968 Midwest Regional. He holds the records for most rebounds in a playoff series (97 in five games as a senior in 1968) and career (222 in 13 games). Hayes had five games with at least 24 rebounds, including the first three playoff games in 1968, before being held to five in a 101-69 national semifinal loss against UCLA. He also holds the record for most playoff field goals in a career with 152.
5. Gail Goodrich, G, UCLA
Despite standing at least three inches shorter than both standout opponents, the 6-1 lefthander outscored consensus second-team All-American Jeff Mullins of Duke, 27-22, in 1964 final and unanimous first-team All-American Cazzie Russell of Michigan, 42-28, in 1965 final. Goodrich, the only guard to score more than 35 points in an NCAA final, averaged 35 points per game for UCLA in 1965 tourney. He was also the Bruins' leading scorer the previous year (21.5-point average as a junior) when he became the shortest undergraduate to average more than 20 points per game for an NCAA titlist. Goodrich and Walt Hazzard (18.6 ppg) represent the only backcourt duo to be the top two scorers on the season for an NCAA championship team. Of the eight times a school successfully defended its major college championship, Goodrich is the only guard to be the team's leading scorer in back-to-back years. The Bruins won 58 of 60 games in those two championship seasons although they didn't have a regular taller than 6-7.
6. Bill Bradley, F, Princeton
The former U.S. Senator (D-N.J.) and 2000 presidential candidate holds the record for most points in a single Final Four game (58 against Wichita State in 1965 national third-place game). He scored 39 points in the second half of the consolation game. The Rhodes Scholar was the only player to have a double-digit season scoring average (30.5 points per game) for Princeton's Final Four team. Bradley also holds the career playoff record for highest free-throw percentage (minimum of 50 attempts). He was 89 of 96 from the foul line (90.6%) from 1963 through 1965. In five of his nine playoff games, Bradley made at least 10 free throws while missing no more than one attempt from the charity stripe. He made 16 of 16 free throws against St. Joseph's in first round of 1963 East Regional and 13 of 13 foul shots against Providence in 1965 East Regional final to become the only player to twice convert more than 12 free throws without a miss in playoff games. He was the game-high scorer in eight of nine tourney contests.
7. Bill Russell, C, San Francisco
Grabbed an incredible 50 rebounds for USF at 1956 Final Four (23 against SMU in semifinals and 27 against Iowa in championship game). No other player has retrieved more than 41 missed shots in two Final Four games or more than 21 in the final. Averaged 23.2 points and 18.3 rebounds in winning all nine NCAA tourney contests.
8. Oscar Robertson, G-F, Cincinnati
Averaged at least 29 points and 10 rebounds per game each of his three years in the tourney with the Bearcats. The Big O isn't picked higher because California restricted him to a total of 37 points in two Final Four games (1959 and 1960). He hit just nine of 32 from the floor against the Bears. Robertson, the nation's leading scorer all three of his varsity seasons with averages of more than 32 points per game, is the only team-leading scorer to twice go more than 13 points below his season scoring average when his school lost in the national semifinals or final. He is the only Final Four participant to twice register a season scoring average in excess of 30 ppg (32.6 in 1958-59 and 33.7 in 1959-60).
9. Sean Elliott, F, Arizona
Of the more than 60 different players to score at least 2,500 points and/or rank among the top 25 in career scoring average, Elliott is the only one to have a winning NCAA playoff record in his career plus post higher scoring, rebounding and field-goal shooting playoff averages than he compiled in the regular season. Elliott scored at least 17 points in all 10 of his NCAA playoff games with the Wildcats from 1986 through 1989.
10. Christian Laettner, F, Duke
Only player to start in four Final Fours became the tourney's all-time leading scorer (407 points) in helping the Blue Devils compile a 21-2 playoff mark in his career. Laettner's highest-scoring game was 31 against Kentucky in a 104-103 victory in 1992 East Regional final. Laettner capped a flawless offensive performance, hitting all 10 of his field-goal attempts and all 10 of his free throws against the Wildcats, by scoring Duke's last eight points in overtime, including a stunning 18-foot turnaround jumper at the buzzer after catching a pass from the baseline on the opposite end of the court. He also hit what probably was an even more difficult off-balance, last-second shot to give Duke a 79-78 win against Connecticut in 1990 East Regional final. Tallied fewer than 15 points in six of his first seven playoff contests.
11. Bob Pettit, F-C, Louisiana State
Of the more than 40 different players to score more than 225 points in the NCAA playoffs and/or average over 25 points per tournament game (minimum of six games), he is the only one to score more than 22 points in every postseason contest (six games with LSU in 1953 and 1954). He was perhaps the most consistent big scorer in NCAA Tournament history with a single-digit differential between his high game (36 points) and his low game (27). Pettit wasn't named to the 1953 All-Tournament team despite leading the Tigers to the Final Four and averaging 30.5 points per game in four NCAA playoff contests. He averaged the same number of points in two tourney games the next year.
12. Bobby Hurley, G, Duke
The 6-0 guard was selected Most Outstanding Player at the 1992 Final Four. He was the shortest player to earn the award since 5-11 Hal Lear helped Temple to a national third-place finish in 1956. The only Final Four Most Outstanding Player shorter than Hurley from a championship team was 5-11 Kenny Sailors of Wyoming in 1943. Hurley shot a mediocre 41% from the floor in his college career, but he was the Blue Devils' linchpin with his playmaking and intangible contributions. He holds the career record for most playoff assists (145) and three-pointers (42) although his bid to become the first player to start four consecutive NCAA finals was thwarted when California upset Duke in the second round of 1993 Midwest Regional despite Hurley's career-high 32 points. After averaging just 5.4 points per game in his first eight NCAA Tournament contests, he averaged 22.8 in his last five playoff outings.
13. Steve Alford, G, Indiana
Averaged 21.3 points in 10 NCAA Tournament games in 1984, 1986 and 1987 (8-2 record). He led the Hoosiers in scoring in seven of the contests.
14. Larry Johnson, F, UNLV
Juco jewel averaged 20.2 points and 11.5 rebounds in 11 games in 1990 and 1991 (10-1 record).
15. Miles Simon, G, Arizona
Averaged 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 14 games from 1995 through 1998 (11-3 record). He was game-high scorer in his last three playoff contests.
16. Patrick Ewing, C, Georgetown
The Hoyas compiled a glittering 15-3 playoff record from 1982 through 1985 during his four-year reign of terror although he never scored as many as 25 points in a tournament game.
17. David "Big Daddy" Lattin, C, Texas Western
Averaged 19.4 ppg and 10.6 rpg in eight games in 1966 and 1967 (7-1 record). He averaged 21 points and 13 rebounds in first three games of 1966 playoffs, powering champion-to-be Miners to Final Four. Playoff scoring average was five points higher than his regular-season mark.
18. Clyde Lovellette, C, Kansas
The only individual to lead the nation in scoring average in the same season he played for a team reaching the NCAA Tournament championship game. Averaging 35.3 points per game in the 1952 tourney, he was the first player to score more than 30 points in a Final Four contest and the only player to crack the 30-point plateau in the national semifinals and final in the same season.
19. Dennis Scott, G-F, Georgia Tech
Averaged 25.9 ppg and 5.9 rpg in eight playoff games from 1988 through 1990 (5-3 record). He was game-high scorer in four of five contests in 1990 when the Yellow Jackets reached the Final Four.
20. David Thompson, F, North Carolina State
The last player to score the most points in a single game of a tournament and play for a championship team (40 against Providence in 1974 East Regional semifinals). He is the only undergraduate non-center to average more than 23 ppg for a national champion.
21. Austin Carr, G, Notre Dame
After scoring only six points in his first tournament game as a sophomore (re-injured against Miami of Ohio in 1969), Carr averaged 47.2 points in his last six playoff contests to finish with a tourney record 41.3-point mark. However, the Irish won only two of the seven games.
22. David Robinson, C, Navy
Averaged 28.6 points and 12.3 rebounds in seven games from 1985 through 1987 (4-3 record). He was game-high scorer in four playoff contests, including a school-record 50 points against Michigan in his final appearance.
23. Bob Kurland, C, Oklahoma A&M
Only player to score more than half of a championship team's points in a single NCAA Tournament (total of 72 accounted for 51.8% of the Aggies' output in three playoff games in 1946).
24. Jerry Lucas, C, Ohio State
Two-time NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player averaged 22.8 ppg and 12 rpg at the Final Four in 1960 and 1961. But he was limited to nine points in both of his tourney openers when earning national player of the year awards in 1961 and 1962.
25. Sean May, F-C, North Carolina
Final Four Most Outstanding Player for 2005 champion averaged 19.9 points and 9.9 rebounds in eight NCAA Tournament games in 2004 and 2005 (7-1 record).
26. Alex Groza, C, Kentucky
Two-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player is only individual appearing at a minimum of two Final Fours (1948 and 1949) and be the game-high scorer in every Final Four contest he participated.
27. Len Chappell, F-C, Wake Forest
Averaged 27.6 ppg and 17.1 rpg in eight games in 1961 and 1962 (6-2 record). He was the Demon Deacons' leading scorer in all eight contests.
28. Bob Lanier, C, St. Bonaventure
Averaged 25.2 points and 14.2 rebounds in six games in 1968 and 1970 (4-2 record; missed 1970 Final Four after tearing a knee ligament in East Regional final).
29. Corliss Williamson, F, Arkansas
Two-time All-NCAA Tournament selection averaged 20.2 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 59.4% from the floor in 15 games from 1993 through 1995 (13-2 record).
30. Al Wood, F, North Carolina
Averaged 20.1 points and 8.3 rebounds in eight games from 1978 through 1981 (4-4 record). He was the Tar Heels' leading scorer in six of those playoff contests.
31. Tim Duncan, C, Wake Forest
Averaged 17.6 points, 15 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots in 11 games from 1994 through 1997 (7-4 record).
32. Glen Rice, F, Michigan
Averaged 23.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 13 games from 1986 through 1989 (10-3 record). As a senior, he was the Wolverines' leading scorer in all six contests during their championship run when setting a single-tourney record with 184 points.
33. Danny Manning, F, Kansas
The only player to score more than 62% of his team's points in an NCAA Tournament game (42 in the Jayhawks' 67-63 victory against Southwest Missouri State in second round of 1987 Southeast Regional). He was the game-high scorer in all six of their contests en route to the 1988 national title as a senior. Averaged 20.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in 16 playoff games (13-3 record).
34. Bob Houbregs, F-C, Washington
Averaged 27.4 ppg in seven games in 1951 and 1953 (5-2 record). He averaged nearly nine more points per contest in postseason play than during the regular season.
35. Tom Gola, F, La Salle
The only individual to earn NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NIT Most Valuable Player awards in his career. He averaged 22 ppg in 10 NCAA playoff games in 1954 and 1955 (9-1 record).
36. Rumeal Robinson, G, Michigan
Averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 assists in 11 games from 1988 through 1990 (9-2 record).
37. Lawrence Moten, G, Syracuse
Averaged 23.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in seven games in 1992, 1994 and 1995 (4-3 record).
38. Ray Allen, G, Connecticut
Averaged 19.5 points and 7 rebounds in 10 playoff games from 1994 through 1996 (7-3 record).
39. Isiah Thomas, G, Indiana
Averaged 19.7 points and 7.9 assists in seven games in 1980 and 1981 (6-1 record).
40. Greg "Bo" Kimble, F-G, Loyola Marymount
Averaged 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 steals in seven games from 1988 through 1990 (4-3 record). Scored at least 37 points for LMU in three of his last four playoff outings.
41. Randy Foye, G, Villanova
Averaged 22.1 points and 6.4 rebounds in seven games in 2005 and 2006 (5-2 record). He scored at least 24 points in four contests en route to posting 7.5 ppg more in tourney competition than regular-season play.
42. B.J. Armstrong, G, Iowa
Averaged 19.8 points and 4.9 assists in nine games from 1987 through 1989 (6-3 record; did not play in 1986 playoffs). He averaged seven more points per contest in postseason than during the regular season.
43. Jim McDaniels, C, Western Kentucky
Averaged 29.3 points and 12.2 rebounds in six games in 1970 and 1971 (4-2 record). He was WKU's leading scorer in five of the six playoff contests.
44. Brevin Knight, G, Stanford
Averaged 20 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists in seven games from 1995 through 1997 (4-3 record).
45. Rony Seikaly, C, Syracuse
Averaged 18.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 2.8 bpg in 12 games from 1985 through 1988 (8-4 record). He averaged nearly seven more points per contest in postseason play than during the regular season.
46. Jeff Mullins, F, Duke
Averaged 25 ppg and 7.9 rpg in the playoffs for two Final Four teams in 1963 and 1964 (6-2 record). He scored more than 20 points in seven of eight tourney contests.
47. Mark Macon, G, Temple
Averaged 23.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in nine games in 1988, 1990 and 1991 (6-3 record.)
48. Mike Maloy, C, Davidson
Averaged 22.3 ppg and 12.4 rpg in seven games from 1968 through 1970 (4-3 record).
49. Adrian Dantley, F, Notre Dame
Averaged 25.4 points and 8.3 rebounds in eight games from 1974 through 1976 (4-4 record). Averaged 29.8 points in his last six playoff contests.
50. Dan Issel, C, Kentucky
Averaged 29.3 ppg and 11.3 rpg in splitting six contests from 1968 through 1970. He had at least 36 points in half of the tourney games.
51. Allen Iverson, G, Georgetown
Averaged 23.9 points and 4 rebounds in seven games in 1995 and 1996 (5-2 record). He was the Hoyas' leading scorer in all seven contests.
52. Ollie Johnson, C, San Francisco
Averaged 25.8 points and 16.2 rebounds in six games from 1963 through 1965 (3-3 record). Averaged six points per game higher in playoffs than regular season.
53. Paul Hogue, C, Cincinnati
Averaged 19 points and 16 rebounds in six Final Four games from 1960 through 1962. Posted higher averages (18.4 ppg and 13.3 rpg) in 12 NCAA Tournament contests (11-1 record) than his respective career marks.
54. Jameer Nelson Sr., G, St. Joseph's
Averaged 22.4 points, 6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.3 steals in seven games in 2001, 2003 and 2004 (4-3 record). He scored at least 24 points in four of his last five playoff contests.
55. Richard Hamilton, G-F, Connecticut
Averaged 23.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 10 games in 1998 and 1999 (9-1 record). He led UConn in scoring in nine of the 10 contests.
56. Chuck Person, F, Auburn
Averaged 20.3 points and 9 rebounds in eight games from 1984 through 1986 (5-3 record). Scored at least 20 points in six of his last seven playoff contests.
57. Don Schlundt, C, Indiana
Averaged 27 points in six games in 1953 and 1954 (5-1 record). He was the Hoosiers' leading scorer in five of the playoff contests.
58. Cazzie Russell, G, Michigan
Averaged at least 24 ppg each of his three years in the tourney (5-3 record). Leading scorer for third-place team in 1964 NCAA playoffs and 1965 national runner-up.
59. Jamal Mashburn, F, Kentucky
Averaged 21.4 points and 8 rebounds in nine games in 1992 and 1993 (7-2 record). He was the Wildcats' leading scorer in five consecutive playoff contests.
60. Les Hunter, C, Loyola of Chicago
Averaged 18.9 points and 13.3 rebounds in eight games in 1963 and 1964 (7-1 record).
61. Henry Finkel, C, Dayton
Averaged 27.8 points and 13.8 rebounds in six games in 1965 and 1966 (3-3 record). He was game-high scorer in five of the six contests.
62. Johnny Green, F-C, Michigan State
Averaged 16.2 points and 19.7 rebounds in six games in 1957 and 1959 (3-3 record). He was the leading rebounder in all four contests as a sophomore in 1957 when the Spartans reached the Final Four.
63. Anthony Peeler, G, Missouri
Averaged 24.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in six games in 1989, 1990 and 1992 (3-3 record). His scoring average was almost eight points higher in the postseason than regular season.
64. Dwight "Bo" Lamar, G, Southwestern Louisiana
Averaged 29.2 points in six Division I Tournament games in 1972 and 1973 (3-3 record). Supplied game-high point total in all six contests, including 35 plus a tourney-high 11 assists in a 112-101 victory against Marshall as the Ragin' Cajuns scored the most points in tourney history for a school in its playoff debut.
65. Greg Kelser, F, Michigan State
Leading scorer and rebounder as a senior for 1979 NCAA titlist averaged 24 ppg and 11.3 rpg in eight playoff contests (7-1 record). His scoring average was almost seven points higher in the postseason than regular season. Celebrated teammate Magic Johnson outscored and outrebounded Kelser only once in their eight postseason outings together.
66. Barry Kramer, F, New York University
Averaged 25.2 points and 9.3 rebounds in six games in 1962 and 1963 (3-3 record).
67. Nick Collison, F, Kansas
Leading scorer and rebounder as senior for 2003 NCAA Tournament runner-up (30-8 record) and second-leading scorer and rebounder for 2002 Final Four team (33-4). Averaged 16.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in 16 games (12-4 record).
68. Juan Dixon, G, Maryland
After struggling as a redshirt freshman, Dixon averaged 21.2 points in his last 13 games from 2000 through 2002. The Terrapins won 10 of the last 11 of those playoff contests when he was the leading scorer for back-to-back Final Four teams.
69. Mitch Richmond, G-F, Kansas State
J.C. recruit averaged 23.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in six games in 1987 and 1988 (4-2 record).
70. George Thompson, F, Marquette
Averaged 23.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in six games in 1968 and 1969 (4-2 record). He was the Warriors' leading scorer in five of the six playoff contests.
71. John Wallace, F, Syracuse
Averaged 20.3 points and 8.8 rebounds in 11 games from 1994 through 1996 (8-3 record). Leading scorer and rebounder for Syracuse's national runner-up as a senior was the top point producer for the Orangemen in his last eight playoff contests.
72. Jimmy Collins, G, New Mexico State
Averaged 19.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 11 games from 1968 through 1970 (7-4 record). He at least shared the Aggies' team-high scoring output in all 11 contests.
73. Tony Price, F, Penn
Averaged 21.9 ppg and 9 rpg in eight games in 1978 and 1979 (5-3 record). He was the Quakers' leading scorer in all six contests when they finished fourth in the nation in 1979. Price's playoff scoring average was 6.5 points higher than his regular-season mark.
74. Wally Jones, G, Villanova
Two-time All-East Regional selection averaged 22.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg in six games in 1962 and 1964 (4-2 record). He scored a game-high 25 points as a sophomore in a regional final loss against Wake Forest and a game-high 34 points as a senior in a 74-62 victory over Bill Bradley-led Princeton in a third-place contest. It was the only time in Bradley's nine playoff games that he wasn't the leading scorer. Jones outscored All-American Len Chappell in the Wake Forest contest.
75. Mel Counts, C, Oregon State
Averaged 23.2 points and 14.1 rebounds in nine games from 1962 through 1964 (5-4 record), averaging 25 points and 15 rebounds in two West Regional finals.
76. Terry Dehere, G, Seton Hall
Averaged 23.2 points in nine games from 1991 through 1993 (6-3 record). He paced the Pirates in scoring in all nine outings.
77. Kenny Anderson, G, Georgia Tech
The only freshman to score more than 20 points in four playoff games averaged 27 ppg in his first four outings. Averaged 25.7 points and 5 assists in seven NCAA tourney games in 1990 and 1991 (5-2 record).
78. Acie Earl, C, Iowa
Averaged 19.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots in six games from 1991 through 1993 (3-3 record). Eight of his rejections came against NCAA champion-to-be Duke in 1992. His scoring average in the playoffs was more than four ppg higher than his mark during the regular season.
79. Kevin Pittsnogle, F, West Virginia
Averaged 17.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in seven games in 2005 and 2006 (5-2 record). In six of the contests, he scored more than his career average of 13.3 ppg.
80. Don May, F, Dayton
Averaged 20.1 points and 12.9 rebounds in eight games in 1966 and 1967 (5-3 record).
81. Rex Walters, G, Kansas
Averaged 18.6 ppg and 5.1 apg in seven contests in 1992 and 1993 (5-2 record). He was game-high scorer in the Jayhawks' first three playoff outings as a senior.
82. Stacey King, C, Oklahoma
Averaged 20.5 points 7.8 rebounds in 12 games from 1987 through 1989 (9-3 record).
83. Howard Porter, F, Villanova
Final Four Most Outstanding Player as a senior averaged 24.1 ppg and 12.4 rpg in nine playoff games from 1969 through 1971 (6-3 record.)
84. Tom Hawkins, F, Notre Dame
Averaged 23.5 ppg and 13 rpg in six contests in 1957 and 1958 (4-2 record). Grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds against eventual 1958 champion Kentucky in Mideast Regional final after scoring at least 30 points and corralling double digits in caroms in previous two outings.
85. Rodney Monroe, G, North Carolina State
Averaged 24 points and 4 rebounds in six games in 1988, 1989 and 1991 (3-3 record).
Remember Me? Rick Barnes Wanted UT Vols (Not 'Horns) in 2024 Sweet 16
Rick Barnes, despite directing Texas to the NCAA playoffs 16 times in his 17 seasons with them, was canned by the Longhorns following the 2014-15 campaign after failing to advance to the Sweet 16 for the seventh straight year. As #2 seed Tennessee's mentor, he wanted to mess with Texas this year and have the Volunteers, not the 'Horns, reach the Sweet 16 when they opposed each other in Midwest Regional second round. It was also an emotional second-round reunion for Oregon's Dana Altman when he lost in double overtime against Creighton, which he directed to seven NCAA tourneys in a nine-year span from 1999 through 2007.
There should be an extra dose of spice to the "UT vs. UT" contest comparable to passionate pilot Bobby Hurley hurling invective as Arizona State, infected by competing against undisciplined St. John's in First Four five years ago, stumbled badly against his old stomping grounds (Buffalo). Hurley steered the Bulls to the 2015 NCAA playoffs before departing for the Sun Devils. X marked the first head coaching spot for Sean Miller when he directed Xavier for five seasons from 2004-05 through 2008-09 before leaving with nine years remaining on a contract to join Arizona. In 2017, the Cincinnati-based Jesuit school meant eXit for the frustrated mentor seeking his initial Final Four appearance. Miller, who guided the Musketeers to a regional semifinal each of his last two campaigns with them, opposed his old stomping grounds in the West Regional for the second time in three-year span.
Norm Sloan is the only coach to post an NCAA playoff victory against a school he previously guided to the national championship. Sloan was Florida's mentor in 1987 when the Gators notched an 82-70 first-round triumph over North Carolina State, the institution he took to the 1974 title.
Gene Bartow is the only individual to oppose two different schools in the playoffs he previously coached to the Final Four (UAB lost against Memphis State in 1985 and UCLA in 1990). North Carolina's Roy Williams lost three times by double-digit margins against Kansas in a six-year span from 2008 through 2013 after guiding the Jayhawks to the Final Four on four occasions (1991, 1993, 2002 and 2003).
Lute Olson is the only coach to twice defeat the same school he previously took to the NCAA playoffs (Arizona beat Iowa in 1988 and 1996). Barnes and Altman are among the 18 different bench bosses on the following chronological list of "muscle-memory" mentors opposing a school in the NCAA Tournament they previously directed in the playoffs:
| Tourney Coach | School | Playoff Round | Foe Previously Took to NCAA Playoffs | Tournament Career Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Carnevale | Navy | 1959 First Round | W vs. North Carolina, 76-63 | Carnevale compiled 2-1 mark in NCAA playoffs with Tar Heels in 1946 before going 4-6 with Midshipmen (1947-53-54-59-60). |
| Frank McGuire | South Carolina | 1972 Regional Semifinal | L vs. North Carolina, 92-69 | McGuire was 5-1 with Tar Heels in 1957 and 1959 before going 4-5 with Gamecocks (1971 through 1974). |
| Gene Bartow | UAB | 1985 Second Round | L vs. Memphis State, 67-66 | Bartow was 3-1 with Tigers in 1973 before going 6-9 with Blazers (1981-82-83-84-85-86-87-90-94). |
| Johnny Orr | Iowa State | 1986 Second Round | W vs. Michigan, 72-69 | Orr was 7-4 with Wolverines from 1974 through 1977 before going 3-6 with Cyclones (1985-86-88-89-92-93). |
| Norm Sloan | Florida | 1987 First Round | W vs. North Carolina State, 82-70 | Sloan was 5-2 with Wolfpack (1970-74-78) before going 3-3 with Gators from 1987 through 1989. |
| Lute Olson | Arizona | 1988 Regional Semifinal | W vs. Iowa, 99-79 | Olson was 7-6 with Hawkeyes from 1979 through 1983 before going 39-22 with Wildcats from 1985 through 2007. |
| Gene Bartow | UAB | 1990 First Round | L vs. UCLA, 68-56 | Bartow was 5-2 with Bruins in 1976 and 1977 before going 6-9 with Blazers (1981-82-83-84-85-86-87-90-94). |
| Nolan Richardson Jr. | Arkansas | 1994 Regional Semifinal | W vs. Tulsa, 103-84 | Richardson was 0-3 with Golden Hurricane (1982-84-85) before going 26-12 with Razorbacks from 1988 through 1996 and 1998 through 2001. |
| Lute Olson | Arizona | 1996 Second Round | W vs. Iowa, 87-73 | Olson was 7-6 with Hawkeyes from 1979 through 1983 before going 39-22 with Wildcats from 1985 through 2007. |
| Gale Catlett | West Virginia | 1998 Second Round | W vs. Cincinnati, 75-74 | Catlett was 2-3 with Bearcats from 1975 through 1977 before going 5-8 with Mountaineers (1982-83-84-86-87-89-92-98). |
| Lon Kruger | Illinois | 2000 Second Round | L vs. Florida, 93-76 | Kruger was 4-2 with Gators in 1994 and 1995 before going 3-3 with Illini (1997-98-00). |
| Lefty Driesell | Georgia State | 2001 Second Round | L vs. Maryland, 79-60 | Driesell was 10-8 with Terrapins (1973-75-80-81-83-84-85-86) before going 1-1 with Panthers in 2001. |
| Tubby Smith | Kentucky | 2002 Second Round | W vs. Tulsa, 87-82 | Smith was 4-2 with Golden Hurricane in 1994 and 1995 before going 18-6 with Wildcats from 1998 through 2004. |
| Thad Matta | Ohio State | 2007 Second Round | W vs. Xavier, 78-71 | Matta was 5-3 with Muskeeters (2002 through 2004) before going 18-9 with Buckeyes from 2006 through 2017. |
| Ben Howland | UCLA | 2007 Regional Semifinal | W vs. Pittsburgh, 64-55 | Howland was 4-2 with Panthers (2002 and 2003) before going 15-7 with Bruins (2005-06-07-08-09-11-13). |
| Roy Williams | North Carolina | 2008 National Semifinal | L vs. Kansas, 84-66 | Williams was 34-14 with Jayhawks (1990 through 2003) before going 36-10 with Tar Heels from 2004 through 2016. |
| Bill Self | Kansas | 2011 Second Round | W vs. Illinois, 73-59 | Self was 6-3 with Illini (2001 through 2003) before going 30-12 with Jayhawks from 2004 through 2016. |
| Roy Williams | North Carolina | 2012 Regional Final | L vs. Kansas, 80-67 | Williams was 34-14 with Jayhawks (1990 through 2003) before going 36-10 with Tar Heels from 2004 through 2016. |
| Roy Williams | North Carolina | 2013 Second Round | L vs. Kansas, 70-58 | Williams was 34-14 with Jayhawks (1990 through 2003) before going 36-10 with Tar Heels from 2004 through 2016. |
| Larry Brown | Southern Methodist | 2015 First Round | L vs. UCLA, 60-59 | Brown was 5-2 with Bruins in 1980 and 1981 before going 0-1 with Mustangs. |
| Sean Miller | Arizona | 2015 Regional Semifinal | W vs. Xavier, 68-60 | Miller was 6-4 with Musketeers from 2006 through 2009 before going 13-6 with Wildcats from 2011 through 2017. |
| Sean Miller | Arizona | 2017 Regional Semifinal | L vs. Xavier, 73-71 | Miller was 6-4 with Musketeers from 2006 through 2009 before going 13-6 with Wildcats from 2011 through 2017. |
| Bobby Hurley | Arizona State | 2019 Regional First Round | L vs. Buffalo, 91-74 | Hurley was 0-1 with Bulls in 2015 before joining Sun Devils and losing back-to-back NCAA tourney outings in 2018 and 2019. |
| Dana Altman | Oregon | 2024 Regional Second Round | L vs. Creighton, 86-73, in 2OT | Altman guided Bluejys to seven NCAA tourneys in a nine-year span from 1999 through 2007 (2-7 record) before shepherding the Ducks to 2017 Final Four. |
| Rick Barnes | Tennessee | 2024 Regional Second Round | W vs. Texas, 62-58 | Barnes directed the Longhorns to NCAA playoffs 16 times in 17 seasons from 1998-99 through 2014-15 (19-16 tourney record). Barnes was 8-5 with the Vols after beating the 'Horns. |
Player Outcasts: All-Americans MIA From NCAA Tournament Competition
It doesn't take a genius to deduce All-American players are all-important to teams. All 18 of this year's All-Americans participated in the NCAA playoffs except for injured Kevin McCullar (Kansas). Detroit won only one game this season following the departure of Antoine Davis (third-team selection by USBWA), the only one of last year's 18 A-As not participating in the 2023 NCAA playoffs. Since the national tourney expanded to at least 32 teams in 1975, only three consensus first-team All-Americans never appeared in the NCAA playoffs - Houston guard Otis Birdsong (1977), Minnesota center Mychal Thompson (1978) and LSU swingman Ben Simmons (2016) - until Dayton's Obi Toppin became standout #4 in this category due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Terry Dischinger averaged 28.3 ppg in his three-year varsity career with Purdue in the early 1960s, but he is the only two-time consensus first-team All-American since World War II never to compete in the NCAA Tournament or NIT. Dischinger also endured a star-scorned nine-year NBA career without playing on a squad winning a playoff series. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year as a member of the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962-63 despite playing in only 57 games as he skipped many of the road contests to continue his education. His dedication to the classroom paid off as he became an orthodontist.
Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham averaged 24.8 ppg in his three-year varsity career with North Carolina in the mid-1960s, but he also never appeared in the NCAA tourney or NIT. How good were the players in that era if Cunningham never was a consensus first-team All-American? Auburn's Charles Barkley (defeated by Richmond in 1984) and Florida State's Dave Cowens (East Tennessee State in 1968) were All-Americans but each lost his only NCAA playoff game against a mid-major opponent. Following is a look at Dischinger and three other multiple-year NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans since the mid-1950s never to participate in the NCAA Tournament:
| Two- or Three-Time NCAA Consensus First-Team A-A | Pos. | School | Years 1st-Team A-A | NIT Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Dischinger | F | Purdue | 1961 and 1962 | DNP |
| Sihugo Green | G | Duquesne | 1955 and 1956 | 6-2 |
| Pete Maravich | G | Louisiana State | 1968 through 1970 | 2-2 |
| Chet Walker | F | Bradley | 1961 and 1962 | 3-1 |
No multiple-season All-American failed to appear in national postseason competition since the NCAA tourney expanded to at least 40 entrants in the late 1970s. Notre Dame guard Kevin O'Shea is the only four-time A-A never to appear in the NCAA playoffs and National Invitation Tournament. While not an NCAA consensus first-team selection multiple times like Dischinger, following is an alphabetical list including O'Shea and six additional three-time All-Americans never participating in a "Big Dance" (NCAA playoffs and NIT):
| Three- or Four-Time All-American | Pos. | School | Seasons as A-A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Ebert | C | Ohio State | 1952 through 1954 |
| Fred Hetzel | F-C | Davidson | 1963 through 1965 |
| Kevin O'Shea | G | Notre Dame | 1947 through 1950 |
| Robert Parish | C | Centenary | 1974 through 1976 |
| Frank Selvy | F | Furman | 1952 through 1954 |
| Meyer "Whitey" Skoog | F-G | Minnesota | 1949 through 1951 |
| Doug Smart | F-C | Washington | 1957 through 1959 |
NOTE: NCAA playoff field ranged from 22 to 25 entrants during 16-year span from 1955 through 1970.
College Exam: Day #6 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper and elaborate masks or cowering in fetal position from "bloodbath" allegations, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.
We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 6 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):
1. Who was the only player to lead nation in scoring average in same season he played for a team reaching NCAA Tournament championship game? Hint: He was the first player to score more than 30 points in a Final Four game and the only individual to crack the 30-point plateau in national semifinals and final in same season. He was also the only Big Eight Conference player to lead nation in scoring.
2. Of the 60 or so different players to score at least 2,500 points and/or rank among the top 25 in career scoring average, who was the only one to have a winning NCAA playoff record in his career plus post higher scoring, rebounding and field-goal shooting playoff averages than he compiled in regular season? Hint: The player scored at least 17 points in all 10 of his NCAA playoff games.
3. Who was the only football Heisman Trophy winner to play in the basketball Final Four? Hint: He won the Most Outstanding Player Award in a Liberty Bowl after setting a school record for longest run from scrimmage.
4. What was the only Final Four match-up to have both coaches opposing his alma mater? Hint: It's happened twice. The protege was an assistant at his alma mater for 10 years.
5. Who is the only coach to oppose his alma mater more than twice at the Final Four? Hint: He is also the only coach in the 20th Century to twice win conference and NCAA tournaments in same year.
6. Who is the only unbeaten coach in NCAA playoff history? Hint: He is the only NCAA basketball championship coach to also be baseball coach at the same school when it won a College World Series game.
7. Who was the only coach with more than 30 NCAA Tournament victories to earn those wins at more than one school until Lute Olson (Iowa and Arizona) joined him in 1998? Hint: Three schools for the first coach were slapped with an NCAA probation during his stints there.
8. Who is the only coach in back-to-back years to win at least one NCAA playoff game in his first season with two different schools? He coached Butler the previous campaign. Hint: He was an assistant under three coaches who directed two different schools to the NCAA Tournament (Charlie Coles, Tates Locke and Herb Sendek).
9. Name the only school to gain an at-large invitation despite losing all of its conference road games. Hint: Three years earlier, the school received an at-large bid despite losing four league road games by at least 25 points.
10. Of the individuals to both play and coach in the NCAA Tournament, who leads that group in both scoring and rebounding totals? Hint: He was the leading scorer in biggest blowout in regional final history.
Answers (Day 6)
Day 5 Questions and Answers
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers
Several Eventual Final Four MOPs Went Scoreless in NCAA Tournament Debuts
If the stars were aligned and rejection of one-and-done was in offing, they could have returned and become conquering heroes. But freshman phenoms Reed Sheppard and D.J. Wagner, after absorbing significant criticism from Kentucky zealots as frosh flops combining for only one field goal in the Wildcats' upset loss against Oakland in South Regional opener, appear poised to move on to next chapter of their hoop lives via NBA draft as undergraduate and transfer portal. If it's any consolation to Sheppard and Wagner specifically plus Big Blue Nation generally, they should be aware 1978 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Jack Givens of UK also laid a goose egg by going scoreless in his NCAA Tournament debut. In fact, Sheppard's father, Jeff, scored fewer than five points in half of his first 12 playoff games with UK before becoming 1998 Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
For what it's worth in comparing Big Blue standouts, Reed Sheppard matched consensus All-American Ralph Beard's three-point outputs in two NCAA tourney outings for UK's 1949 national champion and outscored NBA prolific point producer Devin Booker, who had only two points in his debut against Hampton in 2015 before averaging more than 22 ppg each of the past eight seasons with the Phoenix Suns. Additional fizz-free UK luminaries included celebrated center Sam Bowie scoring only two points and fouling out in UK's setback against Duke as a freshman in 1980; Michael Bradley was scoreless in two playoff games as a freshman with 1998 kingpin prior to transferring and becoming an All-American with Villanova in 2000-01; Willie Cauley-Stein going scoreless in Midwest Regional defeat against arch-rival Louisville in 2014 before contributing only two points as All-American the next year in 33 minutes of loss against Wisconsin at Final Four; freshman All-American DeMarcus Cousins contributed only five points in 2010 opener against East Tennessee State; national POY Anthony Davis was named Final Four MOP in 2012 despite his 1-of-10 FG shooting in NCAA Tournament final; Tony Delk going scoreless in 1992 playoff game against Utah and had two other tourney tilts with fewer than five points as freshman for Final Four squad; all-time great Cliff Hagan managed only four points in playoff win against St. John's in 1951; eventual All-American Vern Hatton contributed just four points in tourney setback against Iowa in 1956; Thad Jaracz, an A-A as a sophomore, was limited to two points in playoff game as senior in 1968; three-time All-American Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones scored fewer than five points in two of three tourney games as senior for 1949 NCAA kingpin; freshman All-American Michael Kidd-Gilchrist contributed only two points in second-round victory against Iowa State for 2012 champion; eventual All-American Jim Line was scoreless in 1948 Final Four outing against Holy Cross; All-American Kyle Macy was restricted to two points in 1978 playoff tilt against Miami (Ohio); eventual All-American Ron Mercer was scoreless in 1996 regional final against Wake Forest; eventual All-American Tayshaun Prince scored a total of nine points in 62 minutes in his first three playoff assignments as a freshman in 1999; All-American Frank Ramsey made only 2-of-19 FGAs in 1951 Final Four contest against Illinois; eventual two-time All-American Rick Robey was restricted to two points while fouling out of 1975 NCAA final against UCLA; eventual A-A Jack Tingle was scoreless in 1945 regional third-place outing; freshman A-A Karl-Anthony Towns scored one point in a Sweet 16 outing against West Virginia in 2015; eventual A-A Melvin Turpin tallied only two points as a freshman in 1981 opening-round defeat against UAB; freshman Tyler Ulis scored a total of five points in back-to-back 2015 Midwest Regional contests before becoming consensus first-team A-A the next year; eventual three-time NBA All-Star Antoine Walker scored only two points as a freshman in 1995 regional final loss against North Carolina; eventual All-American Kenny Walker supplied only two points in 1983 regional final loss against Louisville plus four points in 1984 Final Four setback against Georgetown, and eventual A-A Kyle Wiltjer (after transferring to Gonzaga) was scoreless in a pair of UK playoff games as a freshman in 2012.
Additional eventual MOPs joining Givens in a zilch/zero/nada category were Kansas' B.H. Born (1953), Marquette's Butch Lee (1977), UCLA's Ed O'Bannon (1995), UCLA's Richard Washington (1975) and UCLA's Sidney Wicks (1970). Born scored a total of only seven points in four playoff games the year before becoming MOP. Incredibly, Givens and Lee were blanked in the same game in their freshman season when UK mauled Marquette (76-54) in 1975 Mideast Regional opening round. O'Bannon was scoreless as a medical redshirt freshman in 1992 playoff contest against Louisville. Washington was scoreless as a freshman in 1974 West Regional semifinals when the Bruins outlasted Dayton (111-100 in triple overtime). Wicks, after one season in junior college, was blanked as a sophomore in the 1969 West Regional semifinals when UCLA defeated New Mexico State (53-38) and also went scoreless at the national semifinals when the Bruins defeated Drake (85-82).
If it was easy to excel, then everyone would do it every game. Even all-time leading playoff scorer Christian Laettner (Duke) had three tourney games with fewer than nine points. You can also ask ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis of North Carolina after he went 4-for-20 from the floor (missing all nine attempts beyond the three-point arc) in elimination loss against Alabama about the same time a former Tar Heel teammate - Arizona All-American Caleb Love - also went 0-for-9 from three-point territory. Sizzling scorers learn anew it's not always a walk in the park in postseason play. For instance, two-time national Player of the Year Zach Edey went scoreless as a freshman in 2020-21 when Purdue was eliminated by North Texas. Elsewhere, Hall of Famer Bob Cousy scored more than six points only once in his first six playoff games with Holy Cross in 1947 and 1948. UCLA All-American Keith Erickson, after erupting for 57 points in two 1965 West Regional outings, scored a total of five points in two Final Four contests. Shane Battier (Duke) became 2001 POY and MOP after scoring five or six points in four consecutive playoff contests as a sophomore and four points in a tourney tilt as freshman. Gary Bradds, a sophomore backup to national POY Jerry Lucas in 1962 before earning same award himself two years later, was scoreless for Ohio State in Mideast Regional final victory against Kentucky. Consensus national POY Trey Burke scored only six points on 2-of-12 field-goal shooting in Michigan's opening-round win against South Dakota State in 2013. Virginia's Kyle Guy was scoreless as a freshman in 2017 playoff defeat against Florida before becoming an All-American and F4 MOP two years later. Luke Hancock scored a total of 17 points in Louisville's first three playoff games in 2013 before becoming Final Four MOP that year. Kansas' Danny Manning managed only four points in 1986 Final Four setback against Duke before becoming F4 MOP and national POY two years later. Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin was scoreless as a freshman in 1997 playoff loss against Iowa State three years before becoming national POY. Indiana's Scott May, hampered by a broken left arm, scored a total of two points in 11 minutes in three 1975 NCAA playoff games before earning national POY acclaim the next season. Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier scored fewer than five points in four of his last five games as a freshman for 2011 NCAA champion before becoming a consensus first-team All-American and F4 MOP three years later. Connecticut unanimous first-team All-American Emeka Okafor was restricted to two points in 2004 regional final against Alabama before becoming F4 MOP. Houston's Akeem Olajuwon was limited to two points in a pair of 1982 playoff contests before becoming an All-American and F4 MOP two years later. Michigan State's Shawn Respert scored three points in 30 minutes against Missouri State in his first NCAA playoff game as a medical redshirt freshman in 1992 before becoming NABC national POY three years later. Michigan State's Denzel Valentine went scoreless in his playoff debut as a freshman in 2013 prior to becoming national POY in 2016. National POY Bill Walton scored only four points against Weber State in his inaugural playoff game for UCLA as a sophomore in 1972.
Former NBA sensation Clyde Drexler averaged more than 17 points per game each of his last 13 NBA seasons, but he glided to more than 17 points in just one of 11 NCAA Tournament contests for the University of Houston from 1981 through 1983 (including only four in national title game). Elsewhere, eventual All-American Luther Head scored fewer than six points in three of his first five playoff assignments with Illinois in 2002 and 2003; two-time All-American Bobby Hurley (Duke) scored fewer than six points in six of his first eight playoff games; UCLA's Marques Johnson, national POY as a senior, went scoreless as a freshman in Final Four game against North Carolina State; eventual consensus All-American Bobby Jones (North Carolina) scored a total of nine points in his first two playoff games as a sophomore; eventual NCAA unanimous All-American Stacey King contributed only two points in a pair of playoff games as an Oklahoma sophomore in 1987; two-time Kansas State All-American Dick Knostman scored fewer than four points in three of four playoff assignments as a sophomore in 1951; eventual All-American Kyle Korver made only 4-of-23 three-point field-goal attempts in his first two tourney contests (both opening-round losses) with Creighton in 2000 and 2001; eventual All-American Ty Lawson scored a total of nine points on 4-of-19 FG shooting in back-to-back playoff games for North Carolina in 2007; Quincy Lewis contributed only two points on 1-of-9 FG shooting in Minnesota's 1997 Final Four loss against Kentucky before All-American made only 3-of-19 shots from floor in 1999 playoff opener defeat against Gonzaga; eventual UCLA All-American Dave Meyers scored a total of eight points in his last three playoff games for 1973 champion; eventual North Carolina All-American Eric Montross scored one point as freshman in 1991 regional final; premier playmaker Steve Nash struggled while making only one field goal in three of five playoff contests for Santa Clara in the mid-1990s, shooting a paltry 29.2% from the floor in his postseason games; eventual Duke All-American DeMarcus Nelson scored fewer than five points in five playoff games from 2005 through 2008; Connecticut All-American A.J. Price went scoreless in 2008 opening-round loss against San Diego (injured midway through first half), and eventual Marquette A-A Jerome Whitehead supplied only two points in back-to-back games in 1977.
Two-time NBA slam-dunk champion Jason Richardson (5th pick overall in 2001) was grounded by the NCAA playoffs, going scoreless in three consecutive contests as a Michigan State freshman in 2000 before earning All-American acclaim the next year. Ditto eventual All-American Clifford Rozier with North Carolina in 1991 before transferring to Louisville. Eventual All-Americans Clyde Bradshaw (DePaul), Rakeem Christmas (Syracuse), Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga), Brian Evans (Indiana), Yogi Ferrell (Indiana), Collin Gillespie (Villanova), Brendan Haywood (North Carolina), Al Horford (Florida), Mark Randall (Kansas), Thomas Robinson (Kansas), Jamal Shead (Houston), Charles E. Smith IV (Georgetown), Ken Spain (Houston), Jeff Withey (Kansas) and Tyler Zeller (North Carolina) each went scoreless in two NCAA playoff games. Cole Aldrich (Kansas) had three scoreless outings as freshman for 2008 NCAA champion, eventual All-American Alan Henderson (Indiana) did likewise in consecutive playoff contests as a sophomore in 1993, Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky went scoreless in all three playoff games as a freshman in 2012 before becoming unanimous national POY three years later for tourney runner-up, North Carolina's Luke Maye went scoreless in four playoff outings in 2016 and 2017 before becoming an A-A, eventual A-A Jason Terry (Arizona) went scoreless in a total of three tourney tilts in 1996 and 1998 and eventual A-A Scottie Wilbekin (Florida) went scoreless in three consecutive playoff outings as a freshman in 2011.
Also going scoreless in a tourney game were eventual All-Americans Grayson Allen (Duke), Justin Anderson (Virginia), Udoka Azubuike (Kansas), James Bailey (Rutgers), Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State), Charlie Bell (Michigan State), A.L. Bennett (Oklahoma A&M), Jim Bredar (Illinois), Mikal Bridges (Villanova), Don Burness (Stanford), Sherron Collins (Kansas), Darren Collison (UCLA), Bonzie Colson (Notre Dame), Brian Cook (Illinois), Marcus Denmon (Missouri), Dan Dickau (Washington before transferring to Gonzaga), Michael Dickerson (Arizona), Chris Duhon (Duke), Mike Dunleavy Jr. (Duke), Mike Farmer (San Francisco), Danny Ferry (Duke), Kendall Gill (Illinois), Ben Gordon (Connecticut), Devonte' Graham (Kansas), Gary Grant (Michigan), Aaron Gray (Pittsburgh), Roy Hamilton (UCLA), Derek Harper (Illinois), Josh Hart (Villanova), Udonis Haslem (Florida), Joe Hassett (Providence), Mark Jackson (St. John's), Corey Kispert (Gonzaga), Ted Kitchel (Indiana), Trajan Langdon (Duke), Rudy Macklin (Louisiana State), Gale McArthur (Oklahoma A&M), Billy McCaffrey (Duke before transferring to Vanderbilt), Derrick McKey (Alabama), Brandon Miller (Alabama), Todd Mitchell (Purdue), Marcus Morris (Kansas), Kris Murray (Iowa), Dikembe Mutombo (Georgetown), Joakim Noah (Florida), Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Juan "Pepe" Sanchez (Temple), Nik Stauskas (Michigan), Earl Tatum (Marquette), Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin), Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State), Mark West (Old Dominion), Terrence Williams (Louisville) and Andy Zimmer (Indiana) before Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller duplicated their inability to dent the scoreboard in 2023 opener against a #16 seed. Miller's goose egg was the most disappointing playoff performance by a Bama standout since eventual four-time NBA All-Star Latrell Sprewell went 2-for-15 from the floor in a reversal against North Carolina in 1992.
Ferry scored fewer than 10 points in six straight tourney tilts before averaging 20 ppg in his last 11 playoff outings; three-time All-American Grant Hill (Duke) failed to tally more than 14 points in all of his first 11 postseason outings in 1991 and 1992; Kirk Hinrich (Kansas) scored fewer than four points in playoff games as an All-American in 2002 and 2003, and Syracuse All-American Kris Joseph never scored more than 12 points in 11 NCAA playoff contests from 2009 through 2012. Sometimes it only matters when you score points. All-American Lorenzo Charles had a woeful four-point game against heavily-favored Houston in 1983 NCAA Tournament final but his second basket (dunk at buzzer) lifted North Carolina State to an upset win. Memo to UK Fans: If Sheppard had returned to UK, you shouldn't have expected him to duplicate Austin Carr's prolific playoff scoring with Notre Dame after a slow start. Carr collected only six points in a loss against Miami (Ohio) in 1969 before averaging 47.2 ppg in his next six tourney contests in 1970 and 1971.
Shock Treatment: UK Loses in Opening Round Second Time in Three Seasons
You're supposed to expect the unexpected but no unbiased observer with a pulse promoted idea in the preseason that Oakland would eventually upend perennial powerhouse Kentucky for the Wildcats' second "bottom-of-bracket" reversal in last three NCAA Tournaments. Adding insult to injury for the SEC, Auburn was kayoed by Yale.
In the first six years of the NCAA tourney seeding process from 1979 through 1984 when the playoff field ranged from 40 to 53 teams, the bottom of the bracket racket included a total of 13 No. 1 and 2 seeds losing their openers. Notwithstanding the misleading media's spin, the NCAA tourney hasn't been saturated with authentic upsets since the playoff field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985. On the other hand, there were only five years in that span failing to provide a first-round shocker from the bottom of the bracket (1994, 2000, 2004, 2007 and 2017).
Teams seeded 13th or worse defeated teams seeded among the top four in a regional a total of 68 times in the last 39 tourneys after the Grizzlies emerged victorious in opening-round game this year. At least Kentucky's stunning reversals against Saint Peter's and Oakland weren't as ugly as a couple of sorry SEC setbacks when Navy overwhelmed LSU by 23 points in 1985 and Siena smothered Vanderbilt by 21 in 2008.
Arizona's similar shocking defeat against Santa Clara in 1993 materialized despite the Wildcats reeling off 25 unanswered points in a stretch bridging the last five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. Gary Waters is the only coach to win two opening-round games in this category while in charge of two different schools (Kent State in 2001 and Cleveland State in 2009).
Until Virginia's 1 vs. 16 debacle six years ago, Michigan State was the only #2 seed to lose its playoff opener after spending a portion of the regular season atop the AP national poll. Following is a rundown of the first 67 first-round knockouts by the bottom of the bracket (#13 through #16 seeds) since the NCAA field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985:
#16 seed (2 victories)
| Year | #16 Seed Winner | Coach | #1 Seed Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Maryland-Baltimore County | Ryan Odom | Virginia | 74-54 |
| 2023 | Fairleigh Dickinson | Tobin Anderson | Purdue | 63-58 |
#15 seed (11 victories)
| Year | #15 Seed Winner | Coach | #2 Seed Loser | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Richmond | Dick Tarrant | Syracuse | 73-69 |
| 1993 | Santa Clara | Dick Davey | Arizona | 64-61 |
| 1997 | Coppin State | Ron "Fang" Mitchell | South Carolina | 78-65 |
| 2001 | Hampton | Steve Merfeld | Iowa State | 58-57 |
| 2012 | Lehigh | Dr. Brett Reed | Duke | 75-70 |
| 2012 | Norfolk State | Anthony Evans | Missouri | 86-84 |
| 2013 | Florida Gulf Coast | Andy Enfield | Georgetown | 78-68 |
| 2016 | Middle Tennessee State | Kermit Davis Jr. | Michigan State | 90-81 |
| 2021 | Oral Roberts | Paul Mills | Ohio State | 75-72 (OT) |
| 2022 | Saint Peter's | Shaheen Holloway | Kentucky | 85-79 (OT) |
| 2023 | Princeton | Mitch Henderson | Arizona | 59-55 |
#14 seed (22 victories)
#13 seed (33 victories)
David vs. Goliath: NCAA Fans Fond of Mid-Major Wins of Biblical Proportions
BYU bowing to Duquesne was the tip of the iceberg, setting the "Greatest Show on Earth" stage for Oakland shocking Kentucky, Yale eliminating Auburn and James Madison easily handling Wisconsin. If upper-crust elite schools smugly look down their noses, they might find their opponents boast the upper hand by looking down the barrel of a gun or in the eye of a blinking Owl (recall Florida Atlantic last year). Just ask #1 seed Purdue after the Boilermakers were upset by bottom-f-the-bracket mid-majors Furman, Princeton and Fairleigh Dickinson the last three years.
In 2013, two mid-major at-large entrants reached a regional final (La Salle and Wichita State) after also failing to capture a regular-season league title like UR. Generous doses of humility frequently occur. Nine years ago, #3 seeds Duke and Syracuse were embarrassed by Mercer and Dayton, respectively. They joined Marquette among 20 former national champions losing multiple times in the tourney against members of lower-profile conferences seeded five or more places worse than the major university currently a member of one of the consensus power-six leagues.
Kansas has a high of seven such setbacks as a total of 12 former NCAA titlists have lost three or more such contests. Wisconsin has six after the Badgers' reversal against JMU. Four years ago, Baylor joined KU and four other power-league members (Florida, Georgetown, Indiana and Vanderbilt) in losing playoff games in back-to-back seasons thus far in the 21st Century against mid-major foes with double-digit seeds. In the wake of ACC's mediocre campaign again, has part-time ACC commish/publicist Jay Bilas mentioned on ESPN about 14 ACC members collectively having been victimized by such illegal mid-major aliens crossing over power-league border as much as any power alliance? Would Bilas, also seemingly serving as NCAA executive director in absentia, and other self-anointed national experts have advocated for FAU, FDU, Furman, New Mexico State, Oakland, Princeton, Richmond and Saint Peter's as at-large entrants if they didn't win their postseason conference tournaments?
Who did they play (mid-majors in NCAA playoff competition) and who did they beat (power-league members seeded five or more slots better)? Well, a total of 99 different lower-profile schools and current members of 24 different mid-major conferences (all but Northeast) have won 176 such games since seeding was introduced in 1979. The nation's fans simply don't bow down at the power-league altar worshiping mediocrity. The mid-major schools with the most "David vs. Goliath" playoff victories cited in the following list are Richmond and Gonzaga with seven apiece:
ACC (34 defeats against mid-major opponents seeded five or more places worse) - Boston College (lost against #12 seed Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005); Clemson (#13 Southwest Missouri State in 1987 and #11 Western Michigan in 1998); Duke (#11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2007, #15 Lehigh in 2012 and #14 Mercer in 2014); Florida State (#13 Middle Tennessee State in 1989); Georgia Tech (#13 Richmond in 1988 and #13 Southern in 1993); Louisville (#12 Ball State in 1990, #12 Butler in 2003 and #13 Morehead State in 2011); Miami (#11 Loyola of Chicago in 2018); North Carolina (#9 Penn in 1979, #14 Weber State in 1999 and #11 George Mason in 2006); North Carolina State (#14 Murray State in 1988); Notre Dame (#14 UALR in 1986, #11 Winthrop in 2007 and #11 Old Dominion in 2010); Pittsburgh (#10 Kent State in 2002, #13 Bradley in 2006 and #8 Butler in 2011); Syracuse (#7 Navy in 1986, #11 Rhode Island in 1988, #15 Richmond in 1991, #13 Vermont in 2005 and #11 Dayton in 2014); Virginia (#12 Wyoming in 1987, #12 Gonzaga in 2001, #16 UMBC in 2018, #13 Ohio University in 2021 and #13 Furman in 2023); Wake Forest (#13 Cleveland State in 2009)
BIG EAST (19) - Connecticut (lost to #11 George Mason in 2006, #13 San Diego in 2008 and #12 New Mexico State in 2022); Creighton (#11 Rhode Island in 2017); DePaul (#12 New Mexico State in 1992); Georgetown (#10 Davidson in 2008, #14 Ohio University in 2010, #11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2011 and #15 Florida Gulf Coast in 2013); Marquette (#12 Tulsa in 2002 and #12 Murray State in 2019); Providence (#12 Pacific in 2004 and #11 Dayton in 2015); St. John's (#10 Gonzaga in 2000 and #11 Gonzaga in 2011); Seton Hall (#7 Western Kentucky in 1993 and #11 Gonzaga in 2016); Villanova (#14 Old Dominion in 1995 and #10 Saint Mary's in 2010)
BIG TEN (35) - Illinois (lost to #14 Austin Peay State in 1987, #12 Dayton in 1990, #14 Chattanooga in 1997, #12 Western Kentucky in 2009 and #8 Loyola of Chicago in 2021); Indiana (#14 Cleveland State in 1986, #13 Richmond in 1988, #11 Pepperdine in 2000 and #13 Kent State in 2001); Iowa (#14 Northwestern State in 2006 and #12 Richmond in 2022); Maryland (#12 College of Charleston in 1997); Michigan (#11 Loyola Marymount in 1990 and #13 Ohio University in 2012); Michigan State (#14 Weber State in 1995, #11 George Mason in 2006 and #15 Middle Tennessee State in 2016); Minnesota (#12 Middle Tennessee State in 2017); Nebraska (#14 Xavier in 1991 and #11 Penn in 1994); Ohio State (#12 Utah State in 2001, #9 Wichita State in 2013, #11 Dayton in 2014 and #15 Oral Roberts in 2021); Purdue (#11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2011, #12 UALR in 2016, #13 North Texas in 2021, #15 Saint Peter's in 2022 and #16 Fairleigh Dickinson in 2023); Wisconsin (#12 Southwest Missouri State in 1999, #11 Georgia State in 2001, #7 UNLV in 2007, #10 Davidson in 2008, #12 Cornell in 2010 and #12 James Madison in 2024)
BIG 12 (30) - Baylor (lost to #14 Georgia State in 2015 and #12 Yale in 2016); Brigham Young (#11 Duquesne in 2024); Cincinnati (#12 Harvard in 2014 and #7 Nevada in 2018); Iowa State (#15 Hampton in 2001 and #14 UAB in 2015); Kansas (#9 Texas-El Paso in 1992, #8 Rhode Island in 1998, #14 Bucknell in 2005, #13 Bradley in 2006, #9 Northern Iowa in 2010, #11 Virginia Commonwealth in 2011 and #7 Wichita State in 2015); Kansas State (#11 Tulane in 1993, #13 La Salle in 2013, #13 UC Irvine in 2019 and #9 Florida Atlantic in 2023); Oklahoma (#13 Southwestern Louisiana in 1992, #13 Manhattan in 1995, #13 Indiana State in 2001, #11 Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2006 and #12 North Dakota State in 2014); Oklahoma State (#12 Princeton in 1983, #10 Temple in 1991 and #12 Tulsa in 1994); Texas (#11 Northern Iowa in 2016 and #14 Abilene Christian in 2021); Texas Tech (#11 Southern Illinois in 2002); West Virginia (#14 Stephen F. Austin in 2016)
PACIFIC-12 (22) - Arizona (lost to #14 East Tennessee State in 1992, #15 Santa Clara in 1993, #12 Miami of Ohio in 1995, #11 Wichita State in 2016, #13 Buffalo in 2018 and #15 Princeton in 2023); California (#12 Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1994 and #13 Hawaii in 2016); Oregon State (#10 Lamar in 1980, #11 Evansville in 1989 and #12 Ball State in 1990); Southern California (#13 UNC Wilmington in 2002); Stanford (#14 Siena in 1989 and #10 Gonzaga in 1999); UCLA (#12 Wyoming in 1987, #13 Penn State in 1991, #12 Tulsa in 1994, #13 Princeton in 1996 and #12 Detroit in 1999); Utah (#10 Miami of Ohio in 1999 and #11 Gonzaga in 2016); Washington State (#12 Penn in 1980)
SEC (38) - Alabama (lost to #11 Lamar in 1983, #11 South Alabama in 1989, #10 Kent State in 2002 and #12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005); Auburn (#12 Richmond in 1984 and #13 Yale in 2024); Florida (#12 Creighton in 2002, #12 Manhattan in 2003, #8 Butler in 2011 and #15 Oral Roberts in 2021); Georgia (#14 Chattanooga in 1997 and #11 Southern Illinois in 2002); Kentucky (#7 UAB in 1981, #11 Middle Tennessee State in 1982, #9 UAB in 2004, #15 Saint Peter's in 2022 and #14 Oakland in 2024); Louisiana State (#13 Navy in 1985 and #11 UAB in 2005); Mississippi (#13 Valparaiso in 1998); Mississippi State (#12 Eastern Michigan in 1991, #12 Butler in 2003, #7 Xavier in 2004 and #12 Liberty in 2019); Missouri (#13 Xavier in 1987, #11 Rhode Island in 1988, #14 Northern Iowa in 1990, #15 Norfolk State in 2012 and #15 Princeton in 2023); South Carolina (#15 Coppin State in 1997 and #14 Richmond in 1998); Tennessee (#12 Southwest Missouri State in 1999, #7 Wichita State in 2006, #11 Loyola of Chicago in 2018 and #9 Florida Atlantic in 2023); Vanderbilt (#13 Siena in 2008, #13 Murray State in 2010 and #12 Richmond in 2011)
NOTES: Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were members of the Big Eight until 1997. Mizzou left the Big 12 for SEC in 2013. . . . Notre Dame was an independent in 1986. . . . Florida State, Louisville and Tulane were members of the Metro Conference in 1989, 1990 and 1993, respectively. . . . Butler was a member of the Horizon League in 2003 and 2011. . . . Dayton was a member of the Midwestern Collegiate in 1990. . . . DePaul was a member of the Great Midwest in 1992. . . . Texas-El Paso and Utah were members of the WAC in 1992 and 1999, respectively. . . . Marquette and Louisville were members of Conference USA in 2002 and 2004, respectively. . . . Tulsa was a member of Missouri Valley in 1994 and 2002. . . . Xavier was a member of Midwestern Collegiate in 1987 and 1991 and Atlantic 10 in 2004. . . . Boston College was a member of the Big East in 2005. . . . Defeats for Cincinnati (Big East), Maryland (ACC), Louisville (Big East), Pittsburgh (Big East) and Syracuse (Big East) came when they were members of another power league.
False Starts: BYU Mission Seems to Be Propensity For Early NCAA Playoff Exits
North Carolina A&T appeared in the NCAA playoffs the most times (nine) without winning a tournament game until prevailing in 2013 First Four. But N.C. A&T still has a long way to go to join the ranks of "quick-exit" school such as battered Brigham Young, the only institution with more than 20 opening-round reversals in NCAA tourney after the Cougars were defeated by Duquesne this year.
Connecticut, after absorbing nine opening-round losses in 17 years from 1951 through 1967, had the most opening-round setbacks for an extended period. But the Huskies didn't incur an opening-round reversal for 28 years until suffering two in a recent five-year span before leaving again early in back-to-back recent playoffs. Similarly, St. John's suffered eight opening-round losses in a 20-year stretch from 1973 through 1992.
Maryland was the first school to incur at least 10 NCAA Tournament defeats but never absorb an opening-round setback until the Terrapins lost to Santa Clara in 1996. Mizzou's loss against former Big Eight/Big 12 rival Oklahoma, eight years after toothless Tigers were embarrassed by Norfolk State despite being favored by more than 20 points, left them among the following schools most prone to sustaining an opening-round NCAA tourney defeat:
School (Playoff Losses) NCAA Tournament Opening-Round Defeats Brigham Young (34) 21 (1950-57-65-69-72-79-80-87-90-92-95-01-03-04-07-08-09-14-15-21-24) Utah State (23) 19 (1939-63-71-75-79-80-83-88-98-00-03-05-06-09-10-11-19-21-23) Princeton (29) 17 (1952-55-60-63-69-76-77-81-89-90-91-92-97-01-04-11-17) Temple (33) 16 (1944-64-67-70-72-79-90-92-95-98-08-09-10-12-16-19) Missouri (28) 16 (1944-78-81-83-86-87-88-90-93-99-00-11-12-13-18-21) St. John's (32) 15 (1961-68-73-76-77-78-80-84-88-92-98-02-11-15-19) West Virginia (28) 15 (1955-56-57-58-62-65-67-83-86-87-92-09-12-16-23)
NCAA Mighty Mites: Shortest of Subjects Became Big-Time Playoff Performers
Standing 5-8 in height and 8-5 in stature, Kansas State's Markquis Nowell (single-game playoff record of 19 assists) and Fairleigh Dickinson's Demetre Roberts (averaged 15.7 ppg/4 rpg/4 apg in three playoff contests) were the most entertaining players in last year's NCAA Tournament. In 2024, 5-8 Dallas Graziani (Samford's assists leader) could add immensely to the NCAA tourney's history of mighty mites.
When diminutive dandy Tyrone Bogues isn't on the list (scoreless in three playoff games as a Wake Forest freshman in 1983-84), you know the small packages are something big. A couple of North Carolina State playmakers - Monte Towe and Spud Webb - spearhead the following ranking of the 25 most impactful pint-sized players in playoff history even shorter than Nowell, Roberts and Graziani:
| Rank | Mighty Mite (Height) | School/Tourney Year(s) | Summary of NCAA Playoff Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Shawnta Rogers (5-4) | George Washington 96-98-99 | averaged 20.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5 apg and 2.7 spg in three defeats vs. power-league opponents |
| 2. | Monte Towe (5-7) | North Carolina State 74 | averaged 15.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.3 apg and 2 spg in four contests with national titlist |
| 3. | Anthony "Spud" Webb (5-7) | North Carolina State 85 | juco transfer averaged 17 ppg and 6.3 apg in four contests for regional finalist |
| 4. | Earl Boykins (5-6) | Eastern Michigan 96-98 | averaged 17 points, 3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 spg in three contests vs. schools winning national title at some point |
| 5. | Keith "Mister" Jennings (5-7) | East Tennessee State 89-90-91 | averaged 12 ppg and 8.3 apg in three defeats |
| 6. | Drew Lavender (5-6) | Oklahoma 05/Xavier 07-08 | averaged 10.9 ppg, 3 rpg and 5 apg in eight contests (four outings with > 5 assists) |
| 7. | Willie Worsley (5-6) | Texas Western 66-67 | averaged 10.8 ppg and 2.6 rpg in eight contests (scored game-high 24 points vs. Seattle in opener for defending NCAA titlist) |
| 8. | Demontrae Jefferson (5-7) | Texas Southern 17-18 | averaged 19.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4 apg and 2.7 spg in three contests |
| 9. | Tajuan Porter (5-6) | Oregon 07-08 | averaged 16.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 2 apg in five contests (including 33 points vs. UNLV) |
| 10. | Jackie Crawford (5-7) | SW Missouri State 92 | juco transfer collected team highs of 16 points and 7 assists in defeat vs. Michigan State |
| 11. | Chico Fletcher (5-6) | Arkansas State 99 | scored team-high 21 points in defeat vs. Utah |
| 12. | Greg Brown (5-7) | New Mexico 93-94 | juco transfer averaged 11 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.5 apg in two losses |
| 13. | Jeremiah Dominguez (5-6) | Portland State 08-09 | Portland transfer averaged 12 ppg, 3 rpg and 3 apg in two defeats |
| 14. | Dick Hickox (5-6) | Miami (Fla.) 60 | scored team-high 17 points vs. Western Kentucky |
| 15. | Otto Petty (5-7) | Florida State 72 | averaged 8.2 ppg, 2 rpg and 5 apg in five contests for national runner-up (three outings with > 5 assists) |
| 16. | Junior Robinson (5-7) | Mount St. Mary's 17 | averaged 15 ppg, 3 apg and 1.5 spg in two contests |
| 17. | Jason Harrison (5-5) | Mississippi 99-01-02 | averaged 6 ppg, 4 apg and 1.3 spg in six contests (five outings vs. power-league opponents) |
| 18. | Chris Lykes (5-6) | Miami (Fla.) 18/Arkansas 22 | collected 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals with the Hurricanes in loss vs. Loyola of Chicago before averaging 3.3 ppg in four contests with the Hogs' regional finalist |
| 19. | Arnold Bernard (5-5) | SW Missouri State 90 | juco transfer contributed 7 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals in reversal vs. North Carolina |
| 20. | Wat Misaka (5-7) | Utah 44 | averaged 6 ppg in three contests for NCAA titlist |
| 21. | Casey Jones (5-7) | Northeast Louisiana 90-91 | averaged 8.5 ppg and 2.5 rpg in two defeats (vs. Purdue and Duke) |
| 22. | Chuck Rolles (5-6) | Cornell 54 | averaged 5.5 ppg, 3 rpg and 1.5 apg in three contests |
| 23. | Gene Duffy (5-7) | Notre Dame 58 | averaged 5.7 ppg and 2.7 rpg in three outings |
| 24. | "Little" Johnny Campbell (5-6) | Arkansas 49 | averaged 5.5 ppg in two games for West Regional third-place team |
| T25. | Sherry Marshall (5-7) | Columbia 48 | averaged 4.5 ppg in two contests |
| T25. | Calvin Rayford (5-7) | Kansas 93-94-96 | collected total of 8 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists in nine tourney tilts |
| T25. | Jim Reilly (5-7) | Georgetown 43 | averaged 2 ppg in three contests |
| T25. | Eric Bell (5-6) | Stephen F. Austin 09 | supplied 3 assists and two steals in setback vs. Syracuse |
From Peon to Pedestal: Small-College Transfers Having NCAA Playoff Impact
After previously toiling in obscurity, half of College of Charleston's top six scorers (Ante Brzovic of Southeastern Oklahoma State, Bryce Butler of West Liberty WV and Kobe Rodgers of Nova Southeastern FL) have helped propel the Cougars to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Ditto Morehead State's top scorer and rebounder (transfer Riley Minix from Southeastern FL), Oakland's third-leading scorer and rebounder Jack Gohlke (three-point shooting specialist from Hillsdale MI) plus Samford's assists leader Dallas Graziani (Nova Southeastern FL). A couple of part-time starters for Howard University (Jordan Hairson/UT-Tyler and Joshua Strong/Minnesota-Duluth) also joined a long list of small-school transfer players going from nowhere to prospect of Cloud Nine in the NCAA DI playoffs.
Arkansas, Baylor, Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa, Kansas State, Louisville, Marquette, Nevada and Wisconsin featured small-college transfers in regular rotations of previous NCAA tourney squads. There was even a coach in recent tourney who was in this rare category as a player - Montana's Travis DeCuire (Chaminade HI prior to his current pitstop).
Of course, the most prominent player in history in this category is all-time great Elgin Baylor (Seattle), the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1958. Consider this alphabetical list of the more than 50 transfers going from non-Division I schools to regular rotation having bright lights of the NCAA Division I Tournament shine on them:
Adonis Arms, G (Northwest Nazarene ID 19/Winthrop 21 & Texas Tech 22)
Juco recruit was named GNAC Player of the Year when averaging 20.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 3.3 apg while shooting 55% from the floor. Contributed 10 points and 3 rebounds for Winthrop against Villanova in 2021 playoffs before averaging 11 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 4.7 apg in three 2022 tourney contests with the Red Raiders (including game-high 7 assists against Duke).
Desi Barmore, F (Southeast Missouri State 79/Alabama 81 and Fresno State 82-83)
Averaged 5.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg at DI level after averaging 15.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg with SEMO as a freshman. Appeared in 1982 NCAA playoffs with FSU, scoring eight points in 58-40 second-round West Regional semifinal defeat against eventual national runner-up Georgetown.
Scott Barnes, C (Eastern Montana 81-82/Fresno State 84-85)
Averaged 9.7 ppg and 4.8 rpg for Eastern Montana before averaging 11.7 ppg and 6.6 rpg for Fresno State. Barnes was an All-PCAA second-team selection as a senior when he led the Bulldogs in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds against Karl Malone-led Louisiana Tech when Fresno bowed to the Bulldogs in the first round of 1984 NCAA playoffs.
Elgin Baylor, F (College of Idaho 55/Seattle 57-58)
Averaged 31.3 ppg and 18.9 rpg for College of Idaho (now Albertson College) before averaging 31.2 ppg and 19.8 rpg for Seattle. He was an NCAA unanimous first-team All-American and Final Four Most Outstanding Player as a junior in 1957-58 after averaging 27 points in five playoff games.
Andrew Benson, F (Prairie View A&M/Houston 67)
Averaged 2.4 ppg and 1.7 rpg for UH's national third-place team.
Davion Berry, G-F (Cal State Montery Bay 10-11/Weber State 13-14)
Big Sky Conference MVP scored a game-high 24 points in 68-59 opening-game defeat against Arizona in 2014.
Don Boldebuck, C (Nebraska Wesleyan 52-53/Houston 55-56)
Averaged more than 20 ppg for Nebraska Wesleyan before averaging 23 ppg and 17 rpg in leading UH in scoring and rebounding both of his seasons with the Cougars. He paced them in scoring in both of their NCAA playoff games in 1956.
Dalton Bolon, G (West Liberty WV 18-21/College of Charleston 23)
Collected 10 points and 4 rebounds in loss against Final Four-bound San Diego State.
Dale Bonner, G (Fairmont State WV 20-21/Baylor 22-23)
Averaged 5 ppg in four playoff games in 2022 and 2023 before returning to home state to play for Ohio State in 2023-24.
Mike Born, G (Nebraska-Omaha 85-86/Iowa State 88-89)
Averaged 10.5 ppg for Nebraska-Omaha before averaging 8.6 ppg and 2.5 apg for two NCAA Tournament teams at Iowa State. Scored six points in each of his NCAA playoff games.
Jim Boylan, G (Assumption MA 74-75/Marquette 77-78)
Fifth-leading scorer for 1977 NCAA Tournament champion. He scored 14 points in the tourney final against Phil Ford-led North Carolina.
Bryan Bracey, F (Wisconsin-Platteville 97/Oregon 00-01)
Played one game with UWP before transferring to a junior college. Averaged 13.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg with the Ducks, appearing in NCAA tourney as a junior (10 points and 6 rebounds in 72-71 opening-round East Regional defeat in OT against Seton Hall).
Gary Brell, F (North Dakota State 68/Marquette 70-71)
Averaged 15.2 ppg and 12.9 rpg for NDSU before averaging 12.8 ppg and 8.6 rpg with MU. As a senior, he distributed a game-high eight assists in 60-59 NCAA tourney defeat against Ohio State before grabbing nine rebounds in 91-74 win against Kentucky in Mideast Regional third-place game.
Jon Bryant, G (St. Cloud State MN 96-97/Wisconsin 99-00)
All-North Central Conference selection and team MVP with 17.3 ppg as a sophomore after being named NCC Freshman of the Year when he hit 57.4% of his three-point attempts. Third-leading scorer for the Badgers burst on the national scene with seven three-pointers, including four in a zone-busting 1 1/2-minute stretch late in the game, to help the Badgers rally to a 66-56 over Fresno State in the first round of 2000 West Regional.
Ronnie Clark, G (Florida Southern 00/Colorado State 02-04)
Sunshine State Conference freshman of the year was CSU's third-leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer in 2003 when the Rams played Duke tough before bowing in the opening round.
Terry Connolly, F (Shepherd WV 87-88/Richmond 90-91)
Averaged 8.2 ppg each of his two seasons with Spider NCAA playoff teams. Member of first #15 seed to defeat a #2 seed (Syracuse in 1991).
Barry Davis, F (Sam Houston State 73/Texas A&M 75-76)
Freshman on Sam Houston State's top-ranked NAIA team. Juco recruit became two-time All-SWC selection, delivering team-high 16 points and game-high 15 rebounds in 87-79 setback against Cincinnati in 1975 Midwest Regional.
Travis DeCuire, G (Chaminade HI 90/Montana 92-94)
Led Chaminade in scoring with 10.9 ppg as a freshman in 1989-90. Averaged 6.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg and 5 apg for the Grizzlies, including Big Sky Conference-leading 7.1 apg as a senior. Competing against eventual Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward, DeCuire scored six points in a 78-68 reversal against Florida State in 1992 NCAA playoffs.
Chris Flemmings, G (Barton NC 13-14/UNC Wilmington 16-17)
Conference Carolinas MVP in 2013-14 with 19.6 ppg and 6.8 rpg before posting team highs of 16.2 ppg and 5.8 rpg for UNCW's 2016 NCAA playoff team losing against Duke despite his 18 points. Flemmings also tallied a team-high 18 points in 76-71 setback against Virginia in 2017 NCAA playoffs.
Freddie Gillespie, F-C (Carleton MN 17/Baylor 19-20)
All-MIAC second-team selection in 2016-17 when leading league in blocked shots. Part-time starter for the Bears in 2018-19 averaged six points and three rebounds in two NCAA playoff games.
Landon Goesling, G (St. Edward's TX 15-18/Houston 19)
Led Heartland Conference with 22.9 ppg in 2017-18. Played briefly for UH in one NCAA playoff game in 2019.
Robert Gray, F (Cal Poly Pomona 72-73/Wichita State 75-76)
Averaged 13 ppg and 5.8 rpg with WSU. As a senior, he collected 10 points and team-high tying 7 rebounds in opening-round defeat against eventual NCAA Tournament runner-up Michigan.
Keenan Gumbs, F (Schreiner TX 15-18/Liberty 19)
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2018. Part-time starter for Liberty's 2019 team posting the school's first-ever NCAA playoff victory. He scored six points in each of two tourney contests.
Tate Hall, G (Indianapolis 17-18/Loyola of Chicago 20-22)
GLVC Freshman of the Year before becoming all-league first-team choice as sophomore. All-MVC selection averaged 2.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg with Ramblers in four NCAA playoff games in 2021 and 2022.
Mike Hansen, G (Tennessee-Martin 89/Louisiana State 91-93)
Scored 40 points vs. LSU as a freshman when leading UTM in scoring (20 ppg) and assists. Erupted for 31 points against both Tennessee and Illinois as a sophomore when he was the Tigers' third-leading scorer (12.7 ppg) before his playing time decreased significantly his final two seasons. Member of three LSU teams participating in the NCAA playoffs.
John Harrell, G (North Carolina Central 76/Duke 78-79)
Averaged 15.7 ppg and led N.C. Central in assists in 1975-76. Averaged 5.1 ppg for Duke's NCAA Tournament runner-up in 1977-78 before playing sparingly the next season.
E.J. Harrison, G (Western Connecticut State 95-96/Connecticut 98-99)
Averaged 1.9 ppg for UConn's 1999 NCAA titlist after averaging team-high 19.3 ppg and 2.7 spg for WCSU in 1995-96. He scored 12 points and had team-high three steals in '99 tourney opener against UTSA and team-high three assists in second-round win over New Mexico.
Ryan Hawkins, F (Northwest Missouri State 17-21/Creighton 22)
All-time leading rebounding for Northwest (948) and in MIAA Tournament (84) was Most Outstanding Player at the 2021 Elite Eight. Leading scorer and rebounder for the Bluejays' NCAA tourney team averaged 12 ppg and 7 rpg in two playoff outings.
Art Helms, F (Southwest Missouri State 53-54/Houston 56)
Averaged 13.7 ppg for SWMS before averaging 13.1 ppg and 10.1 rpg for UH's first NCAA playoff team (grabbed team-high 10 rebounds in tourney debut against SMU).
Curtis High, G (Tennessee-Martin 81-82/Nevada-Reno 84-85)
Tennessee-Martin's second-leading scorer as a freshman (14.3 ppg) and sophomore (12.6 ppg). Led UNR in scoring and assists as a junior (13.3 ppg, 6.3 apg) and senior (17.8 ppg, 6 apg) for two NCAA tourney squads. All-Big Sky Conference first-team selection in 1984-85. Scored a team-high 21 points in 1984 first-round loss to Detlef Schrempf-led Washington.
Roy Howard, F (Tarleton State TX 89/Texas-El Paso 91-93)
Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association Freshman of the Year when he led Tarleton State in scoring (15.3 ppg) and rebounding (11.5 rpg). UTEP's second-leading rebounder as a senior (6.5 rpg). Averaged 4.2 ppg and 4.4 rpg for 1992 NCAA playoff team upsetting #1 seed Kansas in Midwest Regional.
Doug Jemison, F (Wright State OH 75/San Francisco 78-79)
Averaged 7.1 ppg for WSU before attending a junior college. Averaged 12.7 ppg and 8.9 rpg for two USF NCAA tourney teams (teammate of All-American Bill Cartwright led Dons in rebounding in two of four playoff games and in blocked shots one contest).
Avery Johnson, G (Cameron OK 85/Southern LA 87-88)
Averaged a modest 4.3 ppg for Cameron before leading the nation in assists with Southern for two NCAA tourney teams. Distributed a total of 17 assists in NCAA playoff games against Temple and Kentucky. Shares NCAA single-game record for most assists with 22. Went on to become principal playmaker for the San Antonio Spurs' NBA champion before coaching in the pros prior to accepting a similar job at Alabama.
Kenny Jones, C (Lincoln Memorial TN 76-78/Virginia Commonwealth 80)
Averaged 8.3 ppg and 5.8 rpg for VCU's first NCAA DI playoff team in 1980. He collected five points and seven rebounds in opening-round defeat against Iowa before the Hawkeyes reached Final Four.
Ron Lacey, G (Northeastern Oklahoma State 87-88)/Northeastern 90-91)
Runner-up in scoring for the Huskies' 1991 NCAA playoff team. He collected 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in opening-round setback against Dean Smith-coached North Carolina.
Fred Lewis, F (Tampa 88/South Florida 90-92)
Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year when he averaged 15.2 ppg and 5.7 rpg. Averaged 13 ppg and 8 rpg for USF. He was the Bulls' second-leading rebounder all three seasons, including two NCAA playoff teams.
Bob Lochmueller, F (Oakland City IN/Louisville 50-52)
Averaged 15 ppg in his career with the Cardinals, leading their first NCAA Tournament team in scoring as a junior (19 ppg). Grabbed game-high 18 rebounds in 1951 NCAA playoff loss against in-state rival Kentucky.
Tony Massop, C (Sacramento State 87/Kansas State 89-90)
Averaged 10.3 ppg and 8 rpg as a sophomore at Sacramento State. Averaged 5.9 ppg and 5.6 rpg as a junior and 8.1 ppg and 6.6 rpg as a senior for a pair of NCAA tourney teams. He was the Wildcats' leading rebounder in 1989-90.
Boyd McCaslin, F (Hobart NY 45/Dartmouth 46/Michigan 48-49)
All-Ivy League second-team selection went on to participate in Michigan's first NCAA playoff game in 1948 after transferring with coach Ozzie Cowles. Originally lettered with Hobart.
Paul Mickey, C (Troy State AL 63/Penn State 65-67)
Averaged 2.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Troy before averaging 9 ppg and 8.7 rpg with the Nittany Lions. Appeared in 1965 NCAA playoffs against Bill Bradley-led Princeton.
Keaton Moffitt, G (Sioux Falls SD 12-13/South Dakota State 15-16)
Posted same scoring average (5.8 ppg) with SF as he did as part-time starter for SDSU's 2016 NCAA DI tourney team. Reserve grabbed three rebounds in 14 minutes of playing time in South Regional 79-74 setback against Maryland.
Bret Mundt, C (Bethel TN/Memphis State 88-89)
Averaged 5.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 1987-88 and 6.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 1988-89 for a pair of NCAA tourney teams. Scored 13 points when the Tigers lost to Purdue in 1988 Midwest Regional.
Tucker Neale, G (Ashland OH 91/Colgate 93-95)
Averaged 23.1 ppg for Colgate's first NCAA playoff team in 1995. Scored game-high 25 points in loss against Kansas.
Carlton Neverson, G (Elmira NY 78/Pittsburgh 79-81)
Averaged 11.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg with Elmira before transferring to Pitt, where he averaged 11.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 2.3 apg. Appearing in NCAA playoffs as a senior, he scored a team-high 17 points in 74-57 second-round setback against North Carolina after contributing six points in 70-69 win against Idaho.
Anunwa "Nuni" Omot, F (Concordia MN 15/Baylor 17-18)
Member of the Bears' regular rotation much of 2016-17 season as juco recruit. Played briefly in all three NCAA tourney games that year.
Chris Parker, G (Henderson State AR 18-20/Liberty 21)
GAC Tournament MVP in 2020. Son of former NBA player Charlie Parker was assists leader and second-leading scorer for the Flames' NCAA tourney team. He scored 10 points in playoff game against Oklahoma State.
Aaron Preece, G (Illinois College/Bradley 49-51)
Sixth-leading scorer for the Braves' 1950 NCAA and NIT runner-up tallied 12 points in each of the NCAA Final Four games.
Cecil Rellford, F (Kentucky State 74/St. John's 76-77)
Averaged 21.7 ppg and 10 rpg for KSU in six games before averaging 11.2 ppg and 6 rpg with St. John's. Averaged 9 ppg and 4.5 rpg in two NCAA playoff setbacks.
Xavier Rhodes, G (Northwest Missouri 19 & Florida Southern 20-22/Northern Kentucky 23)
Collected 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in opening-round defeat against #1 seed Houston.
Demetre Roberts, G (St. Thomas Aquinas NY 19-22/Fairleigh Dickinson 23)
Averaged 15.7 ppg, 4 rpg and 4 apg in three contests for #16 seed upsetting Purdue.
Duncan Robinson, F (Williams MA 14/Michigan 16-18)
Averaged 17.1 ppg and 6.5 rpg for DIII Tournament runner-up as a freshman in 2013-14. Four years later, he led the Wolverines' 2018 DI Tournament runner-up in three-pointers with 78. Also competed in NCAA playoffs in 2016 and 2017.
Khalil Shabazz, G (Central Washington 18/San Francisco 20-23)
GNAC Freshman of the Year averaged 15.3 ppg before transferring to USF. Averaged 14.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.1 apg and 1.9 spg with the Dons, leading them in scoring as a senior after collecting 3 points and 4 rebounds in 2022 NCAA tourney overtime setback against Murray State.
Nevil Shed, F (North Carolina A&T/Texas Western 65-67)
"The Shadow" sank the free throw in 1966 NCAA championship game against Kentucky, giving the Miners a lead they never relinquished. He averaged 10.6 ppg and 7.9 rpg for the national titlist.
Bill Sherwood, C-F (Oglethorpe GA 84-85/Oregon State 87-88)
Averaged 7.7 ppg in 1986-87 and 14.7 ppg in 1987-88 for the Beavers. Outscored teammate Gary Payton with 17 points in OSU's 70-61 loss to Louisville in 1988 Southeast Regional.
Danny Singletary, G (Ohio Valley WV/Coppin State 97-98)
Led National Small College Athletic Association in scoring in mid-1990s with 27.6-ppg average before transferring. Averaged 12.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.8 apg and 2.3 spg for Coppin State. Scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half of a shocking 78-65 first-round triumph against South Carolina in 1997 NCAA playoffs before collecting team-high 6 assists and game-high 6 steals in 82-81 setback against Texas.
Grant Singleton, G (St. Thomas Aquinas NY 19-22/Fairleigh Dickinson 23)
Averaged 9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.7 apg and 2 spg in three playoff games for #16 seed eliminating Purdue.
Gregg Smith, C (North Dakota State 00/Eastern Washington 02-04)
Transferred along with coach Ray Giacoletti following freshman season in 1999-00 (5.6 ppg and 3.9 rpg). Averaged 3.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg in three-year career with EWU, scoring team-high 16 points against Oklahoma State in his final game (75-56 setback in 2004 East Regional in East Rutherford).
Scott Snider, C (Pacific Lutheran WA 92-93/Gonzaga 95-96)
Led Pacific Lutheran in scoring as a freshman with 11.9 ppg before averaging 14 ppg and 5.6 rpg as a sophomore. Led the WCC in field-goal shooting (62.9%) as a senior when averaging 10.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg after averaging 5.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg the previous year for the Zags' first NCAA Tournament team.
Jerry Stroman, F (Benedict SC 83/Utah 85-86)
All-WAC first-team selection as a senior when leading the Utes in scoring with 18 ppg. He shared team-high scoring total with 18 points in opening-round loss against North Carolina in 1986 NCAA tourney.
Manny Suarez, C (Adelphi NY 16-17/Creighton 18)
Averaged 15.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 2.2 bpg in two-year career with Adelphi. Played briefly for Creighton in 2018 NCAA playoff opening-round defeat against Kansas State.
Johnny Taylor, F (Knoxville TN 94/Tenn.-Chattanooga 96-97)
Averaged 18.2 ppg and 8.1 rpg with UTC before becoming an NBA first-round draft choice. Southern Conference Player of the Year for UTC team upsetting Georgia and Illinois in 1997 Southeast Regional. He averaged 17.7 ppg and 6 rpg in three NCAA playoff games, scoring a game-high 22 points in defeat against Providence.
Chad Townsend, G (St. Edward's TX 95/Murray State 97-98)
Averaged 22.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg in his final season with St. Edward's. All-Ohio Valley Conference second-team selection averaged 13.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg and a school-record 7.1 apg as a junior when he was OVC Tournament MVP. Played in two NCAA tourneys with the Racers, pacing them in assists in both games while averaging 12 ppg and 5.5 rpg.
Joel Tribelhorn, G (Fort Lewis CO 85-87/Colorado State 89)
Finished third on Fort Lewis' career scoring list with 1,390 points after setting school single-season records for most points (635 in 1986-87), highest scoring average (24.4 ppg in 1985-86) and best three-point field-goal shooting (50% in 1986-87). The NAIA All-American second-team selection as a junior became an All-WAC second-team pick as a senior when he was CSU's second-leading scorer (13.8 ppg), led the Rams in field-goal shooting (53.9%) and paced the league in three-point shooting (56.3%). Scored a game-high 20 points when CSU upset Florida, 68-46, in 1989 Midwest Regional.
Jeff Tyson, G (Aquinas MI 72/Western Michigan 74-76)
Played seven games with Aquinas before averaging 15 ppg and 5.4 rpg with WMU. As a senior, he scored a game-high 25 points in 77-67 decision over Virginia Tech in the Chippewas' first-ever NCAA playoff contest.
Chandler Vaudrin, G (Walsh OH 17-18/Winthrop 20-21)
Averaged team-high 15.5 ppg and ranked fourth in DII with 7.5 apg as sophomore before ranking seventh in DI in assists as senior with 6.9 apg. Also led Winthrop's 2021 NCAA playoff squad in scoring.
Roosevelt Wallace, F (Virginia Union/Arkansas 91-92)
Averaged 8.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg for the Razorbacks' 1992 NCAA playoff squad. He played a total of 16 minutes in two tourney tilts.
Ross Williams, G (Menlo CA 19-20 & Colorado Christian 21-22/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 23)
Averaged 12 ppg in two playoff contests with the Islanders.
Phil Zevenbergen, F (Seattle Pacific 83/Washington 86-87)
Attended community college before averaging 10.1 ppg and 6.2 rpg for the Huskies. Grabbed two rebounds in nine minutes in 72-70 setback against Michigan State in first round of 1986 Midwest Regional.
NOTE: Missouri State, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, North Dakota State, Omaha, Prairie View, Sacramento State, Southeast Missouri State, Tarleton State, Tennessee-Martin, Troy and Wright State subsequently moved up to NCAA Division I status.
College Exam: Day #5 For One-and-Only NCAA Tournament Trivia Challenge
Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper for next pandemic, hoping Plagiarist Biledumb makes it up steps of Air Farce One again or cowering in fetal position waiting on recommendation from deity Dr. Fraudci, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.
We need something to occupy our minds during quarantine from much of the invective-infected #MessMedia. Emphasizing a "one-and-only" theme for a "one-and-only" event, here is Day 5 of a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions from CollegeHoopedia.com tracking the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):
1. Who is the only player to score more than 30,000 points in his pro career after never appearing in NCAA playoffs? Hint: He is the only former major-college player to become NBA Most Valuable Player after failing to participate in NCAA Tournament. He was 0-2 in the NIT, where he lost his final college game by 41 points, before leaving college for the pros with one season of eligibility remaining.
2. Who is the only person to play for an NBA championship team before coaching an NCAA titlist? Hint: He was a backup to an NBA all-time great after being the leading scorer and rebounder for a team winning an NIT crown.
3. Who became an NCAA playoff coach after being the only player in history to participate with two different schools in the NCAA championship game? Hint: One of the teams he played for was undefeated. He coached two different schools in the tourney.
4. Who is the only coach to engineer a turnaround featuring an NCAA playoff appearance in his first full season at a new job although the school compiled a record of more than 20 games below .500 the previous year? Hint: It was his only year as coach at the school.
5. Name the only mid-major conference to have two different members reach a regional semifinal as at-large teams in the same year, beating opponents from the Big East, Big 12 and SEC in the process. Hint: Two other members of the same league achieved the feat in the previous seven years. Only two of its current members haven't won playoff games when seeded five or more places worse than a major university currently a member of one of the current consensus top six leagues since seeding started in 1979.
6. Name the only former NCAA Tournament champion not to win at least one playoff game since capturing the title. Hint: It's the first NCAA champion to have black players in its starting lineup and is the only school to win the NCAA playoffs and NIT in the same year. The school is also the only former major college to win a Division I Tournament championship.
7. Name the school with the most playoff games decided by one or two points (four) on its way to a championship. Hint: It was the first school to need six victories to claim the national crown and is the only school to have two different coaches capture a national championship after compiling a losing record in their first seasons as a major-college head coach.
8. Who is the only coach to win his first 12 tournament games decided in overtime or by fewer than six points in regulation? Hint: His first of three NCAA championship game teams had four players become NBA first-round draft choices.
9. Name the only state to have more than six different schools reach the Final Four. Hint: The state went 31 years between its two national championships.
10. Name the only person to coach two different universities in back-to-back years when each school made its initial playoff appearance. Hint: He reached the national championship game with one of the schools.
Answers (Day 5)
Day 4 Questions and Answers
Day 3 Questions and Answers
Day 2 Questions and Answers
Day 1 Questions and Answers
Racial Profiling: Majority of HBCU's Tourney Wins Come in Preliminary Round
After Richmond shocked Jim Boeheim-coached Syracuse in 1991 and Santa Clara kayoed Lute Olson's Arizona squad in 1993, the next three #15 seed victories over #2 seeds came at the hands of historically-black colleges and universities - Coppin State over South Carolina in 1997, Hampton over Iowa State in 2001 and Norfolk State over Missouri in 2012.
However, no HBCU institution has reached the Sweet 16 and the last 13 representatives in non-preliminary round contests have a losing margin of 26.4 points since Norfolk State's success. Perceived in most quarters as picking-on-patsies fodder, the truth about black crime in basketball is that it's a big sin many fans don't know or can't recall the high degree of success historically-black colleges and universities enjoyed at the small-college level. For instance, Norfolk State appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament 10 times in a 12-year span from 1984 until finishing third in the 1995 tourney. But most of these HBCU institutions currently are imprisoned at the NCAA Division I level, where they are little more than indentured servants doing the bidding of their major-university masters almost always getting whipped on the road during non-conference competition.
What many observers should know is seven different historically black colleges and universities advancing to the NCAA DI level captured a total of nine NAIA and NCAA College Division Tournament championships in a 21-year span from 1957 through 1977 (Tennessee State from 1957 through 1959, Grambling '61, Prairie View A&M '62, Winston-Salem State '67, Morgan State '74, Coppin State '76 and Texas Southern '77). Coppin State was the lone school in this group to go on and post a triumph in the NCAA Division I playoffs until newcomer Grambling State outlasted Montana State in overtime this year. Success wasn't so difficult to find for Grambling at the small-college level 60 years ago. Beginning with third-rounder Charles Hardnett in 1962, the Tigers supplied one of the top 21 NBA draft choices four consecutive years through 1965.
Winson-Salem State saw what life looked like on the DI side of the fence and abandoned ship after only one season. All but two of the 25 HBCUs endured at least one season with 20 defeats in a six-year span from 2003-04 through 2008-09. The pair that emerged unscathed during that stretch were Hampton (worst record was 13-17 in 2003-04) and Norfolk State (11-19 in 2006-07).
Despite both leagues prevailing in the same year for the first time in 2021, conference members from the Mid-Eastern Athletic and Southwestern Athletic have won only 10% of their NCAA Division I Tournament games. Alcorn State registered the first three of the following modest total of 15 HBCU wins in the DI tourney versus non-HBCU competition (eight in preliminary-round competition; SWAC's Texas Southern matched up against MEAC's North Carolina Central in First Four in 2018) since the SWAC and MEAC moved up to the Division I level in 1979-80 and 1980-81, respectively:
1980 Midwest First Round: #8 Alcorn State 70 (Baker/Smith team-high 18 points), #9 South Alabama 62 (Rains 22)
1983 Midwest Preliminary Round: Alcorn State 81 (Phelps 18), Xavier 75 (Fleming 16)
1984 Midwest Preliminary Round: Alcorn State 79 (Phelps 21), Houston Baptist 60 (Lavodrama 14)
1993 West First Round: #13 Southern (LA) 93 (Scales 27), #4 Georgia Tech 78 (Mackey 27)
1997 East First Round: #15 Coppin State 78 (Singletary 22), #2 South Carolina 65 (McKie 16)
2001 West First Round: #15 Hampton 58 (Williams 16), #2 Iowa State 57 (Rancik/Shirley 10)
2004 Preliminary Round: Florida A&M 72 (Woods 21), Lehigh 57 (Tempest 13)
2010 Preliminary Round: Arkansas-Pine Bluff 61 (Smith 14), Winthrop 44 (Corbin 13)
2012 West First Round: #15 Norfolk State 86 (O'Quinn 26), #2 Missouri (Dixon 22)
2013 Preliminary Round: North Carolina A&T 73 (Underwood 19), Liberty 72 (Marshall 22)
2015 Preliminary Round: Hampton 74 (Chievous/Johnson 15), Manhattan 64 (Richards 17)
2021 Preliminary Round: Texas Southern 60 (Walker III 19), Mount St. Mary's 52 (Chong Qui 14)
2021 Preliminary Round: Norfolk State 54 (Hawkins 24), Appalachian State 53 (Forrest 18)
2022 Preliminary Round: Texas Southern 76 (Etienne 21), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (67 (Tennyson 18)
2024 Preliminary Round: Grambling State 88 (Cofer 19), Montana State 81 (Ford 26)
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