Greatest moments in college basketball history
College basketball has been enormously popular among fans in the United States of America. Over 350 teams compete for sporting fame and glory, with fans getting to watch the best spectacle. The games are especially popular among punters who like to mix sports and betting after reading up on crypto casino guides.
Below we have listed some of the greatest moments in the history of college basketball.
1- NC State win their second national title
One of the best moments in the history of NC State came in 1983 when they defeated the mighty team of Houston Cougars. It was the second time they lifted the national title.
NC State made an impressive start and they were ahead by 33-25 at half-time. However, the Cougars made a big comeback in the second half and took the lead by 42-35 to swing the momentum back in their favour.
NC State also came back strongly to tie the game at 52, and then Lorenzo Charles picked up the decisive score with just 2 seconds remaining in the game. And that’s how NC State registered a memorable victory by 54-52.
2- George Mason’s achievement
One of the best stories in the history of college basketball happened when an underdog team went very far in the NCAA tournament. It has always been very rare for an underdog to go very far in the competition, but George Mason surprised everyone by making it to the Final Four in 2006. Their huge achievement made them the first side from the Colonial Athletic Association to perform such a feat. They also earned the distinction of becoming the first mid-major team in 27 years to progress to the Final Four.
George Mason outsmarted some of the biggest teams along the way, including North Carolina, Michigan State and Connecticut. However, their triumph against the Connecticut Huskies is widely considered as their greatest game. Their incredible run ultimately came to an end at the hands of eventual champions Florida Gators, but their achievement was enough to earn them huge accolades from fans and pundits.
3- Danny Ainge’s memorable moment
Danny Ainge enjoyed an impressive career with the Boston Celtics and also played for the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. But he etched his name in the history of college basketball with the BYU Cougars.
The former shooting guard hit one of the best shots in the 1981 NCAA tournament. The Cougars came up against Notre Dame in the Sweet Sixteen, with the opposite team boasting four future NBA players in Kelly Tripucka, Joe Kleine, John Paxson and Orlando Woolridge. But Ainge went coast to coast and converted the game-winning layup to lead his side to a memorable victory.
4- Tyus Edney’s game-winning shot
The UCLA team were an excellent team in the 1994-95 season as they were comfortably winning one game after another. They registered a 26-1 record in the regular season and won the number one seed in the West Region. Things were rosy for UCLA who looked on course for their 11th national championship title.
However, their season came close to ending in disappointment when they were on the brink of losing against the Missouri team in the second round of the NCAA tournament. They were trailing by one when only 4.8 seconds were remaining on the clock, and that’s when Tyus Edney stepped up to show his class.
The famous point guard banked the ball in at the buzzer after taking it the entire length of the court. His game-winning shot is regarded as one of the most famous plays in NCAA Tournament history. Following that incredible victory, UCLA went on to clinch their 11th NCAA title, outclassing Arkansas in the national championship game.
5- Keith Smart’s magical moment
Keith Smart’s name wouldn’t have been very popular if he hadn’t hit the game-winning shot in the 1987 NCAA championship game. Indiana Hoosiers were one behind Syracuse Orangemen in the important and only 10 seconds were left on the clock. Only a miracle moment could have saved the Hoosiers and that’s when Smart produced his game-winning shot, thus delivering his side their fifth national title. The Louisiana-born star went on to play in the NBA but he is still remembered for the game-winning shot he produced in 1987.