GoonBlog’s Top 10 NCAA Final Four Buzzer Beaters, EVAH

Show of hands – who wants a little break from hockey? I didn’t think so. I wrote this article recently for another project and I thought that some of the goons here might get a kick out of it. ‘Tis the season for March Madness, after all. If the NCAA isn’t your bag, baby, then please skip on to the next article and don’t throw anything at my head that weighs over 3 pounds. Deal? Then I’ll begin.

It’s that time of year again and across the USA March Madness is erupting on basketball courts, sports bars, living room couches and just about anywhere else you can plug in a television. Heading into its 69th year, the NCAA Final Four has seen its share of memorable moments. Never a disappointment the wealth of glorious victories, incredible upsets and nail-biting finales have ensured this annual tournament as one of America’s most beloved. To celebrate and prepare for the 2008 NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, we present the top ten bench-clearing buzzer-beaters in March Madness history.

10. Mike Miller: Florida vs. Butler – 2000

Number 10 on the NCAA Top Buzzer Beaters list goes to Mike Miller, then with the Florida Gators. With mere seconds remaining in what had been a very close game, Miller hit a runner in the lane as time expired. Guaranteeing the Gators win, Miller sank one right as the buzzer sounded and lifted the Gators over Butler, 69-68, in overtime. The first-round win sparked Florida to a 2000 NCAA Championship game appearance where they eventually lost to Michigan State. This was the beginning of Miller’s evolution into a top NBA player. Miller, currently with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, has gained the reputation as one of the best in the league for his ability to hit the clutch three-pointer. He was selected 5th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and nabbed himself the 2001 Schick Rookie of the Year Award. Still going strong Miller earned himself the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award for the 2006 NBA season.

9. Drew Nicholas: Maryland vs. UNCW – 2003

UNCW was close to the win until Nicholas, like a man possessed, kept Maryland’s title-defense dreams alive when he took an inbound pass spanning the entire length of the court. Drew then weaved his way through multiple defenders before swishing a running, fade-away three-pointer at the buzzer with 2 defenders still draped all over him. The miracle basket gave the sixth-seeded Terrapins a 75-73 first-round win over No.11 UNC Wilmington. Following the huge win, Nicholas was selected in the 2003 USBL Draft by the Texas Rim Rockers. Nicholas most recently played guard for Efes Pilsen SK in Turkey. He was released by the team for following security warnings from the American Embassy and refusing to travel to Serbia for a Euroleague Top 16 game in Belgrade.

8. Danny Ainge: BYU vs. Notre Dame – 1981

It’s difficult to pick the most memorable moment from Danny Ainge’s long and amazing sports career, but this game is definitely in the running. Ainge went the entire length of the court and lofted in an unlikely finger roll at the buzzer to upset No. 2 Notre Dame and shock the packed house. After playing for the Blue Jays in the MLB, Ainge ended up drafted by the Boston Celtics who bought him out of his Blue Jays contract. With the Celtics, he quickly gained a reputation of angering his opponents with his brash style. After winning the NBA title in 1984 and 1986, he went on to play with the Kings, Trail Blazers, and Suns. During this period he twice lost to the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals, once with Portland and the year following with the Phoenix Suns. He is currently GM for the Boston Celtics.

7. Tate George: UConn vs. Clemson – 1990

Clemson practically had the champagne bottles already popping after they scored a 3-pointer with just 1.6 seconds left in the game. That was until Tate George brough a harsh end to their premature party. George caught a full-court pass, landed, turned and then drilled a fall-away jumper to send the UConn Huskies to a 71-70 win over Clemson in the East Regional semifinals. Clemson was left stunned and UConn fans went absolutely out of their minds. Tate George was drafted 22nd overall in 1990 by the New Jersey Nets. He played 4 years in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.

6. Richard Hamilton: UConn vs. Washington – 1998

Shortly after Washington finally managed to gain the lead, Richard Hamilton sank a desperate wild basket and gave UConn the win in a dramatic fashion. The Huskies missed three put-back attempts – the ball bounced out to Hamilton who missed his first attempt, then with his second he tripped backwards and fell while sinking a jaw-dropping 15-footer which cemented the win. Now nicknamed ‘Rip,’ and playing with the Detroit Pistons, Richard was the 1999 NBA Lottery pick of the Washington Wizards. He won the 2004 NBA Championship with the Pistons and was the team’s leading scorer.

5. Tyus Edney: UCLA vs. Missouri – 1995

UCLA was trailing by 1 with just 4.8 seconds left on the clock. Edney took an inbound pass, sped coast-to-coast and dribbled behind his back before tossing up a layup off the glass to beat the Tigers at the buzzer, giving the Bruins a 75-74 win over Missouri in a second-rounder. Later in the tournament against UConn, Edney had another full court run and drained a 25-foot 3-pointer en route to a 102-96 victory which led UCLA to win the title. Drafted in 1995 in the second round by the Sacramento Kings, he has bounced around the NBA and European professional leagues ever since.

4. Bryce Drew: Valparaiso vs. Ole Miss- 1998

Straight out of a Hollywood sports flick, Valparaiso’s head Coach, Homer Drew, watched in agony as his own son Bryce missed a potential game-winning basket with just 4.5 seconds to remaining. After a foul, Ole Miss ends up missing 2 free-throw attempts. With just a couple seconds left on the clock Valpo ran the hook-and-ladder and executed the last-second play to precision as Bryce drilled a three-pointer at the horn for a 70-69 first-round victory. Drew, arguably the best player in Valpo school history, was a first Round pick for the Houston Rockets in 1998. The first ever first round pick from Valparaiso, Bryce played 6 years in the NBA and 1 in Europe before returning to his Alma mater to serve as his father’s assistant coach.

3. Lorenzo Charles: N.C. State vs. Houston – 1983

Tied 52-52 against much favored Houston with time running down in the NCAA title game, point guard Derek Whittenburg heaved up a last ditch 30-footer from 3-point range. Lorenzo Charles caught the air ball and dunked it at the buzzer, ally-oop style, and pandemonium erupted on the court. A team that included NBA perennial All-Stars Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon and the rest of Phi Slama Jama had been defeated. Charles later played for the NBA Atlanta Hawks, a number of European teams and the USBL’s Raleigh Cougars.

2. Keith Smart: Indiana vs. Syracuse – 1987

With time running out Smart dribbled to the baseline and nailed a 12-footer that gave the Hoosiers a 74-73 win over the Syracuse Orangemen. Smart, who scored 12 of his team’s final 15 points that game, never made much of an impact in the NBA where he played 2 games for the Spurs. He spent the rest of his career in the CBA for 6 seasons and also had stops in the World Basketball League and the Philippines. He is currently an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

1. Christian Laettner: Duke vs. Kentucky – 1992

Who can forget this gem of a Final Four moment? With just 2.1 seconds remaining in overtime Duke trailed Kentucky 103-102. Grant Hill threw a beautiful pass the length of the court to Christian Laettner who dribbled once, turned, and hit a jumper as time expired for the 104-103 win. It was the end of a heart-breaking game for Rick Pitino’s Wildcats who had managed to come back from a double-digit deficit only to watch their dreams crash and burn due to one miracle shot. Laettner is considered one of the greatest college players of all time, largely due to his outstanding play in 4 consecutive Final Fours. He went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA beginning with the Minnesota Timberwolves as the 3rd pick in the 1992 draft.

Hopefully this list of the Top 10 supremely amazing game endings in the history of the NCAA Final Four has left you quivering in anticipation for this year’s tournament and already scrambling for NCAA tickets to next year’s big show. Regardless of what happens in the future the incredible legacy of players like Tate George, Mike Miller, Danny Ainge, Richard Hamilton, Christian Laettner and other NCAA miracle makers will remain in the March Madness history books for all time.