(2)(1).jpg) By James LeBeau | You can compare wins and losses, strength of schedule, and who has the more talented players but what it all comes down to is who has more points on the board when the clock ticks zero. So with March Madness upon us and with that thought in mind, let’s take a look at the top five underdog performances in NCAA Tournament history. |
Read part one of our NCAA series: 'Legends of the NCAA Tournament'.
5. LSU vs. Kentucky 1986
LSU beats Kentucky, advances to Final Four (1986)-In one of the greatest coaching jobs of all time, Dale Brown coached his depleted 11th seeded Tigers to upsets over Purdue, Memphis State and Georgia Tech before facing a No. 1 Kentucky team they had already lost to three times previously during the season. But behind a defense devised by Brown, dubbed “The Freak”, LSU upset Kentucky 59-57 to become the lowest seed ever to make it to the Final Four.
4.Santa Clara vs. Arizona 1993
Conquering the spread, Santa Clara beats Arizona (1993)-20 points underdogs to No. 2 seed Arizona, 15th seeded Santa Clara stuns the Wildcats 64-61 in the first round of the West Regional in Salt Lake City, surviving a mid-game run of 25 straight points by the Wildcats. Prior to the game, Santa Clara was described by the St. Louis Post Dispatch as “a motley jumble of eggheads, surfers and imports”…one of those imports, Steve Nash, would later go on to become a 2-time NBA League MVP.
3. Texas Western vs. Kentucky 1966
Texas Western defeats Kentucky for title (1966)-In what was a revolutionary, eye opening victory, Texas Western (now the University of Texas at El Paso) and its all-black starting five defeated heavy favorite Kentucky, who was coached by openly racist Adolph Rupp, 72-65.
2. NC State vs. Houston 1983
NC State Stuns Houston in Championship game (1983)-Despite being on a postseason roll that included having won the ACC tournament and tight victories against Pepperdine, Virginia, and Georgia, nobody expected 10 loss NC State to be much of a challenge for a cocky, top ranked Houston team that featured Akeem Olajuwon and the Phi Slamma Jamma Gang…nobody but the Wolfpack. Leading at halftime, State overcame a 17-2 second half run by Houston to win 54-52 on an amazing last second slam by Wolfpack Lorenzo Charles.
1. Villanova vs. Georgetown
Villanova beats Georgetown to win Championship (1985)-After winning the 1984 championship behind the dominating play of Patrick Ewing, Georgetown looked like a lock to repeat in 1985. They faced Villanova, an eighth seed in the Southwest Regional who never cracked the top 20 and lost twice already to the Hoyas during the season. The Wildcats would need a nearly flawless performance to have any chance in this game, and that’s what they got. Villanova led 29-28 at half and then went on to make every shot but one in the second half to stun Georgia 66-64. For the game, they shot 78% against Georgia’s top ranked defense.
The unpredictability of sports is what makes it so great. In any single game, you could be witness to history in the making. So make sure you don’t miss out March 18th when this years NCAA Tournament begins because you never know when the next great moment will happen.
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